United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Fiscal Year 2025
Justification of Appropriation
Estimates for the
Committee on Appropriations
EPA-190R24002 March 2024
www.epa.gov/cj
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Budget Overview
EPA's Mission
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a clear and vital mission: to protect
human health and the environment. While the Agency, along with tribal, state, and local partners,
has made great progress in advancing this mission, much work remains to guarantee that all people
living in the United States share more fully in the benefits of clean air, clean water, clean land, and
chemical safety. Persistent challenges like climate change and environmental injustice have made
it clear that protecting our communities has never been more urgent. The FY 2025 President's
Budget puts forth the Agency's plans to confront these challenges and advance the priorities
described in the FY 2022 2026 EPA. Sir ate sic Plan. deepening EPA's commitment to protecting
human health and the environment for all people, with an emphasis on historically overburdened
and underserved communities.
The FY 2025 President's Budget for the EPA totals $10,994 billion, representing a $858 million
or eight and a half percent increase from the FY 2024 Annualized Continuing Resolution (ACR)
level. Note that at the time of budget development the Agency was operating under a continuing
resolution and so funding requests are compared against the ACR. The Budget supports 17,145
full-time equivalents (FTE), an increase of 2,023 FTE above the 2024 ACR level, to continue
rebuilding the Agency's core capacity to carry out its vital mission. These resources will advance
EPA's efforts to clean up air, land, and water pollution, tackle the climate crisis, advance
environmental justice, return contaminated land to productive use, regulate chemicals in
commerce, and position the Agency with the workforce required to address emerging and ongoing
challenges. The Budget includes robust funding to address the climate crisis by reducing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, building resilience in the face of climate impacts, and engaging
with the global community, and tribal, state, and local partners to respond to this shared challenge.
The Agency will continue to prioritize environmental justice in its activities by investing across
all programs in support of environmental justice and ensuring compliance with civil rights laws
that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from
EPA.
The FY 2025 Budget for the EPA will continue to build on the historic progress and investments
made by this Administration, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA),1 also
known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).2 The
Budget will fund the Agency's core operating accounts and balance annual appropriations with the
significant supplemental resources to ensure that EPA, tribes, and states have the support needed
to effectively implement these new or significantly expanded programs.
The FY 2025 Budget is rooted in the four foundational principles of the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan: Follow the Science, Follow the Law, Be Transparent, and Advance Justice and
1 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure
2 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/inflfltion-reduction-act
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Equity. These principles form the basis of the Agency's mission and will guide its operations and
decision making now and into the future. The Strategic Plan focuses on achieving the Agency's
and Administration's environmental priorities to instill scientific integrity in decision making,
tackle the climate crisis, and embed environmental justice across agency programs.
FY 2025 Funding Priorities
Tackle the Climate Crisis
The FY 2025 Budget prioritizes tackling climate change with the urgency that science demands.
EPA's Climate Change Indicators website presents compelling and clear evidence of changes to
our climate reflected in rising temperatures, ocean acidity, sea level rise, river flooding, droughts,
heat waves, and wildfires.3 Recent natural disasters, like the devastating wildfire in Maui, Hawaii,
the hazardous smoke and air pollution stemming from summer wildfires, and the catastrophic
flooding in the West, reinforce the significance of the EPA's role in addressing and mitigating the
effects of climate change nationally and in our local communities. Resources in the Budget support
efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis while spurring economic progress
and creating good-paying jobs. Both climate change mitigation and adaptation are essential
components of the Agency's strategy to reduce the threats and impacts of climate change. The
Budget empowers EPA to work with partners to address the climate crisis by reducing GHG
emissions, building resilience in the face of climate impacts, and engaging with the global
community to respond to this shared challenge.
In FY 2025, EPA will drive reductions in emissions that significantly contribute to climate change
through regulation of GHGs, climate partnership programs, and support to tribal, state, and local
governments. The Agency will accomplish this through the transformative investments in the IRA,
IIJA, and our annual appropriation. In FY 2025 and beyond, EPA will ensure its programs,
policies, regulations, enforcement and compliance assurance activities, and internal business
operations consider current and future impacts of climate change.
The Budget includes an increase of $77.5 million and 40.6 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR, for a
total of $187.3 million and 256.7 FTE, for the Climate Protection Program to tackle the climate
crisis at home and abroad through an integrated approach of regulations, partnerships, and
technical assistance. The increase would enable EPA to take strong action on CO2 and methane,
as well as high-global warming potential climate pollutants, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
restore the capacity of EPA's climate partnership programs, and strengthen EPA's capacity to
apply its modeling tools and expertise across a wide range of high priority work areas including
supporting U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement and the Climate-Macro Interagency
Technical Working Group. Resources also are requested for EPA to continue to implement
regulations in FY 2025 to enhance reporting of GHG emissions from U.S. industrial sectors,
including methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector.
Also included in this increase is $5 million for EPA to provide administrative support to implement
a historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, enacted through the IRA. EPA recently
released funding opportunities for three grant competitions: the $14 billion National Clean
3 For more information, please visit: fattps://www, epa. gov/cliniate-indicators
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Investment Fund, the $6 billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and the $7 billion
Solar for All competition.4 With enhanced administrative support provided by the additional
funding request, EPA will be able to more effectively and efficiently administer competitive grants
to mobilize financing and leverage private capital for clean energy and climate projects that reduce
GHG emissions with an emphasis on projects that benefit low-income and disadvantaged
communities.
The Agency is requesting an additional $68.5 million and 46.8 FTE for a total of $185.9 million
and 370.3 FTE for the Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program. This
includes the development of analytical methods, regulations, and analyses, to support climate
protection by controlling GHG emissions from light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. In FY
2025, EPA will begin implementing a final rulemaking under the Clean Air Act to establish new
GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty engines and vehicles beginning with Model Year (MY)
2027. EPA will invest significant resources to address a myriad of new technical challenges to
support two sets of long-term rulemakings, which will include added light-duty vehicle and heavy-
duty vehicle testing and modeling capabilities at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions
Laboratory (NVFEL). EPA also will begin implementing the multi-pollutant emissions standards,
including for GHG emissions, for light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning with MY 2027 and
extending through and including at least MY 2030.
In support of Executive Order 14037: Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and
Trucks,5 EPA's longer-term rulemaking to set emission standards will save consumers money, cut
pollution, boost public health, advance environmental justice, and tackle the climate crisis. The FY
2025 Budget requests $100 million for the Diesel Emission Reduction (DERA) grant program,
which complements the significant IIJA resources to fund the replacement of existing school buses
with low- and zero-emission buses. More than 25 million children ride a school bus to school each
day, some breathing polluted air from diesel school buses. By deploying electric and lower emission
school buses, fewer children will face increased asthma risks and other associated health problems
linked to diesel air pollution. As of January 15, 2024, EPA awarded nearly $1.84 billion in grants to
642 school districts spanning 50 states, Washington, DC, and several tribes and U.S. territories.6 The
grants will help school districts to replace over 5,100 existing school buses with low- and zero-
emission vehicles that will improve air quality for children and their families in and around schools
and communities.
Acting domestically to reduce GHG emissions is an important step to tackle the climate crisis;
however, environmental protection is a shared responsibility that crosses international borders, and
climate change poses a threat that no one government can solve alone. The Budget includes an
additional $18 million and 16 FTE to support tackling the climate crisis abroad. Through a
collaborative approach with international counterparts, EPA will enhance capacity building
programs for priority countries with increasing GHG footprints, to enable stronger legislative,
regulatory, and legal enforcement. To this end, President Biden has ambitiously laid out a path, by
2030, for the United States to cut GHG emissions by at least half from 2005 levels showing our
4 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fuad/about-greenhouse-gas-reduction-fuad.
5 Executive Order 14037: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-room/presidential-actions/2021/08/05/executive-order-on-
strengthening-american-leadership-in-clean-cars-and-trucks/.
6 For total Clean School Bus Program awards, go to https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/clean-school-bus-program-awards.
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international partners that America is doing its part to reduce global emissions. In FY 2023, EPA
implemented 10 international climate engagements resulting in individual partner commitments or
actions to reduce GHG emissions, adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that
promotes equity, building on the work of eight engagements in FY 2022. The Agency will continue
to engage both bilaterally and through multilateral institutions to improve international cooperation
on climate change. These efforts help fulfill EPA's commitment to Executive Order 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
Tackling the climate crisis depends not only on the Agency's ability to mitigate GHG emissions
but also the capacity to adapt and deliver targeted assistance to increase the Nation's resilience to
climate change impacts. As part of a whole-of-government approach, EPA will directly support
federal partners, tribes and indigenous communities, states, territories, local governments,
environmental justice organizations, community groups, and businesses as they anticipate, prepare
for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. In FY 2022 EPA assisted 110 federally recognized
tribes and 242 states, territories, local governments, and communities in taking such actions. The
FY 2025 Budget includes an additional $19.3 million and 14.5 FTE for climate adaptation efforts
to increase resilience of EPA programs and strengthen the adaptive capacity of tribes, states,
territories, local governments, communities, and businesses. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to
implement the updated version of its Climate Adaptation Action Plan as well as the 20 Climate
Adaptation Implementation Plans developed by the EPA Program and Regional Offices. The plans
accelerate and focus on five priority actions the Agency will take by FY 2026 to increase human
and ecosystem resilience as the climate changes and disruptive impacts increase. To support the
economic revitalization of coal, oil, gas, and power plant communities (Energy Communities), the
Budget requests an additional $5 million and 3 FTE for stakeholder engagement and cross-agency
coordination, including resources to increase the number of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) from
three in FY 2023 to at least 10 by the end of FY 2025.
To improve work on climate change modeling, an additional $3 million is requested across
multiple programs to support the Agency's participation in the Climate-Macro Interagency
Technical Working Group and the Assessments of Federal Financial Climate Risk Interagency
Working Group. Further, the Agency will continue development of open-source data and
economic models, including sector-specific cost models and those that assess the macroeconomic
and fiscal impacts of climate change and the risk of extreme weather events.
Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
The communities hardest hit by pollution and climate change are most often communities of color,
indigenous, rural, and economically disadvantaged. For generations, many of these communities,
which also are among the most vulnerable, have been overburdened with higher instances of
polluted air, water, and land. The inequity of environmental protection is not just an environmental
justice issue but also a civil rights concern. All people in the United States should realize the full
protection of our environmental laws. And yet, the development, implementation, and enforcement
of environmental laws, regulations, and policies has not always ensured the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income.
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EPA will continue to take bold steps in FY 2025 and prioritize efforts to deliver environmental
justice in communities across the United States, including implementing the President's Justice40
Initiative and keeping up the momentum of the historic IIJA and IRA environmental justice
investments. Since the establishment of the pilot programs, EPA expanded the number of Justice40
covered programs to include programs funded by the IIJA that match the criteria for Justice40
originally set in July 2022. EPA is focusing on these pilot and IIJA-funded programs as the first
phase of full Justice40 implementation at EPA. In November 2023, EPA updated the current list
of agency programs covered under Justice40 to include many programs funded by the IRA.7 EPA
announced 79 programs that will be covered under the Justice40 initiative, including the Clean
Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, Brownfields Projects Program, Superfund
Remedial Program, and the Clean School Bus Program.8 EPA is currently exploring ways to ensure
the delivery of benefits to disadvantaged and underserved communities to achieve the 40 percent
goal within existing legal authorizations. EPA also is developing and refining methodologies to
track and report the benefits going toward these communities. Advancing the Administration's
environmental justice priorities is a foundational component of the Agency's FY 2025 Budget.
EPA's Budget recognizes the importance of embedding environmental justice principles in all
agency programs and implementing Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home
and Abroad, and Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities Through the Federal Government.
In FY 2025, the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) will
continue to lead the agencywide effort to maximize the benefits of the Agency's programs and
activities to underserved communities. By September 30, 2025, EPA intends to apply cumulative
impacts analysis and practice across agency programs, finalize and deploy external civil rights
guidance, and apply at least 10 indicators to drive disparity reductions in environmental and public
health conditions, to meet the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal to Implement guidance, tools,
and metrics for EPA and its tribal, state, local, and community partners to advance environmental
justice and external civil rights compliance.
In order to make investments that benefit historically underserved communities, EPA has worked
to broaden the reach of its opportunities and fund nontraditional stakeholders. In partnership with
the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA has opened 17 Thriving Communities Technical Assistance
Centers (TCTACs) at universities and environmental justice organizations to help small, minority-
owned businesses and not-for-profit and nongovernmental organizations be competitive in
applying for federal dollars and successful in implementing projects and reporting results.9 Three
of the 17 TCTACs are dedicated to assist tribes, with the goal of strengthening EPA's partnership
with tribal nations to deliver much-needed infrastructure investments to tribal communities.
The FY 2025 Budget will continue to enhance the Agency's ability to develop, manage, and award
new competitive grants to reduce the historically disproportionate health impacts of pollution in
communities with environmental justice concerns. $323.6 million and 264.6 FTE, an increase of
over $216 million and 41 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR level, is requested for the Environmental
7 For more information, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-content/uploads/2023/l 1/Justice40-Initiative-Covered-
Prograins-List v2.0 1.1..23 FINAL.pdf"
8 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice/iustice40-epa
9 For more information, please visithttps://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-thriving-communities-
technical-assistance-centers
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Justice Program to expand support for community-based organizations, indigenous organizations,
tribes, states, local governments, and territorial governments in pursuit of identifying and
addressing environmental justice issues through multi-partner collaborations. Included in this
funding is a $36.5 million increase to scale up capacity-building grants to more communities,
governmental partners, and academic institutions. EPA also proposes to invest $69.7 million and
39.3 FTE to continue building out the TCTACs established in FY 2023, ensuring that the network
provides coverage across the United States.
The Budget also proposes a new $25 million categorical grant program to develop Direct
Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements, with the goal of $13 million of this funding being
used to assist tribes in becoming more resilient to climate impacts. This unique funding vehicle
would fund tribes to carry out agreed upon federal implementation activities to assist EPA in
implementing federal environmental programs in Indian Country. Once established, this Program
is expected to at least double the number of tribes receiving EPA assistance for direct
implementation activities while providing needed multi-media environmental protections. Further,
with a total FY 2025 investment of $35.1 million and 166.9 FTE, which more than doubles the
amount in the FY 2024 ACR, EPA will strengthen efforts to support nationwide core work in the
Tribal Capacity Building Program. This investment expects to reduce disparities in compliance
rates between Indian Country and the national average, disseminate best practices for community
engagement by tribal governments, reduce the ratio of grants per project officer for tribal grants,
strengthen partnerships with tribes with "more time per tribe" for technical assistance, and improve
efficiency and use of the EPA grant performance management system. In addition, EPA will fully
implement the revised EPA Tribal Consultation Policy and Implementation Guidance to improve
consultation practices in conformance with the executive order on tribal consultation and train
EPA staff.
To fully implement its external civil rights mission for the most overburdened and vulnerable
communities where protection of civil rights may be at risk, EPA must embed civil rights
obligations into its programmatic actions. All applicants for and recipients of EPA financial
assistance, including state and local governments as well as private entities, have an affirmative
obligation to comply with federal civil rights laws, both as a prerequisite to obtaining EPA
financial assistance and in administering their programs and activities. EPA has set the goal that
all state recipients of EPA financial assistance have foundational civil rights programs in place by
the end of FY 2026. In FY 2023, 58 percent of required civil rights procedural safeguard elements
had been implemented by state permitting agencies that are recipients of EPA financial assistance,
up from 33 percent in FY 2022. EPA enforcement of these anti-discrimination provisions is a vital
part of the Agency's goal to advance equity and environmental justice. Consistent enforcement of
federal civil rights laws for recipients of federal funds will prevent decisions that can create or
exacerbate significant inequities in human health protection and environmental pollution for
overburdened and underserved communities. In FY 2025, the Budget includes a total of $32.2
million and 145.6 FTE, an increase of $19.4 million and 79.2 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR level,
to build civil rights capacity across the Agency and to reduce the backlog of civil rights cases such
as claims of discrimination in communities and pre-award and post-award compliance activities.
In the long term, the vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws will address historical and systemic
barriers that contribute to the environmental injustice affecting vulnerable communities.
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Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Ensuring compliance and enforcement of the Nation's environmental laws is foundational to
achieving EPA's mission. The Agency regulates more than 1.2 million facilities subj ect to a variety
of environmental statutes, as well as a wide range of products, from automobiles to pesticides. In
FY 2025, EPA's Budget proposes nearly $769 million and 3,429 FTE to strengthen compliance
with the Nation's environmental laws and hold violators accountable to ensure protection of human
health and the environment. These levels represent an increase of over 200 FTE over the FY 2024
ACR for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance (OECA).
In FY 2025 the Agency will invest $67.3 million and 128.3 FTE to address the most serious
environmental violations through the development and implementation of National Enforcement
and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs), including to mitigate climate change, address exposure to
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, protect communities from coal
combustion residuals, address hazardous air pollution, provide for clean and safe drinking water,
and reduce the risk of deadly chemical accidents.10 In FY 2023, the Agency issued 203 drinking
water orders to public water systems, of which eight were emergency orders. EPA also will
leverage funding from the IRA that is targeted for improving enforcement technology and
inspection software (such as the Integrated Compliance Information System, ICIS) and technical
assistance to the regulated community. The Agency will increase the percentage of inspections
impacting overburdened communities and provide greater public access to compliance data to help
a community better understand and manage risks. In addition, EPA will advance its efforts to
address climate change mitigation and adaptation issues through targeted inspections, compliance
monitoring, and technical assistance directed to sources with the most potential for noncompliant
emissions of GHGs that contribute to climate change.
The Budget includes $171.7 million and 544.6 FTE for the Compliance Monitoring Program, an
increase of $57.3 million and 65.7 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR level, to support enforcement and
compliance assurance efforts with a focus on incorporating environmental justice considerations
into programmatic work. To complement the resources from IRA that are targeted for improving
enforcement technology, inspection software, and other related purposes, EPA will leverage
additional resources to expand software solutions for field inspectors to improve the effectiveness
and efficiency of compliance inspections conducted by EPA and authorized states. Smart Tools
software allows EPA to use its compliance monitoring resources more efficiently and to make
inspection reports more quickly available to regulated entities and to the public in affected
communities. In FY 2025, EPA will provide robust targeted oversight and support to tribal, state,
and local programs, including an increase of $2 million to support the Agency's Compliance
Advisor Program, which reduces noncompliance at small public water systems (PWSs) and small
wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) by providing hands-on technical assistance. As a result,
the percentage of Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
permittees in significant noncompliance with their permit limits decreased to 9.3 percent in FY
2023, down from more than 20 percent in FY 2018. In 2023, Compliance Advisors assisted and
trained 195 small PWSs and 61 small WWTFs nationwide, with 84 percent in communities with
potential environmental justice concerns. The Agency will prioritize work with states to develop
methods that successfully leverage advances in both monitoring and information technology to
10 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-enforcement-and-compliance-iiiitiatives.
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increase the availability of information about environmental conditions in disadvantaged
communities.
EPA's Civil Enforcement Program is designed to protect human health and the environment by
ensuring compliance with the Nation's environmental laws. The Budget requests nearly $260
million and 1,096.7 FTE for civil enforcement efforts, an increase of $50.5 million and 98.6 FTE
above the FY 2024 ACR level. These resources will allow the Agency to focus its enforcement
efforts on the most serious environmental violations through the NECIs that seek to improve air
quality, provide for clean and safe water, and ensure chemical safety. The increase also will allow
the Interagency HFC Task Force to expand its work on ensuring compliance with the AIM Act.
Together, these resources will enable EPA to incorporate environmental justice and climate change
considerations into all phases of case development without displacing other important enforcement
and compliance assurance work. To protect public health and ensure that private, public, and
federal facilities are held to the same standard, EPA will rebuild and train headquarters and
regional inspectors. EPA will pursue enforcement actions at public, private, and federal facilities
where significant violations are discovered to protect the health of surrounding communities. In
FY 2023, EPA reduced, treated, or eliminated 1.21 billion pounds of pollutants and waste through
concluded enforcement actions. Finally, this increase in resources will provide additional support
to the drinking water NECI as EPA works to become the lead federal agency for responding to
drinking water emergencies. These resources will help EPA build capacity to address multiple
water emergencies and provide regional staffing of field support and oversight during drinking
water emergencies.
Overburdened and underserved communities are more often victims of environmental crime. In
FY 2025, EPA, in partnership with the Department of Justice will continue to prioritize criminal
enforcement resources for investigations which involve vulnerable communities or those that have
historically been overburdened by pollution. The Criminal Enforcement Program Initiative focuses
on the prioritization of investigative resources to overburdened communities and vulnerable
populations, while maintaining case initiation standards and reducing the impact of pollution. The
Budget includes $76.7 million and 299.4 FTE, an increase of $6 million and 30.1 FTE to support
the Criminal Enforcement Program by targeting investigations on the most egregious
environmental cases.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to advance efforts to protect fenceline communities at risk to
environmental health hazards from nearby oil and chemical facilities and underground storage tank
releases. Fenceline communities are often low-income and/or communities of color facing
disproportionate risks from environmental health hazards, particularly in light of severe weather
events caused by a changing climate. The Agency set a goal of conducting 55 percent of annual
EPA inspections at facilities that affect communities with potential environmental justice concerns
by FY 2026. EPA exceeded that goal in FY 2023 with 61 percent of inspections conducted at those
facilities and will continue to prioritize this in FY 2025. The Budget invests additional resources
to advance protection of these communities by increasing inspections and compliance assistance
to ensure nearby facilities are adhering to regulations designed to protect vulnerable populations.
This investment also will be used to create and expand programs to improve environmental
protections and increase monitoring capability in fenceline communities.
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Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Providing clean and healthy air for all communities is a central tenet of EPA's mission. Long-term
exposure to elevated levels of certain air pollutants has been associated with increased risk of
cancer, premature death, and damage to the immune, neurological, reproductive, cardiovascular,
and respiratory systems. Short-term exposure can exacerbate asthma and lead to other adverse
health effects and economic costs.11 Relying on the latest science, EPA will continue work to
reduce emissions of the six National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) pollutants—
particulate matter (PM), ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead. In
FY 2025, EPA will leverage approaches including regulatory tools, innovative market-based
techniques, public and private-sector partnerships, community-based approaches, voluntary
programs that promote environmental stewardship, and programs that encourage adoption of cost-
effective technologies and practices. The Budget includes nearly $1,312 billion and 2,231 FTE to
advance EPA efforts in protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of
air pollution.
In FY 2025, EPA will make critical resource investments in air regulatory development and
implementation work, particularly to support NAAQS review and implementation activities. The
President directed EPA to review the 2020 PM NAAQS and the 2020 Ozone NAAQS in accordance
with Executive Order 13990: Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science
to Tackle the Climate Crisis.12 The Federal Support for Air Quality Management Program includes
$269.4 million and 1,079.7 FTE, an increase of $110.4 million and 200.4 FTE over the FY 2024
ACR level, to develop and implement climate and clean air regulations and programs, including
supporting NAAQS review and implementation work. Critical to successful NAAQS
implementation are activities such as timely issuance of rules and guidance documents, ongoing
outreach to states and other entities, development of NAAQS implementation and permitting-
related tools, and taking timely action on State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and reducing the SIP
backlog. In the FY 2023 ozone season, NOx emissions from electric power generation sources
were 293,519 tons, down from 389,170 tons in FY 2019.
Further, the Budget includes $47.9 million and 165.3 FTE for the Federal Stationary Source
Regulations Program, an increase of $17.5 million and 40.8 FTE from the FY 2024 ACR level, to
finalize the review of standards for power plants, as well as rules to limit GHG emissions from
new and existing sources in the power sector and new and existing facilities in the oil and gas
sector. The Budget requests nearly $47.8 million and 71.4 FTE for the Reducing Risks from Indoor
Air Program to expand technical assistance to community-based asthma programs, reducing
asthma disparities, particularly in vulnerable communities, and provide technical support to high-
risk, low-income communities to reduce lung cancer risk.
The Agency also will seek to address the air quality challenges presented by wildfires. Climate
change has already led to a marked increase in wildfire season length, wildfire frequency, and
burned area.13 The Budget includes $7 million for Wildfire Smoke Preparedness, and EPA will
11 For more information, please visit https://www.epa.gov/air-research/research-health-efrects-air-pollution.
12 Executive Order 13990: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presideiitial-actioiis/2021/01/20/executive-order-
protecting-public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/.
13 For more information on climate impacts, risk and adaptation in the United States visit: https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/.
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continue to work with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal, state, and community agencies
and organizations to identify ways to improve public notification and reduce the public health risk
from air pollution resulting from wildfires.
The Agency is also committed to protect both the climate system and the stratospheric ozone layer,
which shields all life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The Budget includes
an increase of $65.3 million and 24 FTE, for the Stratospheric Ozone: Domestic Programs to
continue implementing the American Innovation in Manufacturing (AIM) Act to continue phasing
out the production and import of HFCs, building on the successful work with manufacturers and
phase-out methodologies that have led to progress restoring the ozone layer.14 By September 30,
2025, EPA expects that annual U.S. consumption of HFCs will be 40 percent below the baseline
of 302.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe) consistent with the HFC
phasedown schedule implemented in the AIM Act and codified in the implementing regulations
and meeting the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal to Phase down the production and
consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Increasing Support for Air Grants to EPA Partners The Agency also requests $423.3 million in
financial support through Categorical Grant Programs to EPA's tribal, state, and local partners, an
increase of $157.9 million over the FY 2024 ACR level, to further their efforts in implementing
air quality management programs. These programs are critical to provide sustained financial
support for the Agency's state and tribal partners to support implementation of environmental laws
across the country and assure tangible progress for historically overburdened and underserved
communities. Funding for state and tribal support has been largely flat since 2018, while the need
and expectations from EPA partners has only increased. In FY 2025, EPA's request includes
$400.2 million for the State and Local Air Quality Management Program to provide grants to states
that will support on-the-ground efforts to address GHG emissions and continuing core work (e.g.,
state, and local air quality monitoring networks, air permitting programs, emission inventories, air
quality forecasts, air quality training, visibility improvements, and air toxic monitoring efforts).
EPA also includes $23.1 million for the Categorical Grant: Tribal Air Quality Management
Program. Funding will assist tribes to develop and implement air pollution control programs for
Indian Country to prevent and address air quality concerns, including mitigating and adapting to
the effects of climate change. EPA will work with tribes to assess environmental and public health
conditions in Indian Country by developing emission inventories and, where appropriate,
expanding the siting and operating of air quality monitors.
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
The United States has made great progress over the past 50 years protecting and restoring water
resources through legislation such as the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA). In FY 2023, approximately 93 percent of the population served by community water
systems (CWSs) (including 84 percent of the population in Indian Country served by CWSs)
received drinking water that met all applicable health-based drinking water standards. While
progress is being made to ensure clean and safe water for all, it is clear that the Nation still faces
significant barriers and challenges achieving this goal, including access to safe and clean water,
14 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/hfc-
allowaiices#:~:text=The%20AIM%20Act%20directs%20the.allowaiice%20allocatioii%20aiid%20tradiiig%20prograiii.
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aging infrastructure, replacement of lead pipes, cybersecurity threats to water systems, climate
change, and management of public health risks of emerging contaminants.
In FY 2023, EPA finalized the seventh Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and
Assessment (DWINSA). This survey identifies a 20-year capital investment need of $625 billion
for public water systems that are eligible to receive funding from state Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Programs and estimated there is a total of 9.2 million lead service lines
across the country.15 The survey also informs the DWSRF allocation formula as required under
the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Beginning in FY 2024, early framework activities for the
eighth DWINSA will begin. Today, up to 10 million homes in America and more than 400,000
schools and childcare centers rely on drinking water distribution lines that contain lead—a clear
and present danger to the health of children. Replacing these lead pipes and adapting America's
water infrastructure to be more resilient to climate change is critical to keeping communities
healthy and safe, consistent with the Biden-Harris Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan.16 In FY 2023,
EPA awarded over $50 million in Small Underserved Disadvantaged Communities Grants to aid
compliance with drinking water rules, $30 million for the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grants
in disadvantaged communities and schools, and $58 million for the Lead Testing and Remediation
in Schools and Childcare Program.
As the climate warms, more extreme rainfall and flooding events could damage or overwhelm
water systems, leaving entire communities without safe water supplies for days or weeks. EPA's
water infrastructure financing programs will advance the Agency's ongoing commitment to
infrastructure repair and replacement and also build climate resilience into the water sector. At the
same time, these investments will create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs across the
country and leverage non-federal resources to grow the effect of EPA investments. In FY 2023,
the Agency's water infrastructure finance programs leveraged $11.4 billion in non-federal
dollars.17 The Budget builds on the $9.23 billion in IIJA funding available to State Revolving Funds
(SRFs) in FY 2025. The Budget includes $2,366 billion for EPA's Drinking Water and Clean
Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) and $334 million for a range of grant programs authorized or
modified in the American's Water infrastructure Act (AWIA), the Water Infrastructure
Improvement for the Nation (WIIN), and the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act
(DWWIA). Included in these resources is nearly $101 million for two grants dedicated to Reducing
Lead in Drinking Water and Lead Testing in Schools. This investment, along with other programs
at EPA that can be used for lead projects, builds on the historic $15 billion in direct funding for
lead pipe replacement through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and underscores the President's
commitment to ensuring access to safe drinking water and creating good-paying jobs in the
process. This funding also represents a $111.8 million increase for DWWIA programs over the
FY 2024 ACR level and focuses on programs that support priorities for the Administration,
including lead reduction in drinking water, environmental justice, and drought resilience.
15 For more information, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf/epas-7th-drinkiiig-water-infrastructure-needs-survey-and-
assessment.
16 For more information, please visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/16/fact-sheet-the-
biden-harris-lead-pipe-and-paint-action-plan.
17 Jobs created estimates are based on the U.S. Water Alliance: The Value of Water Campaign: The Economic Benefits of
Investing in Water Infrastructure.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing the WIIN, AWIA, and DWWIA programs to address
water infrastructure challenges throughout the Nation. AWIA strengthened many existing
programs within EPA, including programs authorized by the WIIN Act, while creating new
programs to tackle significant public health and environmental concerns. DWWIA, as authorized
under IIJA, builds on the foundation of AWIA and WIIN to strengthen the federal government's
ability to upgrade the Nation's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. These investments
will enable the Agency to increase water infrastructure resilience and sustainability, provide
assistance for underserved communities, and reduce lead in drinking water. By September 30,
2025, EPA will increase the number of lead service line replacements funded to 500,000, to meet
the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal to Reduce harmful lead exposure in drinking water
through the replacement of lead service lines in communities.
In FY 2025, the Budget requests $151 million and 554.5 FTE, an increase of $24.2 million and
15.1 FTE, to support Drinking Water Programs to better protect communities, especially
overburdened and underserved communities. This includes efforts to finalize and implement the
Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) regulation, which aims to strengthen the Lead and
Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) issued in 2021 to replace lead service lines more proactively and
more equitably protect public health.18 In June 2023, EPA released the Developing and
Maintaining a Service Line Inventory: Small Entity Compliance Guide19 that complements the
Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory20 released in August 2022.
These guidances will help water systems comply with the LCRR requirement to submit an initial
inventory of service line materials to their state or primacy agency by October 16, 2024.
Resources will support the Agency's efforts to reduce public health and environmental threats
from PFAS by finalizing the new drinking water standards in FY 2024. An additional $42.8 million
and 22 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR level is requested to advance EPA's PFAS Strategic
Roadmap,21 which will allow EPA to accelerate its efforts to develop various methods and tools to
support, tribes, states, and localities in managing PFAS risks, particularly in small and underserved
communities. EPA will continue its efforts in FY 2025 to develop analytical methods, drinking
water health advisories, toxicity values, effluent limitation guidelines, as well as risk
communication and other tools to support tribes, states, and localities in managing PFAS risks in
their communities.
In FY 2025 the Agency includes an additional $30 million and 30 FTE to respond to the increasing
number of water incidents across the Nation. These resources will enable EPA to expand its
capacity to respond to drinking water and wastewater emergencies where water quality poses a
risk to public health, and to ensure the community has access to safe and clean water in a timely
or effective manner. Additionally, these resources are necessary for EPA to develop capabilities
in the event the President designates EPA as the Lead Federal Agency (LFA) for a water
18 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinkiiig-water/proposed-1ead-and-copper-rule-
improvements.
19 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
06/Final%20Small%20System%20Entity%20Inventory%20Guide 508.pdf
20 https://www.epa.gov/systeiii/files/documents/2022-08/Inventory%20Guidance August%202022 508%20compliant.pdf.
21 The PFAS Strategic Roadmap may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-
2021-2024.
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emergency. As the LFA, the Agency may be expected to perform multiple complex and time
critical duties to provide safe and clean water in the event of an emergency.
The Budget includes $270.6 million and 1,056.4 FTE for the Surface Water Protection Program,
an increase of $46.1 million and 46.1 FTE over the FY 2024 ACR level, to carry out work to
protect, improve, and restore the quality of our Nation's coastal waters, rivers, lakes, wetlands,
and streams. Another critical aspect of ensuring clean water is ongoing support for the
capitalization of state programs to build and repair water infrastructure, including through EPA's
two state revolving funds.
Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Programs The Budget includes $1,239
billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program to capitalize state revolving
loan funds in all 50 states and Puerto Rico to finance infrastructure improvements for public
wastewater systems and projects to improve water quality. It represents the largest source of
federal funds for states to provide loans and other forms of assistance for water quality projects
including construction of wastewater treatment facilities, water and energy efficiency projects, and
green infrastructure projects. In addition to capitalizing the CWSRF Program, a portion of the
Budget will provide direct grants to communities in tribal nations and territories. The sanitation
infrastructure in these communities often trails the rest of the country causing significant public
health concerns. The Agency has helped reduce the number of community water systems in Indian
Country still in noncompliance with health-based standards from 110 in March of 2021, to 54 at
the end of FY 2023.
EPA's DWSRF is designed to assist public water systems in financing the costs of drinking water
infrastructure improvements needed to comply with SDWA requirements, protect public health,
and support tribal, state, and local efforts to protect drinking water. The Budget includes $1,126
billion for the DWSRF to help finance critical infrastructure improvements to public water
systems. States have considerable flexibility to tailor their DWSRF Programs to their unique
circumstances and needs and to consider how best to achieve the maximum public health
protection and infrastructure development that benefits all people living in the United States.
Infrastructure within the water sector goes beyond repair and replacement to include the safety and
reliability of the information technology systems used to monitor clean and safe water. In FY 2025,
EPA requests $25 million for a grant program to advance cybersecurity infrastructure capacity and
protections within the water sector against cyberattacks and cyberthreats. Cybersecurity represents
a substantial concern for the water sector, given the prevalence of state-sponsored and other
malevolent attacks on the sector as well as the sector's inherent vulnerability and limited technical
capacity to address cyber issues.
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) The WIFIA Program, created in
2014, is a critical tool to increase water infrastructure investments by leveraging public and private
sources of funds to maximize the reach of federal funds. As of December 2023, EPA had issued
120 WIFIA loans to communities across the country totaling over $19 billion in credit assistance
to help finance more than $43 billion for water infrastructure projects. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to use the SRF and WIFIA investments to improve the reliability, accessibility, and
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resilience of the Nation's water infrastructure. The Budget supports WIFIA with a total funding of
$80 million.
Geographic Programs Beyond water infrastructure, the Agency recognizes the important role
federal assistance provides to protect water bodies of special ecological and economic importance
to our Nation. Through EPA's Geographic Water Programs, the Agency assists tribes, state, and
multi-state partners to accelerate and manage the restoration of the ecological health of these water
bodies. In total, the Budget includes $681.8 million for EPA's Geographic Water Programs,
slightly above the FY 2024 ACR level, to advance work on projects that target the most significant
environmental problems in these important water bodies and watersheds. Since FY 2022, 27,632
square miles of watershed with surface water met standards that previously did not meet standards.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to provide resources to accelerate ecological restoration and
sustainable management for the Chesapeake Bay, Columbia River, Gulf of Mexico, the Great
Lakes, Lake Champlain, Lake Pontchartrain, Long Island Sound, Northwest Forest Watershed,
Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay, South Florida, and Southeast New England. Funding will help
monitor and restore these ecological treasures and enable sustainable use for years to come. These
important geographic efforts also will benefit from the $343 million provided by the IIJA to create
synergies for EPA's Geographic Programs in FY 2025.
Categorical Grants The Agency requests $509.5 million, an increase of $65.2 million above the
FY 2024 ACR level, in financial support through Categorical Grant Programs to EPA's tribal,
state, and local partners to support their efforts in implementing key provisions of the Clean Water
Act. Within this amount, $288.7 million is provided to the Section 106 Grants Program, an increase
of $51.7 million from the FY 2024 level, which funds state, interstate, and tribal water pollution
control programs to support actions to identify and take actions to assess and mitigate PFAS in the
environment, and is a critical funding source to establish, expand, and implement water quality
programs to protect and restore water resources (e.g., rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and
groundwater). Also included is $189 million for the Section 319 Grants Program, an increase of
$7 million, which will continue to focus on implementing watershed projects and maintaining
current Nonpoint Source Management Programs to restore impaired waterbodies to meet water
quality standards and protect unimpaired waters. This includes a $7.3 million increase for the
Wetlands Program Development Categorical Grant for a total of $22 million which will be targeted
towards helping states implement programs to protect wetlands that have lost federal protection
following the Sackett Supreme Court decision.
In addition, EPA requests $132.6 million for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS)
Program, an increase of $11.1 million, which helps support state drinking water programs and
technical assistance providers in achieving and maintaining compliance at drinking water systems,
amplifying best practices, strengthening state capacity, and certifying drinking water operators.
EPA's efforts under this program will help deliver clean drinking water, improve public health,
and support environmental justice for overburdened and underserved communities, including rural
and tribal communities.
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Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Preventing and cleaning up environmental damage that harms communities and poses a risk to
public health and safety continues to be a top priority for the Administration. Cleaning up
contaminated lands so that they can be redeveloped and returned to productive use is a challenge
faced by many communities. Cleaning up America's most contaminated land and reducing
exposure to toxic substances are critical components of the Agency's strategy to address human
health impacts, particularly in underserved communities where many of these sites are located.
Approximately 22 percent of Americans live within three miles of a Superfund site. Recent
research shows Superfund cleanup actions lowered the risk of elevated blood lead levels by
roughly 13 to 26 percent for children living within 1.2 miles of a Superfund National Priorities
List (NPL) site where lead is a contaminant of concern.22 In FY 2023, the Agency completed 49
Superfund cleanup projects that addressed lead as a contaminant. Remediating contaminated land
and restoring it to productive use is not only an environmental imperative but presents an economic
opportunity as well. A peer reviewed study found that residential property values within three
miles of Superfund sites increased between 18.7 and 24.4 percent when sites were cleaned up and
removed from the NPL.23
The FY 2025 Budget enables the Agency to continue efforts to clean up hazardous waste sites in
communities across the Nation, including those where vulnerable populations, such as children,
the elderly, and economically disadvantaged individuals, reside. These hazardous sites also are
vulnerable to the effects of climate change, making remediation even more urgent. Federal data in
a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report suggests that approximately 60 percent
of Superfund sites overseen by EPA are in areas that are vulnerable to wildfires and different types
of flooding—natural hazards that climate change will exacerbate.24 The Agency is working to clean
up these sites considering climate change implications to protect at-risk populations.
The Budget includes approximately $661 million for the Superfund Program to continue cleaning
up some of the Nation's most contaminated land and respond to environmental emergencies and
natural disasters, in addition to the Superfund tax receipts available to EPA in 2025. The Superfund
tax receipts will allow the Agency to continue critical Superfund pre-construction work such as
site characterization, construction design, and community outreach/engagement, as well as critical
remedial actions to clean up sites as described above, which supports the Administration's
Justice40 Initiative. Additionally, this funding will allow the Superfund Emergency Response and
Removal Program to address situations that require emergency response and removal actions such
as chemical releases, fires or explosions, natural disasters, and other threats to people from
exposure to hazardous substances including from abandoned and uncontrolled hazardous waste
sites. In August 2023, EPA issued approximately $159.8 million in realized tax collections from
the prior year to advance priority work across the Agency's Superfund programs. Some of the
major program investments include $30 million for emergency work in East Palestine, $42.7
million to focus on additional lead soil removal and ensure protection at established levels, and
22 Details can be found at https://www.epa.gov/enviroimental-economics/research-enviroimental-economics-ncee-workiiig-
paper-series.
23 Shanti Gamper-Rabindran and Christopher Timmons. 2013. "Does cleanup of hazardous waste sites raise housing values?
Evidence of spatially localized benefits," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 65(3): 345-360,
http://dx.doi.Org/10.1016/i.jeem.2012.12.001.
24 For more information, please visit https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-73.
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more than $20.6 million to expand capacity to complete additional Superfund removals arising
from State referrals and lead. In addition, more than $26.1 million has been invested in the
Superfund Enforcement and Superfund Federal Facilities Enforcement programs to continue the
Agency's "enforcement first" approach at private sites before turning to a Fund-lead cleanup, and
to address current needs and emerging challenges regarding Superfund enforcement work at
federal facilities, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) contamination at and near
many federal facility National Priorities List (NPL) sites.
Investing in brownfields cleanup and redevelopment can revitalize main streets, neighborhoods,
and rural communities, increase residential property values, and create good-paying jobs. The
Budget provides $207.5 million for EPA's Brownfields programs, an increase of $34.1 million
from the FY 2024 ACR level, to provide technical assistance and grants to communities so they
can safely clean up and reuse contaminated properties, as well as $20 million for the new Alaska
Contaminated Lands Program. Approximately 143 million people live within three miles of a
brownfields site that receives EPA funding.25 In FY 2023, grants from the Program helped clean
up 169 brownfields, complete 1,894 site assessments, make 736 sites ready for anticipated use,
and leverage 17,441 jobs and $3.76 billion.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to invest in domestic recycling and solid waste infrastructure
further contributing to a circular economy, one where reuse and recycling is the norm. According
to the U.S. EPA Recycling Economic Information Report, the U.S. recycling industry supports
680,000 jobs and provides $5.5 billion annually in tax revenues. In addition to these human
resources and financial returns, the materials themselves hold great value, as recent data indicate
that materials worth $9 billion are thrown away each year. The FY 2025 Budget includes $15.8
million and 68.4 FTE in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Waste Minimization and
Recyling Program to better support the sustainable management of resources. This funding will
advance efforts to strengthen the U.S. recycling system, address the global issue of plastic waste,
engage communities, and prevent and reduce food loss and waste.
The Agency has a statutory role to ensure that contamination is quickly and effectively cleaned up
resulting in the protection of human health and the environment from releases of hazardous
substances. Additional resources are provided to help increase protection of fenceline communities
from hazardous substance releases from facilities and underground storage tanks. In FY 2025, the
Budget includes $37.7 million in the Federal Facilities Program to enable EPA to address critical
gaps in its ability to oversee federal agencies/facilities cleanup, including Department of Defense
PFAS cleanup under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
(CERCLA). In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $22.1 million and 1.8 FTE to modernize the
Chemical Incident and Radiological Reconnaissance on Unmanned Systems (CIRRUS) program
and to overhaul the aging Portable High-Throughput Integrated Identification System (PHILIS)
capability, EPA's mobile laboratory asset for on-site analysis of chemical warfare agent and
contaminated environmental samples. This funding also supports the development of rapid, mobile
analytical capabilities for biological agents. EPA will participate in the development of limited,
25 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2020. Data collected includes: (1) Superfund, Brownfield, and RCRA
Corrective Action site information as of the end of FY 2019; (2) UST/LUST information as of late-2018 to mid-2019 depending
on the state; and (3) 2015-2018 American Community Survey (ACS) Census data.
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scenario-specific exercises and regional drills designed to assess national emergency response
management capabilities, including response to biological incidents.
Ensure the Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
The FY 2025 Budget provides additional resources to build agency capacity to successfully carry
out the significant responsibilities under amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
to ensure the safety of chemicals in or entering commerce and addressing unreasonable risks to
human health or the environment. Chemicals and toxic substances are ubiquitous in our everyday
lives and are often released into the environment from their manufacture, processing, use, or
disposal. EPA's work in managing chemical safety and toxic substances is particularly important
to vulnerable populations, including low-income, minority, and indigenous populations, as well as
children, who may be disproportionately affected by, and particularly at risk from, exposure to
chemicals.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $131.9 million and 534.8 FTE for the TSCA Program, an increase
of $49 million and 174 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR level. The increase in funding will advance
implementation of the law's requirements, address ongoing staff shortages as noted in a recent
GAO report,26 and continue making progress in the manner envisioned by Congress. In FY 2025,
EPA expects to conduct risk assessments and make affirmative determinations on risks for more
than 500 new chemical notice and exemption submissions. The Agency will continue to emphasize
quality of work, adherence to statutory intent and timelines applicable to pre-market review of new
chemicals, chemical risk evaluation and management, data development and information
collection, and review of Confidential Business Information (CBI) claims.
The Agency also has significant responsibility under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to screen new pesticides before they reach the market and ensure that
pesticides already in commerce are safe. In addition, EPA is responsible for complying with the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and ensuring that federally endangered and threatened species are
not harmed as a result of the use of pesticides. Endangered species risk assessments involve
consideration of risks for approximately 1,200 active ingredients in more than 17,000 pesticide
products to the more than 1,700 listed endangered species and 800 designated critical habitats in
the United States. Given the complexity of evaluating potential effects to diverse listed species
under ESA, EPA has been subject to numerous litigation challenges for registration and
registration review actions. To continue making progress toward meeting ESA mandates in FY
2025, the Budget includes an additional $29.2 million and 22.5 FTE for a total of $80.2 million
and 282.1 FTE for the Pesticides: Protect the Environment Program. The Agency's Budget also
includes $29.2 million and 69.2 FTE for the Pollution Prevention Program to support businesses,
tribes, states, and other partners to promote and facilitate the adoption of approaches to improve
multimedia environmental conditions and address climate impacts through reductions in pollutants
and other hazardous materials. These practices focus on reducing the amount of any hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering a waste stream or released into the environment prior
to recycling of discarded material, treatment, or disposal, as well as conserving the use of natural
26For more information, please visit: EPA Chemical Reviews: Workforce Planning Gaps Contributed to Missed Deadlines I U.S.
GAO.
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resources. The FY 2025 Budget requests $7.8 million and 9 FTE for a new grant program to help
small businesses transitioning to TSCA compliant practices to mitigate economic impacts.
As part of the President's commitment to tackling PF AS pollution across various agency programs,
the Budget includes approximately $170 million, an increase of nearly $66 million above the FY
2024 level, for EPA to continue working toward commitments made in the 2021 PFAS Strategic
Roadmap, including: increasing our knowledge of PFAS impacts to human health and ecological
effects; restricting use to prevent PFAS from entering the air, land, and water; and remediating
PFAS that have been released into the environment.
Support for State and Tribal Partners
The FY 2025 Budget advances EPA's commitment to working alongside our tribal, state, and local
partners to ensure a safe and healthy environment across the entire Nation. In FY 2025 EPA
proposes more than $4,528 billion in State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) funding to support
partners in tackling multi-faceted environmental issues, such as cleaning up land, air, and water,
providing technical assistance, and infrastructure investments. Included in the STAG funding is
$2,366 billion for EPA's State Revolving Funds (SRF), which enable the states to provide low-
cost loans and grants to municipalities for infrastructure construction.
The FY 2025 Budget continues to request the resources needed to increase federal support for our
tribal, state, and local partners. The budget includes $1.465 billion for categorical grants, to directly
support tribal, state, and local partners. This represents an increase of $304.5 million above the FY
2024 ACR level to support our co-implementing partners in managing rising costs and advancing
progress across core environmental programs. Of the total request, over $400 million will support
the State and Local Air Quality Management Grants, an increase of $151.2 million above the FY
2024 ACR level. These grants assist air pollution control agencies in developing and implementing
programs for the prevention and control of air pollution and for the implementation of NAAQS set
to protect public health and the environment. Additionally, a total of $653.5 million, an increase
of $74.5 million above the FY 2024 ACR level, is requested for categorical grants that support
tribal and state implementation of CWA and SDWA.
The categorical grants also provide resources to directly support tribes, tribal governments, and
those living in Indian Country. In FY 2025, over $85 million in the Tribal General Assistance
Program provides tribes with a foundation to build capacity to address environmental issues on
Indian lands assess environmental conditions, utilize available federal and other information, and
build and administer environmental programs tailored to their unique needs. Over $23 million will
support the Tribal Air Quality Management Program to develop and implement tribal air quality
management programs and to build tribal air quality management capacity. As mentioned above,
the Budget also requests $25 million to establish a new Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative
Agreements Categorical Grant. This new program will provide funding to tribes to carry out agreed
upon federal implementation activities that will assist EPA in implementing federal environmental
programs in Indian Country.
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Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making
Delivering rigorous scientific research and analyses to inform evidence-based decision making is
one of EPA's cross-agency strategies. Scientific and technological information, data, and
evidence-based decision making are central to the development and iterative improvement of
sound policies and to the delivery of effective and equitable programs. Environmental challenges
in the 21st century are increasingly complex. For example, the interplay between air quality,
climate change, and emerging energy options requires new approaches and solutions. These
solutions require research that transcends disciplinary lines and involve EPA regions and programs
working together with tribal, state, and local partners, stakeholders, and communities.
The FY 2025 Budget includes nearly $676 million and 1,902 FTE for EPA's Office of Research
and Development (ORD), an increase of $46.5 million and 164.4 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR
level. This includes an increase of $39.9 million and 36.7 FTE to the Air, Climate, and Energy
Research Program, which will substantially advance research to assess the impacts of climate
change on human health and ecosystems. EPA also requests an increase of $13.7 million and 38.7
FTE to the Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research Program, which will be focused on
modernizing the chemical toxicity and assessment process and incorporating scientific advances
in new chemical evaluations under TSCA. This funding will lead to the development and
translation of science to inform regulatory and policy decisions by the Agency and external
partners that increase access to clean and safe air, land, and water for all communities across the
Nation. The FY 2025 Budget also includes an additional $18.3 million to fund the replacement of
the 60-year-old Lake Explorer II Great Lakes research vessel, which is at the end of its life,
securing the future of Great Lakes water quality and biological monitoring and research.
Continue to Restore EPA's Core Capacity
Ensuring the Agency has the work force it needs to carry out its mission to protect clean air and
water, tackle the climate crisis, and promote environmental justice is essential. The Budget adds
2,023 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) relative to the estimated 2024 level, for a total of more than
17,145 FTEs, to help rebuild the Agency's core capacity. This FTE level remains below EPA's
workforce for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, while today the Agency faces a growing
workload and set of statutory responsibilities. Restoring staffing capacity across the Agency would
enable EPA to better protect our Nation's health by helping cut air, water, and climate pollution
and advancing environmental justice. EPA strives to provide modern and efficient workforce
services and serve as a model for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. In FY 2025, the
Agency will continue to support this goal by providing funding to enhance diverse hiring practices,
expand EPA's paid internship program, and strengthen agencywide capacity to increase staff levels
in key offices and programs. Effective workforce management is critical to EPA's ability to
accomplish its mission. EPA's efforts in human resource functions are focused on strengthening
the workforce, retaining critical expertise, and capturing institutional knowledge. EPA continues
developing mechanisms to ensure that employees have the right skills to successfully achieve the
Agency's core mission today and in the future.
The FY 2025 Budget provides the funding needed for critical agency infrastructure that all
programs require to maintain operations and meet various mandates. In FY 2025, EPA funds new
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and rising costs for mission support functions across EPA programs and regional offices, including
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA), data management, and agencywide
implementation of OMB and DHS cybersecurity mandates. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to
implement the actions identified in the Agency's DEIA Strategic Plan and Work Environment
Plan. This includes working to ensure that agency recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention,
professional development, performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable
accommodations access, and training policies and practices are equitable. In addition, the Budget
includes resources to support and facilitate meaningful, in-person work across agency offices.
The Agency will commit an additional $3.8 million to expand on existing paid internship program
across the Agency to strengthen talent and workforce acquisition. The paid internship program
focuses on expanding federal work experience opportunities for underrepresented and underserved
populations which may have experienced barriers to applying or fully participating in existing
opportunities. EPA's program will provide a total of approximately 180 four-month paid internship
opportunities across EPA programs and regional offices. Additionally, EPA will implement a plan
to convert eligible interns to permanent federal service based on performance and completing
program requirements.
The FY 2025 Budget also provides robust support for implementation of the Foundations for
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. EPA has embarked on a multi-year effort to strengthen
how the Agency identifies, prioritizes, and undertakes evidence-building activities and develops
evidence-building capacity to inform its policies and decisions, consistent with the Evidence Act.
An additional $6.4 million and 7.2 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR is included to support
implementation of the Evidence Act. The FY 2025 Budget will continue to promote program
evaluation as an essential component of federal evidence building. Advancing an evaluation
culture through a bottom-up approach and increasing agencywide engagement in program
evaluation is a key strategy.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to reconfigure its workplaces with the goals of facilitating
meaningful in-person work, reducing long-term rent costs, increasing EPA facility sustainability
to combat the effects of climate change, and ensuring a space footprint that accommodates a
growing workforce. Space reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. Each move requires initial
funding to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. The FY 2025 Budget
includes additional resources in the Buildings and Facilities account to pursue critical and
backlogged repairs and improvements across EPA, initiate and complete climate resiliency and
sustainability projects across EPA-owned facilities, and invest in cutting edge EPA lab facilities,
including to support PFAS research.
The Budget requests an additional 4 FTE to implement Executive Order 14110, Safe, Secure, and
Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.27 EPA will encourage the use of AI
in the federal space, and do so with transparency, responsibility, safety, and ethical standards. The
Agency will maintain EPA's current AI Inventory and develop a compliance plan, strategy, and
27 For more information, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/10/30/executive-
order-on-the-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence/.
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AI governance committee. EPA forecasts that workforce demand for AI tools and training will
increase and is addressing this need through the development of training and pilot programs.
Support for the Cancer Moonshot
Reducing exposure to environmental contaminants that are known or suspected to cause cancer is
embedded in much of EPA's programmatic work. EPA uses cancer incidence as one of the
indicators in its Report on the Environment28 to help answer questions relating to trends in the
condition of the Nation's air, water, and land. To support the Administration's Cancer Moonshot
initiative, EPA will continue its scientific research and regulatory work in FY 2025 to prevent and
mitigate cancer-related exposure. The Agency will accomplish this work with a focus on
addressing environmental injustice, disparity, and inequities in prevention of and exposure to
environmental hazards that can cause cancer. Below are some examples of EPA's work in FY
2025 to prevent and reduce cancer-related exposure:
• Research to Understand and Address Environmental and Toxic Exposures. EPA conducts
extensive assessments on chemical hazards related to cancer outcomes and has developed
a variety of tools for evaluating health hazards posed by chemicals.29'30 31 These programs
provide toxicity information and toxicity values for contaminants of concern and have
formed the scientific foundation for many of EPA's air and water quality standards and the
Superfund Program.
• Risk Evaluations of Toxic Substances and Pesticides. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to
conduct TSCA risk evaluations on new and existing chemicals to determine if they present
an unreasonable risk to human health and the environment. The Agency has authority to
order manufacturers to provide information on a chemical's carcinogenicity. In addition,
the Pesticide Programs generates an annual list of cancer classifications for all pesticides.
• Air Toxics and Radon. EPA implements programs to improve air toxics data, characterize
potential cancer risk, and issue regulations to lower emissions and reduce health risk for
people across America. The FY 2025 Budget will continue to support work for air toxics
and address emerging issues and likely carcinogens such as PFAS. EPA also will continue
its efforts to prioritize strategies to reduce radon risk in underserved communities.
• Drinking Water Regulations Aimed at Reducing Cancer Risks. The National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations include primary standards and treatment techniques for
drinking water that remove carcinogens and prevent cancer cases. The PFAS drinking
water regulation may prevent additional cancer cases since PFAS exposure is associated
with increased risk of prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers. The FY 2025 Budget will
continue to support efforts to finalize the PFAS Rule.
28 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/report-environmentAeam-about-roe-program.
29 For more information, please visit: https://www, epa. gov/iris.
30 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pprtv/basic-infonnation-about-provisional-peer-reviewed-toxicitv-
values-pprtvs#basicinfo.
31 For more information, please visit: https://www, epa. gov/isa.
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• Remediation at Superfund Sites to Reduce Exposure to Harmful Contaminants. EPA's
Superfund Program32 cleans up contaminated land to reduce human exposures to harmful
contaminants that lead to greater risk for cancer and other health complications. In FY
2025, EPA will continue to oversee federal agencies and facilities cleanup, including
Department of Defense PFAS cleanup under CERCLA.
• Childhood Cancer Prevention. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to help prevent childhood
cancer by expanding the education provided to health care providers, parents, and
communities about how to identify cancer clusters, key exposures to carcinogens, and the
relationship between environmental exposures and childhood cancer or cancer due to
exposures in childhood.
Supplemental Funding
Resources in the FY 2025 Budget are complemented by the supplemental funding provided under
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It's
important to note that these supplemental sources do not fund the everyday operations of the
Agency and are targeted for specific purposes.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) The bipartisan IIJA makes historic investments in
tackling climate change, protecting public health, creating jobs in communities across the country,
and delivering a more equitable future. The IIJA appropriated to EPA approximately $60 billion
over a five-year period from FY 2022 through FY 2026. In FY 2025, $12 billion of IIJA funding
will be available to EPA for upgrading drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, replacing
lead pipes, addressing emerging contaminants such as PFAS, protecting critical water bodies,
cleaning up longstanding pollution at Superfund and brownfields sites, making improvements to
waste management and recycling systems, decarbonizing the Nation's school bus fleet, and
advancing the Pollution Prevention Program. The IIJA also invests in strengthening the work of
our tribal and state partners, helping create good-paying jobs, and increasing climate resilience
throughout the country.
Since the IIJA was enacted, great strides in achieving these goals have been made.33 EPA has so
far provided over $11 billion to support water infrastructure. Every state and Puerto Rico has
received SRF grants, $7.7 billion in drinking water grants, funding 350 projects, and $3.4 billion
in clean water grants, funding 155 projects. More than $6.5 billion has been made available to find
and replace lead pipes in communities across the nation. The Clean School Bus Program has
awarded nearly $2 billion, funding approximately 5,100 electric and low-emission school buses to
replace dirty diesel buses, reducing greenhouse gas pollution and positioning America as a leader
in developing and deploying clean vehicles. Funding also has contributed to cleaning up legacy
pollution for 152 Superfund sites, while clearing the backlog of sites on the National Priority List.
In FY 2023, 76 percent of Superfund funding was obligated for sites with environmental justice
concerns, emphasizing the Agency's commitment to protect the most vulnerable communities.
32 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund.
33 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
1.1. /bit secondanniversarvreport_nov202 3 v-5 .pdf
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Through implementation of IIJA, EPA will continue to invest in infrastructure improvements
across the country that reach all communities and ensure benefits for decades to come.
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) The IRA appropriated $41.5 billion for EPA over the next decade
to reduce harmful air pollution in places where people live, work, play, and go to school. Since the
legislation was signed into law, EPA has moved swiftly to put these historic resources to work to
reduce emissions, build a clean economy, lower energy costs for American households and
businesses, create good-paying union jobs, and advance environmental justice across the country.
In FY 2025 the Agency will continue to build on year one achievements, including $30 million to
expand community air monitoring in 37 states, $25 million in clean air grants to improve air quality
across the country, and three grant competitions under the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Fund. As of December 15, 2023, EPA has completed the review panel and initial evaluation stage
for all eligible applications as part of the review and selection process for the National Clean
Investment Fund and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator competitions. EPA will continue
to launch numerous additional cutting-edge IRA programs to curb harmful methane emissions,
reduce air pollution at ports and in surrounding communities, promote low-carbon construction
materials, improve air quality at schools, and put more clean vehicles on America's roads.
Allocating Resources to Strategic Goals and Objectives
In accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) and the GPRA
Modernization Act of 2010, the FY 2025 Budget identifies resources aligned with the strategic
goals and objectives of the Agency's FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Budget also
allocates agencywide mission and science support resources and FTE across the goals and
objectives. These resources provide support for multiple goals to achieve their objectives. This
support involves the provision of foundational agencywide and cross-agency research and
development, science, and essential mission assistance services by the EPA Offices of the
Administrator (OA), Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), General Counsel (OGC), Inspector General
(OIG), Mission Support (OMS), and Research and Development (ORD). The resource summaries
by Strategic Goal and Objective within this Submission provide the total of both direct and
allocated resources.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents Appropriations Summary
APPROPRIATION SUMMARY 25
Budget Authority 25
Authorized Full-time Equivalents (FTE) 26
24
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION SUMMARY
Budget Authority
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
FY 2023 Final FY 2024 President's
Actuals Annualized CR Budget
Science & Technology
$835,028
$802,276
$1,009,960
Environmental Programs & Management
$3,077,440
$3,286,330
$4,406,988
Inspector General
$41,521
$44,030
$65,257
Building and Facilities
$21,446
$48,752
$105,569
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$21,164
$22,072
$27,803
IG Transfer
S& T Transfer
Superfund Program
$13,244
$35,205
$1,300,324
$11,800
$31,607
$1,239,293
$13,979
$32,120
$615,068
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$1,348,774
$1,282,700
$661,167
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$96,317
$93,205
$108,870
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
$2,988,952
$4,493,728
$4,528,039
Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Fund
$322,118
$75,640
$80,000
SUB-TOTAL, EPA
$8,752,759
$10,148,733
$10,993,653
Cancellation of Funds
$0
-$13,300
$0
TOTAL, EPA
$8,752,759
$10,135,433
$10,993,653
Tor ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the
superfund account.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION SUMMARY
Authorized Full-time Equivalents (FTE)
FY 2025
FY 2023 Final FY 2024 President's
Actuals Annualized CR Budget
Science & Technology
1,992.1
2,022.0
2,292.9
Environmental Programs & Management
8,698.8
9,592.7
11,212.5
Inspector General
202.4
227.5
284.5
Inland Oil Spill Programs
75.9
85.8
99.8
IG Transfer
S& T Transfer
Superfund Program
43.1
63.4
2,478.5
42.5
63.1
2,572.4
49.0
63.1
2,620.6
Hazardous Substance Superfund
2,585.0
2,678.0
2,732.7
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
41.5
49.4
54.6
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
9.4
7.5
9.0
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
System Fund
10.5
15.0
15.0
Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Fund
35.7
38.4
40.0
Rereg. & Exped. Proc. Rev Fund
136.9
135.3
135.3
WCF-Reimbursable
233.0
271.0
271.1
Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource
Damage Assessment
3.9
0.0
0.0
Pesticide Registration Fund
69.3
0.0
0.0
UIC Injection Well Permit BLM
2.0
0.0
0.0
SUB-TOTAL, EPA
14,096.4
15,122.6
17,145.4
TOTAL, EPA
14,096.4
15,122.6
17,145.4
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the
Superfund account.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Cross-Agency Strategies
Cross-Agency Strategy 1: Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision
Making 28
Cross-Agency Strategy 2: Consider the Health of Children at All Life Stages and Other
Vulnerable Populations 30
Cross-Agency Strategy 3: Advance EPA's Organizational Excellence and
Workforce Equity 32
Cross-Agency Strategy 4: Strengthen Tribal, State, and Local Partnerships and Enhance
Engagement 35
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Cross-Agency Strategy 1: Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making
Deliver rigorous scientific research and analyses to inform evidence-based decision making.
EPA's ability to protect human health and the environment depends on the integrity and quality of
the information, data, and evidence that secure the scientific foundation for agency decision
making. Identifying and implementing effective strategies, including strategies to adapt to the
changing climate, advance environmental justice and equity, and protect children at all life stages,
require that decisions be grounded in the best available science and evidence. EPA's Cross-Agency
Strategy 1 in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan is strengthening scientific integrity,
advancing the delivery of rigorous and independent scientific evaluation and analyses, and
grounding EPA's actions in the best available science.
Cross-Agency Strategy 1, Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, increase the annual percentage of Office of Research and
Development (ORD) research products meeting partner needs to 95 percent from a baseline
of 93 percent in FY 2021.1
• By September 30, 2026, implement 131 actions for scientific integrity objectives that are
certified by Deputy Scientific Integrity Officials in each EPA program and region.
Science touches all parts of EPA and plays an integral role in informing a range of environmental
decisions. EPA program and regional offices support this strategy through a commitment to
science as foundational to decision making, scientific integrity, rigorous quality assurance,
appropriate peer review, the timely release of scientific information, and transparency in decision
making.
As part of this commitment, the Agency is ensuring an effective scientific integrity program.
Scientific integrity results from adherence to professional values and practices when conducting,
communicating, supervising, developing, and implementing science. It ensures objectivity, clarity,
reproducibility, and utility, and it safeguards against bias, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism,
outside interference, censorship, and inadequate procedures and information security. EPA will
advance and strengthen a culture of scientific integrity across the Agency by ensuring adherence
to the scientific and ethical standards outlined in EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy.2 In FY 2023
the Agency continued work on the final updated Scientific Integrity Policy planned for release in
mid-2024, using a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) framework
report published in January 2023. The draft policy has undergone formal consultation with tribes,
engagement with and comment by EPA employee unions, and significant legal review. The
Agency completed a training video on scientific integrity at EPA that will be distributed
throughout the Agency with the updated Scientific Integrity Policy. Employees, contractors, and
officials have access to the Scientific Integrity Official and staff and a network of Deputy Scientific
1 ORD is tracking environmental justice and climate products as annual performance goals. Please see the annual performance
plan table in the President's Budget (https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/cj) for more information.
2 EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy (https://www.epa.gov/scientific-integilty/epas-scientific-integrity-policy)
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Integrity Officials on whom they can rely for advice or to report allegations of a loss of scientific
integrity.3
Along with the Agency's ongoing efforts to ensure scientific integrity is part of the culture, EPA's
research and science programs support this Cross-Agency Strategy through the delivery of
rigorous scientific research and analyses. The primary mission of the Agency's Office of Research
and Development and Regional Lab Enterprise is to provide leading-edge research to meet near-
term and long-term science needs of the Agency and inform EPA decisions. This research portfolio
also supports the needs of tribal, state, and community partners. In FY 2023, 96 percent of research
products met partner needs, exceeding the FY 2023 annual target of 94 percent and improving on
the FY 2022 result of 94 percent (partner satisfaction is evaluated through an annual survey that
engages key users of ORD products to assess scientific rigor, relevance, and timeliness of product
delivery). Scientific research and development will support: 1) tackling the climate crisis by
addressing the causes and consequences of climate change and developing more resilient
communities; 2) addressing current, emerging, and long-term water resource challenges; 3)
developing scientific and technical approaches to enhance the Agency's ability to evaluate
chemicals and their risks; 4) accelerating the pace of cleanups at contaminated sites so they can be
returned to beneficial use; 5) revitalizing and protecting the most vulnerable communities and
groups; and 6) conducting environmental risk assessments to better inform policies for protecting
human health, particularly for children at all life stages. The Agency's regional laboratories
provide essential expertise and scientific data for a wide array of statutory areas needed to make
local decisions. In FY 2025, regional laboratories will analyze scientific data to inform immediate
and near-term decisions on environmental conditions, emergency response, compliance, and
enforcement.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue critical research on the highest priority issues. EPA will
focus on addressing lead issues associated with Superfund sites and childhood lead exposure. The
Agency also will continue to emphasize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research to
increase understanding of PFAS exposures, human health and ecological effects, and technologies
for reducing PFAS in the environment. In addition, the Agency will continue to advance the
Administration's science-based approach to improve wildfire readiness by enhancing wildfire data
and communications related to air quality and helping communities become "smoke ready."
3 The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 promotes a culture of evaluation and continuous learning that
ensures agency decisions are made on the best available evidence including developing an Evaluations and Other Evidence-
Building Activities Policy (Evaluation Policy). EPA's Evaluation Policy includes many elements that are related to EPA's
Scientific Integrity Policy including principles of independence, objectivity, transparency, and rigor. Please see
(https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documeiits/2022-05/epa-evaluatioii-evideiice-building-policy.pdf) for more information.
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Cross-Agency Strategy 2: Consider the Health of Children at All Life Stages and Other
Vulnerable Populations
Focus on protecting and improving the health of children at all life stages and other vulnerable
populations in implementing our programs.
EPA's programs will apply and promote the use of science, policy, partnerships, communications,
and action to protect children at all life stages and other vulnerable populations from adverse health
effects resulting from exposure to pollution and the impacts of climate change. EPA also will take
actions to protect children and other vulnerable populations in underserved communities where
socioeconomic determinants of health exacerbate the harm caused by these environmental
stressors.
Children's environmental health recognizes the effect of the environment on children's growth,
wellness, development, and risk of disease. EPA actions will be informed by two important
considerations: first, the scientific understanding of childhood as a sequence of life stages, and
second, the recognition that protecting children's health is necessary to protect human health,
because every adult was once a child. The effects of early life exposures may become apparent
during childhood or may not arise until adulthood or in later generations.
Cross-Agency Strategy 2, Consider the Health of Children at All Life Stages and Other
Vulnerable Populations is directly supported by the following long-term performance goal in the
FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, assess and consider environmental health information and data for
children at all life stages for EPA actions that concern human health.
To best protect children's environmental health at all life stages and vulnerable populations, EPA
will identify, assess, develop, and promote the use of science to support its policies, decisions, and
actions, including regulations and voluntary programs. EPA also will ensure that agency toxicity,
exposure, and risk assessments consider all relevant and available science to address the unique
vulnerabilities of children and vulnerable populations, including disproportionate impacts related
to race, ethnicity, income, existing health problems, or other social determinants of health.
In FY 2025, EPA's Children's Health Program will continue its core work to:
• Coordinate and advance the protection of children's environmental health across EPA by
assisting with development of regulations, improving risk assessment and science policy,
implementing community-level outreach and education programs, and tracking indicators
of progress on children's health.
• Coordinate two plenary meetings of the Children's Health Protection Advisory
Committee,4 including delivery of expert responses to additional charge questions related
to high priority children's environmental health issues.
• Follow up on recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, which
highlighted the latest scientific advancements and challenges to protecting children's
4 For additional information, please visit: littps://www.epa. gov/children/chpac.
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health from social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors.5
• Continue to implement the EPA Policy on Children's Health to ensure that EPA
consistently and explicitly considers early life exposures and lifelong health in all human
health decisions.6
• Support health care professionals via the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units
to better address risks from childhood exposures, particularly in communities with
environmental justice concerns.
• Improve EPA's ability to monetize the economic benefits to children's health of
environmental rules. Through a cooperative agreement between EPA and the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), OECD will develop willingness to
pay values and assist EPA in developing non-cancer dose response curves to quantify
children related health endpoints that are not currently included in EPA benefit-cost
analyses. As a result, EPA will improve substantially its ability to communicate to the
public the impact of its regulations.
To continue to implement Executive Order (EO) 13045: Protection of Children from
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks in FY 2025 EPA also will:
• Partner with the Department of Health and Human Services to lead the cross-federal
President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children. The
focus of this work will be on protecting children from adverse consequences of climate
change and disasters, addressing disparities in asthma among children, and reducing
childhood lead poisoning.7
• Take actions to protect children in underserved communities who suffer disproportionately
from the effects of pollution exposures exacerbated by socio-economic determinants of
health. For example, the Children's Health Program will continue to identify and
communicate indicators to better reflect social determinants of health and account for
disparities as part of efforts to enhance America's Children and the Environment (ACE), a
set of national indicators on the environment and children's health. The Children's Health
Program will also work to consider cumulative impacts in agency decision making, bridge
the discussion to cumulative risk, and work to incorporate susceptibility and vulnerability
at each stage of the risk assessment process.
5 For additional information, please visit: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25466/vibrant-and-healthy-kids-aligning-
science-practice-and-policy-to.
6 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/children/childrens-health-policy-and-plan.
7 For additional information, please visit: https://ptfcehs.niehs.nih.gov/.
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Cross-Agency Strategy 3: Advance EPA's Organizational Excellence and
Workforce Equity
Foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce within an effective and mission-driven
workplace.
To support its mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA will make significant
progress in FY 2025 to advance organizational excellence and workforce equity. The Agency will
strengthen workforce planning of mission-critical positions and support succession management
for the next generation of the EPA staff and managers while emphasizing diversity, equity,
inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). EPA will modernize information technology (IT) systems,
support employee-friendly work policies, and transition to a paperless work environment. EPA
will continue to focus on implementing efficient and effective processes across the full range of
agency efforts, using proven continuous improvement techniques and training to equip staff to
solve problems and enhance our ability to accomplish our mission. Additionally, EPA will
continue to safeguard against cybersecurity risks to protect agency assets and infrastructure from
potentially malicious attacks. Further, EPA will be a leader in the federal government in advancing
the sustainability of facilities and operations while developing resiliency to respond to the risks of
climate change. EPA will continue to eliminate barriers to its procurement processes through
greater diversification of the Agency's vendor base, increasing engagement and technical
assistance, and enhancing the Agency's contracts with new vendors, including with small and
underserved businesses, and targeting businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business
Zones (HUBZones)8. EPA will continue to provide resource stewardship to ensure that all agency
programs operate with fiscal responsibility and management integrity, financial services are
efficiently and consistently delivered nationwide, and programs demonstrate results.
Cross-Agency Strategy 3, Advance EPA 's Organizational Excellence and Workforce Equity is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, EPA will be in full compliance with the five high-priority
directives in Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity.
• By September 30, 2026, award 4 percent of EPA contract spending to small businesses
located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) compared to the FY
2018-2020 average annual baseline of 2.2 percent.
• By September 30, 2026, initiate all priority climate resiliency projects for EPA-owned
facilities within 24 months of a completed facility climate assessment and project
prioritization.
• By September 30, 2026, EPA will achieve the highest Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and
Accessibility (DEIA) Maturity Level of "Leading and Sustaining" as defined by the
November 2021 Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance DEIA in the Federal
Workforce and achieve all EPA goals identified in the Agency's Gender Equity and
Equality Action Plan.
• By September 30, 2026, automate all priority internal administrative processes.
8 For additional information, please consult the Small Business Administration's HUBZone Program webpage:
https:/Avww. sba.gov/federal-coiitractiiig/coiitractiiig-assistaiice-prograiiis/liubzoiie-prograiii.
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• By September 30, 2026, automate the major EPA permitting programs.
• By September 30, 2026, improve 1,000 operational processes.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the Agency's DEIA Strategic Plan to advance
progress towards ensuring equitable recruiting, hiring, promotion, retention, professional
development, performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable
accommodations access, training policies and practices, and maintaining a workforce
representative of the American public that promotes a culture of inclusion and accessibility within
the Agency. This will be executed by undertaking an evidence-based and data-driven approach to
determine whether, and to what extent, agency practices result in inequitable employment
outcomes, and whether agency actions may help to overcome systemic societal and organizational
barriers. By the end of FY 2026, EPA will achieve the highest maturity level as defined by the
November 2021 Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance DEIA in the Federal Workforce.9
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to make progress towards equity goals by eliminating barriers in
its procurement processes and increasing the amount of spending on small and disadvantaged
businesses. EPA will continue to provide technical assistance to small business vendors on
navigating federal contracting requirements and to ensure that new EPA procurements are
accessible in scope and requirements for small businesses to successfully compete. This work will
yield an increase in contract spending awarded to small and disadvantaged businesses, including
those located in HUBZones.
In FY 2025, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments, EPA will continue to implement, and update as necessary, its Work Environment
Plan in a manner that emphasizes meaningful in-person work and advances organizational health
and performance. EPA will continue to assess and implement any necessary investments in
information technology and real property necessary to implement its Work Environment Plan.
EPA also will continue to support front-line supervisor training for managing individuals and
teams working in hybrid environments and effectively delivering results to customers and
stakeholders. EPA will continue to support a data-driven culture which routinely uses performance
measures for measuring, monitoring, and improving organizational health and organizational
performance.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to pursue IT systems and infrastructure modernization, innovation,
and automation of internal administrative forms and processes to achieve a paperless work
environment. To support the Agency's Cybersecurity posture, EPA will continue to accelerate
cloud adoption. In addition, EPA will continue to increase adoption of Multifactor Authentication,
encryption for agency systems and data, and adoption of a Zero Trust Architecture, and will meet
advanced logging requirements to accomplish Executive Order (EO) 14028: Improving the
Nation's Cybersecurity.
In FY 2025, in support of EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, EPA will
complete climate resiliency assessments at three EPA-owned facilities. These assessments will
9 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-content/uploads/2021/l 1/Strategic-Plan-to-Advance-
Diversity-Equity-Inclusion-and-Accessibility-in-the-Federal-Workforce-11.23.21.pdf.
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include identifying potential projects the Agency can implement to increase facility resiliency
against the impacts of climate change, such as roofing stability, building envelope, and emergency
power projects. Following completion of a climate assessment, EPA will initiate four high-priority
projects within 24 months. Further, EPA will continue progress towards achieving carbon-
pollution free energy use and net-zero emissions in line with Administration sustainability goals.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to modernize its financial systems to gain greater efficiencies
by improving accounting systems and retiring legacy systems. OCFO is reducing duplicative and
manual work by automating and modifying business processes and enhancing the ability to
generate automated reports. Robotics Process Automation (BOTS) will be a part of the overall
strategy to reduce manual work, decrease error, and improve efficiency. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to expand and enhance easy-to-use dashboards to manage resources and track
performance. Additionally, the Agency will leverage senior staff engagement in continuous
improvement through nearly 100 executive-sponsored improvement projects annually. EPA also
is applying continuous improvement tools and initiatives to support Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act implementation with an emphasis on improving processes related to hiring and grants.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to automate the Agency's major permitting programs.10
Automation of permit processes will reduce processing time on issuing permits, decrease the time
between receiving monitoring data and engaging in enforcement actions, and foster transparency
by allowing communities to search, track, and access permitting actions easily. Further, permit
automation will enable the integration of climate change and environmental justice considerations
into permit processes and ensure that they are addressed within the terms and conditions of the
permit. For the regulated community, permit automation will allow for a simplified, streamlined,
and transparent permitting process that will result in time and costs savings. For communities and
stakeholders, permit automation can empower communities, especially communities with
environmental justice concerns, to actively participate in the permit decision-making process and
post-permit related compliance.
10 EPA identified a universe of 13 eligible processes. Broad statutory frameworks for the permitting programs are found in
Sections 165, 173, and 502 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 7475, 7503, and 7661a); Section 402 of the Clean Water Act (33
U.S.C. § 1342); Section 3006 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. § 6926), and Section 1422 and Section
1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 300h and 300h-4).
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Cross-Agency Strategy 4: Strengthen Tribal, State, and Local Partnerships and Enhance
Engagement
Collaborate and engage effectively with Tribal Nations in keeping with the Federal
Government's trust responsibilities, state and local governments, regulated entities, and the
public to protect human health and the environment.
Protecting human health and the environment is a shared responsibility of EPA and its tribal, state,
and local government partners. EPA also has a historic and fundamental trust responsibility with
tribal governments. Environmental outcomes are best achieved through collaborative and effective
partnerships across all levels, successful oversight of federally delegated programs, and robust
engagement with non-governmental organizations, national and community groups, stakeholders,
and the public, built on a foundation of public trust and transparency. Through a renewed focus on
fostering intergovernmental relationships, improving on-the-ground community engagement,
delivering high-impact environmental education programs, and increasing public trust and
transparency, EPA will forge stronger partnerships. As a result, EPA will be better positioned to
advance durable solutions to its most pressing challenges and ensure the equitable protection of all
communities, including those who have historically been underserved and overburdened.
Cross-Agency Strategy 4, Strengthen Tribal, State, and Local Partnerships and Enhance
Engagement is directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022
- 2026 EPA Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, consider tribal treaty rights as part of all EPA tribal consultations
that may affect tribal treaty rights.
• By September 30, 2026, eliminate the backlog of overdue Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) responses, compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 1,056.
Since disproportionate impacts of environmental pollution occur in tribal communities, EPA is
committed to strengthening its relationship with tribes. EPA will strive to meet its federal trust
responsibility and work to integrate consideration of tribal treaty and reserved rights early into
decision making and regulatory processes. As of June 2023, 100 percent of tribal consultations
occurring from FY 2022 onward that may have affected tribal treaty rights had considered those
rights, as outlined in the long-term performance goal stated above.
The early, meaningful, and substantial involvement of EPA's co-regulator partners is critical to
the development, implementation, and enforcement of the environmental programs in Indian
country. With a renewed focus on climate, environmental justice, and children's health, EPA will
emphasize frequent and early communication as a keystone of its partnership with tribal and state
co-regulators. EPA must thoughtfully consider co-regulator concerns and existing regulatory
programs to develop effective and lasting solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the Agency's web-based Tribal Consultation
Opportunities Tracking System, a publicly accessible database used to communicate upcoming
and current EPA consultation opportunities to tribal governments. The system provides a
management, oversight, and reporting structure that helps ensure accountability and transparency.
In addition, EPA will implement the revised EPA Consultation Policy and new Implementation
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Guidance to improve consultation practices to ensure early and meaningful engagement in
conformance with Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal
Governments.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to enhance transparency, build public trust in agency actions, and
support public participation by strengthening its implementation of the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA). In FY 2023 the Agency reduced the backlog of overdue FOIA requests by nearly 26
percent. EPA received more than 6,600 FOIA requests but closed more than 6,800 requests. The
Agency will work to increase processing speed and to apply appropriate technologies to ensure it
supports the timely searching and collection of information for purposes of responding to FOIA
requests and other information needs in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. In addition, EPA
procured and launched a new FOIA recordkeeping and processing software solution that replaced
FOIA online at the beginning of FY 2024.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Goal and Objective Overviews
GOAL, APPROPRIATION SUMMARY 38
Budget Authority 38
Authorized Full-time Equivalents (FTE) 40
Tackle the Climate Crisis 42
Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights 49
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance 57
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities 65
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities 71
Safeguard and Revitalize Communities 77
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment 85
37
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GOAL, APPROPRIATION SUMMARY
Budget Authority
(Dollars in Thousands)
Tackle the Climate Crisis
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Take Decisive Action to Advance
Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Environmental Programs & Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure
Compliance
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
Inland Oil Spill Programs
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All
Communities
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All
Communities
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
FY 2023 Final
Actuals
$501,453
$212,814
$277,702
$10,937
$390,374
$264,247
$1,068
$125,060
$756,579
$21,248
$462,123
$3,095
$229,936
$669
$39,508
$755,505
$35,373
$320,032
$2,510
$397,589
$3,977,390
$20,417
$1,155,164
$2,762,574
FY 2024
Annualized CR
$597,652
$199,389
$264,052
$134,211
$386,224
$264,742
$6,902
$114,580
$807,220
$23,769
$512,157
$3,824
$226,754
$741
$39,976
$812,733
$40,154
$331,719
$2,942
$437,918
$5,195,104
$7,266
$1,204,692
$3,901,660
FY 2025
President's
Budget
$844,603
$284,782
$429,572
$130,249
$720,750
$556,916
$8,393
$155,441
$768,785
$27,168
$656,258
$5,750
$37,729
$785
$41,096
$1,312,283
$55,650
$637,018
$4,534
$615,081
$5,135,849
$9,302
$1,332,238
$3,707,374
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FY 2025
FY 2023 Final FY 2024 President's
Actuals Annualized CR Budget
Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Fund $39,194 $81,486 $86,935
Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource
Damage Assessment $26 $0 $0
UIC Injection Well Permit BLM $14 $o $0
Safeguard and Revitalize Communities $1,917,534 $1,893,811 $1,616,807
Science & Technology $72,959 $69,389 $123,966
Environmental Programs & Management $284 216 $303 784 $377 048
Building and Facilities $9,097 $14,715 $13,167
Inland Oil Spill Programs $22,386 $22,774 $27,257
Hazardous Substance Superfund $1,122,808 $1,060,326 $598,220
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks $102,864 $100,843 $120,727
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $303,204 $321,980 $356,422
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the
Environment $453,924 $455,988 $594,577
Science & Technology $10,639 $10,261 $16,845
Environmental Programs & Management $339 593 $395 554 $5^9 314
State and Tribal Assistance Grants $52 995 $49 154 $53 417
Pesticide Registration Fund $597 $q $0
Sub-Total
Cancellation of Funds
$8,752,759 $10,148,733 $10,993,653
$0 -$13,300 $0
TOTAL, EPA $8,752,759 $10,135,433 $10,993,653
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
GOAL, APPROPRIATION SUMMARY
Authorized Full-time Equivalents (FTE)
Tackle the Climate Crisis
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Take Decisive Action to Advance
Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Environmental Programs & Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
WCF-Reimbursable
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure
Compliance
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
Inland Oil Spill Programs
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Rereg. & Exped. Proc. Rev Fund
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All
Communities
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
Hazardous Substance Superfund
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All
Communities
Science & Technology
Environmental Programs & Management
FY 2023 Final
Actuals
1,137.9
469.4
660.2
8.4
706.7
596.3
4.8
105.4
0.2
2,945.9
77.0
1,945.9
11.3
883.2
3.0
24.2
1.3
1,673.6
80.7
1,355.5
12.0
225.5
2,766.3
30.8
2,064.0
FY 2024
Annualized CR
1.230.3
466.6
677.9
85.8
853.5
744.9
8.0
100.4
0.2
3.190.4
78.3
2.130.7
15.1
939.3
3.4
23.5
0.0
1,764.2
84.1
1.438.8
12.2
229.2
3.085.0
24.5
2.243.1
FY 2025
President's
Budget
1,457.9
541.0
848.0
68.9
1,168.2
1.044.8
10.4
112.7
0.2
3.428.9
87.4
2,402.6
15.8
898.6
3.5
21.1
0.0
2,231.0
99.0
1,867.6
16.0
248.4
3,254.8
29.1
2,399.5
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FY 2025
FY 2023 Final FY 2024 President's
Actuals Annualized CR Budget
State and Tribal Assistance Grants 619 5 761 7 766 £
Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Fund
45.8 55.8 59.5
Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource
Damage Assessment 4 0 o 0 0 0
UIC Injection Well Permit BLM 2 1 0 0 0 0
Safeguard and Revitalize Communities 3 224 2 3 316 9 3 631 2
Science & Technology 156 8 153 0 236.1
Environmental Programs & Management 1 014 4 1 087 4 1 298 6
Building and Facilities ^0 9 17 8 13 8
Inland Oil Spill Programs 83 7 9^5 jq5 3
Hazardous Substance Superfund 1 714 6 1 709 3 1 698 3
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks 55 4 72 4 83 4
State and Tribal Assistance Grants 154 g 157 2 169 4
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
System Fund 10-5 15 0 13.0
WCF-Reimbursable 12 3 133 133
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the
Environment 1,641.8 1,682.2 1,973.3
Science & Technology 27 7 28 4 31 8
Environmental Programs & Management \ 354 8 1 483 7 1 771 7
State and Tribal Assistance Grants 41 2 34 7 34 6
Rereg. & Exped. Proc. Rev Fund 135 2 135 3 135 3
Pesticide Registration Fund 72 9 0 0 0 0
Sub-Total
14,096.4 15,122.6 1 7,145.4
TOTAL, EPA 14,096.4 15,122.6 17,145.4
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Tackle the Climate Crisis
Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis—Cut pollution that causes climate change and increase the
adaptive capacity of Tribes, states, territories, and communities.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 1.1: Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change—Aggressively reduce the
emissions of greenhouse gases from all sectors while increasing energy and resource
efficiency and the use of renewable energy.
• Objective 1.2: Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts—
Deliver targeted assistance to increase the resilience of Tribes, states, territories, and
communities to the impacts of climate change.
• Objective 1.3: Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts—Collaborate with
Tribal, state, local, and international partners and provide leadership on the global stage
to address climate change.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Tackle the Climate Crisis
$501,453
$597,652
$844,603
$246,951
Reduce Emissions that Cause
Climate Change
$374,962
$470,331
$646,510
$176,179
Accelerate Resilience and
Adaptation to Climate Change
Impacts
$59,016
$61,198
$100,498
$39,300
Advance International and
Subnational Climate Efforts
$67,476
$66,122
$97,595
$31,472
Total Authorized Workyears
1,137.9
1,230.3
1,457.9
227.6
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Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Cut pollution that causes climate change and increase the adaptive capacity of Tribes, states,
territories, and communities.
Introduction
Climate change is a global issue that has far-reaching human health, social, economic,
environmental, and biodiversity impacts on our planet. It directly and adversely affects the United
States. Climate change is accelerating the frequency and severity of wildfires and extreme weather
events, such as hurricanes, floods, heat waves, and drought, and is altering sea temperature, ocean
acidity, sea-level, and other global systems that support human life and biodiversity. Climate
change impacts include famine, property loss, mass migrations, human conflict, species
extinctions, and ecosystem failures, with significant humanitarian, economic and national security
implications. Certain communities and individuals are particularly vulnerable to these impacts,
including low-income communities, communities of color, children, the elderly, tribes, and
indigenous people.
The impacts of climate change challenge EPA's ability to accomplish its mission of protecting
human health and the environment because climate change can exacerbate existing pollution
problems and environmental stressors. EPA is working with states, tribes, territories, local
governments, and other federal agencies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase
the climate resilience of the Nation, with a particular focus on protecting and helping
disadvantaged communities. Climate change is a global issue, and domestic action must go hand
in hand with international leadership. EPA will continue to extend its expertise internationally,
while learning from the expertise of others, to help shape and advance international agreements
and solutions.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to drive reductions in emissions that significantly contribute to
climate change through regulations on GHGs, climate partnership programs, and support to tribal,
state, and local governments. The Agency will accomplish this through the significant investments
represented by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA), and its base appropriation, which funds the core operating accounts and ongoing
environmental programs of the Agency. In FY 2025 and beyond, EPA will ensure its programs,
policies, rulemaking processes, enforcement and compliance assurance activities, and internal
business operations consider current and future impacts of climate change. EPA will consult and
partner with tribes, states, territories, local governments and communities, businesses, and other
federal agencies to strengthen adaptive capacity. By engaging with organizations representing
overburdened and underserved communities, EPA will ensure its GHG mitigation and adaptation
activities address environmental justice and equity concerns for all communities. Furthermore,
EPA will continue to engage both bilaterally and through multilateral institutions to improve
international cooperation on climate change. The FY 2025 Budget includes $844.6 million and
1,457.9 FTE for Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis. .
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Objective 1.1: Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change - Aggressively reduce the
emissions of greenhouse gases from all sectors while increasing energy and resource efficiency
and the use of renewable energy.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $646.5 million and 969.6 FTE for Objective 1.1, which is $176.2
million and 132.7 FTE above the FY 2024 Annualized continuing resolution (ACR). This objective
is directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, promulgate final rules to reduce GHG emissions from light duty,
medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles; electric utility generating units; and the oil and gas
industry.
• By September 30, 2026, EPA's climate partnership programs will reduce expected annual
GHG emissions by 545 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02e).
EPA's climate partnership programs reduced 518.6 MMTC02e of annual GHG emissions
in 2019.
Objective 1.1 is also directly supported by the following FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal:
Phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). By September 30,
2025, annual U.S. consumption of HFCs will be 40 percent below the baseline of 302.5 MMTC02e
consistent with the HFC phasedown schedule in the American Innovation and Manufacturing
(AIM) Act and codified in the implementing regulations.
In FY 2025, EPA will drive significant reductions in the emissions that cause climate change
through regulation of GHGs; climate partnership programs such as ENERGY STAR; support for
tribal, state, and local governments; and expansion of the GHG Emissions Reporting Program and
Sinks Inventory. EPA regulations will cut GHG pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane, and HFCs. Furthermore, in FY 2022, EPA finalized federal GHG emissions standards
for passenger cars and light trucks for Model Years (MY) 2023 through 2026. EPA will collaborate
closely with stakeholders to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and decarbonization of
the Nation's electric grid. By continuing the transition away from reliance on high-emitting fossil
fuels, EPA programs will cut GHG emissions from cars, trucks, homes, and businesses.
In FY 2025, EPA plans to implement new source performance standards and emission guidelines
applicable to power plants and to new and existing facilities in the oil and gas sector that EPA will
have finalized under Section 111. As part of this effort, EPA also will provide support for
implementation of the final new source performance standards and support to states in the
development of state plans to meet requirements of oil and natural gas emission guidelines and
power plant emission guidelines. The Agency also will implement regulations in FY 2025 to
require enhanced reporting of emissions from U.S. industrial sectors, including methane emissions
from the oil and natural gas sector.
Under the AIM Act, EPA will continue to work with industry to phase down the production and
import of HFCs, which are commonly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and in many other
applications. The AIM Act directs EPA to take steps to sharply reduce production and consumption
of these harmful GHG pollutants by using an allowance allocation and trading program. This
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phasedown will decrease the production and import of HFCs in the United States by 85 percent
over the next 15 years. A global HFC phasedown is expected to avoid up to 0.5°C of global
warming by 2100. The FY 2025 Budget includes $65.3 million and 24 FTE to implement
provisions in the AIM Act to phase down the use of HFCs, to support U.S. entry to the Kigali
amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and to restore staff capacity around efforts to tackle the
climate crisis. This investment includes resources to implement innovative IT solutions, such as
database integration across EPA and Customs and Border Patrol to help ensure that the phasedown
is not undermined by illegal imports.1
In FY 2025, EPA will begin implementing the multi-pollutant emissions standards, including for
GHG emissions, for light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning with Model Year (MY) 2027 and
extending through and including at least MY 2030. In FY 2025, EPA also will begin implementing
a final rulemaking under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to establish new GHG emissions standards for
heavy-duty engines and vehicles beginning with MY 2027. EPA will invest significant resources
to address a myriad of new technical challenges to support these two sets of long-term rulemakings,
which will include added light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle testing and modeling
capabilities at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL). Key to this technical
work is to understand the cost, feasibility, and infrastructure impacts of electrifying the broad range
of products in the light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle sectors. This will include vehicle
demonstration projects focused on zero-emission technologies whose use are rapidly growing in
the light- and heavy-duty sectors and will be important in meeting future multi-pollutant emissions
standards. Additional funding is also requested for the maintenance, repair and replacement of
aging test equipment and infrastructure at the NVFEL.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with other federal agencies to promote more sustainable
and resilient communities. This includes identifying and pursuing opportunities to reduce barriers
to deploying EV charging infrastructure and working with tribes, states, and communities to ensure
the equitable distribution and thoughtful community integration of charging infrastructure,
including for electric buses and delivery and rideshare vehicles.
Through voluntary partnership programs, EPA will work to incentivize energy efficiency and
further decarbonize the transportation, power generation, industrial, and building sectors. Some
examples of these programs include ENERGY STAR, Green Power Partnership, Natural Gas
STAR, AgSTAR, GreenChill, and SmartWay. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement these
climate partnership programs to improve delivery of energy efficiency, clean energy, and heat
mitigation solutions to historically underserved and overburdened communities. EPA also will
continue domestic programs and international collaboration to reduce exposures to harmful
emissions from cookstoves.
EPA will continue to implement the U.S. GHG Reporting Program, which collects and publishes
data from more than 8,100 facilities across 41 large industrial source categories in the United
States. EPA will improve models of climate change impacts, including how risks and economic
impacts can be reduced under mitigation and adaptation scenarios. EPA also will continue to make
the Climate Change Indicators website more accessible through enhanced visualization.
1 For more information on the AIM Act, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/aim-act.
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In FY 2025, EPA will work to complete the annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Emissions and
Sinks,2 and to improve inventory methodologies in areas such as oil and gas, land-use, and waste,
consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. EPA also will
meet upcoming Paris reporting requirements and create a new GHG emission calculator, linked to
Portfolio Manager, to develop building GHG inventories that fully comply with accounting
protocols and local mandates.
Objective 1.2: Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts - Deliver
targeted assistance to increase the resilience of tribes, states, territories, and communities to the
impacts of climate change.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $100.5 million and 242.0 FTE for Objective 1.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, implement all priority actions in EPA's Climate Adaptation
Action Plan and the 20 National Program and Regional Climate Adaptation
Implementation Plans to account for the impacts of the changing climate on human health
and the environment.3
• By September 30, 2026, assist at least 400 federally recognized tribes to take action to
anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change.
• By September 30, 2026, assist at least 550 states, territories, local governments, and
communities, especially communities that are underserved and disproportionately at risk
from climate change, to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the
impacts of climate change.
EPA will take necessary actions to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of climate
change to ensure EPA continues to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the
environment even as the climate changes and disruptive impacts increase. The Agency also will
support the development and implementation of climate adaptation strategies at the local level to
advance the climate resilience of states, tribes, territories, local governments, and communities
across the Nation. EPA will actively engage organizations representing overburdened and
underserved communities that are more vulnerable to climate impacts to ensure the Agency's
adaptation plans reflect the principles of environmental justice and equity. EPA's commitments
are part of a whole-of-government approach to pursue actions at home and abroad to avoid the
most catastrophic impacts of climate change.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to encourage climate-resilient investments across the Nation
through federal financial assistance agreements. EPA will lead by example and prioritize climate
resiliency investments across EPA-owned facilities. EPA will conduct climate resiliency
assessments at EPA-owned facilities, prioritize investments, and initiate work on priority projects.
As a result of FY 2022 assessments, EPA initiated two high priority projects in FY 2023: a
feasibility study to improve the resilience of the causeway in Gulf Breeze, FL, and a solar array
feasibility study at the research facility in Narragansett, RI. In FY 2025, EPA plans to conduct
2 https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks.
3 These plans are available at: https://www.epa.gov/climate-adaptation/climate-adaptation-plan.
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climate assessments at the Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center in Cincinnati,
OH, and the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. In line with
federal sustainability goals, EPA will continue to pursue aggressive energy, water, and building
infrastructure improvements to advance the Agency's use of carbon-pollution free electricity.
The FY 2025 Budget includes an additional $19.3 million and 14.5 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR
level to advance the Climate Adaptation Program. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement
the updated version of its 2021 Climate Adaptation Action Plan as well as the 20 Climate
Adaptation Implementation Plans developed by the Program and Regional Offices in FY 2022 and
most recently updated in FY 2023. Each program and regional office will implement the priority
actions identified in their Implementation Plans to address the five agency-wide priorities from the
2021 EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan. These strategies are informed by the best available
science and deliver co-benefits for mitigation of GHG and other pollution, public health, economic
growth and job creation, national security, and environmental justice—all of which will be central
to building a more resilient future. These actions will integrate climate adaptation planning into
Agency programs, policies, rulemaking processes, enforcement and compliance assurance
activities, financial mechanisms, and operations to ensure they are effective even as the climate
changes. In FY 2022, EPA assisted 110 federally recognized tribes and 242 states, territories, local
governments, and communities to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from
the impacts of climate change. In FY 2023, EPA also completed 177 priority actions in its Climate
Adaptation Action Plan and Program and Regional Implementation Plans, exceeding the annual
target of 100. Also included in the FY 2025 Budget is an additional $5 million and 3 FTE to support
EPA's interagency work by increasing the number of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to help
energy communities facing economic challenges from the energy transition.
In FY 2025, as part of the Climate Adaptation Program, EPA will continue to provide targeted
assistance to tribes and indigenous peoples, states, territories, local governments, communities,
and businesses to bolster these groups' climate resilience efforts. The Agency will focus resources
on communities with environmental justice concerns to develop new strategies that strengthen
adaptive capacity and increase climate resilience across the Nation. The Agency will produce and
deliver training, tools, technical assistance, financial incentives, and information the Agency's
partners indicate they need to adapt and to increase resilience to climate change.
Objective 1.3: Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts - Collaborate with
tribal, state, local, and international partners and provide leadership on the global stage to
address climate change.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $97.6 million and 246.3 FTE for Objective 1.3. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goal in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, implement at least 40 international climate engagements that result
in an individual partner commitment or action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that promotes equity.
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Moving forward in addressing the climate crisis calls for international as well as domestic efforts.
EPA has an important role in helping countries respond to the climate crisis. Progress will require
both significant short-term global reductions in GHG emissions and net-zero global emissions by
mid-century alongside increased and equitable adaptation and resiliency to climate change
impacts. As of September 2023, EPA implemented 18 international climate engagements, resulting
in individual partner commitments or actions as outlined in the long-term performance goal stated
above. EPA's responsibilities for protection of human health and the environment require EPA to
have a critical role internationally in providing technical expertise, guidance, and capacity building
to help countries set and meet ambitious GHG reductions, improving adaptive capacity, and
strengthening climate governance. Specifically, EPA international work will further the
environmental governance of priority partner countries so that they can implement and enforce
effective climate mitigation activities and incorporate environmental justice climate principles.
Without basic governance infrastructure, it is difficult for many countries to make progress on
their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement, opening the Agreement to
criticism about lack of developing country action on climate. EPA will enhance capacity-building
governance programs for priority countries with increasing GHG footprints and increase their
capacity to implement partnerships as well as legislative, regulatory, and legal enforcement. These
programs will work to improve adaptive capacity and mitigation strategies of pollution burdened,
vulnerable and indigenous communities.
These efforts support Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and
Abroad,4 which directs federal agencies to develop plans for integrating climate considerations
into their international work, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law. Objective 1.3
fulfills EO 14008 by dedicating EPA expertise to help countries build capacity so they can set and
meet ambitious GHG reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement, while also building
resilience to current and future climate impacts. EPA's long-term aim is to implement at least 40
international climate engagements by 2026 that result in an individual partner commitment or
action to reduce GHG emissions, adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that
promotes equity.
4 Executive Order 14008: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presideiitial-actioiis/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-
tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights—Achieve
tangible progress for historically overburdened and underserved communities and ensure the fair
treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or
income in developing and implementing environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal,
State and Local Levels—Empower and build capacity of underserved and overburdened
communities to protect human health and the environment.
• Objective 2.2: Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs,
Policies, and Activities—Integrate environmental justice and civil rights in all the
Agency's work to maximize benefits and minimize impacts to underserved and
overburdened communities.
• Objective 2.3: Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement in Communities with Environmental
Justice Concerns—Strengthen enforcement of and compliance with civil rights laws to
address the legacy of pollution in overburdened communities.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Take Decisive Action to Advance
Environmental Justice and Civil
Rights
$390,374
$386,224
$720,750
$334,526
Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal,
State and Local Levels
$157,950
$152,262
$218,651
$66,389
Embed Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights into EPA's Programs,
Policies, and Activities
$182,574
$182,242
$423,456
$241,215
Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement
in Communities with Environmental
Justice Concerns
$49,851
$51,720
$78,642
$26,922
Total Authorized Workyears
706.7
853.5
1,168.2
314.6
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Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Achieve tangible progress for historically overburdened and under served communities and
ensure the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income in developing and implementing environmental laws, regulations, and
policies.
Introduction
EPA places environmental justice (EJ), equity, and civil rights at the center of its mission and is
embedding them across the Nation's environmental protection enterprise. EPA has a responsibility
to protect all American communities, including those within the contiguous and non-contiguous
states and all territories and protectorates of the United States. By doing so, EP A will advance the
promise of clean air, clean water, and safe land to communities across the country that have not
fully benefitted from the Nation's progress. EPA is centering its work on justice, which is
especially important in an era when EPA must simultaneously break the cycle of historic
environmental injustices while maximizing protection for these same communities that are too
often hit worst and first from the impacts of a changing climate. In the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan, EPA added "justice and equity" to the Agency's fundamental principles," as
originally articulated by Administrator William Ruckelshaus.
This goal aims to achieve measurable environmental, public health, and quality of life
improvements in the most overburdened, vulnerable, and underserved communities while ensuring
that EPA's commitment to following the law includes the civil rights laws just as fully as the
environmental laws. Achieving this goal will require transformation and mindfulness in how EPA
understands and conducts its work, including how EPA prioritizes program resources, stewards its
relationships with regulatory partners and recipients of EPA funds, implements statutory
authorities, and engages the communities most affected by environmental and public health
threats, especially as the climate changes. To achieve this goal, it is critical for EPA to proactively
engage with tribes, states, and local governments to discuss and address disproportionate impacts
through their implementation of EPA authorities and engage in meaningful joint planning with
communities to advance community visions and priorities.
The vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws is key to addressing systemic barriers and ensuring
recipients of EPA funding make more responsible and equitable siting and permitting decisions.
EPA's work on environmental justice and civil rights enforcement will be a success if it leads to
reductions in longstanding racial and ethnic disparities such as in levels of air pollutants and
exposure to toxins; access to clean and reliable water infrastructure, free of lead and other toxins;
and management of solid waste.
EPA will continue to work to increase its capacity to tackle environmental justice and civil rights
issues and embed consideration of these issues in its programs, policies, and processes, all with
the goal of improving outcomes in environmental and health conditions for communities with
environmental justice concerns. The FY 2025 Budget includes $720.7 million and 1,168.2 FTE to
advance Goal 2, Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights.
5 Follow the science, follow the law, and be transparent, and the additional fourth principle: advance justice and equity.
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Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal,
State, and Local Levels - Empower and build capacity of underserved and overburdened
communities to protect human health and the environment.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $218.7 million and 354.0 FTE for Objective 2.1. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs that seek feedback and comment from the public
will provide capacity-building resources to communities with environmental justice concerns
to support their ability to meaningfully engage and provide useful feedback to those programs.
• By September 30, 2026, include commitments to address disproportionate impacts in all
written agreements between EPA and tribes and states (e.g., grant work plans) implementing
delegated authorities.
• By September 30, 2026, EPA programs with direct implementation authority will take at least
100 significant actions that will result in measurable improvements in Indian Country.
• By September 30, 2026, all state recipients of EPA financial assistance will have foundational
civil rights programs in place.
• By September 30, 2026, increase by 40 percent the number of Office of Research and
Development (ORD) activities related to environmental justice that involve or are applicable
to tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities.
EPA has the responsibility to make transformative progress on environmental justice and civil
rights at the tribal, state, and local levels through a whole-of-government approach that involves
communities as authentic partners. In FY 2025, EPA will continue support for community-led
action at new levels by providing unprecedented investments and benefits directly to communities
with environmental justice concerns as well as by integrating equity throughout all Agency support
programs. EPA will ensure that all relevant programs are actively supporting community efforts
to engage and influence program implementation and maximize the benefits from the investment
of resources to achieve meaningful change on the ground for the most impacted communities.
Supporting communities as they adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change is also part of
this commitment.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to proactively integrate environmental justice and civil rights into
policies and activities as a fundamental element of the Agency's relationships with federal, state,
and local partners to jointly achieve beneficial changes on the ground for communities. EPA will
invest in oversight, guidance, and assistance for states and local governments to embed
environmental justice into their programs and enhance civil rights enforcement. In FY 2023, 58
percent of the procedural safeguard elements across all of the state environmental permitting
agencies had been implemented, and EPA is working to increase this number.
With the public's engagement, and through partnerships and environmental education, EPA will
work to improve initiatives at the regional levels and across EPA, including increased engagement
with communities, Agency stakeholders, and across Justice40 programs, in support of Executive
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Order (EO) 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.6 The Budget provides an
increase of $6.2 million and 2.5 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR to expand and improve the Agency's
public engagement, partnership, and outreach initiatives; and support the newly established National
Environmental Youth Advisory Council and Historically Black Colleges and Universities
and Minority Serving Institutions Advisory Council.7
Federal environmental law requires that federal environmental programs are in place across the
U.S., including in Indian Country. Programs are implemented in two manners: by federally
recognized tribes through EPA delegations, authorizations, or approvals of EPA authorities; and
by EPA, which is known as EPA direct implementation. Approximately 95 percent of federal
environmental programs in Indian Country are directly implemented by EPA with the remaining
programs implemented by tribes. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to ensure that direct
implementation activities are fully protective of communities and will advance environmental
justice for federally recognized tribes in keeping with the federal trust responsibility. EPA also
will continue to strengthen efforts to improve human health by reducing disparities in compliance
rates between Indian Country and the national average through greater Agency support and
leadership to EPA programs and regions for planning, executing, assessing, and measuring EPA
direct implementation actions in Indian Country. In FY 2023, EPA programs with direct
implementation authority took 25 significant actions that will result in measurable improvements
in Indian Country. In addition, in FY 2025 EPA will implement the revised EPA Consultation
Policy and new Implementation Guidance to improve consultation practices in conformance with
Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, and train
EPA staff on the same practices.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its longstanding commitment to assist tribes in building the
capacity to receive delegated, authorized, or approved programs. In those instances when tribal
governments assume federal program authority, EPA supports tribal governments' inclusion of
environmental justice principles into their programs, community engagement, and decision-
making processes, and is committed to ensuring flexibilities in Indian Environmental General
Assistance Program (GAP) funding for implementing environmental justice principles in tribal
environmental programs. Integration of environmental justice principles into all EPA activities
with tribal governments and in Indian Country is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate
EPA tribal program activities and goals, while meeting EPA environmental justice goals.
EPA's goal is to ensure that environmental programs implemented inside Indian Country are as
robust and protective as those same programs implemented outside of Indian Country. To support
this work, the FY25 Budget includes a new $25.0 million grant program to focus on advancing
environmental justice through direct implementation in Indian Country. With these additional
resources, EPA will provide dedicated funding for a new tribal multi-disciplinary effort using
Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements (DITCAs), an authority previously
established by Congress. DITCAs are a unique funding vehicle that allows EPA to fund tribes to
assist EPA in implementing federal environmental programs in Indian Country. For the first time,
6 Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January 27,2001), found at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-cliiiiate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
7 For more information, please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/09/26/2023-2Q878/establishment-of-
historically-black-colleges-and-universities-hbcus-and-minority-serving
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the FY 2025 Budget proposes a new program specifically dedicated to leverage EPA's authorities
to expand direct implementation work and reach more tribal communities in need.
Objective 2.2: Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights in EPA Programs, Policies,
and Activities - Integrate environmental justice and civil rights in all the Agency's work to
maximize benefits and minimize impacts to underserved and overburdened communities.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $423.5 million and 561.8 FTE for Objective 2.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, reduce disparities in environmental and public health conditions
represented by the indicators identified through the FY 2022-2023 Agency Priority Goal.
• By September 30, 2026, 80 percent of significant EPA actions with environmental justice
implications will clearly demonstrate how the action is responsive to environmental justice
concerns and reduces or otherwise addresses disproportionate impacts.
• By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs that work in and with communities will do so
in ways that are community-driven, coordinated and collaborative, support equitable and
resilient community development, and provide for meaningful involvement and fair
treatment of communities with environmental justice concerns.
• By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will identify and implement areas
and opportunities to integrate environmental justice considerations and achieve civil rights
compliance in their planning, guidance, policy directives, monitoring, and review
activities.
• By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will implement program and region-
specific language assistance plans.
• By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will implement program and region-
specific disability access plans.
Objective 2.2 is directly supported by the following FY 2024 - 2025 Agency Priority Goal:
Implement guidance, tools, and metrics for EPA and its tribal, state, local, and community partners
to advance environmental justice and external civil rights compliance. By September 30, 2025,
advance cumulative impacts practice across agency programs, finalize and deploy external civil
rights guidance, and apply at least 10 indicators to drive disparity reductions in environmental and
public health conditions.
Meeting these commitments to achieving change on the ground and accountability for such change
will be the ultimate measure of the Agency's success at advancing environmental justice, civil
rights, and equity, including the implementation of EO 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and
Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,8 EO 14008, Tackling
the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,'EO 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support
8 Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
(January 20,2021), found at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-
advancing-racial-equitv-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment/
9 Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January 27,2021), found at:
https://www.whitehouse.gOv/briefing-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-cliiiiate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
53
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for Under served Communities Through the Federal Government,10 and EO 14096, Revitalizing
Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.11 These efforts include incorporating
feedback from communities with environmental justice concerns while analyzing and addressing
disproportionate impacts. The environmental laws that Congress passed are meant to apply to all
Americans. EPA must not only strive to better support community efforts to engage with the
Agency, but also advance the Agency's ability to engage in community-driven work through the
regions and across all programs. EPA must implement the civil rights laws as vigorously as it
implements the environmental statutes.
Most of the resources allocated for Objective 2.2 are devoted to the Environmental Justice Program
with more than $323.6 million and 264.6 FTE requested in FY 2025, an increase of $215.6 million
and 41.0 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR. The FY 2025 Budget proposes to invest $69.7 million and
39.3 FTE to continue to enhance its engagement with communities by building out community-
centered technical assistance hubs, the Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers
(TCTACs) established in FY 2023 and ensuring that the network provides coverage across the
United States. The TCTACs will be instrumental in providing dedicated EPA staff, hands-on
facilitation of connecting underserved communities and their partners directly with fundamental
technical assistance and capacity building EPA program resources in addition to resources
available through other federal partners. EPA will ensure that all community support activities
provide a stream of tools, data, and methods back to the Agency to help other EPA programs
analyze the EJ implications of policy decisions and program implementation, such as through
National Environmental Policy Act processes or the consideration of costs and benefits in
economic analyses.
In FY 2025, EPA will set ambitious goals of achieving meaningful change on the ground for
communities with environmental justice concerns; identify data gaps; build tracking systems; and
put in place any needed policy, guidance, or regulatory changes to achieve the goals. EPA also
will ensure that Agency plans include responsibility and measurable accountability for advancing
environmental justice, including the annual performance plans of key political, senior executive,
and general schedule staff. EPA will utilize at least 10 indicators of disparity, as described in the
FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal, to drive policy change and track meaningful reductions on
the ground for communities over time.
EPA will continue to establish and implement policies to ensure that actions with major
significance for environmental justice and civil rights are responsive to the needs of communities,
consider the results of environmental justice analyses, and reflect recommendations from the
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC). EPA also will continue to ensure that
all EPA programs develop guidance on the use of environmental justice tools such as EJScreen
and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool12 to support screening and analysis of
program outcomes.
10 Executive Order 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government (February 22, 2023), found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-
advancing-racial-equitv-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal.
11 Executive Order 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All (April 26,2023), found at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-08955/revitaliziiig-our-iiations-commitment-to-enviromiiental-
justice-for-all.
12 For more information, please visit, https://screeningtool.geoplatform.goV/en/#3/33.47/-97.5.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to leverage and coordinate its investments in communities and
collaborate with partners and other external stakeholders to advance comprehensive and strategic
community-driven approaches. EPA will continue to implement its revised meaningful
involvement policy and will continue to build on the number of collaborative partnerships centered
on community priorities. Such partnerships will provide a solid foundation defined by the updated
policy to ensure that all EPA program implementation efforts, with a particular focus on program
deployment and policy development, will be rooted in a comprehensive approach to meaningfully
engaging impacted communities. EPA will continue its efforts to implement EPA-wide policies
and procedures to ensure EPA programs, activities and services are meaningfully accessible to
persons with limited English proficiency and to develop an EPA wide program to ensure access
for persons with disabilities to EPA programs activities and services.
EPA will continue to communicate requirements and expectations related to environmental justice
and civil rights to its employees through education, training, outreach, and technical assistance. In
particular, EPA will improve employees' awareness and understanding of civil rights enforcement
and strengthen intra-agency collaboration to identify whether recipient programs and activities are
abiding by civil rights laws or engaging in prohibited discrimination.
Objective 2.3: Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement in Communities with Environmental
Justice Concerns - Strengthen enforcement of and compliance with civil rights laws to address
the legacy of pollution in overburdened communities.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $78.6 million and 252.4 FTE for Objective 2.3. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, initiate 45 proactive post-award civil rights compliance reviews
to address discrimination issues in environmentally overburdened and underserved
communities.
• By September 30, 2026, complete 305 audits to ensure EPA financial assistance recipients
are complying with nondiscrimination program procedural requirements.
• By September 30, 2026, complete 84 information sharing sessions and outreach and
technical assistance events with overburdened and underserved communities and
environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights and environmental justice issues.
To address the legacy of pollution in overburdened communities, EPA must use the full extent of
its authority and resources to enforce federal civil rights laws. EPA is required to enforce federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin (including
limited English proficiency), disability, gender, and age, in programs or activities that receive
Agency financial assistance. To ensure EPA's financial assistance is not being used in a manner
that discriminates and subjects already overburdened communities to further harm, EPA must
support and promote a robust and mature external civil rights compliance program for execution
of EPA responsibilities and to provide a strong partner to its EJ program.
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EPA's Office of External Civil Rights Compliance (OECRC) is committed to enforcing
compliance with federal civil rights laws to address historical and systemic barriers that contribute
to the environmental injustice, overburdening, and vulnerability of communities. In FY 2025, EPA
proposes to invest $32.2 million and 145.6 FTE in the external civil rights program, an increase of
$17.6 million and 76.5 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR, to continue to build capacity to improve
oversight and enforcement of civil rights compliance and prioritize and advance EJ concerns. The
additional FTE will support activities including investigations into claims of discrimination in
communities and pre-award and post-award compliance activities. It is critical that, in addition to
increasing the FTE for the external civil rights work done in headquarters, there be a significant
increase in FTE for the regional offices specifically targeted to external civil rights work. The
regional offices provide critical support to external civil rights investigations and resolutions.
In FY 2025, EPA will take actions to address permitting decisions by EPA financial assistance
recipients found to be discriminatory. Through investigations and informal resolution agreements,
EPA will address discriminatory exposure to pollutants and toxins in order to advance access to
clean air, water and land, and health protection. To meet the Agency's goals, EPA will increase
the number of affirmative compliance reviews targeting discrimination in critical environmental
health and quality of life impacts in overburdened communities. The Agency will issue policy
guidance to clarify recipients' civil rights obligations and improve compliance through technical
assistance deliveries. In FY 2022 and FY 2023, EPA held 235 information sharing sessions and
outreach and technical assistance events with overburdened and underserved communities and
environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights and environmental justice issues. In FY
2025, EPA will increase the number of meaningful engagements with overburdened communities
and EJ groups on civil rights and environmental justice issues.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Goal 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance—Improve compliance with the
nation's environmental laws and hold violators accountable.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Obj ective 3.1: Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable—Use
vigorous and targeted civil and criminal enforcement to ensure accountability for
violations and to clean up contamination.
• Objective 3.2: Detect Violations and Promote Compliance—Ensure high levels of
compliance with federal environmental laws and regulations through effective
compliance tools — including inspections, other monitoring activities, and technical
assistance supported by evidence and advanced technologies.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Enforce Environmental Laws and
Ensure Compliance
$756,579
$807,220
$768,785
-$38,435
Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable
$529,406
$562,125
$443,052
-$119,073
Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance
$227,172
$245,096
$325,733
$80,637
Total Authorized Workyears
2,945.9
3,190.4
3,428.9
238.6
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Goal 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Improve Compliance with the Nation's environmental laws and hold violators accountable.
Introduction
A robust compliance monitoring and enforcement program at EPA is essential to ensuring that
communities across the country realize the environmental and human health benefits intended by
environmental statutes and regulations. EPA regulates more than 1.2 million facilities subject to a
variety of environmental statutes. EPA also regulates a wide range of products, from automobiles
to pesticides, to protect the public. EPA strives to not only return violators to compliance but also
obtain timely relief needed to address the underlying causes of the violations, to prevent
reoccurrence, and, in appropriate cases, mitigate the harm to the communities impacted by
noncompliance. The FY 2025 Budget includes $768.8 million and 3428.9 FTE to strengthen
compliance with the Nation's environmental laws and hold violators accountable under Goal 3:
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance.
FY 2025 Overview
In FY 2025, EPA will collaborate with tribes, states, territories, and other federal agencies to focus
federal enforcement resources on environmental problems where noncompliance with
environmental statutes and regulations is a significant contributing factor and where federal
enforcement can have a significant impact on the Nation's air, water, and land. EPA will continue
to work cooperatively with tribes, states, territories, and other federal agencies to improve
compliance with environmental laws.
EPA will target increased resources on the most serious environmental violations by implementing
National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs) that seek to mitigate climate change,
address exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination, protect
communities from coal combustion residuals, address hazardous air pollution, provide for clean
and safe drinking water, and reduce the risk of deadly chemical accidents.13 EPA also will fully
incorporate Environmental Justice (EJ) considerations into every NECI as EPA strives to reduce
environmental harm in vulnerable and overburdened communities. The following initiatives will
be part of EPA's FY 2024 - 2027 NECIs:
• Mitigating Climate Change - focuses on reducing non-compliance with the American
Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) and the Clean Air Act (CAA) to seek to combat
climate change, including the reduction of excess emissions from oil and natural gas
production facilities and municipal solid waste landfills.
• Addressing Exposure to PFAS - focuses on implementing the commitments to action made
in EPA's 2021 - 2024 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Strategic Roadmap to
address PFAS contamination that pose a threat to human health and the environment.14 in 2022,
EPA proposed listing PFOAand pfos as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental
13 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-enforcement-and-compliance-iiiitiatives.
14 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-
2024.
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Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).15 If EPA designates PFOA and PFOS
as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund), this NECI would focus on implementing EPA's
PFAS Strategic Roadmap and holding responsible those who significantly contribute to the
release of PFAS into the environment, such as major manufacturers and users of manufactured
PFAS, federal facilities that are significant sources of PFAS, and other industrial parties. If
PFOA and PFOS are listed as hazardous substances, EPA does not intend to pursue entities
where equitable factors do not support CERCLA responsibility, such as farmers, water utilities,
airports, or local fire departments, much as EPA exercises CERCLA enforcement discretion
in other areas.
• Protecting Communities from Coal Ash Contamination - focuses on compliance and
enforcement at coal ash facilities that are in noncompliance with the applicable law,
particularly those facilities impacting vulnerable or overburdened communities.
• Reducing Air Toxics in Overburdened Communities - focuses air enforcement resources on
overburdened communities that are facing high levels of air pollution from Hazardous Air
Pollutants (HAPs).
• Increasing Compliance with Drinking Water Standards - focuses on ensuring safe and clean
drinking water from regulated community drinking water systems.
• Chemical Accident Risk Reduction - focuses on decreasing the likelihood of chemical
accidents, thereby reducing risk to communities.
EPA's inspection programs have faced substantial resource challenges for over a decade, leading
to a loss of Agency expertise and number of inspectors, and a resulting decline in the numbers of
inspections. To meet EPA's EJ goals and its mission to protect human health and the environment,
EPA must continue to rebuild and strengthen its inspection program by hiring more and training
new and existing inspectors. This includes providing in-person basic inspector trainings and travel
funding for the following statutes: the CAA; the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); the Clean
Water Act (CWA); the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, & Rodenticide Act; and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Additionally,
funding is needed to purchase health and safety equipment and inspection monitoring equipment.
In FY 2025, the Agency is requesting an increase of $67.3 million and 128.3 FTE above the FY
2024 Annualized Continuing Resolution (ACR) to implement the NECIs and to continue
rebuilding the inspector cadre.
EPA will focus on vulnerable communities and those facing substantial burdens from
environmental noncompliance. In these communities, EPA will increase inspections, prioritize
enforcement cases, identify remedies with tangible benefits, and increase engagement about
enforcement cases. Each of the six NECIs for the FY 2024 - 2027 cycle will target compliance
monitoring in overburdened, vulnerable, and underserved communities with EJ concerns. EPA
will continue to initiate enforcement actions to protect against children's health hazards, including
exposure to lead paint, the presence of lead and other contaminants in drinking water and soil, and
particulate air emissions with the potential to aggravate asthma.
15 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfmd/proposed-designation-perfIuorooctanoic-acid-pfoa-
and-perfluorooctanesulfonic-acid-pfos
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The Agency will address climate change by directing resources to ensure effective enforcement
responses for those sources with noncompliant emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), develop
remedies that are consistent with GHG mitigation and climate resilience goals, and pursue
violators of the Renewable Fuel Standard. EPA requests an additional $12.9 million and 27.5 FTE
above the FY 2024 ACR to take action against the illegal importation, distribution, and use within
the United States of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are chemicals with potent global warming
potential, under the AIM Act.16
In FY 2025, an increase of $5.7 million and 6.5 FTE will support efforts to investigate and identify
releases of PFAS to air, land, and water. This will be accomplished by actively investigating under
the authorities of RCRA, TSCA, CWA, SDWA, CERCLA and CAA the yet-unknown number of
processing facilities, waste disposal facilities, and federal facilities where PFAS are suspected of
contaminating various environmental media. EPA will continue to investigate releases, address
imminent and substantial endangerment situations, and prevent exposure to PFAS under multiple
environmental statutes. EPA relies on Superfund (SF) and Environmental Programs and
Management (EPM) resources to (1) issue corporate-wide information requests and analyze
responses, (2) create site profiles and information databases on specific facilities, (3) obtain site-
specific data such as samples from private drinking water wells near military installations with
significant PFAS contamination, and (4) use administrative and judicial authorities to require
sampling and other response actions.
EPA also will continue implementing the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act,17
coordinated by EPA's Evidence Act officials. The Agency will expand its evidence-based
compliance program through projects developed under EPA's compliance learning agenda, which
systematically identifies the most important evidence the Agency needs to gather and generate
advancement of compliance goals, and ensure the Agency uses high quality data and other
information to inform policy and decision making.
Objective 3.1: Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable - Use
vigorous and targeted civil and criminal enforcement to ensure accountability for violations and
to clean up contamination.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $443.1 million and 2,490.9 FTE for Objective 3.1. This objective
is directly supported by the following long-term performance goal in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, reduce to not more than 93 the number of open civil judicial cases
more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed.18
16 For more information on the AIM Act, please visit: https://www.epa. gov/clinrate-hfcs-reduction/background-hfcs-and-aim-act.
17 Full-text of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 may be found at:
https://www.c0ngress.g0v/bill/l 15 th-congress/house-bill/4174/text.
18 For comparison, there were 129 cases more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed as of June 30, 2018. The number of
cases fluctuates and is therefore difficult to predict how many cases will "age in" in a given year. EPA reduces the number of
older cases through different approaches and strategies. For example, sometimes the United States government files a complaint
to make progress in resolving a case; other times, it eliminates a claim in its settlement proposal or modifies its injunctive relief
or penalty demand because of litigation risk or other relevant factors such as an entities inability to pay the penalty.
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Civil Enforcement
The overall goal of EPA's Civil Enforcement Program is to maximize compliance with the
Nation's environmental laws and regulations to protect human health and the environment. In FY
2025, EPA requests $259.6 million and 1,096.7 FTE, an increase of $50.5 million and 98.6 FTE
above the FY 2024 ACR, to support civil enforcement efforts. EPA will encourage regulated
entities to correct violations rapidly, ensure that violators do not realize an economic benefit from
noncompliance, and pursue enforcement to deter future violations and mitigate past harm. In FY
2023, EPA reduced the number of open civil judicial cases more than 2.5 years old without a
complaint filed to 50, down from 129 cases in FY 2018. EPA also will continue to strengthen
environmental partnerships with tribes, states, and other federal agencies. The additional resources
will improve EPA's ability to incorporate EJ and climate change considerations into all phases of
case development. To protect public health and ensure that private, public, and federal facilities
are held to the same standard, EPA will rebuild the Civil Enforcement Program and train
headquarters and regional inspectors to inspect more facilities in the large public, private, and
federal facility universe. In addition, EPA will continue to improve its sampling capability to
identify violations. These resources are needed given the complexity of many facilities and the
inspections needed to identify the range of potential contamination. EPA will pursue enforcement
actions at public, private, and federal facilities where significant violations are discovered to
protect the health of surrounding communities. Lastly, EPA will provide technical and scientific
support to tribes, states, and territories with authorized programs.
Also included in this increase is $4.6 million and 20.0 FTE to expand EPA's role in water sector
emergency response, which can include inspections to ensure compliance, enforcement efforts to
compel corrective actions, or require entities (e.g., public water systems or private facilities) to
distribute bottled water, filters, or testing kits to communities being impacted. This can also include
EPA acting to directly distribute and/or provide bottled water, filters and testing kits on a short-
term basis. As water systems continue to be adversely impacted by climate change and aging
infrastructure, this investment will allow EPA to respond to the increasing number of water
incidents across the Nation, many of which affect EJ communities as evident from past incidents
in Flint, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; Benton Harbor, Michigan; and Coachella Valley,
California.
Criminal Enforcement
EPA's Criminal Enforcement Program enforces the Nation's environmental laws through targeted
investigation of criminal conduct committed by individual and corporate defendants who threaten
public health and the environment. EPA's Criminal Enforcement Program plays a critical role
across the country supporting tribes, states, and territories that may have limited capacity to
investigate and prosecute environmental crimes. In FY 2025, the Agency requests $76.7 million
and 299.4 FTE, an increase of $6.0 million and 30.1 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR, to support the
Criminal Enforcement Program in its efforts to target investigations on the most egregious
environmental cases.
Superfund Enforcement
EPA uses an "enforcement first" approach before turning to taxpayer dollars to fund cleanups, by
maximizing Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) involvement at Superfund sites. The Superfund
Enforcement Program works to ensure that viable and liable PRPs pay to clean up sites and seeks
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to recover costs if EPA expends Superfund dollars to clean up sites. This approach seeks to ensure
that the Superfund Trust Fund is used at those sites that have no funding source other than
government resources and have no other means of cleanup. EPA's Superfund enforcement efforts
ensure that sites are cleaned up in a timely manner and result in the cleanup of more sites than
would be possible using only government funds. Absent annual Superfund appropriations, EPA
plans to fund its Superfund Enforcement Program using Superfund tax receipts in FY 2025. These
resources will support traditional Superfund Enforcement efforts and place greater emphasis
towards implementing Agency initiatives like EJ, PFAS, and lead. In addition, EPA will continue
to provide expertise on key enforcement issues (e.g., financial assurance, cost recovery, insurance
recovery), complete negotiations in a timely manner, provide additional training to new and
experienced staff, provide greater support to regions for PRP searches and other counseling work,
and provide the Department of Justice with essential funding to support cleanup efforts.
Superfund Enforcement at Federal Facilities
In FY 2025, Superfund Enforcement at federal facilities will continue to support responding to
significant contamination from federal facilities. This includes an increase of approximately $2
million and 4.3 FTE to address PFAS releases. The program conducts PFAS sampling of private
drinking water wells in communities with EJ concerns near military installations with significant
PFAS contamination, both to identify drinking water with significant PFAS contamination and to
evaluate historic Department of Defense sampling results where no interim remedial actions to
address PFAS contamination have occurred. EPA will continue to focus its enforcement resources
on the highest priority sites, particularly those that may present an imminent and substantial
endangerment, have human exposure not yet under control, have an impact on overburdened or
vulnerable communities with EJ concerns, or have the potential for beneficial redevelopment.
EPA also will negotiate and amend, as appropriate, Federal Facility Agreements (FFAs) for federal
facility sites on the National Priorities List (NPL) and continue to monitor FFAs for compliance.
These actions will protect military families from harmful contamination and minimize risk to
communities located near military installations. EPA will expedite cleanup and redevelopment of
federal facility sites, particularly those located in communities with EJ concerns and will use
dispute resolution processes and other approaches to timely resolve formal and informal cleanup
disputes. EPA also will continue to seek ways to improve its engagement with other federal
agencies, tribal, state, local governments, and their partners, while emphasizing protective, timely
cleanups that address communities' needs. EPA will work with its federal partners to encourage
greater community outreach and transparency.
Objective 3.2: Detect Violations and Promote Compliance - Ensure high levels of compliance
with federal environmental laws and regulations through effective compliance tools - including
inspections, other monitoring activities, and technical assistance supported by evidence and
advanced technologies.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $325.7 million and 938.1 FTE for Objective 3.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
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• By September 30, 2026, send 75 percent of EPA inspection reports to facilities within 70
days of inspection.19
• By September 30, 2026, conduct 55 percent of annual EPA inspections at facilities that
affect communities with potential environmental justice concerns.20
Compliance Monitoring
The Compliance Monitoring Program supports both compliance with federal environmental laws
as well as efforts to identify noncompliance. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting a total of $171.7
million and 544.6 FTE to detect violations and promote compliance with environmental laws, an
increase of $57.3 million and 65.7 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR. The program and its co-
regulators (federally recognized tribes, states, and territories) conduct inspections and
investigations, review self-reported compliance monitoring information and other forms of offsite
compliance monitoring to determine if regulated entities are complying with environmental
statutes, applicable regulations, and permit conditions. A robust inspection, compliance assistance,
and enforcement program is essential to advancing cleaner air, land, and water for communities
across the country, including those that are vulnerable and overburdened, and for implementing
Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
Effectively focusing compliance monitoring, including inspections in overburdened and
vulnerable communities with EJ concerns, plays a critical role in achieving the goals EPA has set
forth for protecting human health and the environment. Achieving high rates of compliance with
environmental laws and regulations requires the use of a wide range of compliance tools, including
compliance monitoring. Through its ongoing process of selecting NECIs with input from tribes,
states, and territories, EPA will focus its work on critical areas of noncompliance. In FY 2025,
EPA will advance its efforts to address climate change mitigation and adaptation issues by
directing inspections, compliance monitoring, and technical assistance to sources with the most
potential for noncompliant emissions of greenhouse gases.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to emphasize the importance of providing facilities with a
completed inspection report in a timely manner notifying the facility of any potential compliance
issues. In FY 2023, 77 percent of EPA inspection reports were sent to facilities within 70 days of
inspection, exceeding the target of 75 percent. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an increase of $2.0
million to expand software solutions for field inspectors to improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of compliance inspections conducted by EPA and authorized states. This program
increase will allow EPA to advance work on the Smart Tools for Field Inspectors to develop the
tool for some of the smaller programs that have more of a direct impact for EJ communities such
as the TSCA lead-based paint programs. These Smart Tools allow EPA to use its compliance
monitoring resources more efficiently and to make inspection reports more quickly available to
regulated entities and to the public in affected communities.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an increase of $2.0 million to support the Agency's Compliance
Advisor Program (previously called the Circuit Riders Program), which reduces noncompliance at
small public water systems (PWSs) and small wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) by
19 For comparison, 46 percent of inspection reports were sent within 70 days of inspection at the end of FY 2018.
20 The baseline for this measure is 27 percent based on average of FY 2017 - FY 2019.
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providing hands-on technical assistance. In FY 2023, Compliance Advisors provided support to
approximately 195 small PWSs and 61 WWTFs, approximately 84 percent of which are in
overburdened or vulnerable communities. Hundreds more small systems and facilities across the
Nation need technical support to help them achieve and stay in compliance and provide clean and
safe water to the communities they serve.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its implementation of the Evidence Act by continuing its work on
the "Drinking Water Systems Out of Compliance" learning priority area of EPA's Learning
Agenda. EPA also will expand its ongoing work with tribes, states, and academic experts to
develop and implement EPA's compliance learning agenda: prioritizing the most pressing
programmatic questions; conducting evidence-based studies to address these questions; and
identifying effective and innovative approaches for improving compliance.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue the data system modernization effort to better support tribes, states,
local governments, federal partners, and the public's need for information related to compliance
with and enforcement of environmental regulations with modernized technology. The Agency will
implement EPA's enterprise-wide digital strategy that leverages shared Information Technology
(IT) services where appropriate. For example, EPA is requesting an increase of approximately $1
million and 5.0 FTE to modernize the Agency's enforcement and compliance assurance data
systems. The Agency will continue using funds provided under the Inflation Reduction Act of
2022 that are targeted for improving enforcement information technology, inspection software,
and other related purposes. Modernization will facilitate EPA's efforts to better track and target
noncompliance that impacts overburdened and vulnerable communities and will increase the
availability of information about environmental conditions in those communities and elsewhere.
Through the State Review Framework, EPA periodically reviews authorized state compliance
monitoring and enforcement programs for CAA Stationary Sources, RCRA Hazardous Waste
facilities, and the Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
dischargers. This review is conducted using criteria agreed upon by states to evaluate performance
against national compliance monitoring or enforcement program standards. When states do not
achieve standards, the Agency works with them to make progress. However, EPA may take a lead
implementation role when authorized states have a documented history of failure to make progress
toward meeting national standards.
Categorical Grants: Pesticides Enforcement
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting a total of $25.6 million funding cooperative agreements to support
tribal and state compliance and enforcement activities under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The resources will be used to rebuild programmatic capabilities
between EPA and partner agencies; provide vital training programs to EPA, tribal, state, and
territory partners; and help address EJ concerns in overburdened and vulnerable communities.
Categorical Grants: Toxic Substances Compliance
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting a total of $6.9 million, or $1.9 million above FY 2024 ACR levels,
to increase support for compliance monitoring programs to prevent or eliminate unreasonable risks
to health or the environment associated with chemical substances such as asbestos, lead-based
paint, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and to encourage states to establish their own
compliance and enforcement programs for lead-based paint and asbestos.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Goal 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities—Protect human health and the
environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 4.1: Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health
Impacts—Reduce air pollution on local, regional, and national scales to achieve healthy
air quality for people and the environment.
• Objective 4.2: Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air—Limit
unnecessary radiation exposure and achieve healthier indoor air quality, especially for
vulnerable populations.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for
All Communities
$755,505
$812,733
$1,312,283
$499,550
Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health
Impacts
$655,316
$707,803
$1,151,363
$443,560
Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air
$100,189
$104,929
$160,919
$55,990
Total Authorized Workyears
1,673.6
1,764.2
2,231.0
466.8
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Goal 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.
Introduction
All people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income deserve to breathe clean air.
Ensuring clean and healthy air is critical to protect vulnerable and sensitive populations, including
children and persons adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. Numerous scientific
studies have linked air pollution and specific pollutants to a variety of health problems and
environmental impacts. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of certain air pollutants is
associated with increased risk of cancer, premature mortality, and damage to the immune,
neurological, reproductive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. The United States has
successfully reduced air pollution while continuing strong economic growth. Between 1970 and
2022, the combined emissions of six key pollutants dropped by 78 percent, while the U. S. economy
remained strong - growing 304 percent over the same period.21 Yet poor air quality still affects
millions of people across the country, affecting near- and long-term health and quality of life. EPA
will continue to build on its historic progress and work to assure clean air for all Americans, with
a particular focus on those in underserved and overburdened communities.
In FY 2025, EPA will work to ensure clean and healthy air for all communities by reducing
emissions of ozone-forming pollutants, particulate matter, and air toxics. In the FY 2025 Budget,
EPA is requesting additional resources to modernize the Nation's air quality and radiation monitors
and to make their supporting information systems more reliable and resilient in emergencies, such
as wildfires and radiation events, and better able to produce near real-time data to assess and
communicate exposure risks to vulnerable populations. EPA also will work to address high-risk
indoor air quality pollutants in homes, schools, and workplaces. The Agency will rely on proven
approaches, including innovative market-based techniques, public and private-sector partnerships,
community-based approaches, and regulatory and technical assistance programs, that promote
environmental stewardship, public education, and programs that encourage adoption of cost-
effective technologies and practices. Recognizing that many sources of air pollutants also are
sources of greenhouse gases (GHG), the Agency will look to control strategies that can reduce
both air pollution and mitigate the impacts of climate change. In the FY 2025 Budget, $1,312
billion and 2,231 FTE are allocated to Goal 4 to advance EPA efforts in protecting human health
and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.
Objective 4.1: Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts -
Reduce air pollution on local, regional, and national scales to achieve healthy air quality for
people and the environment.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $1,151 billion and 1,856.1 FTE for Objective 4.1. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, reduce ozone season emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from
electric power generation sources by 21 percent from the 2019 baseline of 390,354 tons.
21 For additional information, please visit: https://gispub.epa.gOv/air/trendsreport/2023/#home
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• By September 30, 2026, improve measured air quality in counties not meeting the current
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) from the 2016 baseline by 10 percent.
• By September 30, 2026, strive to ensure all people with low socio-economic status (SES)
live in areas where the air quality meets the current fine particle pollution (PM2.5) NAAQS.
• By September 30, 2026, ensure U.S. consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
is less than 76.2 tons per year of ozone depletion potential.22
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work collaboratively with tribal and state air agencies to
maintain and improve the Nation's air quality. EPA will focus particularly on advancing
environmental justice by engaging with local communities that have been historically underserved
on key activities including technical assistance, regulation development, and financial assistance.
In FY 2025, $269.4 million and 1,079.7 FTE are allocated to the Federal Support for Air Quality
Management Program to implement climate and clean air regulations and programs, which is an
increase of $110.4 million and 200.4 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR. This includes resources for
activities such as supporting the NAAQS review and implementation work, taking timely action
on State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to reduce the SIP backlog, and environmental justice
activities.
EPA will continue to review the NAAQS and make revisions, as appropriate based on the most
current research findings on the health effects and changing conditions from a warming climate.
The President has directed EPA to review the 2020 Particulate Matter (PM) NAAQS and the 2020
Ozone NAAQS.23 EPA strengthened the PM2.5 annual standard on February 7, 2024.24 EPA is also
under a consent decree to issue a proposed rulemaking for the secondary NAAQS for sulfur oxides,
nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter by April 9, 2024, and to finalize the decision by December
10, 2024.
In FY 2025, EPA will advance the review of the 2020 Ozone NAAQS and will continue its review
of the lead NAAQS. EPA anticipates reviewing the primary nitrogen oxides NAAQS under a
consent decree schedule. Further, the Agency will continue its work to improve air quality in areas
not in attainment with the NAAQS, including assisting tribes and states in developing Clean Air
Act-compliant SIPs. EPA also will continue reviewing regional haze SIPs, working closely with
states to improve visibility in the country's national parks and wilderness areas.
EPA will reduce air pollution by focusing on the transportation sector's largest contributors to
criteria pollutant and GHG emissions: light-duty vehicles (LDVs) and heavy-duty vehicles
(HDVs). EPA will continue to work to ensure that Clean Air Act requirements are met for new
transportation projects with heavy-duty diesel traffic, such that they do not worsen air quality near
communities with environmental justice concerns. The Agency will collaborate with a broad range
of stakeholders to develop targeted, sector-based, and place-based strategies for diesel fleets,
including school buses, ports, and other goods movement facilities.
22 The U.S. HCFC consumption baseline is 15,240 ODP-weighted metric tons effective as of January 1, 1996.
23 Executive Order 13990: Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis
(January 20,2021): https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-
public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/.
24 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-02/pm-naaqs-final-fm-pre-
publication.pdf.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to operate nationwide and multi-state programs, such as the Acid
Rain Program (ARP) and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rules (CSAPR), that address major global,
national, and regional air pollutants from the power sector and other large stationary sources. EPA
also will work on several regulatory actions related to criteria air pollutants, air toxics, and GHG
pollution from power plants. The Power Sector Programs Progress Report provides annual updates
on EPA's regulatory programs to reduce emissions in the power sector.25
As part of a forward-looking air toxics strategy, EPA will address regulatory and emerging issues
and improve access to air toxics data. The Agency will continue implementing an approach that
develops and shares air toxics data faster and more regularly to the public, allowing for increased
transparency and the ability to see trends and risks over time. In 2025, EPA will continue reporting
the most current air toxics data each year in the annual Air Trends Report and an online interactive
tool, instead of the previous three- to four-year cycle for reporting air toxics data, and providing
that data at an increased spatial resolution.
EPA will continue to protect and restore the stratospheric ozone layer by reducing the use,
emission, import, and production of ozone-depleting substances in the U.S. By 2026, U.S.
consumption of HCFCs, chemicals that deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer, is targeted to
be less than 76.2 tons per year of ozone depletion potential, down from the target from 2015-2019
of 1,520 tons per year. As a result of global action to phase out ozone-depleting substances, the
ozone layer is expected to recover to its pre-1980 levels by mid-century. Per the Montreal Protocol,
the U.S. must incrementally decrease HCFC consumption and production, culminating in a
complete HCFC phaseout in 2030. These reductions in consumption and production help protect
the stratospheric ozone layer, which shields all life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolent (UV)
radiation. Scientific evidence demonstrates that ozone-depleting substances used around the world
destroy the stratospheric ozone layer, which raises the incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, and other
illnesses through overexposure to increased levels of UV radiation. EPA will continue to review
and list alternatives that are safer for the ozone layer, as well as facilitate the transition to next-
generation technologies.
EPA also will work to address the especially challenging air quality issues created by wildfires. In
FY 2025, EPA will continue to advance efforts to identify, predict, and communicate where smoke
events are occurring, especially for overburdened and underserved communities impacted by
wildfire issues. This includes a request of $7 million for the Wildfire Smoke Preparedness Grants
Program to fund competitive grants to tribes, states, public pre-schools, local educational agencies,
and non-profit organizations to better prepare buildings for wildfire smoke.
The Agency will continue to develop and make available the necessary technical data and tools to
support air quality planning and environmental justice analyses through systems, such as AirNow,
the Air Quality System, and the National Emissions Inventory. In keeping with the Agency's
renewed commitment to energy equity and environmental justice, EPA published the Power Plants
and Neighboring Communities web application26 where consumers and advocates can find
information about the demographics of communities located near power plants. EPA is developing
analytical tools to better understand and communicate the impact of electricity generation on low-
25 For additional information, please visit: https://www3.epa.gov/airmarkets/progress/reports/
26 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gOv/power-sector/power-plants-and-neighboring-communities#mapping
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income communities and communities of color. EPA also will continue to test, evaluate, and refine
draft tools for incorporating environmental justice considerations into EPA-issued permits and
ensure opportunities for meaningful public involvement in the permit process. Early and
meaningful dialogue between a permit applicant and a community is especially important in
communities that have historically been underrepresented in the permitting process or that
potentially bear a disproportionate burden of an area's pollution. Providing specific information
about the pollution and related health impacts of a permit action may alleviate community's
concerns about the facility or educate the public about other sources of exposure.
Objective 4.2: Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air - Limit unnecessary
radiation exposure and achieve healthier indoor air quality, especially for vulnerable populations.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $160.9 million and 374.9 FTE for Objective 4.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goal in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, prevent 2,250 lung cancer deaths annually through lower radon
exposure as compared to the FY 2020 baseline of 1,684 prevented lung cancer deaths.
To improve indoor air and reduce exposure to radiation, EPA leads programs that educate the
public about radiation and indoor air quality concerns, including radon, asthma triggers, and poor
ventilation. These programs promote public action to reduce potential risks in homes, schools, and
workplaces. Because Americans spend most of their time indoors, where pollutant levels are often
significantly higher than outdoors, poor indoor air quality is a major health concern. For example,
radon is a leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually.
Millions of Americans have asthma, and low-income, communities of color suffer
disproportionately. Indoor allergens and irritants play a significant role in making asthma worse
and triggering asthma attacks. These concerns were heightened during the COVID pandemic,
when people had to spend more time indoors, elevating the importance of effective ventilation.
To better address these human health risks from indoor air and radiation, the FY 2025 Budget
includes $5.3 million and 12.4 FTE for the Indoor Air Radon Program and $47.8 million and 71.4
FTE for the Reduce Risks from Indoor Air Program. EPA will continue programs to reduce
exposures to radon through home testing and mitigation, promote in-home asthma management,
improve air quality in homes and schools, and build capacity for tribes and communities across
the country to comprehensively address indoor air risks. In FY 2023, the estimated number of lung
cancer deaths prevented annually by reducing radon exposure was 1,970.
In-home asthma management is a critical component of asthma care, particularly in low-income
populations. EPA, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Federal Asthma Disparities
Action Plan, will support state Medicaid Programs and private health plans to pay for in-home
asthma interventions through reimbursement mechanisms.27 In addition, EPA will reduce asthma
disparities for low-income people and communities of color by supporting public health and
27 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/asthma/coordinated-federal-action-plan-reduce-racial-and-ethiiic-
a sthma-di spari ties.
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housing organizations to train community health workers to deliver in-home asthma interventions
and care. In FY 2025, EPA will measure delivery of technical assistance, tools, and grants to equip
community-based programs and the organizations that support them to deliver evidence-based,
comprehensive asthma care.
In FY 2025, EPA will collaborate with public and private sector organizations to provide clear and
verifiable protocols and specifications for promoting good indoor air quality and support adoption
of these protocols and specifications into existing healthy, energy efficiency, and green building
programs and initiatives to promote healthy buildings for a changing climate. EPA also will equip
the housing sector with guidance to promote the adoption of these best practices with the aim of
creating healthier, more energy efficient homes, including for low-income families. EPA also will
equip school leaders to make science-based decisions and implement sustainable ventilation,
filtration, and other indoor air quality improvements for healthy school environments. To reduce
the high public health risks from exposure to indoor radon, EPA will co-lead the National Radon
Action Plan, a multisector public-private coalition committed to eliminating avoidable radon-
induced lung cancer in the U.S. and addressing radon as a health equity challenge. EPA will
continue to provide State Indoor Radon Grant funding and technical assistance to tribes and states,
with a focus on increasing access to testing and mitigation in underserved communities. This work
supports the Administration's Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
EPA plays a critical role in responding to radiological emergencies, conducts essential national
and regional radiological response planning and training, and develops response plans for
radiological incidents or accidents. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to fill gaps in the expertise that
is critical for essential preparedness work, restoring critical capacity to meet EPA's core mission.
EPA requests $535 thousand and 3.1 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR, to maintain personnel
expertise, capabilities, and equipment readiness of the radiological emergency response program
under the National Response Framework and the National Contingency Plan, including the
Agency's Radiological Emergency Response Team. EPA also is requesting additional funding of
$1.8 million and 3.4 FTE in the FY 2025 Budget to support efforts to restore EPA's staff expertise,
analysis, and capacity in the Indoor Air Radon Program in order to better lead the federal
government's response to radon and to implement the Agency's own multi-pronged radon
program. EPA will provide oversight of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, including review of the
U.S. Department of Energy's plans for additional waste panels and surplus plutonium disposal, to
ensure safe long-term disposal of radioactive waste and the continued cleanup of nuclear weapons
program legacy sites.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Goal 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities—Provide clean and safe water for all
communities and protect our nation's waterbodies from degradation.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 5.1: Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure—Protect
public health from the risk of exposure to regulated and emerging contaminants in
drinking and source waters by improving the reliability, accessibility, and resilience of
the nation's water infrastructure to reduce the impacts of climate change, structural
deterioration, and cyber threats.
• Objective 5.2: Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds—Address sources of
water pollution and ensure water quality standards are protective of the health and needs
of all people and ecosystems.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for
All Communities
$3,977,390
$5,195,104
$5,135,849
-$59,255
Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure
$2,491,007
$3,642,922
$3,435,556
-$207,366
Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds
$1,486,383
$1,552,182
$1,700,293
$148,111
Total Authorized Workyears
2,766.3
3,085.0
3,254.8
169.8
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Goal 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Provide clean and safe water for all communities and protect our Nation's waterbodies from
degradation.
Introduction
Clean and safe water is an essential resource for the protection of human health and is a foundation
for supporting healthy communities and a thriving economy. EPA and its partners have made great
progress over the past 50 years protecting and restoring water resources through the Clean Water
Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries
Act (MPRSA). As of September 2023, approximately 87 percent of the public water systems (i.e.,
3,042 out of 3,508) with health-based violations as of the end of FY 2017 have returned to
compliance. While progress is being made to bring systems into compliance, the United States still
faces significant barriers and challenges to ensuring access to clean and safe water for
communities, including aging infrastructure, legacy lead pipes, cybersecurity threats, climate
change, and emerging contaminants of concern. These challenges are distributed unequally, and
tens of thousands of homes, primarily in tribal communities and the territories, currently lack
access to basic sanitation and drinking water and experience higher pollution levels.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with its federal, tribal, state, and nongovernmental partners
to advance science, to provide clean and safe water for all communities, and to protect our Nation's
waterbodies from degradation. The FY 2025 Budget includes $5,136 billion and 3,254.8 FTE for
Goal 5, Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities. This investment will complement
resources provided in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) and
expand the Agency's capacity to protect human health and the environment across the Nation.
Goal 5, Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities is directly supported by the following
FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal:
• Reduce harmful lead exposure in drinking water through the replacement of lead service
lines in communities. By September 30, 2025, increase the number of lead service line
replacements funded to 500,000.28
Objective 5.1: Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure - Protect
public health from the risk of exposure to regulated and emerging contaminants in drinking and
source waters by improving the reliability, accessibility, and resilience of the Nation's water
infrastructure to reduce the impacts of climate change, structural deterioration, and cyber threats.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $3,436 billion and 1,351.0 FTE for Objective 5.1. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
28 Based on available data, EPA estimates that on average 73,000 lead service lines have been funded annually. The number of
lead service line replacements funded is tracked quarterly, but the two-year goal is to increase that number to 300%.
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• By September 30, 2026, reduce the number of community water systems still in
noncompliance with health-based standards since March 31, 2021, from 752 to 500.29
• By September 30, 2026, reduce the number of community water systems in Indian Country
still in noncompliance with health-based standards since March 31, 2021, from 110 to 70.
• By September 30, 2026, leverage an additional $45 billion in non-federal dollars through
EPA's water infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, DWSRF, and WIFIA).30
• By September 30,2026, in coordination with other federal agencies, provide access to basic
sanitation for an additional 36,500 American Indian and Alaska Native homes.31
• By September 30, 2026, provide 2,203 tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities
with technical, managerial, or financial assistance to improve operations of their drinking
water or wastewater systems.
Safe and Reliable Water
Providing safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater treatment for all communities is a top
priority for EPA. Aging infrastructure, climate change, cyber threats, and contaminants such as
lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are creating new stresses on the Nation's
water systems. In FY 2025, EPA will work to address these challenges through approximately
$2.78 billion in water infrastructure spending. This includes $1.24 billion for the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program, $1,126 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
(DWSRF) Program, and $80 million for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
(WIFIA) Program. Also included is $334 million for grant programs authorized or modified in the
America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA), the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the
Nation (WIIN) Act, and the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA).
Among these resources, $101 million is dedicated to two grant programs for reducing lead in
drinking water and lead testing in schools. As of September 2023, EPA reduced the overall number
of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-based standards since March 2021,
to 466, while the number of systems still in noncompliance in Indian Country was similarly
reduced to 54. Both measures have exceeded their long-term performance goals of 500 and 70
respectively, by 2026.
As of December 2023, EPA has issued 120 WIFIA loans to communities across the country
totaling over $19 billion in credit assistance to help finance more than $43 billion for water
infrastructure projects. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to use the SRF and WIFIA investments to
improve the reliability, accessibility, and resilience of the Nation's water infrastructure. These
programs are critical tools for EPA to accelerate water infrastructure investments by leveraging
public and private sources of funds, which will maximize the reach of federal funds. In FY 2023,
these programs leveraged over $11.4 billion of non-federal funds. EPA's goal is to leverage an
additional $9.5 billion in FY 2025. To increase access to these funds, EPA will provide training
and technical assistance to help disadvantaged communities identify needs, develop proj ects, apply
for funding, design and implement projects, build capacity, and create training and career
29 This baseline is a subset of the 3,508 systems, including systems in Indian Country, that have been in long-term noncompliance
since September 30, 2017. Technical assistance provided will focus on non-compliant water systems in underserved
communities.
30 EPA will ensure a focus on climate resiliency and equity by revising loan guidelines, program guidance, and providing
technical assistance.
31 In 2022, the Indian Health Service (IHS) started tracking this data in a different way, and EPA will no longer be able to report
on this-measure. EPA is exploring an alternative measure which would also use IHS data.
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pathways. In FY 2023, the Agency provided technical, managerial, or financial assistance to over
2,100 tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities, resulting in EPA exceeding the long-term
performance goal of providing assistance to 2,203 communities by 2026. In addition, working
collaboratively with the tribal and state partners, EPA's SRF programs will continue to make
progress toward the Justice40 initiative, which aims to ensure that federal agencies deliver at least
40 percent of overall benefits of relevant federal investments to overburdened and underserved
communities. To aid in that effort, the EPA is providing water technical assistance to help
communities build their capacity and address compliance challenges.
In FY 2025, EPA requests $150.9 million and 554.5 FTE to support Drinking Water Programs to
better protect communities, especially overburdened and underserved communities. This includes
efforts to finalize and implement the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI)32 regulation,
which aims to strengthen the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) issued in 2021 to replace
lead service lines more proactively and more equitably protect public health. In addition to
publishing Guidance for Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory33 in FY 2022, EPA
also released Developing and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory: Small Entity Compliance
Guide34 in June 2023. These guidance documents provide essential information to help water
systems comply with the LCRR requirement to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line
materials by October 16, 2024.
EPA also will continue to coordinate and support protection of the Nation's critical water
infrastructure from terrorist threats and all-hazard events, including cyberattacks. Cyberattacks can
compromise the ability of water and wastewater utilities to provide clean and safe water to
customers, erode customer confidence, and result in financial and legal liabilities. In FY 2025,
EPA will leverage its role as the lead federal agency for cybersecurity in the water sector and work
with government partners to close vulnerabilities and mitigate risks to cyberthreats. EPA requests
$25 million for a grant program to help water systems establish and build the necessary
cybersecurity infrastructure to address rising threats. EPA will continue to provide practical tools,
training, and technical assistance to increase resilience to extreme weather events (e.g., drought,
flooding, wildfires, hurricanes), malevolent acts (e.g., cyberattacks), and climate change. In FY
2023, nearly 4,000 drinking water and wastewater systems and water sector partners received
training and technical assistance.
EPA also is requesting $30 million and 30.0 FTE to prepare for water emergencies in a new
program project proposed in the Budget. These resources will enable EPA to respond to water
emergencies where water quality poses a risk to public health, and the water system and/or primacy
agency may not be able to ensure the community has access to safe drinking water in a timely or
effective manner. EPA may be expected to serve as the lead federal agency (LFA) when
communities lack safe and clean water due to unpredictable events such as extreme weather, lead
contamination, and cyber attacks. Additionally, these resources will set up a fund that EPA will
use to assist drinking water or wastewater system in an emergency that poses a risk to public health.
32 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/gromd-water-and-drinkiiig-water/proposed-lead-aiid-copper-
rule-improvements.
33 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/systeni/files/documents/2022-
08/Inventory%20Guidance August%202022 508%20compliant.pdf.
34 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
06/Final%20Small%20System%20Entity%20Inventory%20Guide_508.pdf.
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This new program and proposed appropriations language provides the program with important
expanded authorities to close gaps and protect communities experiencing water crises.
Objective 5.2: Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds - Address sources of water
pollution and ensure water quality standards are protective of the health and needs of all people
and ecosystems.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $1.7 billion and 1,903.9 FTE for Objective 5.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goal in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, increase by 41,000 square miles the area of watersheds with
surface water meeting standards that previously did not meet standards.35
Since FY 2022, a total of 27,632 square miles of watershed with surface water has met standards
that previously did not meet standards.
Clean Waterbodies and Watersheds
Pollution and degradation of lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands endanger aquatic ecosystems,
threaten the safety of drinking water, compromise water quality planning and flood protections,
impact commercial and recreational opportunities, and reduce the natural benefits these resources
provide to communities. Climate change is often the root cause of emerging threats such as
drought, sea level rise, and invasive species proliferation. To address these challenges, in FY 2025,
EPA will use a suite of CWA core programs to protect and improve water quality and ecosystem
health, including the development and implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs),
alternative restoration plans, or other protection approaches for impaired waterbodies;
development of national recommended water quality criteria; development of technology-based
and water-quality based standards; and implementation of effluent and stormwater discharge
permit programs. In FY 2025, funding will support the Agency's work assisting local
communities, particularly underserved communities, in their efforts to restore and protect the
quality of their waters.
In addition to strengthening its programs, EPA plans to promulgate and update several rules to
support clean and safe water. In FY 2025, EPA plans to finalize a rulemaking to establish more
protective nutrient limits on wastewater discharges from meat and poultry product facilities. The
Agency also plans to propose and take comment on effluent limitation guideline rulemakings to
establish PFAS limits for organic chemical manufacturing, metal finishing/electroplating, and
landfills industrial point source categories. An additional $42.8 million and 22 FTE above FY 2024
ACR levels is requested to advance EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap,36 which will allow EPA to
accelerate its efforts to develop various methods and tools to support tribes, states, and localities
in managing PFAS risks, particularly in small and underserved communities. The Agency will
continue implementing rules related to improving CWA protections on tribal reservations and
35 The FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan included a draft July 2021 baseline: 425,198 square miles of watersheds with surface water
meeting standards and 652,609 square miles of watersheds with surface water not meeting standards. As of July 2022, the final
baseline is 504,605 square miles of watersheds with surface water not meeting standards.
36 The PFAS Strategic Roadmap may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-
2021-2024.
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considering tribal treaty rights when acting on state Water Quality Standards (WQS) that impact
those rights.
Ensuring Clean Water Through Partnerships, Including with Tribes and States
EPA will work with partners and local communities to better safeguard human health and maintain,
restore, and improve water quality. In FY 2025, EPA requests $509.5 million for ongoing
categorical grants that support tribal and state implementation of the CWA. This request includes
an increase of $51.7 million above the FY 2024 ACR budget for the Section 106 Grants Program,
which includes funding to identify, assess and mitigate PFAS in the environment and supports
programs for the prevention and control of surface and groundwater pollution from point and
nonpoint sources as well as increases the amount available for tribes. This also includes a $7.3
million increase for the Wetlands Program Development Categorical Grant for a total of $22
million which will be targeted towards helping states implement programs to protect wetlands that
have lost federal protection following the Sackett Supreme Court decision.
EPA plays a critical role as a convener and facilitator with federal, tribal, state, territorial and local
partners to align resources and authorities within regional, watershed, and basin-scaled
collaborative networks. In FY 2025, EPA will invest $682 million and 175.4 FTE in Geographic
Programs, slightly above the FY 2024 ACR levels, to maintain, restore, and improve water quality
for communities to enjoy and to bolster important regional economies. In FY 2025, EPA's
Geographic Programs will deliver technical and financial assistance to solve problems and support
healthy climate resilient ecosystems that address water quality, water infrastructure, nutrient
pollution, habitat loss, treaty rights, equity, and environmental justice.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Goal 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities—Restore land to safe and productive uses to
improve communities and protect public health.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 6.1: Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy
Communities—Clean up and restore contaminated sites to protect human health and the
environment and build vibrant communities, especially in underserved and overburdened
areas.
• Objective 6.2: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination—Prevent
environmental pollution by preventing releases, reducing waste, increasing materials
recovery and recycling, and ensuring sustainable materials management practices.
• Objective 6.3: Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies—Prevent,
prepare, and respond to environmental emergencies and support other agencies on
nationally significant incidents, working with Tribes, states, and local planning and
response organizations.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Safeguard and Revitalize
Communities
$1,917,534
$1,893,811
$1,616,807
-$277,004
Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy
Communities
$1,399,774
$1,364,307
$927,304
-$437,003
Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination
$301,250
$312,317
$355,061
$42,744
Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies
$216,510
$217,187
$334,443
$117,255
Total Authorized Workyears
3,224.2
3,316.9
3,631.2
314.3
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Goal 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Restore land to safe and productive uses to improve communities and protect public health.
Introduction
EPA collaborates with tribal, state, and local partners to benefit all communities across the United
States by cleaning up, addressing health and environmental risks and then returning contaminated
sites to productive use, through the Superfund, brownfields, underground storage tanks, and RCRA
programs. Cleaning up contaminated land contributes toward the Administration's Justice40 goal,
an initiative initially announced in Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home
and Abroad,31 and amplified through Equity Plans under E.O. 13985 that outline specific actions
to ensure fair program implementation.
Communities reuse previously contaminated sites in many beneficial ways, including for new
parks, shopping centers, sports fields, wildlife habitat, manufacturing facilities, homes and
infrastructure. These reuse outcomes can provide significant benefits for underserved and
overburdened communities. EPA and its partners also work to prevent releases of contaminants,
reduce waste by increasing materials recovery and recycling, and support sustainable materials
management practices. Through prevention activities, EPA protects groundwater from releases
from underground storage tanks. Through reduction and recycling activities, EPA not only
prevents future contamination but supports a less wasteful circular economy.
EPA prepares for and responds to environmental emergencies as a mission essential function. A
recent example is responding to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
EPA On-Scene Coordinators and other personnel were boots-on-the ground since the onset of the
incident, conducting air, water, and soil monitoring at the site and working alongside federal, state,
and local partners with response efforts to ensure the health and safety of the residents. In FY 2025,
EPA requests a total of $1,617 billion and 3,631.2 FTEto support Goal 6, Safeguard and Revitalize
Communities. Discretionary appropriated funding is not included for certain Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) programs that are funded
entirely through Superfund tax receipts. Superfund results remain critical to achieving
environmental and human health protections for the Nation.
Objective 6.1: Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities -
Clean up and restore contaminated sites to protect human health and the environment and build
vibrant communities, especially in underserved and overburdened areas.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $927.3 million and 2,175.0 FTE for Objective 6.1.38 This objective
directly supports the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan:
37 Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January 27, 2001), found at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presideiitial-actioiis/2021/01/27/executive-order-oii-tackliiig-the-climate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
38 Included in Objective 6.1 are the Superfund Remedial and Emergency Response and Removal programs for which
appropriated funding is not requested. EPA will transition to funding from Superfund tax receipts for these programs in FY 2024.
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• By September 30, 2026, bring human exposures under control at an additional 60
Superfund sites.
• By September 30, 2026, complete 225 Superfund cleanup projects that address lead as a
contaminant.
• By September 30, 2026, clean up an additional 650 brownfields properties.
• By September 30, 2026, make an additional 425 RCRA corrective action cleanups Ready
for Anticipated Use.
• By September 30, 2026, conduct an additional 35,000 cleanups at Leaking Underground
Storage Tank facilities.
Nationally, there are thousands of contaminated sites with challenging and complex environmental
problems, including soil, sediment, and groundwater contaminated by chemicals such as per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Superfund cleanups address these problems and also
contribute to reducing lead exposure, a particular health risk for children. Research shows
Superfund cleanup actions lowered the risk of elevated blood lead levels by roughly 13 to 26
percent for children living within 1.2 miles of a Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) site where
lead is a contaminant of concern.39 While there is no single way to characterize communities
located near contaminated sites, the legacy of pollution disproportionally affects communities of
color, low-income communities, linguistically isolated populations, and populations with lower
rates of high school education. For these reasons, the Superfund remedial program is an important
part of the Administration's Justice40 Initiative. By cleaning up and returning contaminated land
to productive use, EPA and its partners will reduce the environmental and health effects of
exposure to contamination in communities, especially for underserved and overburdened
communities.
In FY 2025, the Budget proposes to transition funding to a combination of appropriations and
Superfund tax receipts for a number of core Superfund programs including critical Superfund
pre-construction work such as site characterization, remedial design, community outreach/
engagement, and construction work at sites on the NPL, through the implementation of remedial
efforts to clean up the sites. EPA expects to fully allocate Superfund remedial funds available for
site work received through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), to implement CERCLA by no later than the end of FY
2024. Appropriated funds and Superfund tax receipts will be used to help eliminate lags in
investigation and cleanup as well as foster climate change adaptations to protect at-risk
populations. Federal data in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report suggests
that approximately 60 percent of Superfund sites overseen by EPA are in areas that are vulnerable
to wildfires and different types of flooding - natural hazards that climate change will exacerbate.
In FY 2023, the Agency added 13 Superfund sites with human exposures under control but
retracted 16 sites, resulting in a net three sites retracted. Nationwide, EPA will aim to control
human exposures at 12 additional Superfund sites in FY 2025 in support of the 2022 - 2026 long-
term performance goal. To reduce exposure to lead and associated health impacts, EPA will
complete at least 45 Superfund lead cleanup projects supporting the 2022 - 2026 long-term
performance goal of 225 projects. In FY 2023, EPA completed 49 Superfund cleanup projects that
addressed lead as a contaminant.
39 Heather Klemick, Henry Mason, and Karen Sullivan. 2020. "Superfund Cleanups and Children's Lead Exposure," Journal of
Environmental Management, 100. doi: 10.1016/j.jeem.2019.102289..
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In FY 2025, the Superfund Emergency Response and Removal Program also will transition to
Superfund tax receipts. Situations requiring emergency response and removal actions vary greatly
in size, nature, and location, and include chemical releases, fires or explosions, natural disasters,
and other threats to people from exposure to hazardous substances including from abandoned and
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. EPA's 24-hour-a-day response capability is a cornerstone
element of the National Contingency Plan.40 These resources also will help EPA and Navajo
Nation to accelerate response actions laid out in the 2020 Ten-Year Plan: Federal Actions to
Address Impacts of Uranium Contamination on the Navajo Nation.41
Additionally, in FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $11.5 million above the FY 2024 ACR
level to the Superfund Federal Facilities Program to help address critical gaps in its ability to
oversee Department of Defense PFAS cleanup under CERCLA and to adjust core program
capacity, including keeping pace with the Agency's oversight role at federal facility NPL sites.
EPA anticipates additional engagement on non-NPL federal facilities in the Federal Agency
Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket to address new information on PFAS at these sites and
ensure appropriate assessment and referral of these sites to appropriate cleanup programs.
Currently operating facilities or businesses also may have contamination requiring cleanup,
performed under the RCRA Corrective Action program. Cleaning up these contaminated sites also
serves as a catalyst for economic growth and community revitalization and can help to preserve
existing business operations. The 2021 RCRA economic benefits analyses of 79 RCRA cleanups
found that these cleaned up facilities support 1,028 on-site businesses, which provide economic
benefits including: $39 billion in annual sales revenue; over 82,000 jobs; and $7.9 billion in
estimated annual employment income.42 The FY 2025 Budget includes $42.1 million and 174.4
FTE to continue efforts to clean up 3,983 priority contaminated hazardous waste facilities under
RCRA, which include highly contaminated and technically challenging sites, and assess others to
determine whether cleanups are necessary. In FY 2023, EPA approved 117 RCRA corrective
action facilities as ready for anticipated use (RAU), bringing the total number of RCRA RAU
facilities to 2,043. In FY 2025, EPA will make an additional 70 sites ready for anticipated use,
supporting the FY 2022 - 2026 long-term performance goal of making 425 sites RAU.
Under the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program, the Budget includes $79.8
million and 46.8 FTE for states and tribes to assess and clean up petroleum contamination,
including in groundwater.43 EPA collaborates with states to develop and implement flexible, state-
driven strategies to reduce the number of remaining LUST sites that have not reached cleanup
completion. In FY 2023, the Agency completed 6,597 cleanups at LUST facilities that met risk-
based standards for human exposure and groundwater migration. Through the cooperative efforts
between EPA and states, the backlog was reduced by approximately 44 percent between fiscal
40 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/eiiiergeiicy-respoiise/iiatioiial-oil-aiid4iazardous-substaiices-
pollution-contingency-plaii-iicp-overyiew.
41 The Ten-Year Plan may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/documents/nnaum-ten-vear-plan-2021-
01. .pdf.
42 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/hw/redevelopment-economics-rcra-corrective-action-facilities.
43 Almost half of the Nation's overall population and 99 percent of the population in rural areas rely on groundwater for drinking
water. (See EPA 2000 Water Quality Inventory Report, hllps://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/html/2000reporlindex.html).
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years 2008 and 2023 (from 102,798 to 57,437).44 Funding also will support tribal cleanup activities
in fenceline communities that are immediately adjacent to oil and chemical facilities and UST who
are vulnerable to environmental health hazards and climate risks at those facilities.
In FY 2025, funding for EPA's Brownfields program will build on current work to revitalize
communities, especially those that are historically overburdened and underserved, by providing
financial and technical assistance to assess, clean up, and plan reuse at brownfields sites. The FY
2025 Budget includes an additional $10.6 million and 58.0 FTE for community development
specialists to manage land revitalization projects, provide one-on-one financial planning support,
and educate tribal communities, rural communities and communities with environmental
justice concerns on how to address brownfields sites. The FTE request is designed to meet current
program demands and strengthen EPA's ability to engage directly with the communities who
need support the most. Prior to the IIJA funding, approximately 80 people managed more than
1,100 open cooperative agreements across the country. It is estimated that the program will
have approximately 2,700 open cooperative agreements to manage by FY 2027. The additional
FTE resources will enable EPA to sustain and responsibly manage the unprecedented
infrastructure investments in the Brownfields program. In FY 2023, EPA leveraged 17,441
jobs and $3.76 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funds and made 736 additional
brownfields sites RAU through the Brownfields program. Activities undertaken in FY 2025
will leverage approximately 12,135 jobs and $2.3 billion in other funding sources.45
In FY 2025, EPA continues to request the $20 million first provided in the FY 2023 enacted budget
to inventory and support the cleanup of contaminated lands in Alaska, many of which were
contaminated while not under Alaska Native ownership. Contaminants on some of these lands -
arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury, pesticides, PCBs, and other petroleum products - pose health
concerns to Alaskan Native communities, negatively impact subsistence resources, and hamper
economic activity.
Objective 6.2: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination - Prevent
environmental pollution by preventing releases, reducing waste, increasing materials
recovery and recycling, and ensuring sustainable materials management practices.
The FY 2025 Budget includes 355.1 million and 728.6 FTE for Objective 6.2. This objective
directly supports the following long-term performance goal in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, increase the percentage of updated permits at RCRA facilities to
80 percent from the FY 2021 baseline of 72.7 percent.
Nationwide, EPA and its state partners strive to reach all permitting-related decisions in a timely
manner for the approximately 6,700 hazardous waste units (e.g., incinerators, landfills, and tanks)
located at 1,300 permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. The goal is to ensure that
permits are updated to reflect the latest technology and standards and remain protective under
changing conditions, such as climate change, and that communities, including those that are
underserved and overburdened, have an equitable opportunity to engage in the permitting process
44 For additional information, please see EPA website: 1ntp://www.epa.gov/usl/usl-performarice-measures.
45 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management Estimate. All estimates of outputs and outcomes are supported by the
data that is entered by cooperative agreement recipients via EPA's ACRES database.
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over time. To measure progress, EPA has set an FY 2025 target of 117 permit renewals at
hazardous waste facilities supporting the FY 2022 - 2026 long-term performance goal. Through
June 2023, EPA and its state partners had updated RCRA permits at 73.7 percent of facilities that
required renewals and are on track to achieve the FY 2026 goal of 80 percent, based on current
planning.
The FY 2025 Budget supports building capacity to implement various aspects of the coal
combustion residuals (CCR) program. The Agency has promulgated regulations specifying
improved management and disposal practices to protect people and ecosystems. The Agency will
continue to work with our stakeholders as we implement these regulations. EPA will take action
to ensure protective management of CCR through the implementation of existing regulations,
promulgation of additional regulations to address legacy surface impoundments, and implement
the federal permitting program. The FY 2025 Budget requests an additional $4.6 million and 20.5
FTE above FY 2024 to provide sufficient staffing levels to implement the federal CCR permitting
program. EPA will continue to work with states that wish to establish state CCR permit programs
that meet EPA's baseline requirements.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $4.2 million and 25 FTE for the RCRA Waste
Minimization and Recycling program to manage grants under the new Solid Waste Infrastructure
for Recycling grant program. This investment will focus on efforts to strengthen the U.S. recycling
system by investing in solid waste management infrastructure and consumer education and
outreach, address the global issue of plastic waste, engage communities, and prevent and reduce
food loss and waste. Through its National Recycling Strategy and efforts to advance a more
circular economy, EPA is working to develop a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective U.S.
municipal solid waste recycling system.46 Recycling is an important part of a circular economy,
which refers to a system of activities that is restorative to the environment, enables resources to
maintain their highest values, designs out waste, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling
helps alleviate burdens on populations that bear the brunt of poorly run waste management
facilities.
To protect groundwater from releases of petroleum from underground storage tanks (UST), EPA
works closely with its tribal and state partners on prevention. FY 2025 resources include $42.8
million and 61.8 FTE for inspecting UST facilities to meet the three-year inspection requirement
and assisting states in adopting prevention measures such as delivery prohibition, secondary
containment, and operator training. This request includes an additional $889,000 in grant funding
to support fenceline communities by increasing state inspections that will focus on ensuring UST
systems are compatible with El 5. Due to the increased emphasis on inspections and release
prevention requirements, the number of confirmed releases decreased from 6,847 in FY 2014 to
4,354 reported releases in FY 2023.
Objective 6.3: Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies - Prevent, prepare,
and respond to environmental emergencies and support other agencies on nationally significant
incidents, working with tribes, states, and local planning and response organizations.
46 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/recycliiigstrategy/what-circular-
economy#:~:text=EPA's%20circular%20economy%20for%20allJiealthy%20communities%20are%20the%20goals.
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The FY 2025 Budget includes $334.4 million and 727.6 FTE to support Objective 6.3. This
objective directly supports the following long-term performance goal in the FY2022 - 2026EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, ensure that 40 percent of annual emergency response and removal
exercises that EPA conducts or participates in incorporate environmental justice.
Environmental emergencies are growing in frequency, and the risks they pose are increasing. EPA
strives to prevent such emergencies and be ready to respond to those that occur through the
Agency's planning and preparedness efforts, in coordination with and through the support of
partner organizations. EPA develops regulations and policies that aim to prevent environmental
emergencies and enhance the ability of communities and facilities to prepare for and respond to
emergencies that occur. EPA also prepares for the possibility of significant incidents by
maintaining a trained corps of federal On-Scene Coordinators, Special Teams, and Response
Support Corps, and by providing guidance and technical assistance to tribal, state, and local
planning and response organizations to strengthen their preparedness. EPA carries out its
responsibility under multiple statutory authorities and the National Response Framework, which
provides the comprehensive federal structure for managing national emergencies.
EPA will continue to chair the U.S. National Response Team47 and co-chair the 13 Regional
Response Teams, which serve as multi-agency coordination groups supporting emergency
responders when convened as incident specific teams. In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional
$22.1 million and 1.8 FTE to modernize the Chemical Incident and Radiological Reconnaissance
on Unmanned Systems (CIRRUS) program and to overhaul the aging Portable High-Throughput
Integrated Identification System (PHILIS) capability. These resources also support the
development of rapid, mobile analytical capabilities for biological agents. EPA will participate in
the development of limited, scenario-specific exercises and regional drills designed to assess
national emergency response management capabilities, including response to biological incidents.
To bring broader opportunity to participate in these key planning and preparation activities, EPA
has set a long-term performance goal of ensuring that 40 percent of annual emergency response
and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in incorporate environmental justice
principles. Based upon higher-than-expected results, EPA exceeded this goal during FY 2022 and
FY 2023. Unless resources are reduced or diverted, for example toward responding to multiple
large-scale disasters, EPA expects to meet this goal each year through FY 2026.
a
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to inspect chemical facilities to prevent accidental releases. The
objective is to ensure compliance with accident prevention and preparedness regulations at Risk
Management Plan (RMP) and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
(EPCRA)-regulated facilities and to work with chemical facilities to reduce chemical risks and
improve safety to populations, especially in fenceline communities. To this end, the FY 2025
Budget requests an additional $7.5 million and 26 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR to support a multi-
pronged approach to protect fenceline communities at risk from nearby chemical facilities,
including providing increased outreach and inspections at regulated facilities to ensure facilities
have measures in place to prevent chemical accidents. There are approximately 11,600 chemical
facilities that are subject to the RMP regulations. Of these, approximately 1,800 facilities have
47 For additional information, please refer to: fattps: //www, nil .org/.
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been designated as high-risk based upon their accident history, quantity of on-site dangerous
chemicals stored, and proximity to large residential populations.48 EPA prioritizes inspections at
high-risk facilities and will focus on those facilities located in communities with environmental
justice concerns and communities with increased climate-related risks (e.g., extreme weather,
flooding, wildfires). In addition, EPA is developing a regulatory action to revise the RMP
regulations to incorporate consideration of communities with environmental justice concerns and
those vulnerable to climate risks.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to inspect oil facilities to ensure compliance with prevention and
preparedness requirements. Inspections involve reviewing the facility's prevention, preparedness,
and response plans and discussing key aspects of these plans with facility staff. EPA will increase
inspections, enforcement, and compliance assistance at regulated facilities, focusing on high-risk
facilities located in communities with environmental justice concerns and communities with
increased climate-related risks. EPA also will conduct unannounced exercises at facilities subject
to Facility Response Plan regulations, a subset of facilities identified as high risk due to their size
and location, to test the facility owner's ability to put preparedness and response plans into action.
48 Located in the EPA RMP database.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Goal 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment—Increase the safety of
chemicals and pesticides and prevent pollution at the source.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 7.1: Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety—Protect the health of families,
communities, and ecosystems from the risks posed by chemicals and pesticides.
• Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention—Encourage the adoption of pollution
prevention and other stewardship practices that conserve natural resources, mitigate
climate change, and promote environmental sustainability.
GOAL, OBJECTIVE SUMMARY
Budget Authority
Full-time Equivalents
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for
People and the Environment
$453,924
$455,988
$594,577
$138,588
Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety
$368,990
$368,436
$482,698
$114,261
Promote Pollution Prevention
$84,933
$87,552
$111,879
$24,327
Total Authorized Workyears
1,641.8
1,682.2
1,973.3
291.2
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Goal 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Increase the safety of chemicals and pesticides and prevent pollution at the source.
Introduction
EPA is responsible for ensuring the safety of chemicals and pesticides for the environment and
people at all life stages, improving access to chemical safety information, and preventing pollution
at the source before it occurs. The Agency focuses on assessing, preventing, and reducing releases
and exposures resulting from the manufacture, processing, use, and disposal of chemicals and
pesticides and advances the community's right-to-know about these releases and exposures. EPA
works to protect the most vulnerable populations from unsafe exposures, especially children, the
elderly, and those with environmental justice concerns (including low-income, minority and
indigenous populations) who may already be disproportionately harmed by and at risk from other
stressors. In addition, EPA works to ensure public access to chemical and pesticide data, analytical
tools, and other sources of information and expertise, and promotes source reduction, integrated
pest management, and other pollution prevention strategies by organizations and businesses. In
total, the FY 2025 Budget includes $594.6 million and 1,973.3 FTE for Goal 7: Ensure Safety of
Chemicals for People and the Environment.
In FY 2025, EPA's activities under this goal will focus on evaluating, assessing, and managing
risks from exposure to new and existing industrial chemicals; continuing to address lead-based
paint risks; reviewing and registering new pesticides and new uses for existing pesticides; reducing
occupational exposure to pesticides, particularly in disadvantaged communities; and addressing
potential risks to threatened and endangered species from pesticides. In addition, EPA will
continue working with tribes, state agencies, industry, and communities to implement voluntary
efforts to prevent pollution at the source and continue to publish Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
data on chemical releases from industrial facilities for public review and use.
Objective 7.1: Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety - Protect the health of families,
communities, and ecosystems from the risks posed by chemicals and pesticides.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $482.7 million and 1,693.5 FTE for Objective 7.1. This objective
is directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, complete at least eight High Priority Substance (HPS) TSCA risk
evaluations annually within statutory timelines compared to the FY 2020 baseline of one.
• By September 30, 2026, initiate all TSCA risk management actions within 45 days of the
completion of a final existing chemical risk evaluation.
• By September 30, 2026, review 90 percent of risk management actions for past TSCA new
chemical substances reported to the 2020 Chemical Data Reporting Rule (CDR) compared
to the FY 2021 baseline of none.
• By September 30, 2026, recertify before the expiration date 36 percent of lead-based paint
Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) firms whose certifications are scheduled to expire
compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 32 percent.
• By September 30, 2026, complete pesticide registration review for 78 cases.
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• By September 30, 2026, consider the effects determinations or protections of federally
threatened and endangered species for new active ingredients in 90 percent of the risk
assessments supporting pesticide registration decisions compared to the FY 2020 baseline
of 50 percent.
• By September 30, 2026, consider the effects determinations or protections of federally
threatened and endangered species in 50 percent of the risk assessments supporting
pesticide registration review decisions compared to the FY 2020 baseline of 27 percent.
• By September 30, 2026, support Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) pesticide
safety training for 20,000 farmworkers annually compared to the FY 2018-2020 annual
average baseline of 11,000.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Under Section 5 of TSCA, EPA is responsible for reviewing all new chemical submissions before
they enter commerce to determine whether the chemicals may pose unreasonable risks to human
health or the environment.49 EPA's new chemicals program serves as a "gatekeeper" role to help
manage potential risk to human health and the environment from chemicals new to the
marketplace. Any chemical that is not on the TSCA Inventory is considered a "new" chemical
substance. TSCA section 5 requires that any person planning to manufacture or import a new
chemical substance submit notice to EPA prior to commencing that activity. EPA is required to
assess the potential risks to human health and the environment of the chemical, make an affirmative
determination, and where potential risks are identified, EPA must take action to mitigate those
risks before the chemical can enter commerce. In FY 2025, EPA expects to conduct risk
assessments and make affirmative determinations on risks for more than 500 new chemical notice
and exemption submissions annually.
Under TSCA Section 6,50 EPA has responsibility for prioritizing and evaluating at least 20 existing
chemicals at a time, assessing additional chemicals at manufacturers' request, and managing
identified unreasonable risks to human health and the environment. In FY 2025, EPA continues
developing draft and final risk evaluations for High Priority Substances (HPS) and expects to
promulgate risk management actions in response to unreasonable human health and environmental
risks identified in those risk evaluations. In FY 2024 - 2025, EPA anticipates issuing draft and
final risk evaluations for Asbestos Part 2, a flame retardant (TCEP), formaldehyde, and three
chlorinated solvents (1,1-DCA, 1,2-DCA, and TDCE). In addition, EPA anticipates finalizing the
1,4-Dioxane Risk Evaluation Supplement. EPA will expeditiously move into the management of
any unreasonable risks identified in the evaluations and expects to initiate up to seven proposed
risk management actions for chemicals with risk evaluations anticipated to be proposed or finalized
in FY 2024.
Additionally, EPA expects to have finalized risk management actions for nine of EPA's first 10
existing chemical risk evaluations actions in FY 2025 and will engage in implementation activities
associated with these final actions, including development of compliance guides and outreach to
impacted entities. The FY 2025 Budget includes $131.9 million and 451.8 FTEfor theEPM TSCA
49 Actions under TSCA Section 5 may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-
control-act-tsca/actions-under-tsca-section-5.
50 Information regarding the regulation of Chemicals under Section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act may be found at:
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/regulation-chemicals-under-section-6a-toxic-substances.
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Program, an increase of $49.1 million and 112.5 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR. Increased funding
for the TSC A Program is needed in FY 2025 to advance implementation of the law's requirements.
The 2016 amendments to TSCA brought about a dramatic increase in EPA's workload and
significantly changed the way EPA implemented the New Chemicals Program. Under the prior
law, EPA issued formal written unreasonable risk determinations for about 20 percent of new
chemical submissions. Under the amended law, EPA is required to issue determinations for 100
percent of new chemical submissions (a five-fold increase). Despite these significant new
responsibilities, the Program's budget stayed essentially flat for the first six years of the new law.
As noted in a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), since the
2016 amendments, EPA has missed most deadlines for reviewing new and existing chemicals
under TSCA due in part to workforce planning gaps, staff shortages and, and insufficient
resources.51 While the Program received additional funding in FY 2023, the full request of $131.9
million in FY 2025 will allow EPA to continue making progress toward implementing TSCA in
the manner envisioned by Congress.
Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Risk Reduction
Also under TSCA, EPA's EPM Lead-Based Paint Risk Reduction Program contributes to the goal
of reducing lead exposure and works toward addressing historic and persistent disproportionate
vulnerabilities of certain communities.52-53 With $14.6 million and 62.9 FTE included in the FY
2025 Budget, EPA will continue to reduce exposure to lead in paint and dust by establishing
standards governing lead hazard identification and abatement practices; establishing and
maintaining a national pool of certified firms and individuals; and providing information and
outreach to housing occupants and the public so they can make informed decisions and take actions
on lead hazards in their homes.
In July 2023, EP A announced a proposal to strengthen requirements for the removal of lead-based
paint hazards in pre-1978 buildings and childcare facilities, known as abatement activities, to better
protect children and communities from the harmful effects of exposure to dust generated from lead
paint, advancing President Bi den's whole-of-govemment approach to protecting families and
children from lead exposure. " If finalized, the proposed rule would strengthen EPA's regulations
under section 402 of the TSCA by revising the dust-lead hazard standards (DLHS), which identify
hazardous lead in dust on floors and window sills, and the dust-lead clearance levels (DLCL), the
amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors, window sills and window troughs after lead
removal activities. If finalized, the rule is estimated to reduce the lead exposures of approximately
250,000 to 500,000 children under age six per year. Assuming the rule is finalized, EPA will be in
the process of implementing it in FY 2025.
51 Please see: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105728.pdf.
52 Childhood blood lead levels (BLL) have declined substantially since the 1970s due largely to the phasing out of lead in
gasoline and to the reduction in the number of homes with lead-based paint hazards. The median concentration of lead in the
blood of children aged 1 to 5 years dropped from 15 micrograms per deciliter in 1976-1980 to 0.7 micrograms per deciliter in
2013-2014, a decrease of 95 percent. See., America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at:
fattps: //www, epa .go v/americaschildrenenvironment.
53 Among children ages 1 to 5 years in families with incomes below poverty level, the 95th percentile blood lead level (BLL) was
3.0 ng/dE, and among those in families at or above the poverty level, it was 2.1 |ig/dL, a difference that was statistically
significant. See, America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at:
fattps: //www, epa .go v/americaschildrenenvironment.
54 See https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-proposes-strengthen-lead-paint-standards-protect-against.
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Pesticide Programs
In FY 2025, consistent with statutory responsibilities,55-56-57 EPA will continue to review and
register new pesticides and new uses for existing pesticides, and other covered applications under
the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) and its reauthorizations. EPA also will act on
other registration requests in accordance with Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) standards. Many of these
registration actions will be for reduced-risk conventional pesticides and biopesticides, which, once
registered and used by consumers, will increase benefits to society and reduce ecological impacts.
Additionally, in FY 2025, EPA will continue to reevaluate existing chemicals in the marketplace
on a 15-year cycle to ensure the FIFRA standard for registration continues to be met based on
current science, including registration review actions subject to the October 1, 2026, deadline for
completion.
The Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS)58 and the Certification of Pesticide
Applicators (CPA)59 revised rules (finalized in FY 2015 and FY 2017, respectively) are key
elements of EPA's strategy for reducing occupational exposure to pesticides. In FY 2023 and FY
2024, the Agency revised the WPS Application Exclusion Zone provisions. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to support the implementation of the regulations through education and outreach,
guidance development, and grant programs, with a particular focus on environmental justice issues
in rural communities and the health of farmworkers and their families. For example, in FY 2023,
15,155 farmworkers received EPA-supported WPS pesticide safety training.
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA),60 EPA is responsible for ensuring that pesticide
regulatory decisions will not destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat or jeopardize
the continued existence of species listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) or the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), referred to collectively as the
Services. Meeting this responsibility presents a great challenge given that there are approximately
1,200 active ingredients in more than 17,000 pesticide products—many of which have multiple
uses. Endangered species risk assessments are extraordinarily complex, national in scope, and
involve comprehensive evaluations that consider risks to over 1,700 listed endangered species and
800 designated critical habitats in the U.S. with diverse biological attributes, habitat requirements,
and geographic ranges.
In April 2022, EPA released a workplan outlining priorities for coming into full compliance with
the ESA across the numerous types of actions it completes annually as well as developing several
pilot projects to more efficiently comply with the ESA, given that the current process for each
55 Summary of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act: lit tps: //www, epa. go v/la ws-regula tions/summary - federal-
iiisecticide-fungicide-aiid-rodenticide-act.
56 Summary of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-federal-food-drug-
and-cosmetic-act.
57 Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018 (PRIA 4): https://www.epa.gov/pria-fees.
58 Agricultural Worker Protection Standard: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/agricultural-worker-protection-
standard-wps.
59 Revised Certification Standards for Pesticide Applicators: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revised-certification-
standards-pesticide-applicators.
60 For additional information on the Endangered Species Protection Program, see: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-
species/about-endangered-species-protection-program.
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pesticide active ingredient can span 4-12 years.61 EPA prioritized meeting its ESA obligations for
all conventional new active ingredient applications whereby all new active ingredient registrations
will only be registered under conditions that comply with ESA. EPA also prioritized ESA
determinations in response to litigation commitments and court decisions (the ESA workplan
includes a list of the FY 2022 litigation commitments regarding ESA determinations and
implementations of biologic opinions from the Services). The increase EPA received in the FY
2023 enacted budget serves as initial funding to help EPA meet these specific workplan
commitments. In November 2022, EPA released a workplan update that announced FIFRA interim
ecological mitigations for non-target and ESA listed species that EPA has begun to incorporate
into registration review. The update also announced other initiatives to make even faster progress
on some of our ESA goals.62
EPA also released two draft initiatives for public comment in 2023 to make further progress on
addressing ESA protections. In June 2023, EPA released a draft pilot that identified 27 listed
species that are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposures and a proposed strategy to reduce
impacts to them. In July 2023, EPA released for public comment a draft strategy to more efficiently
address ESA obligations for herbicides, referred to as the herbicide strategy. EPA started with a
strategy for herbicides over other types of pesticides because of the large number of listed plant
species and the high importance of herbicides to agriculture. Addressing ESA for these pesticides
will increase certainty and predictability of their availability. Similar strategies are planned for
other classes of pesticides, such as insecticides, after EPA completes the herbicide strategy.
In FY 2025, EPA expects to implement the ESA strategies that it has finalized, including by
updating its IT systems needed to implement those strategies. EPA also expects to continue to
address its ESA obligations for the registration of all new conventional active ingredient pesticides
as well as meet its court deadlines under various settlement agreements. EPA also intends to
continue developing a strategy to further ESA protections for insecticides in FY 2025 and to issue
a strategy to further ESA protections for rodenticides in FY 2025.
The FY 2025 Budget requests $76 million and 221.6 FTE for the EPM Pesticide: Protect the
Environment from Pesticide Risk Program, which includes an increase of $26.8 million and 20
FTE to support ESA compliance work. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to develop and improve
existing processes to allow EPA to protect listed species earlier in the regulatory and consultation
processes and pursue other major improvements to its ESA compliance work in coordination with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service and USDA.
61 For additional information, see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-04/balancing-wildlife-protection-and-
responsible-pesticide-use finat.pdf".
62 For additional information, see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-l 1Vesa-woitolan-update.pdf".
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Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention - Encourage the adoption of pollution prevention
and other stewardship practices that conserve natural resources, mitigate climate change, and
promote environmental sustainability.
The FY 2025 Budget includes $111.9 million and 279.9 FTE for Objective 7.2. This objective is
directly supported by the following long-term performance goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan:
• By September 30, 2026, reduce a total of 6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MMTC02e) released attributed to EPA pollution prevention grants.
• By September 30, 2026, EPA's Safer Choice Program will certify a total of 2,300 products
compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 1,892 total certified products.
Pollution Prevention
EPA's implementation of the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program under the Pollution Prevention
Act of 199063 is one of EPA's primary tools for advancing environmental stewardship and
sustainability by federal, tribal, and state governments, businesses, communities, and individuals.
These practices focus on reducing the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or
contaminant entering a waste stream or released into the environment prior to recycling of
discarded material, treatment, or disposal, as well as conserving the use of natural resources. P2
grants - a key element of the P2 Program - contributed to the elimination of 19.8 million metric
tons of greenhouse gases between 2011 and 2021.64 In FY 2025, EPA will continue its work to
prevent pollution at the source by awarding targeted P2 grants to tribes, states, and local
governments, encouraging the use of products certified by EPA as safer for the environment,
encouraging federal procurement of environmentally preferable products, and enhancing the use
of TRI data to help prevent pollution and support the Administration's environmental justice
priorities.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on carrying out sector-focused P2 National Emphasis
Areas65 and enabling the replication and leveraging of business successes supported by the $5
million P2 grants awarded annually. EPA also will deliver training and conduct outreach for
communities overburdened with pollution, as well as tribal, state, and local governments to help
with product and service procurement choices that are environmentally sound and promote human
and environmental health. The additional Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding
for the Program for FY 2022 to 2026 will significantly increase results and the generation of
information on P2 approaches that other businesses can replicate, particularly in disadvantaged
communities.
In FY 2025, EPA plans to complete the process of updating and strengthening the standards of the
Safer Choice (SC) Program,66 which advances chemical safety by increasing the availability and
identification of products containing ingredients that meet stringent health and environmental
criteria, through a notice and comment process after consultation with stakeholders. The Agency
63 Summary of the Pollution Prevention Act: https://www.epa.gov/kws-regulations/summarv-pollution-prevention-act.
64 For additional information, see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-07/p2flier 2021 O.pdf.
65 P2 National Emphasis Areas may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-national-emphasis-areas-neas.
66 For additional information on Safer Choice, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice.
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will conduct outreach with federal, tribal, state, and local government procurement officials and
institutional and industrial purchasers to communicate the benefits of SC and other
environmentally preferable products, and work to make SC-certified products more widely
available to disadvantaged communities. EPA will continue to partner with organizations serving
disadvantaged communities with environmental concerns to help custodial staff and house
cleaning companies fight occupational exposure-related conditions (e.g., asthma) and gain access
to certified products. EPA also will update the Safer Chemical Ingredients List to enhance
transparency and facilitate expansion of safer chemical choices and products, including increasing
the number and volume of SC-certified products.67
The FY 2025 Budget includes $29.2 million and 69.2 FTE to support the P2 Program in the EPM
appropriation, an increase of $16.2 million and 18 FTE above the FY 2024 ACR. This increase
will fund a new P2 grant program to support small businesses with transitioning to TSCA
compliant practices and mitigate economic impacts. EPA's P2 Program has supported work by P2
grantees, over several years, to work with businesses and industry to identify technically and
economically feasible alternatives to toxic chemicals, including some that are the focus of current
TSCA risk evaluation and management (e.g., halogenated solvents used in a variety of industries
such as degreasing in metal fabrication). Additionally, pollution prevention reporting under the
TRI Program collects information on facility-level P2 practices associated with reductions in use
and release of toxic chemicals. In FY 2025, EPA will evaluate and integrate P2 case studies and
best practices relevant to TSCA risk management by small businesses, clarify technical and
economic factors associated with such transitions, and develop and deploy pilot programs to
leverage training and ongoing support for small businesses expected to be making transitions in
response to TSCA risk management.
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)
The TRI Program makes TRI data available to the public each year. EPA encourages communities,
industry, and other stakeholders to access the data through any one of the TRI Program's state-of-
the-art tools and analyze the data to: evaluate improvements in environmental performance,
leverage pollution prevention information, identify communities that may be disproportionately
exposed to toxics emissions, and identify opportunities for improvement.68 With the FY 2025
request of $14.1 million and 37 FTE for the TRI/Right to Know Program, EPA will continue
research on tools that can quickly and accurately identify disadvantaged communities near TRI
facilities, which would support prioritization of P2 initiatives. In addition, in FY 2025, EPA will
continue to publish the TRI and use analyses of toxic chemical releases from industrial facilities
located near disadvantaged communities with environmental concerns to identify and develop
sector specific P2 case studies, best practices, outreach, and training. This will help facilitate
adoption of P2 practices in the facilities and in the communities themselves.
67 The Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) may be found at: littps://www.epa.gov/saf"erchoice/safer-ingredients.
68 For additional information, please visit the TRI for Communities webpage: https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-
program/tri-for-communities.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Science and Technology
Resource Summary Table 95
Program Projects in S&T 95
Clean Air 98
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs 99
Climate Protection 103
Federal Support for Air Quality Management 106
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification 110
Enforcement 119
Forensics Support 120
Homeland Security 123
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection 124
Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 131
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure 136
Indoor Air and Radiation 138
Indoor Air: Radon Program 139
Radiation: Protection 141
Radiation: Response Preparedness 143
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air 145
IT / Data Management 147
Operations and Administration 150
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 151
Pesticides Licensing 154
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk 155
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk 160
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability 164
Research: Air and Energy 167
Research: Air, Climate and Energy 168
Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability 174
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability 175
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment 182
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Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 188
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 189
Research: Sustainable Communities 195
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities 196
Ensure Safe Water 202
Drinking Water Programs 203
Congressional Priorities 206
Congressional Priorities 207
94
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Science & Technology
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
President's Budget
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Science & Technology
Budget Authority
$835,028
$802,276
$1,009,960
$207,684
Total Workyears
1,992.1
2,022.0
2,292.9
270.9
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
Bill Language: Science and Technology
For science and technology, including research and development activities, which shall include
research and development activities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of1980; necessary expenses for personnel and related costs, and
travel expenses; procurement of laboratory equipment and supplies; hire, maintenance, and
operation of aircraft; and other operating expenses in support of research and development,
$1,009,960,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026.
Program Projects in S&T
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Clean Air and Climate
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
$6,578
$7,117
$19,987
$12,870
Climate Protection
$9,968
$8,750
$10,800
$2,050
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
$8,950
$11,343
$10,754
-$589
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and
Certification
$122,243
$117,341
$185,873
$68,532
Subtotal, Clean Air and Climate
$147,738
$144,551
$227,414
$82,863
Clean and Safe Water Technical Assistance Grants
Congressional Priorities
$23,283
$30,751
$0
-$30,751
Enforcement
Forensics Support
$14,152
$15,532
$19,337
$3,805
95
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Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Ensure Safe Water
Drinking Water Programs
$5,474
$5,098
$7,043
$1,945
Homeland Security
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure
Protection
$12,249
$10,852
$34,351
$23,499
Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery
$26,376
$25,347
$40,802
$15,455
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel
and Infrastructure
$625
$625
$501
-$124
Subtotal, Homeland Security
$39,250
$36,824
$75,654
$38,830
Indoor Air and Radiation
Indoor Air: Radon Program
$70
$199
$173
-$26
Radiation: Protection
$2,321
$1,683
$2,416
$733
Radiation: Response Preparedness
$3,200
$3,596
$4,802
$1,206
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
$27
$278
$185
-$93
Subtotal, Indoor Air and Radiation
$5,618
$5,756
$7,576
$1,820
IT / Data Management / Security
IT / Data Management
$3,489
$3,197
$3,346
$149
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
Pesticides Licensing
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from
Pesticide Risk
$2,468
$2,334
$4,239
$1,905
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide
Risk
$3,034
$2,894
$5,902
$3,008
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide
Availability
$963
$925
$1,040
$115
Subtotal, Pesticides Licensing
$6,466
$6,153
$11,181
$5,028
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
$40,119
$39,918
$45,746
$5,828
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Endocrine Disruptors
$17,222
$16,353
$18,017
$1,664
Computational Toxicology
$23,500
$21,606
$23,646
$2,040
Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability (other activities)
$56,107
$54,591
$64,554
$9,963
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
$96,828
$92,550
$106,217
$13,667
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Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
$136,947
$132,468
$151,963
$19,495
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
$125,346
$116,141
$143,745
$27,604
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$147,279
$137,857
$149,498
$11,641
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
$114,659
$100,448
$140,297
$39,849
TOTAL S&T
$835,028
$802,276
$1,009,960
$207,684
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
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Clean Air
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Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 7.268
S16.554
$30,743
$14,189
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$6,578
s'.ir
S/'A'AV"
.S
Total Budget Authority
$23,846
$23,671
$50,730
$27,059
Total Workyears
63.8
66.7
86.1
19.4
Program Project Description:
This Program is responsible for managing the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET),
an ambient monitoring network that has been continuously collecting data for more than 30 years.
CASTNET serves as the Nation's primary source for assessing long-term trends in rural air quality
and atmospheric pollutant inputs to ecosystems. CASTNET sites are uniquely situated in remote
and high elevation areas within 42 states and eight tribal boundaries. Rural CASTNET sites are
intentionally located away from stationary emission sources and are often located in or near
economically disadvantaged communities, tribal communities, or communities of color. The
network provides valuable data to support the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) in many areas not monitored by state, local, and tribal monitoring agencies.
Additionally, CASTNET ozone data are used for exceptional event assessments of international
transport, background concentrations, wildfire events, and stratospheric ozone intrusions often
leading to ozone exceedances. The sites also fill critical data gaps needed to understand precursor
emissions contributions leading to air quality issues affecting downwind population centers, such
as agricultural activity, oil and gas production, wildfire smoke, and wood smoke in mountain
valleys. The CASTNET monitoring network continues to be critical for assessing impacts of
regional emission reduction programs and is used in evaluating how climate stressors may impact
future improvements to air quality.
The Agency's CASTNET Program also supports 69 ambient ammonia monitoring sites and 30
wet deposition sites through its contribution to the National Atmospheric Deposition Program
(NADP) to assess atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter (PM) precursors (e.g.,
ammonia), nitrogen impacts on air and water quality (e.g., eutrophication, algal blooms), and
ecosystem effects (e.g., reduction in biodiversity). The Agency utilizes CASTNET data to support
the development, evaluation, and validation of air quality models used to assess results under
potential future emission and climate scenarios. Used in conjunction with other ambient air quality
networks, CASTNET's data products also are used to determine the effectiveness of national and
regional emission control programs, validate satellite measurements, and provide near-real time
data to support AirNow and Air Quality Index (AQI) reporting tools.
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EPA works closely with tribal governments to build tribal air monitoring capacity through
partnerships with the CASTNET Program. Since 2002, CASTNET has added eight sites on tribal
lands. By expanding tribal partnerships, CASTNET can fill important spatial gaps in air quality
and atmospheric deposition monitoring while providing tribes with the equipment and technical
training to collect and report local air quality data. Tribes benefit from dedicated monitoring sites
that build technical skills, provide near-real time air quality data to the community, and provide
environmental data that help tribes assess the impacts of air pollution on cultural or natural
resources on tribal lands. Tribal partners utilize the CASTNET data to review permit applications,
assess impacts from upwind emissions sources, and provide hands-on educational training.
CASTNET hosts quarterly calls with EPA Regions and tribal partners which provides a forum for
sharing technical information, establishing training modules, and engaging directly with the user
community.
To support modernization efforts, CASTNET will use the existing network infrastructure to fill in
gaps in continuous measurements necessary to evaluate changes in atmospheric chemistry and
global climate impacts on air quality and deposition. The Program is well-situated as a platform to
measure background or regional levels of air toxics (e.g., ethylene oxide) and persistent chemicals
of concern (e.g., Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) compounds). Measuring speciated
reactive nitrogen will provide valuable data that states can use to determine which precursors are
driving PM formation and make more informed decisions on emission control strategies.
Furthermore, continuing to expand capacity while modernizing the CASTNET infrastructure
ensures data can be made available in near-real time to address short-term changes in air quality
resulting from meteorological conditions, such as temperature inversions, or natural disasters, such
as wildfires.
This program also is responsible for managing EPA's Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) program,
established in 1983 to assess changes in the health of lakes and streams in the Eastern U.S. in
response to emission reductions and subsequent decreases in atmospheric pollution loading. There
have been significant decreases in power sector sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx)
emissions (by 93 percent and 87 percent, respectively, since 1995) resulting in very low levels of
acid rain deposition and recovery from acid rain in lakes and streams in the Eastern U.S. With no
expected increases of deposition in the future, EPA plans to sunset the Program at the end of FY
2024 but will continue to make the long-term data record available for researchers, students, and
the public through the LTM website.
This program also supports the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs, which are nationwide and
multi-state programs that address air pollutants that are transported across state, regional, and
international boundaries. Programs designed to control SO2 and NOx include Title IV (the Acid
Rain Program) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), the
CSAPR Update, the Revised CSAPR Update, and the Good Neighbor Plan (GNP). The
infrastructure for the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs also supports implementation of
other state and federal programs to control SO2, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases.
The suite of CSAPR programs, including the most recent GNP, require states to limit their
emissions of SO2 and/or NOx in order to reduce or eliminate the states' contributions to fine
particulate matter and/or ground-level ozone pollution in other states. These programs set
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emissions limitations that are defined in terms of maximum statewide "budgets" for emissions of
annual SO2, annual NOx, and/or ozone-season NOx from each state's large electric generating
units. EPA is supporting state efforts with respect to best available retrofit technology, reasonable
progress, and interstate visibility transport, as those obligations relate to SO2 emissions from
electricity generating units.1 The air quality and other environmental information gathered through
this program support these Clean Air Allowance Trading Program-related rulemakings and other
rulemakings associated with Regional Haze.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Continue to support air quality and environmental monitoring sites (e.g., CASTNET
NADP National Trends Network (NTN), and NADP Ammonia Monitoring Network
(AMoN) sites. Monitoring data from these programs are used to analyze and assess rural
air quality, climate impacts on air pollution and atmospheric deposition and other indicators
of air quality and ecosystem health.
• Provide support for independent audits and required performance evaluations to assure
high-quality data to support the NAAQS and environmental assessments. The audit
contract was awarded to a small, women-owned, minority-owned, disadvantaged business.
• Continue making progress toward increasing monitoring capacity by working to identify
new tribal partners and other underserved communities that would benefit from joining a
national air monitoring program.
• Invest in technology and small businesses by replacing aging equipment, repairing
monitoring shelters more than 30 years old that have deteriorated due to extreme weather
and deploying new equipment and monitoring sites in rural, often low-income/minority
areas. The CASTNET contractor allocates 55 percent of their subcontract dollars to small
businesses responsible for performing calibrations, managing site operators, and data
analyses.
• Upgrade aging CASTNET equipment. To improve overall data quality, EPA will replace
continuous ozone analyzers, and procure newPM and gas analyzers (e.g., carbon monoxide
(CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), speciated nitrogen) that will support NAAQS
assessments, emission control strategies, regulatory actions, and climate impacts on air
quality and ecosystems in the future. Analyzers will be integrated into the existing
automated calibration systems to improve network resiliency.
• Utilize existing infrastructure to expand network capacity by adding measurement systems
for background and regional concentrations of air toxics and emerging pollutants of
concern. Data will complement urban measurements and provide valuable information on
atmospheric pathways and chemical transformations that will impact health risks.
1 Clean Air Act § 110 and § 169A; refer to 40 CFR 52.2312.
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• Continue to modernize the data reporting tools and visualizations to improve user
experiences and data access, particularly during emergencies (e.g., wildfires).
Strengthening front-end and back-end data management platforms will improve system
reliability and allows state and local agencies to quickly make critical decisions. Providing
real-time air quality data during such events is valuable for informing vulnerable
populations about health risks.
• Assure the continuation of ongoing S02 and NOx emission reductions from power plants
in the U.S. by implementing the suite of CSAPR programs and the Acid Rain Program.2
• Ensure accurate and consistent results for the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs.
Continue work on performance specifications and investigating monitoring alternatives
and methods to improve the efficiency of monitor certification and emissions data
reporting.
• Work with states to implement emission reduction programs to comply with CAA Section
110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) requirements, including conducting environmental justice analyses to
consider the distributional impacts of emissions on overburdened communities.3
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM NOX) Tons of ozone season NOx emissions from electric power generation sources.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
355,000
344,000
332,000
332,000
Tons
Actual
443,764
389,170
341,082
359,124
324,285
293,519
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$12,870.0 / +1.7 FTE) This program change is an increase to modernize and maintain
the Clean Air Status and Trends Network, to provide additional monitoring sites and
deployable monitors, including on tribal lands, and to expand site functionality (i.e., to
include measuring additional air pollutants). This investment includes $306.0 thousand in
payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
2 Clean Air Act §§ 110(a)(2)(D) and 401.
3 For more information on program performance, please see: https://www.epa.gov/ainiiark.ets/progress.
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Climate Protection
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
S99.292
SI 01.000
SI 76.4X5
S75.485
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$9,968
S,S. ~50
SII).HOD
sS 2,050
Total Budget Authority
$109,260
$109,750
$187,285
$77,535
Total Workyears
195.9
216.1
256.7
40.6
Program Project Description:
The Climate Protection Program supports implementation and compliance with greenhouse gas
(GHG) emission standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles developed under EPA's Federal
Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program. Resources under this program also support
compliance activities for implementing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's
(NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Under authorities contained in
the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Energy Policy Act, EPA is responsible for issuing certificates
and ensuring compliance with both the GHG and CAFE standards.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.1, Reduce Emissions that Cause
Climate Change in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Resources will support the following activities:
Certification and Compliance
Implementation of the GHG emission standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles and engines
has significantly increased EPA's certification and compliance responsibilities. These
responsibilities play a critical role in ensuring that the programs achieve their climate goals. Over
time, in an effort to provide greater compliance flexibility for manufacturers, EPA has introduced
numerous innovative features into the vehicle certification process. These features include new
and more comprehensive trading programs, credits for off-cycle emission reductions, and new
federal test procedures. In FY 2025, EPA will begin implementing Light-Duty and Heavy-Duty
GHG programs based on the final rulemaking for new multi-pollutant emissions standards,
including for greenhouse gas emissions, for light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning with model
year (MY) 2027 and the final rulemaking establishing new GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty
engines and vehicles beginning with MY 2027. This implementation requires significant expansion
of EPA's information technology systems, which provide an efficient means for manufacturers to
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apply for and receive certificates of conformity, and for EPA to audit and oversee manufacturer
compliance.
Vehicle and Engine Testing Services
EPA's National Vehicle & Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) has invested significant resources
to maintain its critical vehicle and engine testing capabilities, and to upgrade them as needed to
implement standards for fuel, vehicle, and engine emissions. These investments have included
updates to its heavy-duty engine dynamometers and temperature-controlled vehicle test sites,
together with new emissions analyzers and data collection systems needed to perform regulation
development and certification testing of light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty engines and
vehicles, including battery electric and hybrid electric technologies. This modernized test
environment has led to new developments, such as test methods that fairly and repeatably account
for "real-world" use in fuel economy label testing of electrified vehicles and updated procedures
for GHG compliance testing of heavy-duty engines.
In FY 2025, NVFEL will continue to direct resources toward updating its electric vehicle test
capabilities and battery testing infrastructure to support future compliance requirements for light-
duty and heavy-duty vehicles. NVFEL's ongoing facility updates have been essential to the
implementation of certification and compliance testing programs for EPA's light- and heavy-duty
GHG regulations and have expanded production of scientific data on new and emerging vehicle
and engine technologies in support of EPA's rulemaking activities. Continued equipment
modernization is critical to NVFEL in keeping pace with technology advancements in the
transportation sector, and in maintaining the lab's role as a trusted testing standard for regulated
industry and as a credible deterrent against non-compliance.
In addition to investing in emerging needs, NVFEL will continue to repair and replace aging
laboratory equipment needed to sustain its core compliance testing activities. In FY 2025, NVFEL
will update its hot-temperature vehicle test site used for light- and medium-duty compliance
testing. This is a part of ongoing capital equipment updates needed for sustaining the lab's ability
to implement new light-duty and heavy-duty multi-pollutant regulations, which have increased
NVFEL's operation and maintenance costs by an estimated $2.1 million per year.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,050.0 / +2.3 FTE) This program change is an increase in support of the National
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory compliance/certification work and mobile source
vehicle emissions analysis. Additional resources at the lab support restoring capacity to test
and certify engines, fuels, and vehicles to ensure compliance with regulatory standards,
and to generate emissions data to support regulatory development work essential to
tackling the climate change crisis. This investment includes $416.0 thousand in payroll and
additional changes to fixed support costs.
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act; Pollution Prevention Act (PPA), §§ 6602-6605; National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), § 102; Clean Water Act, § 104; Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), § 8001; Energy Policy Act of 2005, § 756.
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Federal Support for Air Quality Management
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 34.931
SI 47.704
S258.663
SI 10.959
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$8,950
SIIJ-/J
SII).'54
-$589
Total Budget Authority
$143,881
$159,047
$269,417
$110,370
Total Workyears
824.3
879.3
1,079.7
200.4
Program Project Description:
Federal support for the criteria pollutant and air toxics programs includes a variety of tools to
characterize ambient air quality and the level of risk to the public from air pollutants and to measure
national progress toward improving air quality and reducing associated risks. The Federal Support
for Air Quality Management Program supports development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs)
through modeling and other tools, and assists states in implementing, attaining, maintaining, and
enforcing the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants. The
Program also supports development and provision of information, training, and tools to assist state,
tribal, and local agencies, as well as communities, to reduce air toxics emissions and risks specific
to their local areas. In addition, the Program supports activities related to the Clean Air Act (CAA)
stationary source residual risk and technology review program. EPA is required to assess the level
of risk remaining after promulgation of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
(NESHAP) that are based on Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) within eight years
of that promulgation. In addition, the Agency is required to review all NESHAP at least every eight
years to determine if revisions are needed to reflect developments in practices, processes, and
control technologies.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
During FY 2025, as part of implementing key activities in support of attainment of the NAAQS,
EPA will provide states, tribes, and local air agencies with scientifically and technically sound
assistance in developing SIPs/ Tribal Implementation Plans (TIPs) that meet requirements to attain
and maintain the NAAQS. This assistance includes providing models, modeling inputs and tools,
technical data and guidance, and identifying emission control options. EPA facilitates national
consistency in how air quality modeling is conducted as part of regulatory decision-making,
including federal and state permitting programs, SIP/TIP-related actions, as well as how
conformity determinations are made across the U.S. The Agency will work with states, tribes, and
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local air agencies to ensure that particulate matter (PM) hot-spot analyses are conducted in a
manner consistent with the transportation conformity regulation and guidance.
One of EPA's priorities is to fulfill its statutory and court-ordered obligations, and EPA will
continue to emphasize incorporating environmental justice (EJ) considerations in the decision-
making processes involved in meeting these obligations. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to conduct
the periodically required "technology reviews" of NESHAP and conduct required risk assessments
for MACT-based NESHAP. EPA also has made specific commitments to the Office of Inspector
General (OIG) to develop and implement a strategy to meet statutory deadlines for these air toxics
rule reviews.4 EPA expects to propose or promulgate more than 41 air toxics rules in FY 2025. If
EPA receives the resources requested to meet its commitment to the OIG concerning the air toxics
program, EPA also will expect to propose or finalize an additional 48 air toxics rules in FY 2025
- a total of 89 air toxics actions.
EPA also will enhance risk assessment capabilities to better identify and determine impacts on
communities. The Agency will share air toxics data faster and more regularly to the public,
allowing for increased transparency and the ability to see trends and exposure risks over time. In
2025, EPA will continue reporting the most current air toxics data each year in the annual Air
Trends Report and in an online interactive tool (AirToxScreen) instead of the previous three to
four-year cycle for reporting air toxics data and provide that data at increased spatial resolution.
EPA will continue providing information annually for communities on health risks from exposures
to air toxics through the AirToxScreen, so that the public can more easily identify existing and
emerging air toxics exposure issues.
EPA will continue to provide information and assistance to states, tribes, and communities through
documents, websites, webinars, and training sessions on tools to help them on EJ assessments that
can inform risk reduction strategies for air toxics. EPA will continue to communicate and
collaborate effectively with communities with EJ concerns and vulnerable populations to address
air toxics issues. EPA will enhance its multi-pollutant air quality management support to state and
local areas, factoring EJ into prioritization efforts, including providing tools to enable state, tribal,
and local governments planning and strategy development. EPA will continue to look at multiple
pollutants in an industrial sector and identify ways to encourage adoption of policies which
optimize co-benefits of pollution control, including for greenhouse gases. The focus of these efforts
is to address an individual sector's emissions comprehensively and to prioritize regulatory efforts
to address the sources and pollutants of greatest concern to overburdened communities. In
developing sector and multi-pollutant approaches, EPA will publicly release its NEXUS tool and
other multi-pollutant data and analysis tools that address the differing and cumulative nature of
the multiple pollutants and associated industrial sectors.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with internal and external stakeholders to improve ambient
air quality monitoring networks and measurement techniques to fill data gaps and to provide better
input to estimation of population exposure to criteria and toxic air pollutants. To ensure data
quality, EPA will continue to implement and manage independent quality assurance programs for
4 The EPA Needs to Develop a Strategy to Complete Overdue Residual Risk and Technology Reviews and to Meet the Statutory
Deadlines for Upcoming Reviews. March 30,2022. https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2022-03/ epaoig_20220330-
22-e-0026.pdf.
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national monitoring networks as well as for federal and commercial laboratories that produce
ambient air monitoring data.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with partners to improve emissions factors and inventories,
including the National Emissions Inventory (NEI). This effort includes gathering improved activity
data from emissions monitoring and using geographic information systems and satellite remote
sensing systems, where possible, for key point, area, mobile, and fugitive sources, and global
emission events. Based on any final version of a revised Air Emissions Reporting Requirements
(AERR) rule, EPA will provide guidance and training in anticipation of any new reporting
requirements that affect the 2025 inventory year.
EPA, using resources from the Inflation Reduction Act, will begin a multi-year project to develop
a new information technology infrastructure. The new information technology infrastructure will
allow access to air quality, emissions, and regulatory information for communities, environmental
agencies, and other stakeholders. Access to this information will enable the development and
implementation of strategies to improve air quality and reduce emissions of climate pollutants.
During the requirements analysis and gathering phase of the project, the development team will
look to incorporate the business processes so that one or more of the following legacy systems and
applications can be retired once the infrastructure is operational: Air Quality System (AQS),
AirNow, Emissions Inventory System (EIS), Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT), Compliance and
Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI), Combined Air Emission Reporting System
(CAERS), Web Factor Information Retrieval System (WebFIRE), State Planning Electronic
Collaboration System (SPeCS), Exceptional Events Submission and Tracking System (EETS), and
Petitions to Object to Title V Permits (POTVP). Additionally, during the requirements analysis
and gather phase of the proj ect, EPA will investigate the feasibility of incorporating other business
processes supported by other existing tools/applications. Funding of operations and maintenance
for legacy systems will be required as the new infrastructure is developed. EPA's intent is that
once the new infrastructure is operational, funding from legacy systems will be shifted to support
the new infrastructure.
In FY 2025, EPA will develop the new information technology infrastructure and continue to
operate and maintain baseline operations of the AQS. EPA also will continue to support the AQS
Data Mart, which provides that same ambient air quality data to the scientific community and the
general public. The Agency's national real-time ambient air quality data system, AirNow, will
maintain baseline operations. The public increasingly relies on AirNow for ambient air quality
information during wildfires. In FY 2025, EPA will continue integrating the Fire and Smoke map
by engaging tribal, state, and local agencies for input to provide information that millions of people
rely on during periods of smoke from wildfires.
EPA will continue to operate and maintain the EIS, which quality assures and stores current and
historical emissions inventory data and supports the development of the NEI. EPA, states, and
others use the NEI to aid in state and local air agency SIP development, serve as a vital input to
air quality modeling, help analyze public health risks from air toxics, develop strategies to manage
those risks, and support multi-pollutant analysis for air emissions. As necessary, the Agency will
enhance EIS to support the revised AERR rule and other user-focused needs.
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In FY 2025, as EPA develops the new information technology infrastructure, the Agency will
continue to streamline emissions data reporting for multiple agency programs through the CAERS.
This system is a central hub that takes a single submission of data in a single format and sends it
to the appropriate EPA program system. When fully developed, CAERS is expected to reduce the
cost to industry by only reporting emissions data for multiple agency programs to one system and
to the government by better managing emissions data and making that data available in a timely
fashion. EPA will enhance CAERS to support the revised AERR rule and continue to onboard
state, local, and tribal air agencies.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Federal Support for Air Quality
Management Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$436.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$1,025.0 / +6.0 FTE) This net program change reflects a shift to fund additional FTE for
the development of science, technology and methodologies to better implement the Clean
Air Act, including: enhancing risk assessment capabilities to better identify and determine
impacts on communities; communicating and collaborating with environmental justice
communities to address air toxics concerns; and improving ambient air monitoring
networks and measurement techniques to fill data gaps and better estimate the population's
exposure to criteria and toxic air pollutants. This includes an investment of $1.3 million for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
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Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
S 122.2-13
sirj-/i
S1 fi5.fi ~3
sf>sjj2
Total Budget Authority
$122,243
$117,341
$185,873
$68,532
Total Workyears
308.3
323.5
370.3
46.8
Program Project Description:
Under the Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program, EPA develops,
implements, and ensures compliance with national emission standards to reduce mobile source
related air pollution from: light-duty cars and trucks; heavy-duty trucks and buses; nonroad engines
and equipment; and from the fuels that power these engines. The Program also evaluates new
emission control technology and provides state, tribal, and local air quality managers and
transportation planners with guidance, tools, and other information to develop additional strategies
and place-based transportation programs to reduce mobile source pollution.
As part of ensuring compliance with national emission standards, the Program tests vehicles,
engines, and fuels, and establishes test procedures for federal emissions and fuel economy
standards. The Program operates test cells that simultaneously measure criteria pollutants and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reviews certification applications for light-duty vehicles and
heavy-duty engines to approve applications for criteria pollutant and GHG emission standards and
examines for potential violations.
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL)
The NVFEL ensures air quality benefits and fair competition in the marketplace by conducting
testing operations on motor vehicles, heavy-duty engines, nonroad engines, and fuels to certify
that all vehicles, engines, and fuels that enter the U.S. market comply with all federal clean air,
GHG, and fuel economy standards. The NVFEL conducts vehicle and engine emission tests as
part of pre-production tests, certification audits, in-use assessments, and recall programs to ensure
compliance with mobile source programs. The NVFEL also produces critical test data on new and
emerging vehicle and engine technologies to support the development of future greenhouse gas
and criteria pollutant regulations. Through cooperative partnerships and committee involvement,
the lab leads the development and implementation of test methods and procedures for vehicles,
engines, and fuels to ensure consistent data quality among manufacturers' labs, measure fuel
efficiency, and verify compliance of electrified and conventional vehicles with EPA standards.
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Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
The RFS Program was created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), which amended the
Clean Air Act (C AA), and was expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
(EISA). Congress created the RFS Program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand the
nation's renewable fuels sector while reducing reliance on imported oil. The RFS Program requires
a certain volume of renewable fuel to replace or reduce the quantity of petroleum-based
transportation fuel, heating oil, or jet fuel. Producers of renewable fuel generate renewable fuel
credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) which are ultimately used by
petroleum companies to demonstrate compliance with the Program's renewable fuel volume
requirements. EPA implements the Program in consultation with the Department of Agriculture
and the Department of Energy.
Supporting Tribal, State and Local Governments
EPA works with tribal, state, and local governments to ensure the technical integrity of the mobile
source control emission benefits, including in State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and
transportation conformity determinations. EPA develops and provides information and tools to
assist tribal, state, and local agencies, as well as communities, to reduce criteria pollutant and air
toxics emissions and risks specific to their local areas. Reductions in emissions of mobile source
air pollution, such as components of diesel exhaust, are achieved through: guidance and technical
assistance for state and local CAA mobile source programs in nonattainment and maintenance areas
for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS); establishing national emissions standards
for vehicles, equipment, and fuels, research of public health impacts, and mitigation options; methods
for quantifying multi-pollutant emission reductions for place-based strategies; and partnership
approaches working with tribal, state, and local governments, as well as a variety of non-
governmental stakeholder groups.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.1, Reduce Emissions that Cause
Climate Change in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
To support both climate change and air quality work activities relating to EPA's mobile sources
program, EPA is requesting additional resources in FY 2025. This includes funding for the
development of analytical methods, regulations, and analyses for controlling greenhouse gas,
criteria pollutant, and air toxics emissions from light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles.
Specifically, this includes funding for implementing the multi-pollutant emissions standards,
including for greenhouse gas emissions, for light- and medium-duty vehicles and implementing a
final rule to establish new GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty engines and vehicles. This
also includes resources to address new technical challenges to support these two sets of long-term
rulemakings, which will include added light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle testing and
modeling capabilities at NVFEL. Key to this technical work is to understand the cost, feasibility,
and infrastructure impacts of electrifying the broad range of products in the light-duty vehicle and
heavy-duty vehicle sectors. This will include vehicle demonstration projects focused on zero-
emission technologies, that are rapidly growing in the light- and heavy-duty sectors and will be
strategically important in meeting future multi-pollutant emissions standards.
Ill
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Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program
In FY 2025, the Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program will continue to
focus its efforts on certification responsibilities. The Agency will continue to perform its
compliance oversight functions on priority matters, conducting compliance oversight tests where
evidence suggests noncompliance. EPA will continue to conduct pre-certification confirmatory
testing activities for emissions and fuel economy for passenger cars and will increase on-road
measurements of in-use vehicle emissions. EPA anticipates reviewing and approving about 4,900
vehicle and engine emissions certification requests from vehicle and engine manufacturers,
including light-duty vehicles (LDVs), heavy-duty diesel engines, nonroad engines, marine
engines, locomotives, and others. EPA's certification services have sustained high demand, due to
the number of industries the Agency regulates as well as increasing complexities with each
subsequent change in stringency and rulemaking action. Accordingly, if the Agency receives the
additional funding requested, NVFEL will increase the audit rate of its compliance testing (i.e.,
the number of tests conducted) in each of those areas in FY 2025 aligned with our ongoing risk
assessments. In FY 2023, EPA spent approximately $3 million to conduct this compliance testing
achieving approximately a 10 percent audit rate for light-duty vehicles and a less than 3 percent
audit rate in most other sectors.
EPA utilizes in-use emissions data provided by light-duty vehicle manufacturers to measure
compliance and determine if any follow-up evaluation or testing is necessary. Since calendar year
(CY) 2000, light-duty vehicle manufacturers have been required to test several newer and older
in-use vehicles and provide the data to EPA. The Agency receives over 6,000 emissions tests
results from more than 2,000 vehicles annually. EPA reviews the data and determines if there are
any specific vehicles, models, or manufacturers that are failing in-use emissions standards. The
Agency will use this information submitted by light-duty manufacturers, together with emissions
data collected at NVFEL, to determine if there are vehicle models which should be recalled and
repaired to address excess in-use emissions and that should be identified for testing for the
upcoming model year prior to granting the manufacturer a certificate of conformity, which allows
the manufacturer to sell vehicles in the U.S.
Emission Standards for New Motor Vehicles
In FY 2024, EPA will finalize actions to reduce air pollution and GHG emissions on the
transportation sector's largest contributors to criteria pollutant and GHG emissions: LDVs and
heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). This work supports EPA's long-term performance goal to promulgate
final rules that will reduce GHG emissions, including from light duty, medium-duty, and heavy-
duty vehicles. In FY 2025, EPA will work with stakeholders, including vehicle manufactures, the
power generation sector, refueling infrastructure stakeholders, and others to collect data and
measure the progress industry is making regarding the successful implementation of the highway
vehicle standards established in FY 2024. EPA also will develop and publish progress report(s) on
this work, including as early as FY 2025.
EPA will invest significant resources to address a myriad of new implementation issues to support
these two sets of long-term rulemakings, which will include added LDV and HDV testing and
modeling capabilities at NVFEL. Key to this technical work is to understand the cost, feasibility,
and infrastructure impacts of electrifying the broad range of products in the LDV and HDV sectors.
This will include vehicle demonstration projects focused on zero-emission technologies, which are
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rapidly growing in the light- and heavy-duty sectors and will be strategically important in meeting
future multi-pollutant emissions standards.
Fuel Economy Labeling Requirements
In FY 2025, EPA also will oversee compliance with vehicle fuel economy labeling requirements. In
past years, EPA conducted in-use audits of manufacturer "coast-down" data used for laboratory fuel
economy tests, revealing issues in manufacturer data submitted to EPA and, as a result, found
inaccurate fuel economy labels on more than a million vehicles from several manufacturers. In FY
2025, EPA will continue the coast-down testing program for electric vehicles started in FY 2024,
in response to rising consumer demand associated with an increase in electric vehicle offerings.
Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards Implementation
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing the multi-pollutant emissions standards, including
for greenhouse gas emissions, for light- and medium-duty vehicles beginning with MY 2027 and
extending through and including MY 2032. As a result, the Agency will continue to update and
maintain essential laboratory software and test equipment to ensure compliance with these new
emissions standards once they take effect.
Heavy-Duty GHG and Criteria Emissions Standards Implementation
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing the Heavy-Duty Phase 3 GHG emissions standards
for heavy-duty engines and vehicles beginning with MY 2027 and will continue implementing the
Heavy-Duty 2027 criteria emissions standards for engines and vehicles. Accordingly, the Agency
will update and maintain its critical laboratory equipment as needed to ensure that heavy-duty
engines and vehicles sold in the U.S. comply with these new emissions standards. In addition, EPA
will be collecting comprehensive information as part of its certification and compliance programs
and will be monitoring compliance by manufacturers as well as the major elements of
infrastructure for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. As it has for some previous heavy-duty
programs, EPA will issue periodic public reports that reflect this information.
Marine and Aircraft Emission Reduction Measures
EPA will continue working with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on programs to control pollutant emissions from
marine and aircraft engines, respectively. EPA is supporting the State Department and Coast Guard
on technical issues related to establishing measures to achieve GHG targets established at IMO. At
ICAO, EPA will actively participate in the development of new carbon dioxide (CO2) standards
for decision in February 2025 as well as technical work that could lead to future, more stringent
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emission standards.
In addition to the international efforts for aviation, EPA is continuing its work to address lead in
aviation gasoline. In FY 2024, EPA will announce its final determination that emissions of lead
from aircraft that operate on leaded fuel cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably
be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act. With this finding
and subject to its statutory obligations, EPA in coordination with the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) will continue efforts in FY 2025 to address through regulatory actions lead
emissions from certain aircraft engines as well as potential mitigation measures.
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Locomotive and Land-based Nonroad Engines, Equipment and Vehicles
In alignment with EPA's Strategic Goal 1: (Tackle the Climate Crisis, Objective 1: Reduce
Emissions that Cause Climate Change in the Agency's FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan) and
Executive Order 14008: (Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January 27, 2021))
EPA is devoting resources to the locomotive, nonroad, and marine sectors which are important
sources of GHG emissions, as well as local and regional air pollution, and have a disproportionate
impact on the health of disadvantaged communities. EPA last revised emission standards for these
important sectors more than ten years ago (e.g., 2008 for locomotives, 2004 for land-based nonroad
diesel engines), yet these mobile source sectors continue to contribute significantly to air pollution
at the global, regional, and local level. In addition, technologies which can significantly reduce air
pollution from these sources have evolved significantly in the past 10 to 15 years.
In FY 2025, EPA will accelerate and support the development of new regulations to address the
significant climate change, criteria pollutants, and EJ impacts from these sectors. Addressing these
emissions is critical to accomplishing the Agency's Strategic Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to
Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights, Objective 2.2: Embed Environmental Justice
and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and Activities. EPA is engaging with EJ
stakeholders and conducting analyses that identify disproportionate impacts.
In FY 2025, EPA will conduct the necessary technology assessments, emissions and air quality
analysis, EJ assessment, cost analysis, and economic assessments, and ensure that the regulatory
requirements in the CAA are met for new locomotives, nonroad, and marine transportation
sources, in order to improve air quality, including near communities with EJ concerns.
Furthermore, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District both submitted petitions requesting that EPA undertake rulemaking to
adopt more stringent national emission standards under the CAA regulating NOx and PM
emissions from locomotives. As described in EPA's November 9, 2022, response to these
petitions, the Agency committed to pursue appropriate actions to address air pollutant emissions
from the locomotive sector.
Emissions Modeling
The Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is the Agency's emission modeling system that
estimates emissions for on-road and nonroad mobile sources at the national, county, and project
levels for criteria air pollutants, GHGs, and air toxics. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to maintain
the official version of EPA's model that will be used to estimate impacts of the Agency's emission
control programs and will be used by states and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in their
work to meet the NAAQS, including the development of SIPs and transportation conformity
analyses. The Agency also will support users on any new model releases that incorporate the best
available data and science and account for the latest emission standards.
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory Facility Infrastructure
NVFEL provides all laboratory testing and support functions necessary for the Agency to certify
that all vehicles, engines, and fuels sold in the United States are in compliance with U.S. emission
standards, representing approximately 4,900 certificates issued to vehicle and engine
manufacturers on an annual basis.
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In January 2023, the Agency awarded a new Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) to
pursue an infrastructure upgrade project for the NVFEL facility with projected capital equipment
costs more than $59 million over the lifetime of the contract. The ESPC replaces the mechanical,
electrical, control and building management systems for the Heating, Ventilation and Air-
Conditioning (HVAC) equipment that was at or beyond the end of its useful life. ESPCs,
private/public partnership contract vehicles coordinated through the Department of Energy, use
facilities' energy and operational savings to offset many of the contract costs.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an additional $10 million to reduce the debt interest payment and
the lifetime cost of the ESPC. These resources are critical to support the ability of NVFEL to carry-
out its mission-critical work of certifying vehicle compliance by reducing the annual costs of the
contract. Ensuring industry's compliance is a priority for EPA and an essential safeguard of fair
market competition for manufacturers of vehicles and engines introduced into commerce in the
United States. The ESPC supports the Agency with achieving Executive Order 14057: Catalyzing
Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. The energy savings to be
realized when the ESPC is fully implemented in FY 2025 is estimated to be 34,473 MBtu annually
(39 percent energy reduction) with water conservation of 1.6 million gallons annually (16 percent
reduction) and annual greenhouse gas reduction of 3,158 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)
EPA activity in the fuel sector will focus on the implementation and oversight of the RFS Program.
Congress established renewable fuel volume targets through CY 2022, leaving the Agency to
establish the volumes for CY 2023 and beyond. During FY 2023, EPA issued a final rule ("RFS
Set Rule") to establish such volumes for CY 2023-2025. During FY 2025, EPA will be working
to finalize rulemaking(s) necessary to establish renewable fuel volume targets for the calendar
years beyond 2025.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing the RFS Set Rule provisions and overseeing program
compliance. This work will involve: 1) registering new renewable fuel facilities to enable them to
generate RINs; 2) building critical new capability in EPA's Moderated Transaction System
(EMTS) (EMTS, which is developed, implemented, operated and maintained by EPA, is
fundamental to the tracking of more than 20,000 RIN transactions per day, and the generation of
more than 1.4 billion RINs per month); 3) evaluating and implementing, if appropriate,
enhancements to improve program operations, oversight and enforceability; 4) evaluating and
implementing other IT systems modifications and enhancements that provide the greatest returns
on investment through continuous improvement; 5) ensuring the integrity of the RFS program
through enforcement actions against those using the Program for fraudulent gain; and 6) supporting
the Department of Justice in defending the Agency's implementation of the RFS Program in
numerous challenges in court.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its work related to assessing lifecycle GHG emissions associated
with renewable fuels, as required to implement GHG threshold requirements under the CAA.
Producers of new and advanced biofuels regularly seek to qualify their fuels under RFS, and EPA
will continue to evaluate such feedstocks and fuels to determine eligibility for the Program. The
Agency also will look at ways to update the science and data analysis that supports EPA's
evaluation methodology, including potential new modeling methodologies.
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EPA also will continue to implement gasoline and diesel fuel quality standards and obligations
under the CAA. This includes many of the same compliance and enforcement oversight activities
mentioned above for the RFS. In late 2020, EPA finalized a fuel regulation streamlining rule that
included updated registration, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. EPA will continue
efforts in FY 2025 to implement these requirements through continuous improvement of IT
registration and reporting systems to deliver the full impact and benefit of the investment made in
the streamlined regulations. These include automation and reduced registration, administration,
and reporting burdens for both the regulated community and EPA. Finally, in FY 2025 EPA will
continue its ongoing research into new opportunities to improve and/or protect fuel quality in ways
that can reduce air pollution and improve public health and welfare.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with stakeholders to implement a new electronic reporting
portal for its Fuel and Fuel Additive (FFA) program. EPA implemented an electronic registration
system for the FFA Program in FY 2020; companies once registered may then introduce FFA
products into commerce. Companies still submit related quarterly and annual FFA reports to the
Agency in formats that require EPA to manually transcribe the information into its fuels database.
EPA plans to incorporate FFA reports into the eReporting system in FY 2025 after implementing
higher priority implementation needs in FY 2024.
Supporting Tribal State and Local Governments
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to respond to significant requests from tribal, state, and local
governments for assistance in air quality planning, including SIPs, CAA-required mobile source
programs, and transportation conformity determinations, especially for nonattainment areas
working to attain the ozone and PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA will continue to work with tribal, state, and
local governments to ensure the technical integrity of the mobile source emission estimates in their
SIPs and any Tribal Implementation Plans (TIPs). In addition, EPA will assist states in developing
CAA-required programs—such as new and existing motor vehicle inspection and maintenance
(I/M), fuels, and vehicle miles travelled (VMT) offset programs—as well as identifying place-
based control options and provide policy, technical, and modeling guidance for ozone
nonattainment areas for the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS of higher CAA classifications. In FY
2025, I/M programs will be required in approximately 30 states, summertime fuel programs will
be required in over 20 states, with other CAA mobile source programs required in the most polluted
areas in the country. In addition, in partnership with the Department of Transportation, EPA will
ensure national consistency in how transportation conformity determinations are conducted across
the U.S. and in the development of motor vehicle emissions budgets in SIPs, EPA's adequacy
findings on these budgets, and emission reduction strategies to ensure new transportation
investments to support state air quality goals.
EPA will continue to provide regulations, guidance, state-of-the-science models (such as
MOVES), and assistance to state and local agencies working on CAA-required PM2.5 and PM10
hot-spot analyses. This will help protect public health in local communities, including
communities of color and low-income communities with EJ concerns, near new or expanded
highway and freight terminal projects with significant increases in diesel truck traffic. In addition,
EPA will continue to provide regulations, guidance, and support to states with respect to existing
I/M programs that focus on in-use vehicles and engines. Basic and/or Enhanced I/M testing is
currently being conducted in almost 30 states with EPA technical and programmatic guidance.
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EPA also will continue to provide regulatory actions and technical assistance to certain states
considering changes or removal of low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) fuel programs. Finally, EPA
will continue to develop methods for tribal, state and local agencies to quantify multi-pollutant
emission reductions to address the NAAQS and climate change from available and newly emerging
emission reduction strategies.
Prioritizing Environmental Justice
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with a broad range of stakeholders - including communities
with EJ concerns - to develop targeted, sector-based, and place-based incentives for diesel fleets
(including school buses, ports, and other goods movement facilities) to limit emissions from older
diesel engines not subject to stringent emissions standards. Millions of people in the U.S. currently
live and work near ports and can be exposed to air pollution associated with emissions from diesel
engines at ports, including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and air toxics.5 The near-
port communities that bear the brunt of air pollution from these diesel engines are often comprised
of low-income populations and people of color. EPA will focus its efforts on reducing mobile
source emissions in and around ports through EPA's Ports Initiative6 . EPA will assist tribal, state,
and local governments to reduce emissions in or near communities with EJ challenges to meet
CAA SIP, transportation conformity, and other air quality planning requirements. EPA also is
working with industry to bring about field testing and emissions testing protocols for a variety of
innovative energy-efficient, emissions reducing technologies for the legacy fleet. In December
2022, EPA also finalized a rulemaking to reduce NOx emissions from MY 2027 and later heavy-
duty engines and vehicles, which is a high priority for many communities with EJ concerns.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CRT) Number of certificates of conformity issued that demonstrate that the respective engine, vehicle,
equipment, component, or system conforms to all applicable emission requirements and may be entered into
commerce.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
5,200
5,000
5,000
4,700
4,700
4,900
4,900
4,900
Certificates
Actual
4,869
4,711
4,843
5,351
5,196
4,844
(PM RUL) Number of final rules issued that will reduce GHG emissions from light duty, medium-duty, and
heavy-duty vehicles; electric utility generating units; and the oil and gas industry.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Rules
Actual
1
1
5 For more information, please see the DERA Fifth Report to Congress, August 2022which may be found at:
https://nepis.epa. gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P1015S8Q.pdf.
6 For more information, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ports-initiative.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8,512.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes $1,102
million to support critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028
cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and
implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$1,397.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
lab utilities.
• (+$175.0 / + 1.0 FTE) This change increases FTE to support agencywide implementation of
EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and Evidence Act data
stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$48,448.0 / +45.8 FTE) This program change is an increase that supports activities to
address the climate crisis. This includes funding for implementing the multi-pollutant
emissions standards, including for greenhouse gas emissions, for light- and medium-duty
vehicles and implementing a final rule to establish new GHG emissions standards for
heavy-duty engines and vehicles. This also includes resources to address new technical
challenges to support these two sets of long-term rulemakings, which will include added
light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle testing and modeling capabilities at NVFEL.
Key to this technical work is to understand the cost, feasibility, and infrastructure impacts
of electrifying the broad range of products in the light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty vehicle
sectors. This will include vehicle demonstration projects focused on zero-emission
technologies, that are rapidly growing in the light- and heavy-duty sectors and will be
strategically important in meeting future multi-pollutant emissions standards. This program
change also invests in the maintenance, repair, and replacement of aging test equipment at
NVFEL. This investment includes $9.4 million for payroll costs and essential workforce
support costs.
• (+$10,000.0) This program change is an increase for the Ann Arbor Facility Energy Saving
Performance Contract (ESPC), which supports the ability of NVFEL to carry-out its
mission-critical work of certifying vehicle compliance.
Statutory Authority:
Title II of the Clean Air Act; Motor Vehicle Information Cost Savings Act; Alternative Motor
Fuels Act of 1988; National Highway System Designation Act; Energy Policy Act of 1992; Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU);
Energy Policy Act of 2005; Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
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Enforcement
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Forensics Support
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science A- li'cluioloxy
S N.I 52
N l.\.\12
S IVJ.i-
S3.MI5
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,597
$1,240
$1,720
$480
Total Budget Authority
$15,749
$16,772
$21,057
$4,285
Total Workyears
70.3
70.3
78.7
8.4
Program Project Description:
The Forensics Support Program provides expert scientific and technical support for criminal and
civil environmental enforcement cases, as well as technical support for the Agency's compliance
efforts. EPA's National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) is an environmental forensic
center accredited for both laboratory analysis and field sampling operations that generate
environmental data for law enforcement purposes. It is fully accredited under International
Standards Organization (ISO) 17025, the main standard used by testing and calibration
laboratories, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences.7 The NEIC maintains a
sophisticated chemistry and physical science laboratory and a corps of highly trained inspectors
and scientists with expertise across environmental media. The NEIC works closely with EPA's
Criminal Enforcement Program to provide technical support (e.g., sampling, analysis,
consultation, and testimony) to criminal investigations. The NEIC works closely with other EPA
programs to provide technical support, consultation, on-site inspection, investigation, and case
resolution services in support of the Agency's Civil Enforcement Program.
The Forensics Support Program will continue to provide expert scientific and technical support for
EPA's criminal and civil enforcement efforts, focus its work on collecting and analyzing materials
to characterize contamination, and attribute it to individual sources and/or facilities. The work
NEIC performs typically represents the most complex cases nationwide, requiring a level of
expertise and equipment not found elsewhere in EPA, as well as provides support to evaluate and
leverage emerging technologies for enforcement solutions.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
1 Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, National Academy of Sciences, 2009, available at:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php7record id=12589.
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In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $3.2 million and 4.8 FTE to ensure EPA has the
capacity and technical expertise to investigate, analyze, sample, test, and transport
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to support enforcement work under the American Innovation and
Manufacturing (AIM) Act. EPA will support critical climate change initiatives, including forensics
laboratory support for climate change enforcement efforts both in civil and criminal enforcement.
This is vital to EPA's ability to enforce the HFC phase down regulations to reduce climate impacts.
The Agency will make significant investments to assist with HFC-related enforcement capabilities,
including inspector training, training on and utilizing advanced field sampling equipment, and
expansion of laboratory analytical capabilities to meet the urgent demand for highly complex HFC
and other analysis. The additional funding also will support further development of the Agency's
Geospatial Measurement of Air Pollution (GMAP) van, a mobile tool to help identify Clean Air
Act noncompliance throughout the United States.
The Program is requesting an additional $0.9 million and 3.2 FTE in Forensics Support to increase
the Agency's capacity to complete critical civil inspections of facilities that affect communities
with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns. This investment will help the Agency complete more
complex inspections, as well as provide critical inspection training to agency, state, and local
inspectors. The additional resources will bolster the Agency's impact by ensuring inspectors across
the Agency and the United States have the basic technical knowledge to hold polluters accountable,
especially in overburdened and vulnerable communities. The inspections and training provided by
the increased staff will make an impact on combating climate change, identifying noncompliant
facilities, and ensuring civil enforcement actions prevent further harm to the environment.
In FY 2025, NEIC will continue to utilize resources to actively investigate releases of per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the air, land, and water from processing facilities, waste
disposal facilities, and federal facilities where PFAS are suspected of contaminating various
environmental media. PFAS released into the environment can present an urgent public health and
environmental threat. NEIC provides nationally recognized inspectors, toxicologists, and chemists
to support EPA's PFAS enforcement cases by conducting field investigations, laboratory analysis
and workforce support.
Effective enforcement relies on the best available science. In FY 2025, NEIC will strengthen
efforts for clean air and water protections, aligned with the Administration's goals to hold polluters
accountable for their actions and provide relief to communities with EJ concerns. To achieve these
goals, the Agency will employ NEIC's environmental forensics expertise to investigate violations
of environmental statutes and prosecute environmental crimes in communities that are
disproportionally affected by pollution. NEIC supports EJ concerns by targeting critical industry
inspections in overburdened or vulnerable communities. The NEIC utilizes data to work with
regional offices to take an enforcement action that could ultimately improve air and water quality
around the United States and in communities with EJ concerns.
In FY 2025, NEIC will continue to streamline its forensics work and identify enhancements to the
Agency's field investigation techniques by investing in and using existing and emerging
technology. NEIC is continuing to expand and modernize field and laboratory capabilities to
support the civil and criminal enforcement programs' investigations in support of the National
Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives, including in support of the coal combustion residuals,
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climate change initiatives, and drinking water. The NEIC will continue to build on its previous
progress to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, produce timely and high-
quality civil inspection reports, improve procurement processes, and identify and implement
further efficiencies in laboratory operations. NEIC will continue to enhance the work completed
in FY 2022 and FY 2023 to support criminal and civil program efforts while also growing its
support of EPA enforcement and compliance assurance programs. During FY 2022 and FY 2023,
the NEIC accepted over 320 requests from all ten EPA regions for technical enforcement support.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$291.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
changes to benefits costs, and changes to lab utilities and security costs.
• (+$3,150.0 / +4.8 FTE) This program investment will ensure EPA has the capacity and
technical expertise to investigate, analyze, sample, test, transport, and store HFCs. This
investment includes $888.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$946.0 / +3.2 FTE) This program increase will focus its enforcement efforts on the most
serious environmental violations through the NECIs that seek to improve air quality,
provide clean and safe water, and ensure chemical safety. The increase will support
continued efforts to rebuild EPA's civil enforcement inspector cadre for inspections,
increase analytical capabilities and capacity in support of enforcement efforts. This funding
will enhance EPA's civil enforcement programmatic capabilities to enhance efforts to
address pollution in overburdened and vulnerable communities. This investment includes
$592.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (MARPOL
Annex VI); Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act;
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Mercury-Containing and
Rechargeable Battery Management Act; Noise Control Act; Oil Pollution Act; Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act; Rivers and Harbors Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; American
Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
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Homeland Security
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Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$249
$923
$1,025
$102
Science JS li'cluioloxy
$12,249
SIH.N52
S 3-1.3*1
S 23.-IVV
Total Budget Authority
$12,498
$11,775
$35,376
$23,601
Total Workyears
26.2
26.6
57.6
31.0
Program Project Description:
Under the federal homeland security system, EPA is the Sector Risk Management Agency
responsible for implementing statutory and Presidential directives relating to homeland security
for the water sector. EPA's Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience program is implemented
through close partnerships with the water sector, state emergency response and water program
officials, and other federal agencies, especially the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Intelligence Community. The Water
Security Program engages federal, state, and local entities in defining annual objectives and
identifying high priorities for immediate action.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
This program provides essential resources to coordinate and support protection of the Nation's
critical water infrastructure from terrorist threats and all-hazard events. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to provide exercises and technical support to approximately 4,500 water utilities, state
officials, and federal emergency responders to become more resilient to any natural or manmade
incident that could endanger drinking water and wastewater services, with an emphasis on the
threats posed by climate change and cybersecurity. EPA will provide tools, exercises, and technical
assistance which will address the highest risks confronting the water sector. In providing this
assistance, EPA will provide direct technical assistance and will seek to engage disadvantaged and
underserved communities, some of which may lack the technical capacity and resources to
undertake preparedness and response actions in the absence of such external support.
The Program also supports the Agency's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
implementation priorities including preparing for and responding to climate change events and
cybersecurity challenges so that water systems are more resilient. For instance, in providing
guidance and training associated with IIJA funding, EPA has leveraged its internal cybersecurity
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expertise to identify the types of eligible projects for water systems, promote awareness of the
availability of these funds as well as the application process, during the Agency's extensive
training and technical assistance efforts with the sector.
Natural Disasters. Climate Change, and General Preparedness
Drought, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters represent a high risk to the water sector
due to their frequency of occurrence, their enormous potential for destruction, and the exacerbating
effects of climate change. As evident from several recent natural disasters, the level of
preparedness within the water sector varies significantly—with many utilities lacking adequate
preparedness capabilities. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to improve the preparedness of the water
sector by providing nationwide exercises and technical support to address natural disasters and
general preparedness with the objective to train water and wastewater systems, state officials, and
emergency response partners. In FY 2023, more than 3,500 drinking water and wastewater systems
and water sector partners received training and technical assistance.
Climate change and associated extreme weather events directly threaten water systems' ability to
fulfill their public health and environmental missions as evident from the devastation borne by
events like Hurricanes Ian and Fiona and the decadal long drought and wildfires in the West. The
EPA's Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative advances the long-term sustainability
of the water sector by enabling utility owners and operators to integrate climate change
considerations into their routine planning practices. CRWU provides innovative, but readily
accessible, electronic tools that enable water systems to adapt to climate change and enhance their
resiliency, including through infrastructure improvement plans.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Provide in-person or virtual exercises, workshops, and direct technical assistance to the
water sector, including Incident Command System / National Incident Management
System exercises; drought response; flood response; state functional exercises (e.g.,
scenarios of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes); resource typing and site access
workshops; and regional interstate emergency response exercises (e.g., hurricane).
• Integrate new climate projection data into the flagship climate risk assessment tool, the
Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool (CREAT), which incorporates the
latest projection data for precipitation, temperature, sea-level rise, storm surge components,
and hydrologic changes. EPA will continue to provide extensive nationwide training
sessions for drinking water and wastewater systems as well as a series of train-the-trainer
forums for technical assistance providers to reach smaller utilities, with a significant focus
on overburdened and underserved communities. EPA also will provide direct technical
assistance to large, medium, and small drinking water and wastewater utilities, across the
country, applying CREAT and other CRWU tools, including through developing
infrastructure improvement plans and shepherding systems (especially those in
disadvantaged and underserved communities) through the funding application process.
• Support the water sector in preparing for and responding to supply chain disruptions that
have the potential to impact the availability of water treatment chemicals and other critical
materials needed for drinking water and wastewater system operation by: 1) reviewing and
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processing applications submitted under the authorities of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) Section 1441 and the Defense Production Act; 2) providing general guidance and
direct technical assistance to water systems, state primacy agencies, and other water sector
stakeholders experiencing supply challenges; 3) assessing the supply chain for critical
water treatment chemicals in order to determine the risk of disruptions that could impact
the water sector; and 4) offering a platform for tracking and sharing information about
emerging and ongoing supply chain issues with the potential to impact water system
operations.
• Conduct tabletop and functional exercises to improve the operation of intra-state and inter-
state mutual aid agreements among water utilities.
• Implement lessons learned from the most recent hurricane seasons, as identified by reports
from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Water Agency Response
Network, and EPA's Inspector General.
• Address high priority security areas, as identified in the stakeholder generated Roadmap to
a Secure and Resilient Water and Wastewater Sector to be completed in early 2024,8 with
an emphasis on the following four priorities: 1) promoting the awareness of the critical
lifeline status of the drinking water and wastewater sector and translating that definition
into strong support for the sector's needs and capabilities; 2) improving detection of,
response to, and recovery from contamination incidents; 3) advancing preparedness and
improving capabilities of the drinking water and wastewater sector for area-wide loss of
water and power; and 4) advancing recognition of vulnerabilities and needed responses
related to cybersecurity risk management.
• Conduct nationwide exercises with three critical, inter-dependent sectors: healthcare,
emergency services, and energy. Most incidents, particularly natural disasters, have
underscored the mutual reliance on the water sector with other lifeline sectors. Through
exercises and technical support with officials at the local, state, and federal levels from
these other sectors, EPA will seek to improve coordination among critical lifeline sectors.
• Sustain operation of the Water Desk in both the Agency's Emergency Operations Center
and FEMA's National Response Coordination Center in the event of an emergency by
updating roles and responsibilities, training staff in the incident command structure,
ensuring adequate staffing during activation of the desk, and coordinating with EPA's
regional field personnel and response partners.
• Develop annual assessments, as required under the National Infrastructure Protection Plan,
to describe existing water security efforts and progress in achieving the sector's key
metrics.
Water Security Initiative (WSI)
WSI addresses the risk of contamination of drinking water distribution systems. It has designed
and developed an effective system for timely detection and appropriate response to drinking water
contamination threats and incidents through a pilot program that has broad application to the
Nation's drinking water utilities in high-threat cities. In FY 2025, EPA will continue necessary
WSI Surveillance and Response System (SRS) activities including: 1) continue to refine technical
assistance products based on the five full-scale SRS pilots; 2) implement a monitoring and
response program for water utilities focused on source water chemical spills; and 3) provide direct
8For more information, please see:
https://www.waterisac.org/sites/default/files/public/2017_CIPAC Water_Sector_Roadmap FINAL_051217.pdf
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technical assistance, as requested by water utilities, that seeks to leverage EPA's expertise in
deploying their own warning system.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Continue efforts to promote the water sector's adoption of Water Quality Surveillance and
Response Systems (WQ-SRS). EPA will facilitate user forums and promote the use of
available tools and materials to design and implement a WQ-SRS. These capabilities will
help water systems rapidly detect and respond to water quality problems, such as
contamination in the distribution system, to reduce public health and economic
consequences.
• Build upon the Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters
(DWMAPS)9 and the chemical spill and storage notification requirements in the America's
Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA). EPA will continue to collaborate with water
sector stakeholders, water utilities, and state environmental agencies, to identify specific
information (e.g., what chemicals are stored upstream from a surface water intake),
including Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) Tier 2 data,
that is valuable to creating a comprehensive source water contamination threat inventory.
EPA will continue to promote awareness and provide training on its guidance including
state and federal information resources that can be used to identify potential sources of
contamination. This effort will help to ensure that drinking water utilities have access to
the basic information (e.g., what chemicals are stored upstream from a surface water
intake) necessary for understanding the risk of releases to their sources of drinking water,
as required under AWIA Section 2013, and take steps to mitigate those risks.
• Provide technical support to EPA regions, state primacy agencies, and water systems
during response to contamination incidents. EPA's Water Program has been providing
technical assistance on contamination response for several years (e.g., following wildfires,
the jet fuel contamination incident in Honolulu, Hawaii) and anticipates that requests for
this type of support will continue.
Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA)
In a contamination event, the sheer volume or unconventional type of samples requiring analysis
could quickly overwhelm the capacity or capability of a single laboratory. To address this potential
deficiency, EPA has established the national WLA comprised of laboratories from the local (e.g.,
water utility) to the federal level (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Laboratory
Response Network). In FY 2025, EPA will continue to promote, through exercises, expert
workshops, and association partnerships, the WLA Plan.10 The plan provides a protocol for
coordinated laboratory response to a surge of analytical needs. In FY 2025, under the WLA, EPA
plans to train approximately 50 laboratories to improve their ability to handle potential problems
associated with surge capacity and analytical method capabilities during an emergency.
9 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/somcewateiprotection/driiikiiig-water-iiiapping-application-protect-
source-waters-dwmaps.
10 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork.
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In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Continue to work with regional and state environmental laboratories to conduct exercises
and continue efforts to automate the exercises, enabling laboratories and other members of
the water sector to participate in exercises simultaneously and continue the innovative
practice of pursuing validation of methods through exercises.
• Continue to expand the membership of the WLA with the intention of achieving nationwide
coverage. The WLA has 160 member laboratories that are geographically diverse and can
provide a wide range of chemical, biological, and radiological analyses.11 For the WLA to
become a robust network that can cover major population centers and address a diverse
array of high priority contaminants, membership must continue to increase. Therefore,
EPA will continue to promote membership at regional and national conventions of
laboratory and water utility associations as well as through a series of webinars.
Cvbersecuritv
Cybersecurity represents a substantial concern for the water sector, given that automated process
controls are used to operate most facets of a modern water utility and that many water utilities have
not implemented basic cybersecurity practices. Recent attacks by both inside and outside actors
and their clear potential to disrupt essential lifeline services, such as drinking water supplies, are
prompting a growing recognition that the federal government should adopt a more aggressive
posture towards cybersecurity. EPA will sustain our existing cybersecurity program, such as the
Cybersecurity Evaluation Program, where utilities voluntarily work with a cybersecurity
professional to complete an assessment and generate a risk mitigation plan. EPA also will continue
to provide tabletop exercises on cyber threats, common vulnerabilities, and best practices. EPA
will promote the use of the Water Cybersecurity Assessment Tool to help water systems self-assess
their cyber practices. EPA will continue to produce alerts for the water sector, for example as
occurred for the Russia state threat in 2021, for the China state threat in 2023 (Volt Typhoon), and
for the Iranian state threat in 2023 (CyberAv3ngers).
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to fulfill its obligations under Executive Order 13636: Improving
Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity,12 which designated EPA as the lead federal agency
responsible for cybersecurity in the water sector. EPA will continue to conduct nationwide
exercises and provide technical support on cybersecurity threats and countermeasures for about
200 water and wastewater utilities.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting resources and FTE to:
• Issue guidance documents and conduct a national training program on evaluating
cybersecurity practices at public water systems to support utilities, states, and tribes with
the objective of developing implementation plans to mitigate cyber risks.
11 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/dwkbcert/contact-infoniiation-certifLcation-programs-and-certifLed-
laboratories-drinking-water.
12 For more information, please see: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/executive-order-13636-improving-critical-infrastructure-
cybersecurity.
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• Broaden and transition the Water Sector Cybersecurity Evaluation Program from an onsite
cybersecurity assessment effort targeting about 100 water systems each year to a virtual
assistance program providing direct technical support to thousands of water systems. Under
this initiative, EPA will assess cybersecurity practices at water systems as requested by the
system or the state. EPA will provide a report to the system that shows gaps in
cybersecurity.
• Provide direct support and implement the Cybersecurity Technical Assistance Program for
the Water Sector. Under this program, states and public water systems can submit questions
or request to consult with a subject matter expert (SME) regarding cybersecurity, such as
identifying cybersecurity gaps and selecting appropriate risk mitigation actions. EPA will
strive to have an SME respond to the questioner within two business days. As with the
cybersecurity training work, the Water Sector Cybersecurity Evaluation Program and the
Cybersecurity Technical Assistance Program constitute a critical investment of resources
vital to achieving the policy outcome of reducing cybersecurity risk to the Nation's water
systems.
• Conduct classroom exercises, at locations across the country, on water sector
cybersecurity. The exercises will address cybersecurity threats (including ransomware),
vulnerabilities, consequences, best practices, and incident response planning.
• Update and/or develop new course materials to respond to the evolving nature of
cybersecurity threats. One example of such updates is the FY 2023 alerts and training
concerning the potential for China-state actors to infiltrate water system industrial control
processes and business enterprise functions.
• EPA is requesting $25 million for a Cybersecurity grant, under the STAG appropriation,
to help water systems establish or update the necessary cybersecurity infrastructure to
address the rising threats from sophisticated state actors and criminal organizations. These
funds would enable water systems to adopt basic cybersecurity hygiene measures, the
inadequate adoption of which, across the sector, has rendered water systems and the
communities they sustain at high risk from disabling cyberattacks.
America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA)
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its efforts to fulfill the requirements of the Community Water
System Risk and Resilience Section 1433 of SDWA, as amended by AWIA. Specifically, EPA
will prepare community water systems, subject to the law, for the second round of certifications
which are due beginning in 2025. SDWA requires each community water system, serving more
than 3,300 persons, to review its risk and resilience assessment at least once every five years to
determine if it should be revised. Upon completion of such a review, the system must submit to
EPA a certification that it has reviewed its assessment and revised it, if applicable. Further, each
community water system, serving more than 3,300 persons, must review and, if necessary, revise
its emergency response plan at least once every five years after the system completes the required
review of its risk and resilience assessment. The emergency response plan must incorporate any
revisions to the risk and resilience assessment. Upon completion of this review, but not later than
six months after certifying the review of its risk and resilience assessment, the system must submit
a certification that it has reviewed its emergency response plan and revised it, if applicable. EPA
will apply lessons learned from the first round of certifications to refine guidance, tools (e.g.,
emergency response plan templates), training, and the online certification portal. EPA also will
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provide individual technical assistance to water systems to help with the recertification
requirements of SDWA Section 1433.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM DW-07) Number of drinking water and wastewater systems, tribal and state officials, and water sector
partners provided with security, emergency preparedness, and climate resilience training and technical
assistance.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2.H00
3,500
4,500
4,500
Systems
and
Partners
Actual
V139
3,895
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$19,409.0 / +25.0 FTE) This program change is an increase of resources and FTE to
implement actions to mitigate the risks of cyberattacks in the water sector as well as
increase the Agency's ability to respond to cyber incidents that endanger safe drinking
water to communities. This investment includes $4,623 million for payroll and additional
changes to fixed support costs.
• (+$4,090.0 / +6.0 FTE) This program change is an increase of resources and FTE to support
the Water Sector Cybersecurity Program to enhance cyber incident preparation, response,
recovery, information sharing, and intelligence for water utilities to protect infrastructure.
This investment includes $1,109 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act, §§ 1431-1435; Clean Water Act; Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Emergency and Response Act of 2002; Emergency Planning and Community Right-
to-Know Act, §§ 301-305.
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Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
S 20 J '(>
S25.3-! '
S-It). SO 2
S
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$36,249
$34,661
$57,358
$22,697
Total Budget Authority
$62,624
$60,008
$98,160
$38,152
Total Workyears
116.1
124.1
145.3
21.2
Program Project Description:
Exposure to hazardous chemical agents, microbial pathogens, and radiological materials
released into the environment can pose catastrophic consequences to the health of first responders
and American citizens. EPA has responsibility, under statutory law and Presidential Directives, to
remediate contaminated environments created by incidents such as terrorist attacks, industrial
accidents, or natural disasters.
EPA's disaster-related research topics, under the Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP),
are: 1) contaminant characterization and consequence assessment; 2) environmental cleanup and
infrastructure remediation; and 3) community engagement and systems-based tools supporting
resilience equity.
The research supports EPA in carrying out its primary mission essential function to help
communities prepare for, endure, and recover from disasters - safeguarding their health, economic,
environmental, and social well-being. Researchers collaborate with states, local communities,
tribes, private sector organizations, and federal agencies13 to deliver effective tools, methods,
information, and guidance that address both critical terrorism related issues and natural or
manmade disasters.
EPA also is responsible for operating and maintaining the network of near real-time radiation
monitors, known as RadNet, a key resource necessary for responding to certain incidents as noted
within the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex to the National Response Framework. This network
is critical in responding to large-scale incidents, such as the accident at the Fukushima nuclear
facility, potential incidents in Ukraine, and is an EPA Critical Infrastructure/Key Resource asset.
This monitoring network is supported by the IT system known as ARaDS, the Analytical Radiation
Data System.
13 Partners include: Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DOD), Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation
(NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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Recent Accomplishments of the Homeland Security Research Program include:—
Securing Safe Water During Emergencies:
EPA's HSRP researchers partnered with a nonprofit organization to develop a modular, mobile
water treatment system known as Water on Wheels - Emergency Mobile Water Treatment System
(also known as the WOW Cart).15 This WOW cart has been serving communities who need clean
water in the aftermath of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, levee break, flooding, etc.16 In
addition, the HSRP's Water Network Tool for Resilience (WNTR) has been used to help assess
how water distribution systems might behave during future disruptions and provided
recommendations to increase resilience of these systems.17 WNTR also was used to investigate
the performance and resilience of a drinking water system during increased demands due to various
1 8
emergencies.
Improving Preparedness for Radiological/Nuclear Incident Response:
Radiological incidents require advanced planning and rapid response to minimize health risks to
residents and mitigate long-term impacts to infrastructure and the environment. EPA's HSRP
developed a tool that can track and quantify radiological contamination in stormwater systems
following such an incident.19 HSRP also developed other tools to provide first responders,
emergency planners, residents, and others in the community with easily accessible and easy-to-use
methods for various response missions such as containment, decontamination, waste management,
etc., after radiological contamination.20'21
Continued Efforts to Enhance Bio Incident Response:
EPA HSRP continues to develop and evaluate characterization and decontamination methods and
enhance national preparedness to respond to biological incidents. HSRP researchers developed
methods for effectively sampling biological agents in the outdoor environment, such as water,
vegetation, soil, etc.22'23'24'25 HSRP research also provided responders with practical information
on decontamination techniques that have been found to be effective for inactivating biological
agents on various surfaces and materials.26'27'28'29 These resources better prepare communities for
responding to and ultimately recovering from biological incidents.
14 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/national-research-programs.
15 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response-research/water-wheels-
mobile-wa ter- trea tment-sv s tem-wo w-cart.
16 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response-research/wow-cart-
deplovments.
17 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/%28ASCE%29WR.1943-
5452.0001.607.
18 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://ascelibrarv.org/doi/abs/10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-5631.
19 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=355687&Lab=CESER.
20 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergencv-response-research/radiological-decontamination-query-tool
21 For more information, please see:
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public file download.cfm?p download_id=546646&Lab=CESER.
22 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/sijublic record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=355726&Lab=CESER
23 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36104633/.
24 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=355343&Lab=CESER.
25 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=356092&Lab=CESER.
26 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36822624/.
27 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/3605661.31.
28 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=356257&Lab=CESER.
29 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=355794&Lab=CESER.
132
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Research is planned and prioritized based on the needs of end-users of this science, including EPA
program and regional offices (e.g., Regional On-Scene Coordinators), water utility companies,
states, local communities, territories, and tribes.
In FY 2025, the Homeland Security Research Program will conduct research under the three disaster-
related research topics as follow below.
Contaminant Characterization and Consequence Assessment:
• Continue advancing the ESAM Program30 for sampling procedures, processing, and
analysis for contamination incidents to inform and support risk mitigation,
decontamination, and clearance.
• Improve tools to inform, support, and enhance the ESAM Program for the environmental
characterization process for contaminants.
• Conduct research to evaluate groundwater modeling tools for contaminant fate and
transport and apply the tools in case studies.
• Improve the existing Trade-off Tool for Sampling31 platform to enable functionality for
creating or importing three dimensional environments.
Environmental Cleanup and Infrastructure Remediation:
• Evaluate the efficacy of a variety of decontaminants against spores, viruses, and bacterial
agents as a function of contamination level outside of the primary contamination zone,
including agricultural scenarios.
• Conduct research to study the efficacy, operational concerns, and material compatibility
for decontamination of chemical contamination incidents.
• Conduct research to identify a decontamination approach for premise plumbing impacted
by salt water for return to service and to assess sea or brackish water at flushing
contamination out of water infrastructure.
• Improve HSRP waste tools to include data sharing capabilities across multiple tools and
support for future dashboard integration.
Community Engagement and Systems-Based Tools Supporting Resilience Equity.
• Develop an improved methodology to collect data and produce transparent results to
inform response progress during contamination incidents.
• Develop a reference guide for responders to make informed sampling or other response-
related decisions following a hazardous release, particularly within urban areas.
• Conduct research to identify mechanisms to ensure disaster waste staging decisions achieve
social and environmental objectives while advancing environmental justice and equity
principles and practices.
30 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/esam
31 For more information, please see: https://tots.epa.gov/
133
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Radiation Monitoring
The RadNet fixed monitoring network provides near real-time radiation monitoring coverage near
each of the 100 most populous U.S. cities, as well as expanded geographic coverage for a total of
140 monitoring sites. The RadNet air monitoring network provides the Agency, first responders,
and the public with greater access to data. Should there be a radiological emergency, RadNet
improves officials' ability to make decisions about protecting public health and the environment
during and after the incident. Additionally, RadNet data is used by scientists to better characterize
the effect of a radiological incident.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to operate and maintain the RadNet air monitoring network,
continue to add exposure rate meter capability to the network, and provide essential maintenance
to the network. To best maximize resources, exposure rate meter capability will be added to
monitors when needed repairs are called for. This expansion will enhance the federal government's
ability to effectively communicate radiation measurement information to the public and to non-
technical decision makers after a radiological release. In addition to aiding in explaining data to
the public and decision makers, the addition of exposure rate meters aligns EPA's monitoring
system with that of the international community.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an increase of approximately $12.2 million and 9.5 FTE to update
the aging equipment that monitors the nation's air for radiation. As a part of this, EPA also will
modernize IT infrastructure for the ARaDS and support enhanced lab and field office facility
operations and maintenance.
Research Planning
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published their fourth generation of the
StRAPs,32 which continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) ensures the integrity and value of its research
through a variety of mechanisms that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement33 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
32 The StRAPs are available here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-2026
33 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
134
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• Tribal Partnerships
o Key Tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between Tribal and Agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety and
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$217.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes funds to
support critical agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (-$102.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of lab
fixed costs.
• (+$3,159.0 / + 5.7 FTE) This program change is an increase to conduct research on agents
of concern and emerging threats. This increase will support the development of bio-
surveillance protocols for populations and surface waters as well as support EPA's Water
Emergencies Initiative. In addition, this increase will expand EPA's capabilities and
research at its biosafety level-3 facility in Fort Meade, MD. This investment includes $1.06
million in payroll.
• (+$12,181.0 / + 9.5 FTE) This program change is an increase in resources and FTE to
update the aging equipment that monitors the nation's air for radiation. Should there be a
radiological emergency, RadNet improves officials' ability to make decisions about
protecting public health and the environment during and after an incident. This increase
also will modernize IT infrastructure for ARaDS and support enhanced lab and field office
facility operations and maintenance. This includes $1,788 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act, §§ 102, 103; Safe Drinking Water Act, §§ 1431-1435,
1442; Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, §§1411-1412; Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002; Toxic Substances Control Act, § 10; Oil
Pollution Act; Pollution Prevention Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Clean Water Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Food Quality Protection Act;
Food Safety Modernization Act, §§ 203, 208.
135
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Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
S6.059
S5.1XX
S5.15X
-S30
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$625
Sf>25
s.wi
-$12-/
Building and Facilities
$3,944
$6,676
$6,676
$0
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,167
$1,029
$1,530
$501
Total Budget Authority
$11,795
$13,518
$13,865
$347
Total Workyears
12.3
13.3
13.3
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 13.3 FTE to support Homeland Security Working Capital Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
This program supports activities to ensure that EPA's physical structures and assets are secure and
operational and that physical security measures are in place to help safeguard staff in the event
of an emergency. These efforts also protect EPA's vital laboratory infrastructure and testing
assets. Specifically, funds within this appropriation support security needs for the National
Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL).
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to provide enhanced physical security for the NVFEL, its
employees, visitors, and test articles, which include prototype vehicles and engines. This funding
supports the cost of security enhancements required as part of an agency security assessment
review.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$124.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of lab
fixed costs.
136
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Statutory Authority:
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; Homeland Security Act of 2002;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
137
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Indoor Air and Radiation
138
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Indoor Air: Radon Program
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$2,844
$3,364
$5,147
$1,783
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$70
.s/yy
SI "i
-$26
Total Budget Authority
$2,914
$3,563
$5,320
$1,757
Total Workyears
8.0
9.0
12.4
3.4
Program Project Description:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to take a variety of actions
to address the public health risks posed by exposures to indoor radon. Under the statute, EPA
studies the health effects of radon, assesses exposure levels, sets an action level, provides technical
assistance to states, industry, and the public, advises the public on steps they can take to reduce
exposure, and promotes the availability of reliable radon services and service providers to the
public.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States - and the leading cause of
lung cancer mortality among non-smokers - accounting for about 21,000 deaths per year.34 EPA's
non-regulatory Indoor Air: Radon Program promotes actions to reduce the public's health risk
from indoor radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested for radon
and if radon levels above EPA's guidelines are confirmed, elevated levels should be reduced by
home mitigation using proven, straightforward techniques. EPA also recommends that new homes
be built using radon-resistant features in areas where there is elevated radon. Nationally, risks from
radon have been reduced in millions of homes, but millions are still in need of mitigation.
Additionally, low-income families and tribal communities lack access to resources to address
radon. This voluntary program promotes partnerships between national organizations, the private
sector, and more than 50 state, local, tribal and territory governmental programs to reduce radon
risk.
These resources, combined with resources for the Indoor Air: Radon Program from the
Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) account, supports the Radon Reference and
Intercomparison Program (ERRIP) of the National Analytical Radiation Environmental
Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama. The ERRIP is the only federal National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable primary radon reference and calibration program
34 For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/radon.
139
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accessible to the U.S. radon industry and is a critical element of the framework for promoting the
availability of reliable, quality radon services for the public.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA will provide radon reference intercomparison samples to secondary radon chambers (known
as ERRIP participants) operating in the United States to analyze. EPA then submits the radon
reference data to the Radon Accrediting Board(s) to evaluate and assess the performance of the
ERRIP participant. EPA will update and modernize program equipment and perform required
Quality Assurance/Quality Control on program analytical process and procedures.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM LCD) Number of lung cancer deaths prevented through lower radon exposure.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
1,881
1,981
2,083
2,162
Deaths
Prevented
Actual
1,482
1,578
1,684
1,795
1,894
1,970
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$3.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$29.0) This program change decreases resources for radon reference intercomparison
work.
Statutory Authority:
Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA); Title III Toxic
Substances Control Act; Clean Air Act.
140
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Radiation: Protection
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$8,390
$9,088
$11,748
$2,660
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$2,321
S1.(,S3
S 2.41U
$733
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$2,081
$2,472
$3,144
$672
Total Budget Authority
$12,792
$13,243
$17,308
$4,065
Total Workyears
57.3
54.8
67.2
12.4
Program Project Description:
EPA supports contaminated site characterization and cleanup by providing field and fixed
laboratory environmental, radiological, and radioanalytical data and technical support, providing
radioanalytical training to state and federal partners, and developing new and improved
radioanalytical methods. Many of the sites with radioactive contamination are surrounded by
economically disadvantaged communities including, for example, tribal lands in the southwestern
United States and former industrial sites located outside major urban areas.
In the event of a radiological accident or incident, the National Analytical Radiation
Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama, and the National Center for
Radiation Field Operations (NCRFO) in Las Vegas, Nevada, provide analytical and field operation
support for radioanalytical testing, quality assurance, analysis of environmental samples, and field
measurement systems and equipment to support site assessment, cleanup, and response activities.
Together, these organizations provide technical support for conducting site-specific radiological
characterizations and cleanups.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA, in cooperation with states, tribes, and other federal agencies, will provide
ongoing site characterization and analytical support for site assessment activities, remediation
technologies, and measurement and information systems. EPA also will provide essential training
and direct site assistance, including field surveys and monitoring, laboratory analyses, health and
safety, and risk assessment support at sites with radioactive contamination.
141
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$44.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$54.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of lab
utilities.
• (+$635.0 / +2.2 FTE) This program change is an increase that supports addressing critical
gaps in EPA's radiological protection capacity including the ability to provide ongoing site
characterization and analytical support for site assessment activities, radioactive waste
storage and disposal approaches, remediation technologies, and measurement and
information systems. This investment includes $407.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Energy Policy Act of 1992; Nuclear Waste Policy Act
of 1982; Public Health Service Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation
Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act of 1992;
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Clean Water Act.
142
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Radiation: Response Preparedness
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
S2.111
$2,650
$3.185
$535
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$3,200
S.i.i'M
S-I.HI>2
SI. 200
Total Budget Authority
$5,311
$6,246
$7,987
$1,741
Total Workyears
29.6
33.3
41.4
8.1
Program Project Description:
The National Analytical Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama,
and the National Center for Radiation Field Operations (NCRFO) in Las Vegas, Nevada, provide
field sampling and laboratory analyses to respond to radiological and nuclear incidents. This work
includes measuring and monitoring radioactive materials and assessing radioactive contamination
in the environment. This program comprises direct scientific field and laboratory activities to
support preparedness, planning, training, and procedure development. In addition, program
personnel are members of EPA's Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT), a component
of the Agency's emergency response program, and are trained to provide direct expert scientific
and technical assistance. EPA's RERT is part of the Nuclear Incident Response Team under the
Department of Homeland Security.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA's RERT will provide critical support for federal radiological emergency response
and recovery operations under the National Response Framework and the National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. When necessary, EPA's RERT will
complement routine operations (e.g., on-site technical support/consultation and laboratory
analyses) and provide for the rapid collection of field measurements/samples and accurate
radionuclide analyses of environmental samples.35
In FY 2025, NAREL and NCRFO will build capacity in core levels of readiness for radiological
emergency responses; participate in critical emergency exercises; and respond, as required, to
radiological incidents. NAREL and NCRFO will prioritize rapid deployment capabilities to ensure
that field teams and laboratory personnel are ready to provide scientific data, field measurement
35 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radiological-emergency-response.
143
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capabilities, analyses, and updated analytical techniques for radiation emergency response
programs across the Agency.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RAD2) Percentage of radiation emergency response program personnel and assets that meet functional
readiness requirements necessary to support federal radiological emergency response and recovery
operation.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
•JO
92
92
92
Percent
Actual
87.7
87.1
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$134.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of lab
utilities.
• (+$1,072.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support activities for
preparedness work, including basic laboratory analytic functions and field operations. This
investment includes $817.0 thousand for payroll and additional fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Homeland Security Act of 2002; Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA); Public Health Service Act (PHSA);
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA).
144
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Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 3.281
SI 3.593
S47.570
S33.977
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$27
s:s
SI iS'5
-$93
Total Budget Authority
$13,309
$13,871
$47,755
$33,884
Total Workyears
35.3
39.2
71.4
32.2
Program Project Description:
Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) authorizes EPA
to conduct and coordinate research on indoor air quality, develop and disseminate information,
and coordinate risk reduction efforts at the federal, state, tribal and local levels. Poor indoor air
quality represents one of the most significant public health risks within EPA's responsibility.36
EPA uses a range of strategies to reduce health risks from poor indoor air quality in homes, schools,
and other buildings through partnerships with non-governmental, professional, federal, state, and
local organizations. Through these partnerships EPA provides information, guidance, and
technical assistance to equip industry, the health care community, the residential, school, and
commercial building sectors, and the general public to take action. As technical experts working
at the intersection of the built environment and health, EPA is focused on policy and guidance to
improve building conditions, including for disproportionately impacted communities, to reduce
indoor air risk and achieve improvements in environmental and health outcomes.
Tribes have identified indoor air quality as a high priority and often bear disproportionately high
impacts from poor indoor air quality. For example, Native Americans and Alaska Natives
disproportionately suffer from asthma, in part due to poor housing conditions and the associated
increase in exposure to indoor air pollutants.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will respond to regional requests for field measurements, assessments, and
technical support.
36 For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/iaq.
145
-------
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$12.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$81.0) This reduction of resources diminishes the capacity to conduct field
measurements, assessments, and provide technical support for indoor air quality
remediation. This disinvestment will result in the elimination of in-person Tribal training
courses on indoor air quality intervention and remediation approaches as well as limited
ability to respond to regional requests for field measurements, assessments, and technical
support.
Statutory Authority:
Title IV SARA; Title III Toxic Substances Control Act; Clean Air Act.
146
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IT / Data Management
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$95,631
$91,821
$108,601
$16,780
Science JS li'cluioloxy
s.u.s'y
s.i./y-
S JJ-/6
SI-/'J
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$22,040
$19,764
$19,645
-$119
Total Budget Authority
$121,160
$114,782
$131,592
$16,810
Total Workyears
457.5
490.9
510.9
20.0
Total work years in FY 2025 include 175.0 FTE to support IT/Data Management working capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The work performed under the Information Technology/Data Management (IT/DM) Program
supports human health and the environment by providing critical IT infrastructure and data
management. Science and Technology (S&T) resources for EPA's IT/DM Program fund the
following activities: Quality Program,37 EPA National Library Network, and Web Infrastructure
Management.
The Quality Program provides quality policy, procedures, standards, and guidance for
environmental information collection, production, evaluation, and use activities. These activities
are performed by or for the Agency to ensure sound decisions are based on quality to support their
intended use as EPA strives to protect human health and the environment. The Quality Program
provides Quality Assurance (QA) directives, training, oversight, and technical support to assist
EPA organizations in implementing their Quality Program for environmental information
operations. It also oversees the implementation of EPA's Information Quality Guidelines (IQGs).
EPA's National Library Network provides information resources and services to EPA staff and the
public in support of EPA's mission. Web Infrastructure Management provides accessible, relevant,
timely, accurate, and complete environmental information to EPA's employees, partners, and
stakeholders, as well as the public, through the websites and digital services which constitute
EPA's internet presence.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
37 For more information about EPA's Quality Program, please see: https://www.epa.gov/quality.
147
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EPA's Quality Program provides implementation support to all EPA organizations that have
environmental information operations described in an approved Quality Management Plan (QMP).
In FY 2025, the Quality Program will:
• Assess organizations that have an approved QMP and identify findings requiring corrective
action, areas needing improvement, and leveraging best practices.
• Focus on promoting sound science and ensure scientific integrity by promoting better planning
to produce improved environmental information. Evaluate environmental information through
use of the QA Annual Report and Work Plan and annual certification by Assistant and Regional
Administrators.
• Manage and provide oversight for the IQGs to ensure that information disseminated by or
for EPA conforms with the Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality,
Objectivity, Utility and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the Environmental
Protection Agency criteria.38 The Quality Program will facilitate the development of the
Agency's responses to public requests for correction and reconsideration of information
disseminated by EPA and report this information to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB). The Quality Program also will continue to focus on implementing
recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Audit Report, EPA Needs to
Address Internal Control Deficiencies in the Agencywide Quality System 39 The Program
will give priority to implementation of revised Quality Directives for QMPs and Quality
Assurance Project Plans, and the IQGs.
• Engage as a resource with EPA's state and tribal partners and environmental justice
communities and support the Climate Change Program to ensure QA processes and
procedures are in place to protect human health and the environment.
The Agency's S&T resources for IT/DM also will help provide library services through the EPA
National Library Network to all EPA employees and environmental information access to the
public, as well as support the hosting of EPA's websites and web pages. One EPA Web will
continue to manage content and support internal and external users with information on EPA
business, support employees with internal information, and provide a clearinghouse for the Agency
to communicate initiatives and successes.
In FY 2025, EPA will work to transform the Agency's libraries to meet the needs of the 21st
Century. This involves operating in an increasingly online and mobile environment; providing
services and resources at the customer's point of need; prioritizing the thorough assessment of
print materials to support strategic space usage; utilizing detailed data to ensure print collections
are highly relevant to the Agency's needs and centralizing core services; and relying on technology
and a team of professional librarians to disseminate information and connect people to resources
they need to support the demands of both internal and external requests.
38 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/qualitv/guidelines-ensuriiig-aiid-maxiiiiizing-quality-obiectivitv-utilitv-
and-integrity-information.
39 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/office-inspector-general/report-epa-needs-address-intemal-control-
deflciencies-agencywide-quatity.
148
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$149.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act; Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-
Cohen Act (CCA); Rehabilitation Act of 1973 § 508; and the National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTA), (PL 104-113).
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Operations and Administration
150
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Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
Vo..*_\S'
S(> '.500
S ~2.V0f>
S.\-I0f>
Building and Facilities
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$803
$754
$729
-$25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Flazardous Substance Supertund
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Science and Technology (S&T) resources in the Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Program
fund the Agency's rent, utilities, and security. The Program also supports centralized
administrative activities and support services, including health and safety, environmental
compliance and management, facilities maintenance and operations, space planning, sustainable
facilities and energy conservation planning and support, property management, mail, and
transportation services. Funding for such services is allocated among the major appropriations for
the Agency.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $5.4 million in the Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program to support agencywide climate sustainability and resiliency initiatives, and EPA facilities'
operating costs and projects. Investing in the reconfiguration of EPA's workspaces enables the
Agency to release office space and avoid long-term rent costs, consistent with the Federal Assets
Sale and Transfer Act.40 Thesejesources are essential to help EPA reduce the number of occupied
leased facilities, consolidate and optimize space within owned facilities, and reduce square
footage. The Agency's space consolidation and energy efficiency efforts result in cost avoidances
due to projected rent and utility increases in out-years. For FY 2025, the Agency requests $29.25
40 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.congress.gOv/bill/l 14th-congress/house-bill/4465. Federal Assets Sale
and Transfer Act of 2016.
151
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million for rent, $18.31 million for utilities, and $11.99 million for security in the S&T
appropriation. EPA uses a standard methodology to ensure that rent charging appropriately reflects
planned and enacted resources at the appropriation level.
EPA will continue conducting climate resiliency assessments at EPA-owned facilities to identify
critical upgrades that are necessary to improve facility resiliency against the impacts of climate
change, such as roof stabilization or seawall construction projects. EPA also will continue
incorporating natural hazard and climate vulnerability assessments into their real property risk
management process. In FY 2025, EPA will conduct climate assessments at the Andrew W.
Breidenbach Environmental Research Center, and Center Hill Research Facility in Cincinnati, OH,
and the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. As a result of FY 2022
assessments, EPA initiated two high priority projects in FY 2023: a feasibility study to improve
the resilience of the causeway leading to the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division
campus in Gulf Breeze, FL, and a solar array feasibility study at the research facility in
Narragansett, RI.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce.41 EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting organizational
health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments 42 Even if modifications are kept to a minimum, each move requires initial funding
to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. These investments support
sustainable federal infrastructure and the clean energy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
In FY 2025, EPA will implement energy, water, and building infrastructure requirements with
emphasis on environmental programs (e.g., Environmental Management Systems, Environmental
Compliance Programs, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification, alternative
fuel use, fleet reductions, telematics, and sustainability assessments). This funding will support
investments in infrastructure (e.g., architectural and design) and mechanical systems (e.g.,
Optimized Building Managements Systems for heating and cooling with load demand driven
controls).. In line with federal sustainability goals, EPA will work to utilize 100 percent carbon
pollution-free electricity on a net annual basis by 2030.
EPA also will meet regulatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
obligations determined through audits and assessments and will provide health and safety training
to field staff (e.g., inspections, monitoring, and on-scene coordinators). The Agency will continue
its partnership with GSA to utilize shared services solutions, USAccess, and Enterprise Physical
Access Control System (ePACS) programs. USAccess provides standardized HSPD-12 approved
41 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) and EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/)
42 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
152
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Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card enrollment and issuance and ePACS provides centralized
access control of EPA facilities, including restricted and secure areas.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Facilities Infrastructure and
Operations Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$446.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to adjustments for rent,
utilities, security, and transit subsidy needs.
• (+$4,960.0) This program change supports implementation of EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability requirements that will require
EPA to increase facility resiliency against the impact of climate change and to advance
sustainability of EPA operations. This investment increases support for EPA facilities
projects to ensure EPA has optimal footprint to support the proposed FTE increase in the
FY 2025 Budget request, continue ongoing EPA laboratory consolidation projects, and
support agencywide climate sustainability and resiliency initiatives such as facility climate
assessments and Optimized Building Managements Systems.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
153
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Pesticides Licensing
154
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Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$59,740
S62.125
$66,281
$4,156
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$3,034
N ,\VU2
S3. (ION
Total Budget Authority
$62,774
$65,019
$72,183
$7,164
Total Workyears
398.6
385.6
385.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pesticide Programs screen new pesticides before they reach the market and ensure that
pesticides already in commerce are safe. As directed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (F1FRA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act
of 2022 (PRIA 5),43 EPA is responsible for registering and re-evaluating pesticides to protect
consumers, pesticide users, workers who may be exposed to pesticides, children, and other
sensitive populations.
To make regulatory decisions and establish tolerances (e.g., maximum allowable pesticide residues
on food and feed) for food use pesticides and for residential or non-occupational use, EPA must
find the pesticide safe. This involves considering cumulative and aggregate risks and ensuring
extra protection for children as required by the FQPA. Aggregate assessments ensure that there is
reasonable certainty that no harm will result from aggregate exposure to the pesticide chemical
residue, including all anticipated dietary exposure and all other exposure for which there is reliable
information. For cumulative assessments, the Agency is required to consider available information
concerning the cumulative effects of such residues and other substances that have a common
mechanism of toxicity. The Agency must balance the risks and benefits of other uses. For
antimicrobial pesticides with public health claims, EPA requires that manufacturers perform tests
to ensure the efficacy (i.e., performance) of products per the labelling. In anticipation of future
public health emergencies, the Pesticide Program evaluates public health claims for antimicrobial
products, including the accelerated availability of disinfectants determined to be effective against
emerging pathogens and development of study designs to support the generation of innovative
products, including those that can reduce airborne transmission of these pathogens. This program
operates two laboratories, the Microbiology Laboratory44 and the Analytical Chemistry
Laboratory.45
43 On December 29,2022, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2022 (PRIA 5), which reauthorizes PRIA for
5 years through fiscal year 2027 and updates the fee collection provisions of the FIFRA, was signed into law.
44 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiology-laboratory.
45 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analytical-chemistry-laboratory-acl.
155
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
This FY 2025 request includes an increase of $3.0 million to invest in several areas across the
Environmental Science Lab in Fort Meade, Maryland. This facility is comprised of a Microbiology
Lab Branch and an Analytical Chemistry Branch. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will
continue to develop and validate methods for multi-residue pesticide analyses, including furthering
test protocols, providing technical review of data and reports. The laboratory also will provide
technical analyses and support to states, EPA Regions and the Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance (OECA) in enforcement cases related to the potential misuse of or illegal
pesticides. Additionally, this lab maintains EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository and
distributes more than 5,000 standards yearly to States and Regions for use in validating test results,
calibrating instruments, and/or for identifying and quantifying pesticide residues. In addition, the
laboratory will continue to provide technical support to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs to
develop and standardize test protocols relating to the performance of portable monitoring devices
measuring post-application levels. Finally, work will continue the development and release of
additional testing methods related to identifying and quantifying PFAS residues in High Density
Polyethylene (HDPE) containers. These efforts are critical to ensuring the safety of pesticide
products within channels of trade, including those available for use by the public.
These funds are needed to replace aging critical lab equipment, enhance operation specifications
for MLB's BSL-3 laboratories, and modernize the lab's capabilities to be responsive to homeland
security & other emerging issues (e.g., pandemics). The additional funding will support the
following critical lab purchases:
• Update and/or purchase equipment to meet more current laboratory specifications for a
biosafety level 3 (BSL-3).
• Replace autoclave in B207 (BSL-3 virus lab) with a new pass-through autoclave.
• Replace current environmental monitoring system equipment shared by both Pesticide
Program laboratories with more current technology to enhance operation specifications
related to maintaining the BSL-3 laboratory.
• Modernization of IT in BSL-3 laboratory (LAN, scanner, tablets/software for paperless
recordkeeping, etc.)
• Pass-through port for both BSL-3 laboratories.46
• Enlargement of BSL-3 anterooms to provide additional safety measures.
• Dedicated shower-out capability in the lab wing.
The Microbiology Laboratory will continue to protect human health by ensuring the availability
of scientifically sound efficacy test methods for antimicrobial pesticides (e.g., hospital
disinfectants used to treat surfaces). By developing new methods for new uses and emerging
pathogens, the regulated community can register new products as well as new claims for existing
products. These efforts will benefit the public because of the critical support the Laboratory
46 For more information please visit: https://www.enviropass.com/products/medical-pass-throughs/specimen-pass-through/.
156
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provides to inform regulatory actions for public health pesticides, identify pathways for approval
of pathogen-specific claims, and allow for marketplace penetration of these products.
Specifically, in FY 2025, the Microbiology Laboratory will:
• Continue to work on the development of new regulatory guidance and implementation
materials on a quantitative method for bactericidal claims to support adoption of the
method for regulatory purposes.
• Continue to work on the data collection, analysis, and development of new regulatory
guidance and implementation materials on a quantitative method for fungicidal claims to
support adoption of the method for regulatory purposes.
• Complete approval process for generation of a new ASTM standard method for Legionella
in recirculating water for cooling tower remediation.
• Provide efficacy testing and technical support for workplans for the Antimicrobial Product
Evaluation Program (APEP) pursuant to EPA's response to the Office of the Inspector
General (Report No. 16-P-0316).47
• Complete data collection for the revised residual self-sanitizer and disinfectant methods
and submit them for comment and/or through ASTM.
• Complete a regulatory guidance document and implementation strategy for evaluating the
efficacy of antimicrobial towelettes.
• Continue to develop laboratory capacity for conducting efficacy testing with Biosafety
Level 3 (BSL-3) microorganisms at the Environmental Science Center in Ft. Meade,
Maryland. EPA's Pesticide Program has the only EPA laboratory with physical
containment laboratories to manage BSL-3 microbes.
• Continue collaboration with the Office of Research and Development's Homeland Security
and Materials Management Division (HSMMD) Senior Research Microbiologist whose
duty station is in the Microbiology Laboratory and who will lead ORD research efforts in
support of meeting OCSPP needs under ORD's Homeland Security Research Program.
• Continue to expand viral testing and method development to respond to emerging viral
pathogens.
In FY 2025, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue to protect human health by
ensuring the availability of appropriate analytical methods for analyzing pesticide residues in food
and feed and ensuring their suitability for monitoring pesticide residues and enforcing tolerances.
In addition, the Laboratory will:
• Develop improved analytical methods and protocols using state of the art instruments to
replace outdated ones, thus increasing laboratory efficiency and accuracy of the data.
• Continue to develop new methods to support EPA's overall efforts on identifying PFAS
compounds and potential routes of exposure. Additional methods specific to types of
pesticide formulations will continue to progress, including methodology to quantify PFAS
residues in pesticide formulations of varying chemistries {i.e., those containing
47 See. Report No. 16-P-0316, "Report: EPA Needs a Risk-Based Strategy to Assure Continued Effectiveness of Hospital-Level
Disinfectants," found at: https://www.epa.gov/ofFLce-iiispector-general/report-epa-needs-risk-based-strategy-assure-contiiiued-
effectiveness.
157
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surfactants). Collaborate with federal and non-federal laboratories to validate and
standardize these methods.
• Continue testing of pesticide products, as requested, to ensure products are free of PFAS.
With part of the increase proposed in this request, EPA plans to purchase an analytical
instrument dedicated for method development and testing of PFAS in pesticide products,
to minimize PFAS cross contamination.
• Provide analytical support to fill in data gaps for the Pesticide Programs' Section 18
emergency exemption applications, and to perform studies for use in risk assessments and
ultimately, risk mitigation decisions.
• Provide analytical assistance and technical advice to the EPA Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance (OECA) and to all regional offices in the enforcement of pesticide
product integrity, of domestic products and products imported to the US under the USMC
agreement (USMCA). This could disproportionately impact members of communities with
environmental justice (EJ) concerns who might not speak English, who may be targeted by
illegal imports, and who may not know how to look for approved products.
• Verify that pesticides products are properly formulated.
• Operate EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository.48
Preventing Disease through Public Health Pesticides: Antimicrobial Testing
EPA's Antimicrobial Testing Program (ATP), starting in 1991, was charged with testing hospital
sterilants, disinfectants, and tuberculocides since 1991 to help ensure that products in the
marketplace meet stringent efficacy standards. EPA is in the process of developing a new risk-
based testing strategy in response to OIG recommendations.49 Consistent with the OIG
recommendations, EPA suspended the ATP in November 2017. EPA released a draft risk-based
strategy, renamed the Antimicrobial Performance Evaluation Program (APEP), in October 2019
for public comment and will continue to seek public input prior to implementation as early as FY
2025. Implementation of the APEP will benefit public health by ensuring approved antimicrobials
meet contemporary efficacy standards.
The Microbiology Laboratory will continue to develop efficacy methods to support EPA's
antimicrobial pesticide regulatory programs. The results of these efforts will help ensure products
are available to control various bacteria (e.g., Clostridioides difficilej, viruses (e.g., Mpox
(formerly monkeypox) and other emerging pathogens) and biofilms and to inform EPA's method
development activities in FY 2024 and beyond.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect Human Health
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
48 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-analytical-methods/national-pesticide-standard-
repository.
49 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/antimicrobial-performance-evaluation-
program-apep.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$29.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$17.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to recalculation of laboratory
fixed costs.
• (+$3,054.0) This increase provides additional resources to invest in a Biosafety Level 3
Lab at Fort Meade, MD. These funds are needed to replace some aging critical lab
equipment and modernize the lab's capabilities to be responsive to homeland security &
other emerging issues such as pandemics and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA), §408.
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Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$45.217
$48,704
$75,963
$27,259
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$2,468
S-l.2JtV
S I.V05
Total Budget Authority
$47,685
$51,038
$80,202
$29,164
Total Workyears
299.4
259.6
282.1
22.5
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pesticide Program screens new pesticides before they reach the market and ensures that
pesticides already in commerce are safe. As directed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (F1FRA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by
the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act
of 2022 (PRIA 5),50 EPA is responsible for registering and re-evaluating pesticides to protect
humans, plants, animals, and ecosystems that are not targets of the pesticide.
Under FIFRA, the Agency must balance the risks and benefits of other pesticide uses. For
antimicrobial pesticides with public health claims, EPA requires that manufacturers perform tests
to ensure the efficacy {i.e., performance) of products per the labelling.
In addition to FIFRA responsibilities, the Agency has responsibilities under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA).51 Under ESA, EPA must ensure that pesticide regulatory decisions will not
destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat or result in jeopardy to the continued
existence of species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) or the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS). Where risks are identified, EPA must work with FWS and NMFS in a
consultation process to ensure these pesticide registrations also will meet the ESA standard.
Under the Science and Technology appropriation, EPA's Pesticide Program operates two
laboratories, the Microbiology Laboratory52 and the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory,53 that
support the goal of protecting human health and the environment through diverse analytical testing
and analytical method development and validation efforts. These laboratories provide a variety of
50 On December 19, 2022, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2022 (PRIA 5), which reauthorizes PRIA for
5 years through fiscal year 2027 and updates the fee collection provisions of the FIFRA was signed into law.
51 See. ESA sections 7(a)(1) and 7(a)(2); Federal Agency Actions and Consultations (16 U.S.C. § 1536(a)), available at the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service ESA internet site: https://www.fws.gov/service/section-7-consultations.
52 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiology-laboratory.
53 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analytical-chemistry-laboratory-acl.
160
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technical services to EPA, other federal and state agencies, tribal nations, and other organizations
to ensure the protection of the environment from pesticide risk.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
This FY 2025 request includes an increase of $1.99 million to invest in several areas across the
Environmental Science Lab in Fort Meade Maryland._EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories
provide a diverse range of environmental data that the Agency uses to make informed regulatory
decisions. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory and the Microbiology Laboratory each provide
critical laboratory testing and support activities to assist the decision-making processes of the
Agency. The laboratories develop standard methods to evaluate the performance of antimicrobial
products such as disinfectants used in hospital settings, and validate analytical chemistry methods
to ensure that EPA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), and the states have reliable methods to measure and monitor pesticide
residues in food and the environment.
These funds are needed to replace some aging critical lab equipment and modernize the lab's
capabilities to be responsive to homeland security & other emerging issues (e.g., pandemics). The
additional funding will support the following critical lab improvements:
• Update and/or purchase equipment to meet more current laboratory specifications for a
biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) lab, the only such lab at EPA.
• Replace autoclave in B207 (BSL-3 virus lab) with a new pass-through autoclave.
• Replace current environmental monitoring system equipment and contract shared by both
Pesticide Program laboratories with more current technology since both laboratory
branches are currently covered under the existing environmental monitoring system
contract.
• Modernization of IT in BSL-3 laboratory (LAN, scanner, tablets/software for paperless
recordkeeping, etc.)
• Pass-through port for both BSL-3 laboratories.54
• Enlargement of BSL-3 anterooms to provide additional safety measures.
• Dedicated shower-out capability in the lab wing.
Laboratory activities in FY 2025 will include continuing to lead collaborative studies with other
laboratories to validate testing methods for antimicrobial products to determine their efficacy
against pathogens such as Legionella; working with the Antimicrobials Division on the
implementation of an appropriate performance standard for a revised method for measuring the
efficacy of disinfectants quantitatively; working with state laboratories to share method
development and analyze samples, as requested; and working with investigations to evaluate the
composition of potentially illegal pesticides.
54 For more information please visit: https://www.envkopass.com/products/medical-pass-throughs/specimen-pass-through/
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In FY 2025, the Microbiology Laboratory plans to continue to work with the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security and USDA to evaluate various environmentally relevant materials such as
porous materials (e.g., wood, concrete, fabric, tile, etc.) which simulate use sites in livestock,
poultry, and other food animal rearing operations. Outbreaks of avian influenza, African swine
fever, Newcastle Disease virus, and other pathogens can devastate American agriculture, and the
persistence of these viruses on surfaces is not well understood. Currently, due to the unavailability
of standardized quantitative test methods to simulate real-world conditions, the response to an
animal pathogen outbreak and submission of requests under FIFRA Section 18 to address these
outbreaks rely on published, often antiquated, data. Thus, the use of commonly available chemicals
for remediation (e.g., citric acid, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, etc.) of contaminated sites
without extensive knowledge of their environmental impact from such widespread use is
problematic.
The goal of the Microbiology Laboratory is to develop a quantitative approach for assessing the
effectiveness of antimicrobial products against high consequence animal viruses and other
pathogens. Through this approach, EPA will provide a tool for the development of high-quality
efficacy data on relevant surface materials. The availability of the method to the regulated
community will support the development of new antimicrobial products following contemporary
regulatory requirements.
In FY 2025, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue to focus on analytical method
development and validations as well as special studies to address specific, short-term, rapid-
turnaround priority issues, including specifically, the development and release of new methods for
the analysis of PFAS in formulated pesticide products as well as a method for quantifying the
amounts of PFAS in container walls. These methods, once validated, will provide standardized,
critical tools for the analysis of pesticide residues for PFAS, supporting the first portion of EPA's
strategic plan to effectively identify these compounds and potential routes of exposure.
The Laboratory also will continue to provide technical and analytical assistance to EPA's
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program and regional offices to determine levels of
pesticide residues in soil, sediment, crops, and water from agricultural uses (for purpose of
tolerance enforcement and product usage enforcement) and/or from accidental spills around
pesticide treatment plants (for purpose of cleanup and remediation).
Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizes EPA to
allow Emergency Exemptions (also called "Section 18s") for unregistered uses of pesticides to
address emergency conditions. Under such an exemption, EPA allows limited use of the pesticide
in defined geographic areas for a finite period of time once EPA confirms that the situation meets
that statutory definition of "emergency condition." The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory also will
continue to provide national technical analytical support for the development of data needed for
the Pesticides Program's risk assessments and for Section 18 emergency exemptions, and to
perform studies for use in risk mitigation.
162
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Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$86.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to recalculation of laboratory
fixed costs and additional changes to fixed support costs.
• (+$1,991.0) This increase provides additional resources to invest in a Biosafety Level 3
Lab at Fort Meade, MD. These funds are needed to replace aging critical lab equipment
and to modernize the lab's capabilities to increase the capacity and responsiveness for
homeland security incidents and other emerging issues of concern such as pandemics.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Endangered Species Act (ESA).
163
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Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$5,774
$7,637
$8,316
$679
Science JS li'cluioloxy
$963
SV25
$1,0-10
SI 15
Total Budget Authority
$6,738
$8,562
$9,356
$794
Total Workyears
30.0
35.8
35.8
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories provide significant contributions to help the Agency realize
the value of pesticides. They consist of the Microbiology Laboratory55 and the Analytical
Chemistry Laboratory,56 both of which support the goal of protecting human health and the
environment through diverse analytical testing, analytical method development, and validation
efforts. Laboratories provide a variety of technical services to EPA, other federal and state
agencies, tribal nations, and other organizations to ensure the value of pesticide availability is
realized.
The primary focus of the Microbiology Laboratory is standardization of existing test methods and
the development and validation of methods for new uses and emerging pathogens for antimicrobial
products with public health claims - products used to kill or suppress the growth of pathogenic
microorganisms on inanimate objects and surfaces. The Microbiology Laboratory is instrumental
in advancing the science of antimicrobial product testing and provides technical expertise to
standard-setting organizations and various agency stakeholder groups.
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory provides scientific, laboratory, and technical support
through chemical analyses of pesticides and related chemicals to protect human health and the
environment. The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory's responsibilities include providing technical
support and chemical analyses of pesticides and related chemicals; developing new multi-residue
analytical methods; and operating EPA's National Pesticide Standard Repository,57 which collects
and maintains pesticide standards {i.e., samples of pure active ingredients or technical grade active
ingredients, regulated metabolites, degradants, and related compounds).
55 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-microbiologv-laboratory.
56 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-analvtical-chemistry-laboratorv-acl.
57 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-analytical-methods/national-pesticide-standard-
repositorv.
164
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will realize the benefits of pesticides by ensuring the continued operation of the
National Pesticide Standard Repository. The Microbiology Laboratory and the Analytical
Chemistry Laboratory will continue to conduct chemistry and efficacy evaluations for
antimicrobials. As the recognized source for expertise in pesticide analytical method development,
EPA's Pesticide Program laboratories will continue to provide quality assurance review, technical
support, and training to EPA's regional offices, state laboratories, and other federal agencies that
implement the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
The Analytical Chemistry Laboratory will continue to maintain the National Pesticide Standard
Repository (NPSR) and collect and maintain an inventory of analytical standards of registered
pesticides in the U.S. EPA provides these pesticide standards (approximately 4,000 to 5,000
annually) to qualified federal, state, territorial, and tribal laboratories for food and product testing,
environmental monitoring, and enforcement purposes. This lab has implemented several changes
in the operation of the NPSR to increase its efficiency and to better serve regulatory laboratories.
Changes included requiring requests to be grouped for pesticide standards, instituting an inventory
control system focusing on high demand standards, asking registrants to package pesticide
standards in ready-to-be-shipped quantities, and installing a chemist as the lead staff person to
ensure adherence to new protocols. These changes resulted in the improvement in the operations
of the lab including a decrease in the turnaround time for shipping repository samples from 15 to
10 days. These changes also helped federal agencies, states, and tribal laboratories expedite
enforcement efforts. Further process enhancements will continue in FY 2025 and beyond,
specifically in minimizing the number of non-usable expired standards that are shipped as chemical
waste.
In FY 2025, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory also will continue its work in: developing and
validating multiresidue methods using state-of-the-art methodology and instrumentation;
providing chemical analysis for assessing risk to human health and to the environment from
agricultural use of pesticides; and providing technical support to EPA regional offices to ensure
that pesticide products are formulated according to approved labels.
In FY 2025, the Microbiology Laboratory will continue to evaluate FIFRA Section 18 emergency
exemptions and novel protocol requests for new uses and novel pathogens. The Laboratory also
will continue the development of data and methods to support Section 18 for high consequence
animal pathogens (e.g., African swine fever, Newcastle disease virus, etc.). In addition, the
continued work to develop new methods for emerging pathogens (e.g., Legionella, Candida auris,
etc.) and clinical porous materials provides a pathway for registrants to add new claims to existing
antimicrobial pesticides. In some cases, the methods will lead to the development of new products
when currently registered formulations are not effective against emerging pathogens. The
Laboratory anticipates supporting up to 25 requests for these activities in FY 2025.
165
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The Microbiology Laboratory also will continue to refine and develop methods to support EPA's
Section 3 and Section 18 regulatory programs, continuing to develop testing methods for
evaluating effectiveness of disinfectant products against airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus and other
emerging pathogens. In addition, the Laboratory will collaborate with EPA's Homeland Security
Research Program to develop guidance for registrants seeking to make long-term disinfectant
efficacy claims and explore novel control and application options for disinfectant products. The
Laboratory also will continue to develop a quantitative efficacy test method which may provide a
pathway for evaluating disinfectant claims for porous material (vinyl, room divider curtains, etc.).
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$115.0) This program change is an increase to support laboratory Operations and
Maintenance costs and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) § 408.
166
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Research: Air and Energy
167
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Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Program Area: Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
s IN.fov
SIOO.-I-IS
SNO.JV
.S.{V,WV
Tolal Budgel Aulhorily
SI 14,659
5> 100,448
i>l 40,297
5)39,849
Total Workyears
263.3
264.0
300.7
36.7
Program Project Description:
Air pollution harms human health and the environment, yet millions of Americans still live in or
near geographic areas that do not meet national standards for air pollutants. Climate change is
impacting public health, air, and water quality today and will exacerbate additional existing
environmental challenges in the future. Many air pollution sources are in communities with
Environmental Justice concerns which can be further exacerbated by the impacts of climate
change.
To address these and other air pollution issues, including the growing threat of air pollution from
wildfires which have been intensified by climate change, EPA's Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE)
Research Program provides scientific information to EPA program and regional offices, tribes,
states, and other partners. ACE advances the science needed to attain the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS),58 reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), address the
causes and consequences of climate change and environmental inequities, and develop more
resilient communities to protect human health and ecosystems. The ACE Research Program also
contributes to understanding the impacts of interventions that reduce air pollution exposures and
protect public health; strategies to prepare, adapt, and build resilience; and responses to the
transformation of our energy systems.
The ACE Research Program is centered around two interrelated research topic areas: 1)
understanding air pollution and climate change and their impacts on human health and ecosystems
and 2) responding to risks and impacts and preparing for the future. The ACE Research Program
relies on successful partnerships with a variety of organizations including academic and industry
researchers, tribes, states, local and private sector organizations, as well as key federal agencies.
58 Section 109 of the Clean Air Act identifies two types of national ambient air quality standards - primary standards provide
public health protection, including protecting the health of "sensitive" populations such as children, older adults, and persons
with pre-existing disease such as asthma or cardiovascular disease and secondary standards provide public welfare protection,
including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, wildlife, soils, water, crops, vegetation, and buildings.
Unless otherwise stated, in this document the term NAAQS will refer to both primary and secondary standards.
168
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Recent Accomplishments of the ACE Research Program include:59
• Air Pollutant Emissions: In FY 2023, EPA researchers assessed emissions of Ethylene
Oxide (EtO) from a chemical facility in the midwestern U.S. that had installed EtO
emission controls. Using new approaches for mobile and stationary measurements,
researchers found that even with point-source controls, EtO can be emitted from different
areas of the facility, including railcar switchovers, batch reactor washouts, transfer pumps,
and wastewater tanks60. Additionally, in FY 2023, researchers used EPA's Community
Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) to study how natural sources of dimethylsulfide
emissions, produced by oceans, wetlands, plants, and soil impact atmospheric sulfate in
the U.S. Sulfate is a pollutant and an important component of atmospheric processes
affecting climate change and air pollution. The study found dimethylsulfide emissions
increase sulfate over land and seawater, with the biggest impacts occurring in the
northwestern U.S. states and Florida during spring and fall.61 EPA researchers also
addressed the critical need for improved air-quality modeling in extreme cold weather
environments in Alaska. They participated in the multiagency 2022 Alaskan Layered
Pollution and Chemical Analysis (ALPACA) field study and developed a CMAQ
wintertime modeling platform for Fairbanks, Alaska. Analysis of data gathered in this
collaboration confirmed this is a useful tool that the State of Alaska will use to understand
its air pollution composition and develop control strategies to address the severe particulate
matter (PM) pollution problem in Fairbanks.62
• Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Health: In FY 2023, EPA researchers
analyzed how nitrogen deposition affects carbon storage in U.S. forest ecosystems. They
found that while nitrogen deposition can increase overall carbon storage, there is wide
variability across species and regions, with both increases and decreases. Overall, the
impact of nitrogen deposition on carbon storage is diminishing, with implications for
climate change.63 Also in FY 2023, researchers used high-resolution modeling to evaluate
the impact cold-water refuges can have on the migration of salmon and trout during high-
temperature days. The study found that cold-water refuges can lower fish exposure to
physiologically stressful temperatures more likely under future climate scenarios. These
refuges can thus help salmon and trout fish maintain a diversity of migration patterns,
which influence their survival and reproductive potential.64
• Energy and Transportation System Emissions: In FY 2023, EPA researchers evaluated
emissions of methane from oil and gas production, finding that the largest methane emitters
in this sector are pneumatic devices and leakage from storage tanks.65 Researchers released
a public version of the Global Change Analysis Model Long-term Interactive Multi-
Pollutant Scenario Evaluator (GLIMPSE), to assist in air quality, climate, and energy
planning. GLIMPSE is being used to support state planning for the Climate Pollution
Reduction Grants provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act.66
59 For more information, please see https
60 For more information, please see https
61 For more information, please see https
62 For more information, please see https
//www.epa.gov/research/national-research-programs.
//doi.org/1.
).1.016/i.aeaoa.2Q23.1.0021.4.
//doi. org/1.
).3390/atmosl4040660.
//dec.ala ska.gov/media/25pfupho/121 -technical-modeling-report-02-10-2023.pdf and
https://meetingorganizer.copemicus.org/EGU23/EGU23-6258.html.
63 For more information, please see https
//doi. org/1
) If
)38/s43247-023-00677-w.
64 For more information, please see https
//doiorg/H
).].{
)02/ecs2.4265.
65 For more information, please see https
//doi. org/1
) If
) 16/i .aeaoa.2022.100193.
66 For more information, please see https
//www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/quantifVing-enerey-saviiigs-and-greeiihouse-gas-
ghg-reductions.
169
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• Wildfire Smoke and Water Quality Impacts: Climate change is contributing to the
increased size and intensity of wildfires, and states and communities are increasingly
concerned about exposure to wildfire smoke and other impacts on the environment. In FY
2023, EPA researchers developed new emissions factors for biomass burning based on
aerial sampling during prescribed burns67. The research resulted in a new test method for
using unmanned aircraft systems to measure emissions from fires68. Additionally, EPA
researchers reviewed the scientific literature to better understand wildfire impacts on water
quality. They found that after wildfires, water contaminants can be greatly increased, and
in some cases exceed regulatory levels in treated drinking water.69 Researchers also
analyzed air pollution on smoke-impacted days and found that after fires burned buildings
and vehicles, toxic metals were present in the particulate measured far downwind from the
fires.70 Finally, researchers found "do-it-yourself' (DIY) air cleaners can be very effective
in reducing fine-particle concentrations and delivering clean air during wildfire smoke
events, with the best performance using a box design with four air filters.71 Findings were
shared with partners in Missoula, MT and the Hoopa Valley Tribe. In addition, the team has created
72
infographics and frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are available on the EPA website. This information
on air cleaners also is included in the updated American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidance on Planning Framework for Protecting Commercial Occupants
73
from Smoke During Wildfire Events.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
The ACE Research Program prioritizes key activities to support the attainment of the NAAQS and
implementation of stationary and mobile source regulations, as well as foundational science to
inform decision-making with consideration of increasing climate change impacts. The ACE
Research Program includes work to develop, evaluate, and apply measurement methods and
models incorporating the latest physical science and understanding of behaviors that impact the
system. The planned research responds to identified needs in areas of emerging concern to the
Administration, EPA, tribes, and state policymakers, including climate change, Environmental
Justice (EJ) and equity, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), ethylene oxide, and wildland
fires.
The FY 2025 Budget requests an increase of $39.9 million above the FY 2024 ACR level. This
investment will substantially advance research to assess the impacts of climate change on human
health and ecosystems including but not limited to the areas of emphasis below:
67 For more information, please see https://d0i.0rg/l0.1016/i.atmosenv.2023.1.1.9769.
68 For more information, please see https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2022-
08/Other%20Test%20Method%2048%20w%20Cover%20Letter.pdf.
69 For more information, please see https://doi.Org/1.0.1.029/2021.WR030699.
70 For more information, please see https://d0i.0rg/l 0.1.021./acs.est.2c02099.
71 For more information, please see https://d0i.0rg/l 0.1.1.1.1/ina. 1.31.63.
72For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/researcli-diY-air-cleaiiers-reduce-wildfire-siiiok.e-iiidoors.
73For more information, please visit: https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/Technical%20Resources/CQ' lainiiiig-
Framework-for-Protecting-Commercial-Building-Qccupants-from-Smoke-During-Wildfire-Events.pdf.
170
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• Assess human and ecosystem exposures and effects associated with air pollutants on
individual, community, regional, national, and global scales, both today and in the future,
under a changing climate.74
• Assess the consequences of climate change and the vulnerability of communities and
ecosystems to climate change impacts, including wildfires and other extreme events; and
identify and evaluate strategies to adapt and build resilience to these impacts.
• Advance the Administration's science-based approach to improving wildfire readiness by
enhancing wildfire data and communications related to air quality and helping communities
become "smoke ready." Smoke-ready communities benefit community health by
coordinating community-level action related to monitoring outdoor air quality, creating
clean indoor air, and communicating actionable public health messaging.
• Characterize disproportionate impacts of climate change and air pollution in vulnerable
communities and identify and evaluate strategies to reduce impacts in those communities.
• Develop and evaluate innovative multi-pollutant and sector-based approaches to
preventing pollution, particularly in vulnerable communities.
• Characterize the positive and negative environmental effects of energy efficiency and
renewable energy and evaluate strategies to expand the benefits of transformations in
transportation and energy systems, especially for vulnerable communities.
• Develop and evaluate low-cost approaches to measure methane from fugitive and area
sources, including leaks from oil and gas production and emissions from municipal solid
waste landfills, as well as approaches for measuring methane and other greenhouse gases
(GHG) from reservoirs and other water bodies.
• Provide human exposure and environmental modeling, monitoring, metrics, and
information needed to inform air quality and climate change decision-making at the federal,
tribal, state, and local levels.
• Deliver state-of-the-art tools that tribes and states can use to identify effective emission
reduction strategies to meet the NAAQS and enhance air quality measurement and
modeling methods to ascertain current and future compliance with the NAAQS, including
potential impacts from the changing climate.
• Develop and apply approaches to evaluate the positive and negative environmental impacts
of the transition to a low-carbon energy system.
• Provide support to regional offices, state, tribal, and community partners to address
increased needs for scientific information and tools to inform effective climate change
adaptation and mitigation actions at the local scale.
In addition, the ACE Research Program will implement the EPA Climate Adaptation Action
Plan,75 support the increased resilience of EPA's programs, and strengthen the capacity of states,
tribes, territories, and communities.
74 Beyond effects associated with ambient air exposures, consideration of potential human and ecosystem exposures, and effects
associated with deposition of air pollutants to water and land also are evaluated.
75 The ORD Climate Adaptation Plan is located here: https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2022-10/bh508-
ORI)%2 Olnipl enieiita tion%2 0Ptan%2027%20 Sep%202022. pdf.
171
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Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that is developed with and
reflects the research needs of agency programs and regional offices, states, and tribes. Each
research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the StRAPs,76 which
continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems
encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various external groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement77 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program, which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RD2) Number of ORD activities related to environmental justice that involve or are designed to be
applicable to tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
113
113
113
Activities
Actual
N/A
117
(PM RD3) Percentage of ORD climate-related research products meeting partner needs.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
100
100
Numerator
1
25
Products
Denominator
1
25
76 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
77 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
172
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(PM RD4) Percentage of OR I) environmental
justice-related research products meeting partner needs
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
100
100
Numerator
1
3
Products
Denominator
1
3
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$186.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$107.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$36,783.0 / +33.7 FTE) This program change reflects an increase to the Air, Climate,
and Energy Research Program. This increase is targeted to EPA's commitment to enhance
its efforts to combat this global issue of Climate Change. This will substantially increase
its research to assess the impacts of climate change on human health and ecosystems. This
investment includes $6,437 million in payroll costs.
• (+$382.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program change reflects an increase to address skill gaps
identified in EPA's workforce and establishes a real-time research capability to respond to
emergencies. This investment includes $382.0 thousand in payroll.
• (+$1,191.0 / +1.0 FTE) This change will be used to implement the EPA Climate Adaptation
Action Plan, support increased resilience of EPA's programs, and strengthen the capacity
of states, tribes, territories, and communities. This investment includes $191.0 thousand in
payroll costs.
• (+1,200.0) This program change reflects an increase to support the climate-macro
interagency technical workgroup, advancing linked physical climate risk and economic
modeling efforts. Specifically, these funds will support the Integrated Climate Science
Program and the assessment of Federal Financial Climate Risk.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act; Title II of Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; Environmental
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA); National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102; Pollution Prevention Act (PPA); Global Change
Research Act of 1990.
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Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability
174
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Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainabilitv
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$153
$0
$0
$0
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
sw>.s:s
N VJ.xVI
SI <>(>.21 -
S U.M>~
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$5,476
$8,060
$8,060
$0
Total Budget Authority
$102,457
$100,610
$114,277
$13,667
Total Workyears
268.8
276.7
315.4
38.7
Program Project Description:
EPA's Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research Program provides scientific and
technical approaches, information, tools, and methods to support the Agency and others in making
better-informed and more timely decisions about chemicals and their potential risks to human
health and the environment.78 Products under the CSS Program strengthen the Agency's ability to
use the best available science to evaluate and predict human health and ecological impacts from
the use, reuse, recycling, and disposal of manufactured and naturally occurring chemicals and their
by-products.79
The CSS Research Program informs agency decisions about chemicals, accelerates the pace of
chemical assessment and decision-making, and helps replace, reduce, and refine the use of
mammals in evaluating chemical risks to ecological systems and human health. CSS products
inform various agency programs established to implement environmental regulations and govern
agency actions - which include evaluating existing and new chemicals (Toxic Substances Control
Act [TSCA]); developing and using alternative testing protocols (TSCA, Federal Insecticide
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act [FIFRA]); protecting the Nation's food supply (Food Quality
Protection Act [FQPA]); addressing product safety (Federal Food Drug Cosmetics Act [FFDCA]);
supporting chemical prioritization (TSCA, Safe Drinking Water Act [SDWA]); supporting the
development of safer and more sustainable chemicals and alternatives (Pollution Prevention [P2]
Act [PPA]); evaluating pesticide registrations (FIFRA, Endangered Species Act); and mitigating
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Superfund remediation sites.
Research activities under CSS are coordinated with the activities of other national research
programs and the results produced inform several cross-cutting, high-priority research topics. For
example, planned research will address per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), climate
change, and risks in communities with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns. Coordination with
78 For the current CSS StRAP, please see: Strategic Research Action Plans Fiscal Years 2023-2026 1 US EPA
79 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/cheiiiical-research.
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the Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Research Program ensures that the
approaches, tools, and information produced under CSS can be used to improve chemical hazard
identification and dose-response assessments, reduce uncertainties associated with those
assessments, and increase the speed of delivering chemical information to the Agency.
The CSS Research Program is organized into eight integrated research areas that include research
on toxicity, exposure, human health, ecological health, chemical modeling and prediction, and
chemical integration and informatics. These research areas fulfill requirements for chemical
evaluation under TSCA (as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st
Century Act); as part of SDWA; pesticide evaluation under FIFRA; chemical testing for endocrine
system impacts under FQPA; agency implementation of TSCA Section 5 (New Chemicals) and
Section 6 (Existing Chemicals); the development of safer and more sustainable chemicals and
alternatives under PPA and TSCA, and identification of contaminants of emerging concern. The
CSS Research Program provides ongoing support to the Agency's Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention Program for the successful implementation of these TSCA activities, as well as their
evaluation of pesticides under FIFRA.80
Recent Accomplishments of the CSS Research Program include:
• Advancement of New Approach Methods (NAMs): CSS research informed the
development of a guidance document, published in June 2023,81 on the use of developmental
neurotoxicity NAMs data in Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) case
studies. This work was done in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD) and other international regulatory partners. The
CSS Program also has developed a comprehensive public training program for
NAMs, first launched in 2021.82
• Continued Release, Evolution, and Updating of Multiple Digital Information Products to
Inform Decision Making: Research and development for the following systems continue to
meet the information needs of decision-makers:
o The CompTox Chemicals Dashboard is the Agency's 'first-stop-shop' for information
on chemical properties, characteristics, structure, toxicity, exposure, and persistence. The
Dashboard allows for flexible searches including chemical and functional use and has
batch search functionality. As of the December 2023 release, the Dashboard contains
curated data on over 1.2 million chemicals,
o The ECOTOXKnowledgebase84 serves as the comprehensive, publicly available source of
environmental toxicity data on aquatic life, terrestrial plants, and wildlife. The December
2023 release of the ECOTOX Knowledgebase contains over 1.1 million records and
provides information on over 12,000 chemicals and over 13,000 species from over 54,000
references.
80 For more information, please see https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/chemical-research-i11fonn-decision-111aki11g.
81 For more information on the OECD guidance document, see: https://www.oecd.org/env/ehs/testing/developmental~
neurotoxicity.htm.
82 To view the NAMs Training, visit: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/new-approach-methods-nams-training.
83 For more information, please see: https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard.
84 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ecotox/.
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o The Chemical Transformation Simulator85 continues to develop as a web-based tool for
predicting environmental and biological transformation pathways for organic chemicals.
Recently, the Simulator was expanded to include environmental transformation
information for PFAS chemicals,
o SeqAPASS86 is a tool that enables the extrapolation of toxicity information across species.
Version 7.0, released in August 2023, provides users the opportunity to add another line of
evidence for extrapolating knowledge across species by incorporating protein structural
evaluations.
8 7
O Cheminformatics analysis modules provide information on chemicals including high-quality chemical
structures, experimental and predicted physicochemical properties, environmental fate and transport
information, and linked toxicity data. The data allow users to search and compare a variety of chemical and hazard
88
information to evaluate the potential health effects of chemicals. The newly released beta version of ChemExpo is a
free, publicly available search and visualization tool for exploring chemical use data relevant to exposure assessment that
has been curated from public documents. The interactive web application focuses on data collected by EPA about how
chemicals are used in commerce and how they occur in consumer and industrial products.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The objective of research activities under the CSS program is to inform risk-based decisions made
by EPA programs, states, tribes, and others. Of particular importance are 'chemicals of immediate
and emerging concern', such as PFAS and 6PPD-quinone, which heighten the need for rapid
scientific approaches to evaluate potential chemical safety. In FY 2025, research activities will
continue to support the implementation of the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.%9 With additional FY
2025 investment in TSCA, CSS will support a collaborative research program called the New
Chemicals Collaborative Research Program (NCCRP). This effort with the Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention Program is focused on modernizing the process and incorporating scientific
advances in new chemical evaluations under TSCA.90
In FY 2025, research efforts also will focus on replacing, reducing, and refining the use of
mammals in toxicology testing, while accelerating the pace of chemical assessment and decision-
making. Agency research products will continue to use innovative in vitro and in silico (computer
modeling) approaches to provide more timely and comprehensive information about chemical
hazards and exposure while still providing information of equal or greater biological
predictivity than current in vivo animal models.
Selected research areas are highlighted below for work in FY 2025.
85 For more information, please see: https://qed.epa.gov/cts/.
86 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/sequence-alignment-predict-across-species-
susceptibility.
87 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/cheminformatics.
88 For more information, please see: https://comptox.epa. gov/chemexpo.
89 See EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/pfas-roadiiiap final-508.pdf.
90 For more information on this effort, please see: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-
control-act-tsca/new-chemicals-collaborative.
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• New Approach Methods (NAMs): EPA objectives and research activities under CSS strongly
support the development of NAMs, which improve the Agency's understanding of chemical
toxicity. Additionally, research under CSS is a key component of the December 2021 NAMs
Workplan.91 NAMs focus on using faster, less expensive approaches that reduce the use of
mammals for toxicity testing. CSS developed a method to integrate publicly available
information for more than 33,000 chemical substances, including NAM data, that allows for
discriminating between chemicals that have the potential to present hazard or exposure
concerns and those that do not. This method is documented in a report from May 2021.92 In
FY 2025, CSS will continue to collaborate closely with the Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention Program to implement the June 2018 TSCA Strategic Plan93 that emphasizes the
development and implementation of alternative test methods. Researchers will continue to
explore approaches and models for species extrapolation in the ecotoxicology domain, and
development of high-throughput exposure and toxicokinetic models.
• High-Throughput Toxicity (HTT) Testing: This research is focused on developing, testing,
and applying NAMs to evaluate chemical hazards, with an emphasis on developmental
neurotoxicology, inhalation toxicology, thyroid disruption, and methodologically challenging
chemicals. These will enable EPA to make better, more timely decisions about chemicals by
increasing available toxicological information for more chemicals. In addition, work under
tiered toxicity testing is forming the foundation for increasing the Agency's portfolio of
chemical assessment products, through the development of the EPA Transcriptomic
Assessment Product (ETAP).94
• Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry (RED) and Ecotoxicological Assessment and Modeling
(ETAM): This research parallels work in the HTT research area to inform agency chemical
risk assessment activities. Chemical exposure research also includes the continued
development of advanced analytical and computational tools, such as non-targeted analysis, to
detect and identify unknown chemicals in complex environmental media, biological media,
and consumer products. Non-targeted analysis has been critical for the identification of
previously unknown PFAS chemicals in the environment. Ecotoxicological Assessment and
Modeling efforts support the Agency's work considering the impacts on pollinators.
Specifically, the research includes assessing the impacts of pesticides on honeybees and pollen
bees to support pesticide assessments. In FY 2025, work under ETAM also will address the
emerging contaminant 6PPD-quinone.
• PFAS Research:95 PFAS are a class of substances of concern and EPA is committed to helping
states, tribes, and local communities understand and manage risks associated with these
chemicals.96 For more information on agency PFAS research, please see the CSS Research
Program narrative for the Superfund appropriation.
• Improved Understanding of Biological Impacts: This research helps decision-makers
understand the significance of chemical impacts on biological systems. This is especially
important as EPA seeks to understand chemical impacts on developmental and reproductive
91 For more information, please see: fattps
92 For more information, please see: fattps
93 For more information, please see: fattps
1.8 clean final.pdf.
94 For more information, please see: fattps
95 For more information, please see: fattps
96 For more information, please see: fattps
//www, epa.gov/cheiiiical-researcfa/iiew-approacli-iiietfaods-work.-plaii.
//cfpufa.epa.gov/si/si public pra view.cfm?dirEnt >776&I
=CCT
//www.epa. gov7sites/production/files/201.8-06/documents/epa alt strat plan 6-20-
//www.epa.gov/bosc/etap-iuly-
12-2023-irieeting.
//www.epa. gov/chemical-research/research-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas.
//www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-community-engagement.
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biology. This program will employ data generated from its chemical evaluation research to
develop interpretive frameworks and models to place complex information into biological,
chemical, and toxicological contexts. In FY 2025, data developed in the HTT and Virtual and
Complex Tissue Modeling research areas will contribute to the study of adverse outcome
pathways (AOPs), which link molecular initiating events at the cellular level to apical
outcomes expressed at the whole animal level.
• Delivery and Translation of Chemical Information: The Chemical Characterization and
Informatics and Integration, Translation, and Knowledge Delivery research areas will continue
to provide computational, predictive tools to estimate physicochemical, toxicological, and
exposure information for data-poor chemicals. In FY 2025, CSS will continue to support the
collaborative efforts underway in the Agency to build program-specific applications such as
RapidTox that facilitate access and use of relevant information to support different decision
contexts. These applications will give risk assessors and decision-makers confidence that the
new approaches, data, and tools developed under the CSS Program are both scientifically
robust and relevant to environmental decision-making.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency programs and regional offices, states, and tribes and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published the fourth generation of the
StRAPs,97 which will continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
comprehensively assessing and solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its
stakeholders.
EPA works with various groups, including communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its
research and research planning efforts through a variety of mechanisms that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o The Office of Research and Development (ORD) meets regularly with this
committee, which provides advice and recommendations to ORD on technical and
management issues of its research programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement98 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program99 which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
97 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
98 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
99 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/liealtliresearch/tribal-scieiice-couiicil.
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These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RDl) Percentage of ORD research products meeting partner needs.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
77
80
81
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
77
79
80
94
94
96
Numerator
171
154
120
60
77
278
Products
Denominator
222
196
150
64
82
290
(PM RD5) Number of actions implemented for EPA scientific integrity objectives.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
21
22
44
Actions
Actual
N/A
24
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,833.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$39.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$2,475.0 / +6.5 FTE) This investment supports a collaborative research program for new
chemicals with OCSPP that is focused on modernizing the process and incorporating
scientific advances in new chemical evaluations under TSCA. This increase in funding will
lead to the development and translation of science to inform regulatory and policy decisions
effectively and efficiently by the Agency and external partners to increase access to clean
and safe air, land, and water for all communities across the Nation. This investment
includes $1,234 million in payroll.
• (+$1,518.0 / +8.0 FTE) This program change reflects an increase to support the
development and implementation of a research strategy for contaminants of emerging
concern and the development of data to inform regulatory risk assessment on novel
engineered microbes. This increase also will be used to apply formulations of biopesticides
and anti-microbial resistance to be used by EPA Program Offices. This investment includes
$1,518 million in payroll.
• (+$6,802.0 / +22.0 FTE) This net program change reflects an increase to the Chemical
Safety for Sustainability Research Program. These FTE will assist in providing scientific
180
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and technical approaches, information tools, and methods to better inform decision-
making. This investment includes $4,176 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 104; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA); Children's Health Act; 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act; Clean Water Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Pollution Prevention Act (PPA); Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA).
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Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
S-/O.I1V
SJV.VJN
.W.\ ~4(>
Hazardous Subslanco Superliind
S9,225
5)4,901
$5,040
$139
Total Budget Authority
$49,345
$44,819
$50,786
$5,967
Total Workyears
156.6
155.9
179.9
24.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Research Program is focused on
generating assessments that inform decisions made by EPA and others, including states and tribes.
These assessments provide the scientific basis for decisions under an array of environmental laws,
including the: Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA),
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The HERA Research Program is multidisciplinary
and aimed at leveraging scientific innovations to advance the analytic approaches and applications
needed to address wide-ranging risk assessment requirements in support of these various statutes.
The current portfolio of products under HERA encompasses these two topic areas:
• Science Assessments and Translation: The HERA Research Program produces a portfolio
of assessment products that both optimizes the application of the best available science and
technology and remains responsive to agency priorities and timelines. The current portfolio of
'fit-for-purpose' assessment includes both traditional assessment lines - Integrated Risk
Information System (IRIS), Integrated Science Assessment (ISAs), and Provisional Peer-
Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs) - as well as a wide range of other innovative assessment
products. Additionally, significant emphasis is placed on providing scientific and technical
support to decision-makers throughout the lifecycle of decisions, from the development to the
translation and application of assessment products.
• Advancing the Science and Practice of Risk Assessment: Research on this topic is targeted
to enhance hazard characterization, expand the repertoire of dose-response methods and
models, and characterize the utility of emerging data and new computational tools as applied
to risk assessment. It also enhances and maintains critical assessment infrastructure such as
databases, models, and software to ensure transparency and facilitate understanding and
translation by agency and external partners as well as other users. Refinements to current
approaches are expected to improve the accuracy, efficiency, flexibility, and utility of
applications across a large landscape of assessment activities.
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Recent Accomplishments of the HERA Program include:
The HERA Research Program has developed assessment products that inform science-based
decision-making, enhanced timely responses, improved screening capabilities, and augmented
toxicity value derivations for use in risk assessments.
• Portfolio of Assessment Products: Agency researchers under HERA continue to deliver on
EPA's commitment to addressing per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the
environment and released the final IRIS Assessment for Perfluorobutanoic Acid and Related
Salts100 in December 2022, the final IRIS Assessment for Perfluorohexanoic Acid and Related
Salts101 in April 2023, and the draft IRIS Assessment for Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA) and
Related Salts102 and draft IRIS Assessment for Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS) and
Related Salts103 in the third quarter of FY 2023. HERA provided the scientific foundation for
the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Lead with the release of the draft
Integrated Science Assessment for Lead104 in March 2023. In FY 2024, EPA will continue to
finalize IRIS assessments for high-priority chemicals such as formaldehyde-inhalation and
hexavalent chromium.105 In FY 2023, the Agency released seven PPRTV assessments. In FY
2024, EPA anticipates delivering six to nine additional high-priority PPRTV assessments to
support Superfund priorities106. In FY 2023, the Agency publicly released the draft IRIS
Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium107. In FY 2024, the Agency publicly released
the draft IRIS Toxicological Review for Inorganic Arsenic109, and anticipates publicly releasing
scoping and problem formulation materials such as systematic review protocols for uranium
and nitrates/nitrites; and draft assessments for chloroform (inhalation) and cobalt (inhalation,
cancer). In addition, HERA finalized the Office of Research and Development (ORD) Staff
Handbook for Developing IRIS Assessments109 in December 2022.
• Innovations in Risk Assessment: Research under the HERA Program continues to advance
assessment science and modernize its assessment infrastructure through tool and model
advancements. In FY 2023, continued advancements were made to the dose-response analysis
tool, Benchmark Dose Software (BMDS),110 as well as critical information management
databases including Health and Environmental Research Online111 and the Health Assessment
and Workplace Collaborative,112 contributing to the improvement in the science, structure, and
interoperability of these critical assessment infrastructure tools. Accompanying innovations in
assessment science in FY 2023, staff under the HERA Program have emphasized and
coordinated training in risk assessment practice, methods, and tools for a wider audience of
EPA staff and stakeholders to enhance communication, understanding, and engagement.
100 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay.cfm?deid=356425.
101 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay.cfm?deid=357314.
102 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay.cfm?deid=354408.
103 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay. cfin?deid=35541.0.
104 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-lead.
105 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-program-outlook.
106 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pprtv.
107 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay.cfm?deid=355226.
108 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordisplay.cfm?deid=343951.
109 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris drafls/recordi splay.cfm?deid=356370.
110 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/bmds.
111 For more information, please see: fattps: //hero. epa. gov/hero/.
112 For more information, please see: https://hawcprd.epa.gov/.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the HERA Program's work will focus on efforts integral to achieving EPA priorities
and informing the Agency's implementation of key environmental decisions. Specifically, the
program will:
• Continue developing additional assessments of perfluorinated compounds, as well as other
priority chemicals identified by EPA's Water Program, Air and Radiation Program, and Land
and Emergency Management Program. These assessments include ethylbenzene, chloroform,
methylmercury, mercury salts, nitrates/nitrites, uranium, and inorganic arsenic.
• Provide assessment, methodology, and modeling support to the Office of Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) on TSCA implementation for an array of chemicals, as well as
support to the Air and Radiation Program, including the development of the ISA for Oxides of
Nitrogen and the development of the ISA for Ozone to support review of the National Ambient
Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Additional FY 2025 investment in TSCA, HERA and the
CSS research program will support a collaborative research program for new chemicals with
OCSPP called the New Chemicals Collaborative Research Program (NCCRP)113 that is
focused on modernizing the process and incorporating scientific advances in new chemical
evaluations under TSCA.
• Provide high-priority PPRTV human health assessments to support the Land and Emergency
Management Program on CERCLA and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
implementation.
• Focus on providing support for specific decision contexts through a modernized assessment
infrastructure, applying state-of-the-art science tools, databases, and models in assessment
development and program management. Continue to develop and apply evidence mapping to
provide a better understanding of the extent and nature of the evidence available to address the
priority needs of the Agency and its partners.
• Provide the resources and workflow to two of the five Superfund technical support centers
(TSCs)114 to provide localized and tailored technical assistance and scientific expertise on
human and ecological risk assessments to states, tribes, and EPA's program and regional
offices. This includes direct support in cases of emergencies and other rapid response
situations.
• Apply new and alternative approaches, methods, and data to risk assessment products, and
technical support to better respond to the needs of states, tribes, and EPA's program and
regional offices, in cooperation with the Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research
Program.
• Conduct research to expand the identification and consideration of information on
susceptibility in assessments, advance the evaluation of chemical mixtures, and improve
113 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/reviewiiig-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-
tsca/iiew-cheiiiicals-collaborative.
114 HERA supports the Superfund Health Risk Technical Support Center (STSC) and the Ecological Risk Assessment Support
Center (ERASC). For more information on EPA's five TSCs, please see: https://www.epa.gov/land-research/epas-technical-
support-centers.
184
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cumulative risk assessment practices to better characterize and assess health disparities in
communities with environmental justice and equity concerns.
• Provide training to staff, partners, and stakeholders on risk assessment practice, assessment
tool literacy, and standard operating procedures for assessment development via easy-to-access
modules.
Please note that certain activities within this program could support the Administration's Cancer
Moonshot Initiative.
In addition to the activities listed above, EPA also conducts research across programs in the
following areas:
• PFAS Research: PFAS are a class of chemicals of concern in the environment, and EPA is
committed to pursuing all options to address PFAS pollution and protect human health and the
environment. There are still large numbers of PFAS of high interest to stakeholders which
currently have no federally published, peer-reviewed toxicity values. As described in the PFAS
Strategic Roadmap,115 within the HERA Research Program, EPA is prioritizing additional
PFAS for the development of peer-reviewed toxicity values. This will result in an expanded
set of high-quality peer-reviewed toxicity values for use by federal, state, and tribal decision-
makers in making risk assessment and management decisions. In addition, EPA is identifying,
reviewing, organizing, and presenting relevant health information on PFAS through systematic
evidence mapping to identify data gaps, inform prioritization and hazard characterization, and
facilitate human health assessments for PFAS.
• Lead116: Childhood lead exposure continues to be one of the highest priorities for EPA. To
advance the application of lead exposure and biokinetic models in EPA regulatory decisions
and site assessments, agency research will enhance, evaluate, and apply lead biokinetic models
used to estimate potential blood lead levels for regulatory determinations.117 Additionally, the
Exposure Factors Handbook118 provides up-to-date data on various human factors, including
soil and dust ingestion rates, used by risk assessors.
Research Planning:
EPA is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the six
programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research needs
of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published the fourth generation of the
StRAPs,119 which will continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
115 For more information, please see EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-
1.0/pfas-roadiiiap fi.11at~SO8.pdf'.
116 For EPA's Lead Strategy document, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-
1. l/Lead%2QStrategy 1 .pdf.
117 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/lead-superfund-sites-software-and-users-manuals.
118 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay ,cfm?deid=236252.
119 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
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ORD works with various groups, including communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its
research through a variety of mechanisms that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement120 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$561.0 / +3.0 FTE) This increase supports a collaborative research program for new
chemicals with OCSPP that is focused on modernizing the process and incorporating
scientific advances in new chemical evaluations under TSCA. This increase in funding will
lead to the development and translation of science to inform regulatory and policy decisions
effectively and efficiently by the Agency and external partners to increase access to clean
and safe air, land, and water for all communities across the Nation. This investment
includes $572.0 thousand in payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs".
• (+$382.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program Change reflects an increase to address vulnerabilities
in risk assessment capabilities and build EPA's risk assessment portfolio. This investment
includes $382.0 thousand in payroll.
• (+$4,885.0 / +19.0 FTE) This net program change reflects an increase for the Health and
Environmental Assessment program. This increase will assist in advancing science
assessments like IRIS as well as analytical approaches for the applications of risk
assessments. This investment includes $3,625 million in payroll.
120 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
186
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 108, 109, and 112; Clean Water Act §§ 101(a)(6), 104, 105; Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) § 3(c)(2)(A); Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) § 1458; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
187
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Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
188
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Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Program Area: Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
S
S UU.141
SI-13. '-/>
S 2'.(>()-I
Total Budget Authority
S125,346
5)116,141
5)143,745
5)27,604
Total Workyears
356.4
358.1
380.1
22.0
Program Project Description:
The quality and availability of water, upon which human and ecosystem health and a robust
economy depend, face multiple challenges. These challenges include aging water infrastructure,
contaminants of existing and emerging concern, waterborne pathogens, antimicrobial resistance,
harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, stormwater runoff, and diminished quality and loss of aquatic
habitat. Many of these challenges can be exacerbated by the impacts of a changing climate,
including greater frequency, duration, and intensity of precipitation, flooding, extreme heat,
wildland fire, and drought. These concerns can be more prevalent in disadvantaged and rural
communities.
To address these current, emerging, and long-term water resource challenges, EPA's Safe and
Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) Research Program conducts robust research and scientific
analyses to support decision-making and the development of innovative, practical solutions for the
Agency and its partners to protect and restore America's watersheds and water infrastructure.
Recent Accomplishments of the SSWR Research Program121
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS):
o PFAS Treatment in Drinking Water. EPA's Drinking Water Treatability Database
was updated to include 66 PFAS chemicals from 197 sources. The database provides
information on best practices and technologies for PFAS treatment in drinking water.
Information on cost models for PFAS treatment in drinking water also was generated.
ORD provided research support to the Office of Water on PFAS treatment modeling
for the development of the proposed PFAS drinking water regulation,
o PFAS Drinking Water Treatment. EPA completed an evaluation of 428 PFAS for
which little or no treatment information is known. The published modeling work
predicts that 76 to 87 percent of those PFAS can be effectively removed by granular
activated carbon (GAC). These results can be used to prioritize research and treatment
studies on those PFAS that are not strongly adsorbed by GAC.
121 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/national-research-programs.
189
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o PFAS Analytical Methods.
EPA completed a single lab validation for an American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) method for analysis of semi-volatile PFAS in non-potable
waters. The method will be available to the public next year after an ASTM
review.
ORD and the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) began to
work together to develop a standard method for the total oxidizable precursor
assay in aqueous and solid samples. This method will provide a 'total' summary
of PFAS compounds that may transform into chemicals of concern.
• Harmful Algal Blooms/Hypoxia/Excess Nutrients. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms can
produce toxins that impair freshwater ecosystems used for drinking water, recreation, and
habitat for aquatic biota. To support water managers and prioritize monitoring locations in
surface waters, data from the remote sensing Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) and
the National Lakes Assessments field surveys were combed to determine the risk of toxic
blooms in large lakes across the United States.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the SSWR Research Program will continue to focus on:
Water Infrastructure:
• Conduct research and provide technical support to assess the distribution, composition, and
potential health risks of known and emerging chemical and biological contaminants.
• Continue work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Ohio
Network to develop appropriate methodologies and approaches for wastewater surveillance
to inform public health. Assist states, communities, and utilities with stormwater and
wastewater infrastructure needs through models and assistance.
Climate Change Impacts/Resiliency:
• Continue the Coastal Community Resilience through Blue Carbon Resources solutions-
driven research project to evaluate coastal resilience capabilities of Blue Carbon resources
(e.g., wetlands, tidal marshes, and seagrasses) and co-benefits (e.g., flood protection,
improved water quality, habitat for sensitive and commercially valuable species).
Water Reuse:
• Expand the integrated assessment of cost, carbon footprint, and risk assessment of fit-for-
purpose use of alternative water sources to include industrial reuse, potable end uses, and
aquifer recharge. Results will inform the new approaches to managing water resources and
mitigating drought.
190
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Harmful Algal Blooms/Nutrients:
• Expand toxicity evaluation of additional planktonic cyanobacteria cells and cyanotoxins
and begin new research on benthic species that can form highly toxic algal mats.
• Develop the science needed to forecast harmful algal blooms.
• Develop coastal acidification sensors and evaluate impacts for the protection of
acidification-sensitive estuarine species.
Recreational Waters and Public Health Protection:
• Develop and characterize rapid fecal indicators, bacteriophage, microbial source tracking,
and antimicrobial resistance tools for monitoring recreational waters and quick response
times.
• Develop human health risk and water quality predictive modeling tools to support
recreational water quality criteria development and implementation.
• Conduct a performance assessment of new recreational water quality assessment tools in
sub-tropical and tropical marine waters.
• Use an applied economic benefits analysis to evaluate the economic impacts of beach
closures based on different water quality monitoring technologies.
Antimicrobial Resistance:
• Conduct national scale and watershed-focused studies of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria
and associated resistance genes in surface waters to inform risk modeling of recreational
and drinking water exposures. Apply similar techniques in wastewater systems to define
the best approaches for mitigating risks with discharges of wastewater effluents and solids.
Biosolids:
• Focus on biological and chemical contaminants and health effects by investigating the
occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli during the treatment of Class B biosolids;
assessing the human health risks of biosolids using molecular tools; developing a
Voluntary Consensus Standard analytical method for the analysis of PFAS precursors in
biosolids; evaluating anaerobic biotreatment of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)/PFAS in
wastewater biosolids; and determining the applicability of molecular techniques in
treatment performance evaluation.
Microplastics:
• Develop and evaluate sediment and water extraction and identification methods focusing
on plastic particles smaller than one micrometer for which there is less data.
• Begin developing approaches to evaluate human health and ecological effects of micro-
and nano-plastics.
• Collaborate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, American Chemistry
Council, and members of the National Nanotechnology Initiative to develop essential
standard reference materials needed for microplastic analyses.
191
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In addition to the activities listed above, ORD also will conduct research across programs in the
following areas:
• PFAS Research: ORD research will develop and validate methods for measuring different
PFAS in water and water treatment residuals (e.g., biosolids); review available literature
on effectiveness and cost data for different water treatment technologies applied to
different PFAS; conduct pilot- and bench-scale testing of the most promising technologies
to further evaluate effectiveness; evaluate the bioaccumulation of PFAS in aquatic
organisms and identifying the toxicity of selected PFAS (including mixtures of PFAS) to
aquatic organisms EPA will increase its PFAS research efforts, with specific emphasis on
implementing the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.122
This work is being done in collaboration with water utilities and water treatment technology
suppliers. The results of this work will be posted to EPA's public Drinking Water Treatability
Database and will be widely available to stakeholders.123
• Lead: SSWR research will focus on reliable models to estimate lead exposure from
drinking water; improved sampling techniques and strategies to identify and characterize
lead in plumbing materials, including lead service lines; guidance on optimizing lead
mitigation strategies; testing and evaluation of treatment processes for removing lead from
drinking water.
The overall impact of this research will be to provide information and tools that EPA, states, tribes,
utilities, and communities can use to minimize or eliminate lead exposure in drinking water.
In addition to the activities above, the FY 2025 Budget includes an increase of $18.3 million to
purchase a new research vessel to replace the 60-year-old Lake Explorer II which is close to having
to be condemned. If this new vessel investment is not supported, EPA's water quality and
biological monitoring of the Great Lakes would be greatly impacted.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the
StRAPs,124 which continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
122 See EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/pfas-roadmap final-508.pdf.
123 For more information, please see: https://iaspub.epa.gOv/tdh/pages/general/home.do#content.
124 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
192
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ORD works with various groups, including communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its
research through a variety of mechanisms that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement125 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program, which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations
on important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RDl) Percentage of ORD research products meeting partner needs.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
77
80
81
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
77
79
80
94
94
96
Numerator
171
154
120
60
77
278
Products
Denominator
222
196
150
64
82
290
(PM RD2) Number of ORD activities related to environmental justice that involve or are designed to be
applicable to tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY 2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
113
113
113
Activities
Actual
N/A
117
(PM RD4) Percentage of ORD environmental
justice-related research products meeting partner needs
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IS
201')
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
•)3
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
mo
100
Numerator
i
3
Products
Denominator
i
3
125 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
193
-------
(PM RD5) Number of actions implemented for EPA scientific integrity objectives.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
21
22
44
Actions
Actual
N/A
24
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$278.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs and additional changes to fixed support costs.
• (+$18,329.0) This program increase reflects the purchase of a new vessel to replace the 60-
year-old Lake Explorer II which is close to having to be condemned. If this new vessel
investment is not supported, EPA's water quality and biological monitoring of the Great
Lakes would be greatly impacted.
• (+$377.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program change reflects an increase to address skill gaps
identified in EPA's workforce. This investment includes $377.0 thousand in payroll costs.
• (+$8,620.0 / +20.0 FTE) This net program change reflects an increase to the Sustainable
Water Research Program. This increase will help to address the challenges of aging water
infrastructure, contaminants of concern, harmful algal blooms, and diminished water
availability. This investment includes $3.77 million in payroll costs.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) § 1442(a)(1); Clean Water Act §§ 101(a)(6), 104, 105;
Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA);
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203; Title II of Ocean Dumping
Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA); Water Resources Development Act (WRDA); Wet Weather Water
Quality Act of 2000; Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 (MPPRCA);
National Invasive Species Act; Coastal Zone Amendments Reauthorization Act (CZARA);
Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act; Endangered Species Act (ESA); North
American Wetlands Conservation Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
194
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Research: Sustainable Communities
195
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Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Program Area: Research: Sustainable Communities
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Scii'iuc A- lecliiwloxy
S N'.2'V
S
S NV.-IVS
SII.(>-11
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$292
$341
$356
$15
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$785
$675
$683
$8
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$18,525
$16,937
$17,517
$580
Total Budget Authority
$166,880
$155,810
$168,054
$12,244
Total Workyears
427.2
421.8
451.3
29.5
Program Project Description:
EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program supports and empowers
communities to make science-based decisions to improve public and environmental health
through: 1) developing technologies, methods, and other tools to expedite remediation and
restoration of contaminated sites; 2) enhancing materials management through beneficial reuse or
redirection of waste materials toward a circular economy; and 3) increasing understanding of
linkages between the total environment (built, natural, and social) and public and ecosystem health.
These efforts support communities revitalizing formerly contaminated sites, addressing
cumulative impacts (from both chemical and nonchemical stressors), and pursuing climate
resilience and Environmental Justice (EJ) goals.
The SHC Research Program provides state-of-the-science methods, models, tools, and
technologies to the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) for use in programmatic
guidance and to support EPA decision-makers with the variety of on-site cleanup situations they
face on a regular basis. These approaches will address contaminated sediments, soil, and
groundwater, as well as health risks posed by vapor intrusion and chemicals of immediate concern,
such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and lead. To support the prevention of future
land contamination problems, researchers under the SHC Program are developing life-cycle
analysis tools and exploring opportunities for beneficial reuse of materials, to reduce
environmental impacts.
SHC provides programs, regional partners, and local communities, including those with EJ
concerns, with the research and tools they can apply to assess how they can adapt to climate change
and address cumulative impacts. This community-oriented research is designed to revitalize
communities, support the protection of children's health, and address cumulative impacts on
vulnerable populations. These efforts support community sustainability and increase community
resilience to natural disasters, including those exacerbated by climate change. These efforts also
build the methods and evidence base for doing cumulative impact assessment.
196
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Recent Accomplishments of the SHC Research Program include:
Development and Application of Methods for Supporting Communities in Resilience
Planning with a Focus on Equity (September 2023)126
SHC researchers developed and published a methodology and accompanying suite of resources to
support communities in resilience planning with a focus on equity. The Equitable Resilience
Builder (ERB) tool guides users through a process to inclusively assess local hazards, equity, and
the resilience of built, natural, and social environment systems. Community planners can use the
ERB assessment approach to collaboratively prioritize actions designed to build community
resilience in an equitable way. The ERB was piloted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of EPA's
Urban Waters Federal Partnership locations, and community partners used the tool to integrate
equity in their Lower Grand River Watershed Resilience Plan.
Recommendations for Managing Food Waste to Mitigate Impacts of Food Waste on Landfill
Methane Emissions (September 2023)127'128'129
This research provides recommendations for environmentally preferable food-waste management
strategies. Wasted food is the single most common material landfilled and incinerated in the United
States, comprising 24 percent of landfilled municipal solid waste, where it breaks down and
generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This product provides a revised ranking of the
eleven common wasted food pathways, called the Wasted Food Scale, which integrates the latest
science, technological advances, and operational practices. It emphasizes prevention and managing
food waste to avoid sewer/wastewater treatment, landfill, and incineration pathways. Regional,
state, and local decision makers can use this product to develop and prioritize targeted strategies
to prevent adverse health and environmental impacts associated with food waste.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
The SHC Research Program will continue guiding innovative, cost-effective solutions to meet
current, emerging, and long-term contaminated site clean-up and sustainable materials
management challenges. This includes technical support for program and regional partners and
communities as well as exploratory research that may lead to future sustainable solutions. In
addition, research efforts will continue to emphasize healthy and resilient communities. Increased
focus will be given to Administration priorities, such as working with communities to identify
solutions to address cumulative impacts and EJ concerns, including those dealing with impacts
from climate change. Other areas of increased emphasis include research addressing critical
126 For more information, please see: www.epa.gov/eiiiergeiicy-respoiise-research/equitable-resilience-builder and
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212096323000463.
127 For more information, please see: www.epa.gov/sYsteiii/files/docuiiieiits/2023-10/part2 wf-patliwavs report formatted no-
appendices 508-compliant.pdf.
128 For more information, please see: www.epa.gov/system/files/docunients/2023-10/part2 wf-
pathways reportappendix formatted 508-compliant.pdf.
129 For more information, please see: www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-10/food-waste-landfill-methane-10-8-23-
final_508-coiiipliant.pdf.
197
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minerals and innovative strategies to reduce the generation of waste, including plastics, through
recycling and reuse.
Specifically, in FY 2025 the SHC Research Program will conduct research in the following areas:
• Advancing Remediation and Restoration of Contaminated Sites: EPA research under
this topic will primarily focus on developing and testing remedial alternatives for treating
contaminated soils, sediments, groundwater sites, vapor intrusion sites, and sites with
PFAS and lead contamination; along with providing technical support to OLEM, regions,
tribes, and states to translate the research into usable approaches. SHC has an increased
focus on the remediation of mine waste sites and potential recovery for the reuse of critical
minerals from contaminated sites.
• PFAS Research: EPA researchers will develop methods to evaluate PFAS in wastes, soils,
and sediments and investigate PFAS fate and transport in the environment to support the
needs of EPA partners, states, tribes, and local communities. The research will identify and
characterize PFAS concentrations and distributions at contaminated and solid waste sites.
Additionally, researchers will identify locations and source contributors to high potential
human PFAS exposure for children and other populations by evaluating multimedia PFAS
sources and pathways for human exposure. The SHC Research Program also will
investigate approaches, methodologies, and technologies to treat, remove, destroy, and
dispose of PFAS in environmental matrices. This research supports the implementation of
the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.130
• Lead Research:131 The SHC Research Program is working to identify locations with high
exposures and elevated blood lead levels, especially in children, to target lead sources for
mitigation. The research program also will develop innovative methods to clean up lead at
Superfund and other contaminated sites and strengthen the scientific basis of the Agency's
lead-related regulatory and clean-up decisions. EPA's research in this area is essential to
support ongoing agency efforts and fill in the data gaps for federal partners, tribes, states,
and local communities.
• Materials Management and Beneficial Reuse of Waste: Research under this program
aims to strengthen the scientific basis for the Nation's materials management decisions and
guidance at the tribal, state, and community levels. The overall goal of this research is to
increase sustainability by reducing waste and increasing support for circular economies,
including supporting the implementation of the 2021 National Recycling Strategy.132
Primary research efforts will focus on: 1) developing lifecycle-based assessment tools for
sustainable materials management; 2) evaluating the design, application, and use of
landfills, including liner material degradation, improvements to landfill monitoring
strategies, and long-term landfill impacts on human health and the environment; and 3)
developing waste-management methodologies that can minimize adverse impacts to
human health and the environment through proposed beneficial use and reuse. Food waste
and plastics are two areas of research under this topic.
130 See EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/pfas-roadmap final-508.pdf.
131 For EPA's Lead Strategy, please visit: For EPA's Lead Strategy, please see:
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-l l/Lead%20Strategy l.pdf.
132 See EPA's National Recycling Strategy at: https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy.
198
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• Integrated Systems Approach to Building Healthy and Resilient Communities: The
SHC Research Program will address the impacts of contamination, remediation, and
redevelopment on the revitalization of a community. The research will address the
cumulative impacts of stressors and exposures, especially in overburdened and under-
resourced communities. The goal of the research is to increase community resilience by
reducing potential risks, promoting health, and revitalizing communities and the
environment that supports them, and increasing research translation to benefit
communities. Research and development under this topic will provide data and tools to
support Agency and delegated programs, such as Superfund, Brownfields, Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative, civil rights, enforcement, and permitting.
Please note that certain activities within this program could have implications associated with the
Administration's Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
Also, EPA is currently a part of the working group that is exploring how to build and strengthen
environmental-economic accounting capacity across the Federal statistical system where
applicable. While existing resources are not sufficient to fulfill the 15-year plan, EPA is working
to develop a budget estimate for FY 2026 and beyond to support this effort.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the
StRAPs,133 which continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement134 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
133 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
134 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
199
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These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RDl) Percentage of ORD research products meeting partner needs.
FY 2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
77
80
81
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
77
79
80
94
94
96
Numerator
171
154
120
60
77
278
Products
Denominator
222
196
150
64
82
290
(PM RD2) Number of ORD activities related to environmental justice that involve or are designed to be
applicable to tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
113
113
113
Activities
Actual
N/A
117
(PM RD4) Percentage of ORD environmental
justice-related research products meeting partner needs
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
93
94
94
94
Percent
Actual
100
100
Numerator
1
3
Products
Denominator
1
3
(PM RD5) Number of actions im
)lemented for EPA scientific integrity objectives.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY 2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
21
22
44
Actions
Actual
N/A
24
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$537.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$908.0 / +7.0 FTE) This program change reflects an increase to support expanding work
under the Community-Engaged Collaborative for Learning and Excellence model. This
investment includes $1,322 million in payroll and additional changes to fixed support
costs".
• (+$10,196.0 / +22.5 FTE) This net program change reflects an increase to the Sustainable
and Healthy Communities Research Program. This increase will help to address the
acceleration of cleanup and return of contaminated sites to beneficial use, protection of
200
-------
vulnerable populations, and the revitalization of vulnerable communities. This investment
includes $4,248 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute).
201
-------
Ensure Safe Water
202
-------
Drinking Water Programs
Program Area: Ensure Safe Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 09.958
SI 21.607
S143.XX6
S22.279
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$5,474
s.\(m
N -.043
S I.V4S
Total Budget Authority
$115,432
$126,705
$150,929
$24,224
Total Workyears
471.0
539.4
554.5
15.1
Program Project Description:
EPA's Drinking Water Program is responsible for a range of activities to address drinking water
contamination. The Program:
• Leads the collection of national occurrence data for unregulated contaminants in drinking
water;
• Develops, evaluates, and approves analytical methods that are used to monitor drinking
water contaminants accurately and reliably;
• Leads the national program under which laboratories are certified to conduct the analyses
of drinking water contaminants with approved analytical methods; and
• Collaborates with states, tribes, and public water systems to implement tools that optimize
treatment and improve water quality by helping systems achieve compliance and maximize
technical capacity while reducing operational costs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the l'Y 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Program also
supports the Agency's implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021
(IIJ A).
In FY 2025, EPA's Drinking Water Program will continue to carry out the activities listed below:
• Lead development and implementation activities for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Rule (UCMR), a federal direct implementation program coordinated by EPA, as required by
the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
o The data collected pursuant to this rule support the Agency's determination of whether to
establish health-based standards for unregulated drinking water contaminants to protect
public health.
203
-------
o In December 2021, the Agency published the final rule for the UCMR's fifth cycle (UCMR
5). EPA is managing UCMR 5 sampling through December 2025 and leading the data
collection through 2026.
o UCMR 5 is the first cycle of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitor Rule to implement the
monitoring provisions of America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA), which
requires, subject to the availability of appropriations and adequate laboratory capacity,
sampling at all small public water systems (PWSs) serving between 3,300 and 10 thousand
persons. AWIA also requires monitoring at a representative sample of small PWSs serving
fewer than 3,300 persons. EPA implementation responsibilities have significantly
expanded to address a 7.5-fold increase in the number of small-system samples as a result
of AWIA.
o EPA is responsible for managing UCMR 5 implementation at all large PWSs serving more
than 10 thousand persons, all small PWSs serving between 3,300 and 10 thousand, and a
representative sample of PWS serving fewer than 3,300 persons. EPA is additionally
responsible for funding the required monitoring at small PWSs. Key activities for EPA
include ensuring laboratories are available to perform the required analyses, managing the
field sample collection and sample analysis for small systems, and managing data
reporting. In addition, EPA makes the UCMR data available to state and tribal partners and
to the public.
o By conducting sampling and data collection/reporting at all small PWSs serving between
3,300 and 10 thousand persons and a representative sample of those serving fewer than
3,300 persons, the UCMR Program also supports the Agency's implementation of the IIJA.
o Concurrent with managing the implementation of UCMR 5 in FY 2025, EPA will be
publishing the proposed rule to support the sixth cycle of UCMR (UCMR 6) monitoring.
• Lead the development, revision, evaluation, and approval of analytical methods for
unregulated and regulated contaminants in drinking water to assess and ensure protection of
public health (e.g., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]). This work supports the
activities underway for the Agency's PFAS Roadmap135 and supports priorities identified by
the EPA Council on PFAS.
• Implement EPA's Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program,136 which sets direction
for oversight of state, municipal, and commercial laboratories that analyze drinking water
samples. EPA will conduct regional laboratory certification program reviews and deliver
laboratory certification officer training courses (chemistry and microbiology) for state and
regional representatives. The FY 2025 certification program oversight activities and trainings
will help ensure the quality of drinking water compliance monitoring analyses.
• Partner with states and water systems to optimize their treatment technology and distribution
systems under the drinking water Area Wide Optimization Program (AWOP).137 AWOP is a
highly successful technical/compliance assistance and training program that enhances the
ability of public water systems to comply with existing microbial, disinfectant, and disinfection
byproduct standards, and to address distribution system integrity and water quality issues
135 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024.
136 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/dwlabcert.
137 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/optimization-program-drinking-water-systems.
204
-------
caused by the source, aging infrastructure, or other concerns. During FY 2025, EPA expects
to work with states, tribes, and technical assistance providers to expand efforts to train and
directly assist systems, including those in disadvantaged and tribal communities. This effort
includes identifying performance limiting factors at public water systems and developing and
applying tailored tools to help them overcome operational challenges, achieve performance
and optimization levels, and address health-based compliance challenges. The technical
assistance provided by AWOP can be instrumental in supporting public water systems with
limited capacity to effectively address drinking water quality issues. The AWOP Program also
supports the Agency's implementation of IIJA.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance and
requirements in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and Categorical Grant: Public Water
System Supervision Programs under the STAG appropriation to support safe drinking water for
the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$88.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$200.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase in resources and FTE to support
the activities associated with the Evidence Act. This investment also includes $190
thousand in payroll.
• (+$1,657.0 / +3.0 FTE) This program change represents an increase of resources and FTE
to support regulatory analysis, development and training, and technical assistance for state,
Tribal, and local communities to address drinking water contaminants (including Lead and
PFAS) in their efforts to ensure safe and affordable drinking water. This investment
includes $570.0 thousand in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA.
205
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Congressional Priorities
206
-------
Congressional Priorities
Program Area: Clean and Safe Water Technical Assistance Grants
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$25,700
$30,700
so
-S30.700
Scii'iuc JS lecliiwloxy
$23,283
S30. "1
$0
-S3f>. ~5J
Total Budget Authority
$48,983
$61,451
$0
-$61,451
Program Project Description:
In FY 2023, Congress appropriated $30.8 million in the Science and Technology appropriation for
Congressional priorities including $9.5 million for extramural grants. EPA was instructed by
Congress to award grants on a competitive basis, independent of the Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) Program, and to give priority to not-for-profit organizations that: 1) conduct activities that
are national in scope; 2) can provide a 25 percent match, including in-kind contributions; and 3)
often partner with the Agency. Additionally, Congress provided $8.0 million to fund research that
will help farmers, ranchers, and rural communities manage per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) impacts in agricultural settings and communities as well as $13.3 million for other
Congressionally Directed Projects.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
There are no resources for this Program in FY 2025.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$30,751.0) Resources are proposed for elimination for this program in FY 2025. The
goals of this Program can be accomplished through core statuary programs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act (CAA) 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Title 1, Part A - Sec. 103 (a) and (d) and Sec. 104
(c); CAA 42 U.S.C. 7402(b) Section 102; CAA 42 U.S.C. 7403(b)(2) Section 103(b)(2); dinger
Cohen Act, 40 U.S.C. 11318; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund, 1980) Section 209(a) of Public Law 99-499; Children's
207
-------
Health Act; Clean Water Act (CWA), Sec. 101 - 121; Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and
Restoration Act (CWPPRA); Coastal Zone Amendments Reauthorization Act (CZARA); Coastal
Zone Management Act (CZMA) 16 U.S.C. 1451 - Section 302; Economy Act, 31 U.S.C. 1535;
Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), Title II Subtitle B; Environmental Research,
Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA), 33 U.S.C. 1251 - Section 2(a);
Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1531 - Section 2; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. Sec. 346; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
(7 U.S.C. s/s 136 et seq. (1996), as amended), Sec. 3(c)(2)(A); Food Quality Protection Act
(FQPA) PL 104-170; Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 31 U.S.C. 6502; Marine Protection,
Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) Sec. 203, 33 U.S.C. 1443; North American Wetlands
Conservation Act (NAWCA); NCPA; National Environmental Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
5503(b)(3) and (b)(ll); National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) of 1969, Section 102;
National Invasive Species Act (NISA); Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA) Title II; PPA,
42 U.S.C. 13103; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA) (1996) 42 U.S.C. Section 300j-18; SDWA Part E, Sec. 1442 (a)(1); Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), Section 10, 15, 26, U.S.C. 2609; U.S. Global Change Research Act
(USGCRA) 15 U.S.C. 2921; Water Resources Development Act (WRDA); Water Resources
Research Act (WRRA); and Wet Weather Water Quality Act of 2000 (WWWQA).
208
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Environmental Programs and Management
Resource Summary Table 213
Program Projects in EPM 214
Alaska Contaminated Lands 219
Alaska Contaminated Lands 220
Brownfields 222
Brownfields 223
Clean Air 227
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs 228
Climate Protection 235
Federal Stationary Source Regulations 249
Federal Support for Air Quality Management 255
Stratospheric Ozone: Domestic Programs 267
Stratospheric Ozone: Multilateral Fund 274
Compliance 276
Compliance Monitoring 277
Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education 286
Children and Other Sensitive Populations: Agency Coordination 287
Executive Management and Operations 292
Exchange Network 299
Environmental Education 302
Small Business Ombudsman 305
Small Minority Business Assistance 309
State and Local Prevention and Preparedness 312
TRI / Right to Know 316
Tribal - Capacity Building 321
Enforcement 326
Civil Enforcement 327
Criminal Enforcement 335
NEPA Implementation 339
209
-------
Environmental Justice 343
Environmental Justice 344
Geographic Programs 352
Geographic Program: Chesapeake Bay 353
Geographic Program: Gulf of Mexico 357
Geographic Program: Lake Champlain 361
Geographic Program: Long Island Sound 364
Geographic Program: Other 367
Geographic Program: South Florida 374
Geographic Program: San Francisco Bay 378
Geographic Program: Puget Sound 381
Great Lakes Restoration 385
Homeland Security 393
Homeland Security: Communication and Information 394
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection 402
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure 404
Indoor Air and Radiation 407
Indoor Air: Radon Program 408
Radiation: Protection 410
Radiation: Response Preparedness 412
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air 415
International Programs 418
International Sources of Pollution 419
Trade and Governance 424
US Mexico Border 427
IT/ Data Management/ Security 431
Information Security 432
IT / Data Management 438
Legal/ Science/ Regulatory/ Economic Review 443
Administrative Law 444
Alternative Dispute Resolution 447
Civil Rights Program 450
Integrated Environmental Strategies 458
Legal Advice: Environmental Program 467
210
-------
Legal Advice: Support Program 472
Regulatory/Economic-Management and Analysis 476
Science Advisory Board 481
Science Policy and Biotechnology 484
Operations and Administration 487
Acquisition Management 488
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance 492
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 498
Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management 502
Human Resources Management 505
Regional Science and Technology 510
Pesticides Licensing 513
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk 514
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk 521
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability 530
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 534
RCRA: Corrective Action 535
RCRA: Waste Management 539
RCRA: Waste Minimization & Recycling 545
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention 549
Endocrine Disruptors 550
Pollution Prevention Program 554
Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Review and Reduction 561
Toxic Substances: Lead Risk Reduction Program 576
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST/UST) 580
LUST/UST 581
Water Ecosystems 585
National Estuary Program / Coastal Waterways 586
Wetlands 590
Ensure Safe Water 593
Beach / Fish Programs 594
Drinking Water Programs 597
Preparation for Water Emergencies 608
211
-------
Ensure Clean Water 612
Marine Pollution 613
Surface Water Protection 617
Congressional Priorities 628
Congressional Priorities 629
212
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Environmental Programs & Management
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
President's Budget
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Environmental Programs &
Management
Budget Authority
$3,077,440
$3,286,330
$4,406,988
$1,120,658
Total Workyears
8,698.8
9,592.7
11,212.5
1,619.8
Bill Language: Environmental Programs and Management
For environmental programs and management, including necessary expenses not otherwise
provided for, for personnel and related costs and travel expenses; hire of passenger motor
vehicles; hire, maintenance, and operation of aircraft; purchase of reprints; library memberships
in societies or associations which issue publications to members only or at a price to members
lower than to subscribers who are not members; administrative costs of the brownfields program
under the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002;
implementation ofa coal combustion residual permit program under section 2301 of the Water and
Waste Act of 2016; and not to exceed $10,000for official reception and representation expenses,
$4,406,988,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026: Provided, That funds included
under this heading may be used for environmental justice implementation and training grants, and
associated program support costs: Provided further, That of the funds included under this
heading—
(1) $681,800,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for Geographic Programs as
specified in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A
of this consolidated Act);
(2) $20,012,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for grants, including grants that may
be awarded on a non-competitive basis, inter- agency agreements, and associatedprogram support
costs to establish and implement a program to assist Alaska Native Regional Corporations, Alaskan
Native Village Corporations, federally-recognized tribes in Alaska, Alaska Native Non- Profit
Organizations and Alaska Native Nonprofit Associations, and intertribal consortia comprised of
Alaskan tribal entities to address contamination on lands conveyed under or pursuant to the Alaska
Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) that were or are contaminated at the time of
conveyance and are on an inventory of such lands developed and maintained by the Environmental
Protection Agency: Provided, That grants awarded using funds made available in this paragraph
may be used by a recipient to supplement other funds provided by the Environmental Protection
Agency through individual media or multi- media grants or cooperative agreements: Provided
further, That of the amounts made available in this paragraph, in addition to amounts otherwise
available for such purposes, the Environmental Protection Agency may reserve up to $2,000,000
213
-------
for salaries, expenses, and administration of the program and any other grants related to such
program that address contamination on lands conveyed under or pursuant to the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) that were or are contaminated at the time of
conveyance and are on the EPA inventory of such lands; and (3) In addition to amounts otherwise
available for the purposes specified in this paragraph, not to exceed $30,000,000, to remain available
until expended, shall be for addressing water emergencies, as determined by the Administrator,
using the authorities under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) or the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.): Provided, That, notwithstanding section 1442(b))
of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-l(b)) funds available under this paragraph may be
used to provide technical assistance and grants regardless of whether such assistance will be used
to support actions that would not be taken without such emergency assistance: Providedfurther,
That funds available under this paragraph may be used to provide technical assistance and grants
under section 1442(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act to any appropriate recipient, as determined
by the Administrator, to assist in responding to and alleviating an emergency situation affecting a
privately owned water system: Providedfurther, That, notwithstanding section 1431(a) of the Safe
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300i(a)), funds available under this paragraph may be used to take
actions under section 1431 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300i) in coordination with
appropriate state and local authorities, regardless of whether appropriate state and local
authorities have acted: Providedfurther, Thatfunds available under this paragraph may be used to
take actions authorized under section 504(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33
U.S.C. 1364) deemed by the Administrator as necessary to protect the health or welfare of persons
affected by a water emergency, including other necessary actions, such as providing technical
assistance and grants to assist in responding to and alleviating any water emergency.
Program Projects in EPM
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Alaska Contaminated Lands
Alaska Contaminated Lands
$3,215
$20,000
$20,012
$12
Brownfields
Brownfields
$22,582
$26,189
$39,084
$12,895
Clean Air and Climate
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
$17,268
$16,554
$30,743
$14,189
Climate Protection
$99,292
$101,000
$176,485
$75,485
Federal Stationary Source Regulations
$29,768
$30,344
$47,888
$17,544
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
$134,931
$147,704
$258,663
$110,959
Stratospheric Ozone: Domestic Programs
$6,358
$6,951
$72,282
$65,331
Stratospheric Ozone: Multilateral Fund
$8,326
$9,244
$18,000
$8,756
Subtotal, Clean Air and Climate
$295,943
$311,797
$604,061
$292,264
214
-------
Clean and Safe Water Technical Assistance Grants
Congressional Priorities
$25,700
$30,700
$0
-$30,700
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
$104,593
$112,730
$168,474
$55,744
Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Children and Other Sensitive Populations:
Agency Coordination
$6,526
$6,362
$7,749
$1,387
Environmental Education
$8,752
$9,500
$8,759
-$741
Exchange Network
$12,165
$14,995
$14,769
-$226
Executive Management and Operations
$53,653
$56,160
$73,269
$17,109
Small Business Ombudsman
$1,379
$2,250
$2,242
-$8
Small Minority Business Assistance
$2,225
$2,056
$2,018
-$38
State and Local Prevention and Preparedness
$14,124
$15,446
$24,106
$8,660
TRI / Right to Know
$11,987
$15,052
$14,123
-$929
Tribal - Capacity Building
$12,619
$14,715
$35,088
$20,373
Subtotal, Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and
Education
$123,431
$136,536
$182,123
$45,587
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
$177,860
$205,942
$256,252
$50,310
Criminal Enforcement
$57,374
$62,704
$67,829
$5,125
NEPA Implementation
$15,171
$20,611
$26,049
$5,438
Subtotal, Enforcement
$250,405
$289,257
$350,130
$60,873
Ensure Clean Water
Marine Pollution
$8,081
$10,187
$12,724
$2,537
Preparation for Water Emergencies
$0
$0
$30,000
$30,000
Surface Water Protection
$213,320
$224,492
$270,573
$46,081
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
$0
$0
$0
$0
Subtotal, Ensure Clean Water
$221,402
$234,679
$313,297
$78,618
Ensure Safe Water
Beach / Fish Programs
$1,673
$2,246
$2,391
$145
Drinking Water Programs
$109,958
$121,607
$143,886
$22,279
Subtotal, Ensure Safe Water
$111,631
$123,853
$146,277
$22,424
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
$109,347
$102,159
$317,712
$215,553
215
-------
Geographic Programs
Geographic Program: Chesapeake Bay
$74,640
$92,000
$92,000
$0
Geographic Program: Gulf of Mexico
$22,550
$25,524
$25,600
$76
Geographic Program: Lake Champlain
$25,823
$25,000
$25,000
$0
Geographic Program: Long Island Sound
$36,429
$40,002
$40,000
-$2
Geographic Program: Other
Lake Pontchartrain
$1,899
$2,200
$2,200
$0
S.New England Estuary (SNEE)
$6,546
$7,000
$7,000
$0
Geographic Program: Other (other
activities)
$2,041
$5,000
$5,000
$0
Subtotal, Geographic Program: Other
$10,486
$14,200
$14,200
$0
Geographic Program: Puget Sound
$48,317
$54,000
$54,000
$0
Geographic Program: San Francisco Bay
$45,061
$54,500
$54,500
$0
Geographic Program: South Florida
$6,806
$8,500
$8,500
$0
Great Lakes Restoration
$361,607
$368,000
$368,000
$0
Subtotal, Geographic Programs
$631,720
$681,726
$681,800
$74
Flomeland Security
Flomeland Security: Communication and
Information
$4,592
$4,692
$6,119
$1,427
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure
Protection
$249
$923
$1,025
$102
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel
and Infrastructure
$6,059
$5,188
$5,158
-$30
Subtotal, Homeland Security
$10,899
$10,803
$12,302
$1,499
Indoor Air and Radiation
Indoor Air: Radon Program
$2,844
$3,364
$5,147
$1,783
Radiation: Protection
$8,390
$9,088
$11,748
$2,660
Radiation: Response Preparedness
$2,111
$2,650
$3,185
$535
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
$13,281
$13,593
$47,570
$33,977
Subtotal, Indoor Air and Radiation
$26,627
$28,695
$67,650
$38,955
International Programs
International Sources of Pollution
$7,214
$7,323
$26,183
$18,860
Trade and Governance
$7,390
$5,510
$7,201
$1,691
US Mexico Border
$2,512
$2,993
$5,132
$2,139
Subtotal, International Programs
$17,116
$15,826
$38,516
$22,690
IT / Data Management / Security
Information Security
$8,188
$9,142
$23,937
$14,795
IT / Data Management
$95,631
$91,821
$108,601
$16,780
Subtotal, IT / Data Management / Security
$103,819
$100,963
$132,538
$31,575
216
-------
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Administrative Law
$5,223
$5,395
$6,195
$800
Alternative Dispute Resolution
$845
$972
$2,820
$1,848
Civil Rights Program
$10,146
$12,866
$32,227
$19,361
Integrated Environmental Strategies
$9,702
$11,297
$40,197
$28,900
Legal Advice: Environmental Program
$60,207
$60,061
$86,615
$26,554
Legal Advice: Support Program
$15,922
$18,957
$20,584
$1,627
Regulatory/Economic-Management and Analysis
$16,032
$17,475
$19,526
$2,051
Science Advisory Board
$4,219
$4,155
$4,671
$516
Science Policy and Biotechnology
$1,628
$1,811
$1,642
-$169
Subtotal, Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic
Review
$123,923
$132,989
$214,477
$81,488
Operations and Administration
Acquisition Management
$33,034
$37,251
$42,085
$4,834
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
$85,840
$87,099
$100,595
$13,496
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
$28,225
$30,188
$34,745
$4,557
Human Resources Management
$51,882
$51,261
$68,124
$16,863
Regional Science and Technology
$1,879
$1,554
$7,287
$5,733
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
$476,474
$490,683
$560,970
$70,287
Pesticides Licensing
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from
Pesticide Risk
$45,217
$48,704
$75,963
$27,259
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide
Risk
$59,740
$62,125
$66,281
$4,156
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide
Availability
$5,774
$7,637
$8,316
$679
Subtotal, Pesticides Licensing
$110,731
$118,466
$150,560
$32,094
Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
National Estuary Program / Coastal Waterways
$38,790
$40,000
$32,611
-$7,389
Wetlands
$19,656
$21,754
$26,995
$5,241
Subtotal, Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
$58,446
$61,754
$59,606
-$2,148
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
$153
$0
$0
$0
217
-------
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
RCRA: Corrective Action
$37,176
$40,512
$42,105
$1,593
RCRA: Waste Management
$70,129
$75,958
$91,500
$15,542
RCRA: Waste Minimization & Recycling
$9,375
$10,252
$15,799
$5,547
Subtotal, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA)
$116,681
$126,722
$149,404
$22,682
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Endocrine Disruptors
$6,010
$7,614
$7,701
$87
Pollution Prevention Program
$12,568
$12,987
$29,193
$16,206
Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Management
-$2
$0
$0
$0
Toxic Substances: Lead Risk Reduction Program
$11,777
$14,359
$14,597
$238
Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Review and
Reduction
$91,216
$82,822
$131,900
$49,078
Subtotal, Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
$121,568
$117,782
$183,391
$65,609
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
LUST / UST
$11,034
$12,021
$14,604
$2,583
TOTAL EPM
$3,077,440
$3,286,330
$4,406,988
$1,120,658
218
-------
Alaska Contaminated Lands
219
-------
Alaska Contaminated Lands
Program Area: Alaska Contaminated Lands
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S.i.J/i
S 211,1)1)1)
S2D.DJ2
N12
Total Budget Authority
$3,215
$20,000
$20,012
$12
Total Workyears
1.5
5.0
5.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Alaska Contaminated Lands Program supports President Biden's Executive Order 13985:
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government1 and seeks to address environmental injustices regarding the 44 million acres
transferred from federal ownership to Alaska Native corporations as part of the Alaska Native
Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).2 Many of these lands were contaminated while not under Alaska
Native ownership, and the contaminants on some of these lands - arsenic, asbestos, lead, mercury,
pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other petroleum products - pose health concerns
to Alaska Native communities, negatively impact subsistence resources, and hamper economic
activity.
EPA has initiated a whole-of-government approach to help advance the cleanup of contaminated
ANCSA lands through the Arctic Executive Steering Committee. The work continues with the
Department of the Interior, Department of Defense, and other federal agencies.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Maintain a contaminated ANCSA sites inventory and maintain a public-facing dashboard
to provide site information, including cleanup status.
• Continue to engage with the State of Alaska, Alaska Native Corporations, Alaska Native
Organizations, and other federal agencies to further develop, modify, and implement the
comprehensive approach to advancing cleanup efforts.
1 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federa1register.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advanciiig-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment.
2 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gOv/rl0-tribal/contamination-ancsa-conveved-lands#background.
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• Manage the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Grant Program to facilitate assessment and
cleanup work at contaminated ANCSA lands.
• Oversee and manage grants awarded under the Contaminated ANCSA Lands Grant
Program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$12.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
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Brownfields
222
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Brownfields
Program Area: Brownfields
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
.S 22.5X2
S 20.1 XV
S3V.OX-I
S 12.XV5
Total Budget Authority
$22,582
$26,189
$39,084
$12,895
Total Workyears
110.6
129.5
187.5
58.0
Program Project Description:
Brownfields sites are real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be
complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or
contaminant. Brownfields sites can be found in the heart of America's main streets and former
economic centers. The Brownfields Program supports efforts to revitalize these sites by awarding
grants and providing technical assistance to states, tribes, local communities, and other
stakeholders to work together to plan, inventory, assess, safely clean up, and reuse brownfields
sites. Approximately 160 million people (roughly 48 percent of the U.S. population) live within
three miles of a brownfields site that receives EPA funding.3 Similarly, within a half mile of a
brownfields site receiving EPA funding, 20 percent of people live below the national poverty level,
16 percent have less than a high school education, 54 percent are people of color, and seven percent
are linguistically isolated. As of December 2023, grants awarded by the Program have led to over
10,800 properties made ready for productive use and over 270 thousand jobs and over $40.4 billion
leveraged.4
The Brownfields Program directly supports the goals of the Administration's Justice40 initiative.
Operating activities include: 1) conducting the annual, high volume cooperative agreement
competitions; 2) awarding new cooperative agreements; 3) managing the ongoing cooperative
agreement workload; 4) providing technical assistance and ongoing support to grantees; 5)
providing contractor supported technical assistance to non-grantee communities with brownfields
sites; 6) collaborating with other agency programs; 7) operating the Assessment Cleanup and
Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) online grantee reporting tool; 8) assisting
communities to explore land reuse opportunities under the Land Revitalization Program; and 9)
developing guidance and tools that clarify potential environmental cleanup liabilities.
3 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management, 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Brownfields site information from
ACRES as of the end of FY 2022; 2) Population data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
4 From ACRES as reported by grantees.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Today, there are more than one thousand active Brownfields cooperative agreements (CAs) and
hundreds of land revitalization projects, targeted assessments, financial planning, and visioning
sessions taking place, funded by regular appropriations and by the historic investment from the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). All are supported and invigorated by the
Brownfields Program's best tool - community development specialists. Specialists are the
backbone of the success of the Agency broadly, and they bring unique technical and program
management experience, as well as public and environmental health expertise, to individual
brownfields communities. The communities that the Program works with have made significant
progress, but without the skilled guidance of EPA community development specialists, the
Program would not have had the success that characterizes its history at the nexus between
environmental revitalization and community development.
To continue to build on these successes, along with the historic investment from IIJA, the Agency
proposes to invest an additional $12.9 million and 58.0 FTE in FY 2025. In FY 2022, a detailed
Workload Model Analysis identified a significant barrier to engaging with communities related to
the availability of on-the-ground resources to conduct outreach and communication. This
investment of regional FTE will provide expanded technical assistance and build capacity in small,
rural, Environmental Justice (EJ), and other historically disadvantaged communities and support
the Program as it implements a responsive, expansive, and innovative environmental and economic
community redevelopment program. Prior to infrastructure funding, approximately 80 people
managed more than 1,100 open cooperative agreements across the country. It is estimated that the
program will have approximately 2,700 open cooperative agreements to manage by FY 2027.
Without additional FTE resources, EPA will not be able to sustain and responsibly manage the
unprecedented infrastructure investments in the Brownfields Program.
In FY 2025, community development specialists will continue to manage approximately 1,000
assessment, cleanup, Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), multi-purpose, and Environmental Workforce
Development and Job Training (EWDJT) CAs, as well as state and tribal assistance agreements.
In addition, EPA will be managing training, research, and technical assistance agreements;
Targeted Brownfields Assessments; and land revitalization projects. The Brownfields Program
also will continue to foster federal, state, tribal, and public-private partnerships to return properties
to productive economic use, including in historically disadvantaged communities and communities
with EJ concerns.
In addition, IIJA invests $1.5 billion to scale up community-led brownfields revitalization from
FY 2022 through FY 2026. This work includes $1.2 billion in direct grants and technical assistance
to assess and clean up brownfields sites, train and place people in environmental jobs, and assist
hundreds of communities in identifying equitable reuse options to cultivate healthy, resilient, and
livable neighborhoods. An additional $300 million will support State and Tribal Response
programs that can provide necessary funds to states and territories and over one hundred tribes to
224
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grow their brownfields programs. EPA will continue to manage an estimated four hundred
cooperative agreements funded under IIJA.
In FY 2025, the Brownfields Program will support the following activities:
• Completing and Awarding New Cooperative Agreements: Review, select, and award
an estimated 170 new cooperative agreements, which will lead to approximately $2.3
billion and 12,135 jobs leveraged in future years.
• Oversight and Management of Existing Cooperative Agreements: Continue federal
fiduciary responsibility to manage approximately one thousand existing brownfields CAs
funded under regular appropriations while ensuring the terms and conditions of the
agreements are met, as well as provide limited technical assistance. The Program also will
provide targeted environmental oversight support to grantees (e.g., site eligibility
determinations, review of environmental site assessment and cleanup reports).
• Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance to states, tribes, and local communities
in the form of research, training, analysis, and support for community-led planning
workshops. This can lead to cost effective implementation of brownfields redevelopment
projects by providing communities with the knowledge necessary to understand market
conditions, economic development, and other community revitalization strategies, and how
cleanup and reuse can be catalyzed by small businesses.
• Collaboration: Work collaboratively with our partners at the state, tribal, and local levels
on innovative approaches to help achieve land reuse. The Program, in collaboration with
EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, also will continue to develop
guidance and tools that clarify potential environmental cleanup liabilities, thereby
providing greater certainty for parties seeking to reuse these properties. In addition, the
Program can provide direct support to facilitate transactions for parties seeking to reuse
contaminated properties.
• Accomplishment Tracking: Support the maintenance of the ACRES online grantee
reporting tool. This enables grantees to track accomplishments and report on the number
of sites assessed and cleaned up, as well as the amount of dollars and jobs leveraged with
brownfields grants.
• Land Revitalization Program Support: Provide support for approximately two
communities as part of EPA's Land Revitalization Program. The Land Revitalization
Program supports communities in their efforts to restore contaminated lands into
sustainable community assets.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Brownfields Projects Program under
the STAG appropriation.
225
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,315.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes an increase for
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$10,580.0 / +58.0 FTE) This increase is for community development specialists to
manage land revitalization projects, provide one-on-one financial planning support, and
educate tribal, rural, and EJ communities on how to address brownfields sites. This
investment includes $10.5 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), §§
101(39), 104(k), 128(a); Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, § 8001.
226
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Clean Air
227
-------
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul I'roffrum.s A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SI
SI (,.554
SMI, V.i
SN.I.SV
Science & Technology
$6,578
$7,117
$19,987
$12,870
Total Budget Authority
$23,846
$23,671
$50,730
$27,059
Total Workyears
63.8
66.7
86.1
19.4
Program Project Description:
The Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs are nationwide and multi-state programs that address
air pollutants that are transported across state, regional, and international boundaries. The
programs are designed to control emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx),
key precursors of both fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). These programs include
Title IV (the Acid Rain Program (ARP)) of the Clean Air Act, the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
(CSAPR), the CSAPR Update, the revised CSAPR Update, and the Good Neighbor Plan. The
infrastructure for the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs also supports implementation of
other state and federal programs to control SO2, hazardous air pollutants, and greenhouse gases.
The Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs establish a total emission limit across affected
emission sources, which must hold allowances as authorizations to emit one ton of the regulated
pollutant(s) in a specific emission control period. The owners and operators of affected emission
sources may select among different methods of compliance—installing pollution control
equipment, switching fuel types, purchasing allowances, or other strategies. By offering the
flexibility to determine how the sources comply, the programs lower the overall cost, making it
feasible to pursue greater emission reductions. These programs are managed through a centralized
database system operated by EPA.5 Data collected under these programs are made available to the
public through EPA's Clean Air Markets Program Data (CAMPD) website,6 which provides
access to both current and historical data collected as part of the Clean Air Allowance Trading
Programs through charts, reports, and downloadable datasets. To implement these programs, EPA
operates an emission measurement and reporting program, market operations program,
environmental monitoring programs, and a communication and stakeholder engagement program.
In 2022, the eighth year of operation of the CSAPR SO2 programs, sources in both the CSAPR
SO2 annual programs and the ARP together reduced SO2 emissions by 14.9 million tons (95
percent) from 1990 levels (before implementation of the ARP), and 9.4 million tons (92 percent)
5 Clean Air Act § 403(d).
6 For additional information, please refer to https:/Avww.epa.gov/aimiark.ets/data-resources.
228
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from 2005 levels (before implementation of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)7 and the
CSAPR). All ARP and CSAPR sources together emitted a total of 852,000 tons of SO2 in 2022.
In 2022, the eighth year of operation of the CSAPR NOx annual program, sources in both the
CSAPR NOx annual program and the ARP together emitted 749,000 tons, a reduction of 5.7
million tons (88 percent reduction) from 1990 levels, and 2.9 million tons (79 percent reduction)
from 2005 levels.
The Part 75 monitoring program requires almost 4,300 affected sources to monitor and report
emission and operation data.8 The Part 75 monitoring program requires high degrees of accuracy
and reliability from continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) or approved alternative
methods at the affected sources. EPA provides the affected emission sources with technical
assistance to facilitate compliance with the monitoring requirements, and software—the Emissions
Collection and Monitoring Plan System (ECMPS)—to process, quality assure, and report data to
EPA. To assess the quality of the data, the Agency conducts electronic audits, desk reviews, and
field and virtual audits of the emission data and monitoring systems. EPA also conducts a Protocol
Gas Verification Program (PGVP) in cooperation with National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) to ensure calibration gases used for CEMS quality assurance/quality control
are of high quality. In addition to the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs, the emission
measurement program and ECMPS software support several state and federal emission control
and reporting programs, including the Texas SO2 Trading Program, Regional Greenhouse Gas
Initiative (RGGI), Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Electric
Generating Units, and Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). It also interfaces with the
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), ensuring the Part 75 data is seamlessly transferred
to that program's infrastructure (Electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (eGGRT)).
EPA's centralized market operation system (the allowance tracking system) manages accounts and
records allowance allocations and transfers.9 At the end of each compliance period, working
directly with and supporting stakeholders, EPA reconciles allowances against reported emissions
to determine compliance for every facility with affected emission sources. For over 25 years, the
affected facilities have maintained near-perfect compliance under the trading programs.10 The
market operation system also supports several state and federal emission control and reporting
programs, including the Texas SO2 Trading Program, RGGI, and MATS.
The Clean Air Act's Good Neighbor provision11 requires states or, in some circumstances the
Agency, to reduce interstate pollution that significantly contributes to nonattainment or interferes
with maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Under this authority,
EPA issued CSAPR, which requires 27 states in the eastern U.S. to limit their state-wide emissions
of SO2 and/or NOx to reduce or eliminate the states' contributions to PM2.5 and/or ground-level
ozone non-attainment of the NAAQS in downwind states. The emission limitations are defined in
terms of maximum statewide "budgets" for emissions of annual SO2, annual NOx, and/or ozone-
7 CAIR addressed regional interstate transport of fine particulate matter and ozone. CAIR was replaced by the Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule, as of January 1, 2015.
8 Clean Air Act § 412; Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. P.L. 101-549 § 821.
9 Clean Air Act § 403(d).
10 For more information, please refer to: http://www3.epa.gov/ainnarkets/progress/reports/iiidex.html.
11 Clean Air Act § 110(a)(2)(D); also refer to Clean Air Act § 110(c).
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season NOx emissions from certain large stationary sources in each state. In 2016, EPA issued the
CSAPR Update to address interstate transport of ozone for the 2008 ozone NAAQS in the eastern
United States. EPA revised the CSAPR Update on March 15, 2021, to address a ruling of the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. In 2022, EPA proposed the Good Neighbor Plan to address
interstate transport of ozone for the 2015 ozone NAAQS and included a proposed ozone-season
NOx trading program for EGUs in 25 states. The Good Neighbor Plan was finalized in spring 2023
and went into effect during the 2023 ozone season. In addition, EPA is supporting state efforts to
address regional haze including best available retrofit technology and reasonable progress, as well
as interstate air pollution transport contributing to downwind nonattainment of NAAQS as those
obligations relate to emissions from electricity generating units.12 EPA is conducting
environmental justice (EJ) analyses of the distribution of these emissions and associated public
health impacts on overburdened communities.
EPA manages the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET), a rural ambient air
monitoring program supporting NAAQS determinations, model validation, and ecological
impacts. CASTNET measures ambient ozone and nitrogen and sulfur particles and gases to
evaluate air quality effects on human health and environmental loadings. In addition, EPA
participates in the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, which monitors wet deposition of
sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury, as well as ambient concentrations of mercury and ammonia. Data
from these air quality and environmental monitoring programs, in conjunction with SO2, NOx,
mercury, and CO2 emissions data from the Part 75 monitoring program and mercury emissions
data from the MATS reporting program, have allowed EPA to develop a comprehensive
accountability framework to track the results of its air quality programs. EPA applies this
framework to the programs it implements and issues annual progress reports on compliance and
environmental results achieved by the ARP, CSAPR, the CSAPR Update, and the Revised CSAPR
Update, and pollution controls installed and emissions reductions achieved by MATS.13 Required
by Congress since FY 2019 in the appropriations reports, these annual progress reports highlight
reductions in SO2 and NOx emissions, and impacts of these reductions on air quality (e.g., ozone
and PM2.5 levels), acid deposition, surface water acidity, forest health, and other environmental
indicators.
EPA produces several tools to inform the public and key stakeholders about power sector
emissions, operations, and environmental data. The Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated
Database (eGRID)14 is a comprehensive source of data on the environmental characteristics of
almost all electric power generated in the U. S. Data from eGRID are used by other EPA programs,
state energy and air agencies, and researchers. Between 2015 and 2021, eGRID was cited by more
than 1,600 academic papers. Power Profiler15 is a web application where electricity consumers can
see the fuel mix and air emissions rates of their region's electricity and determine the air emissions
associated with their electricity use. In keeping with the Agency's renewed commitment to energy
equity and EJ, EPA published the Power Plants and Neighboring Communities web application16
where consumers and advocates can find information about the demographics of communities
12 Clean Air Act § 110 and § 169A; refer to 40 CFR 52.2312.
13 To view the progress reports, please refer to: http://www3.epa.gov/ainiiarkets/progress/reports/iiidex.html.
14 To view eGRID, please refer to littps: //www. epa. gov/egrid.
15 To view Power Profiler, please refer to https://www.epa.gov/egrid/power-profiler.
16 To view the Power Plants and Neighboring Communities, please refer to https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/power-plants-and-
neighboring-communities.
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located near power plants. EPA is developing analytical tools to better understand and
communicate the impact of electricity generation on low-income communities and communities
of color. EPA also operates several initiatives to engage key stakeholders, including working
closely with tribal governments to build tribal air monitoring capacity through partnerships with
the CASTNET Program. The EmPOWER Air Data Challenge17 encourages academic researchers
to propose how to integrate the EPA emissions and/or environmental data in their research. The
Ask Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) webinars provide an opportunity for stakeholders to ask
EPA about the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs, Part 75 emission reporting program, and
the emission and environmental data programs.
EPA also develops multiple models and tools to project future emissions from the power sector to
inform EPA's air quality modeling, as well as water and land regulations affecting power plants.
The Integrated Planning Model (IPM) is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed, dynamic linear
programming model that EPA applies to project power sector behavior under future business-as-
usual conditions and to examine prospective air pollution control policies throughout the
contiguous United States for the entire electric power system. EPA uses IPM, along with the
National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) and the Regional Energy Deployment System
(ReEDS), to estimate future electricity market conditions and associated pollutant emissions
scenarios resulting from legislative and regulatory policies under consideration by Congress and
the Administration. The National Electric Energy Data System (NEEDS) includes geographic,
operating, air emissions, and other data on existing and planned grid-connected electric generating
units across the contiguous United States. EPA updates and publishes NEEDS on a quarterly basis
to inform emission modeling projections and to provide timely information to air quality planners
and policymakers developing regulations to address power sector pollution. EPA is augmenting
these power sector models and tools to include important information pertinent to EJ analyses and
community-level impacts.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to operate the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs and the
systems to assess compliance with the Programs' regulatory requirements and the programs'
progress toward the environmental goals required by the Clean Air Act. EPA will work to meet
requirements and requests for modeling in support of the power sector emission control programs
and for legal defense of regulatory actions. The Programs will continue to support emission
reporting for other state and federal programs, including RGGI, MATS, and GHGRP.18 In FY
2025, EPA anticipates work on regulatory development and implementation related to power
plants including greenhouse gas emission guidelines for existing power plants (replacing the
previously promulgated Clean Power Plan and the Affordable Clean Energy Rule); interstate
ozone transport obligations under the 2015 ozone standard; and the risk and technology review for
17 For more information about the challenge, refer to https://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/empower-air-data-challenge.
18 Refer to, 40 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart UUUUU (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Coal and Oil Fired
Electric Utility Steam Generating Units) and 40 C.F.R. Part 98, Subpart D (Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting: Electricity
Generation).
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MATS. If finalized, the programmatic, operational, and/or data collection and management
requirements will be expanded. EPA will continue to update power sector model inputs and
capabilities to most accurately reflect changes and inform power sector investments driven by the
Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
This request also expands EPA's ability to perform advanced power sector analyses to tackle the
climate crisis, including developing EJ tools to consider the distributional impacts of emissions on
overburdened communities.
Allowance tracking and compliance assessment
EPA will allocate SO2 and NOx allowances to affected emission sources and other account holders
as established in the Clean Air Act19 and state and federal CSAPR implementation plans. These
allowance holdings and subsequent allowance transfers will be maintained in an allowance
tracking system (i.e., central database).20 EPA will annually reconcile each facility's allowance
holdings against its emissions to ensure compliance for all affected sources.21
Emission measurement data collection, review, and publication
EPA will operate the Part 75 emission measurement program to collect, verify, and track emissions
of air pollutants and air toxics from approximately 4,300 fossil-fuel-fired electric generating
units.22 In FY 2025, EPA also will implement several new regulatory actions, including the MATS
e-reporting rule23 and the Good Neighbor Plan and Part 75 regulatory update.24 These new
regulatory actions expand emission and compliance data collection. These emissions, operations,
and compliance data will be maintained in an emissions tracking system (i.e., central database)
and made publicly available.25
Program assessment and communication
EPA will continue to monitor ambient air, deposition, and other environmental indicators through
the CASTNET Program, contribute to the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, publish the
power sector progress reports required by Congress, and produce additional information to
communicate the extent of the progress made by the Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs.26
EPA will publish emissions, environmental, and EJ-related demographic data on our expanded
eGRID website. The expanded eGRID website will integrate new data available from the Energy
Information Agency (EIA) and provide visualizations and contextual information to describe the
emissions changes in the power sector.
Redesign system applications
EPA will continue the redesign of its markets operation system (CAMD Business System, CBS)
and ECMPS software. These mission critical systems support the trading programs, as well as
other emissions reporting programs operated by the states (e.g., RGGI) and EPA (e.g., MATS,
19 Clean Air Act §§ 110 and 403.
20 Clean Air Act § § 110 and 403.
21 Clean Air Act §§110 and 404-405, and state CSAPR implementation plans.
22 Clean Air Act § 412; Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. P.L. 101-549 § 821; and 40 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart UUUUU.
23 4 0 C.F.R. Part 63, Subpart UUUUU.
24 40 C.F.R. Part 75.
25 Clean Air Act § 412; Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. P.L. 101-549 § 821.
26 Government Performance and Results Act § 1115.
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GHGRP). Reengineering these decade-old systems will enable EPA to enhance the user
experience, comply with EPA security and technology requirements, consolidate software
systems, and reduce long-term operation and maintenance costs. EPA released the CAMPD
website in FY 2022 to enhance the public's access to the emission and allowance data. ECMPS
modules were released in FY 2023 with additional functionality added in FY 2024.
Assistance to states
EPA will work with states to develop emission reduction programs to comply with the Clean Air
Act Good Neighbor Provision and Regional Haze program requirements.27 As part of the emission
measurement, data collection, review, and publication, EPA will provide a web portal for states
with delegated authority for MATS to access and review emissions and compliance data.
CASTNET will continue to support states in meeting their minimum monitoring requirements and
assist with developing exceptional event demonstrations, as needed. Additionally, CASTNET will
continue to provide data that can be used for permitting and ecological assessments within state
boundaries (e.g., Colorado).
Stakeholder engagement
EPA will continue to engage our stakeholder communities through efforts to maintain and
strengthen current tribal air monitoring partnerships and build new ones to the extent possible. In
addition, EPA has new efforts underway to identify how power plant pollution impacts historically
marginalized and underserved communities, and how EPA air rules can mitigate those impacts.
EPA also seeks to communicate information about power plant emissions and the contributions to
low-income communities and communities of color and encourage the use of the Clean Air
Allowance Trading Programs' data for scientific analysis and communication through various
programs and tools, such as Power Plants and Neighboring Communities, EmPOWER Air Data
Challenge and Ask CMD Webinars.
Policy and regulatory development
EPA will contribute multi-pollutant and multi-media (i.e., air, water, land) power sector analyses
informing EPA's policy agenda to tackle the climate crisis and protect public health and the
environment, including EJ analyses to consider the distributional impacts of emissions on
overburdened communities. Analytic and policy topics addressing climate change and air pollution
that could be analyzed include a wide range of power sector actions under the CAA, as well as
analysis of interactions between alternative vehicle electrification futures and associated changes
in electric power generation.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM NOX) Tons of ozone season NOx emissions from electric power generation sources.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
355,000
344,000
332,000
332,000
Tons
Actual
443,764
389,170
341,082
359,124
324,285
293,519
27 Clean Air Act § 110(a)(2)(D).
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$14,189.0 / +17.7 FTE) This program change is an increase in support for emissions
trading programs, including associated data systems, that protect human health and the
environment by delivering substantial emissions reductions in the power sector of SO2,
NOx, and hazardous air pollutants. This proposal expands EPA's ability to perform
advanced power sector analyses to tackle the climate crisis, including developing
environmental justice tools to consider the distributional impacts of emissions on
overburdened communities. This investment includes $3,248 million in payroll and
additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
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Climate Protection
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Science & Technology
$9,968
$8,750
$10,800
$2,050
Total Budget Authority
$109,260
$109,750
$187,285
$77,535
Total Workyears
195.9
216.1
256.7
40.6
Program Project Description:
EPA's Climate Protection Program is working to tackle the climate crisis at home and abroad
through an integrated approach of regulations, partnerships, and technical assistance. This Program
takes strong action to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane emissions as well as working to
reduce high-global warming potential greenhouse gases (GHG), like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
that will help the U.S. realize near-term climate benefits. Through this program, EPA works with
federal, state, tribal, local government agencies, and key GHG emitting sectors to tackle the climate
crisis and deliver environmental and public health benefits for all Americans. EPA builds
partnerships, provides tools, and verifies and publishes GHG data, economic modeling, and policy
analysis, all of which increase the understanding of climate science, impacts, and protection. EPA
also extends this expertise internationally and plays critical roles in shaping and advancing
international agreements and solutions. This international collaboration helps to both improve
public health and air quality in the United States and level the global playing field for American
businesses.
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program:
EPA implements the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program under the Clean Air Act. In 2007,
Congress directed EPA to "require mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions above
appropriate thresholds in all sectors of the economy of the U.S." EPA annually collects data from
over 8,100 facilities from 41 industrial source categories, including suppliers (e.g., producers,
importers, and exporters of GHGs), and uses this data to: 1) improve estimates included in the
Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks; 2) support federal and state-level policy
and regulatory development; 3) share GHG emissions; and 4) share data with state and local
governments, tribes, community groups, industry stakeholders, academia, the research community,
and the general public.
Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks:
To fulfill U.S. Treaty obligations under Article 4 of the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate
Change, which was ratified by the U.S. Senate, EPA prepares the annual Inventory of U.S.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (Inventory). The Inventory provides information on total
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annual U.S. emissions and removals by source, economic sector, and GHG. The Inventory is used
to inform U.S. policy and for tracking progress towards the U.S. Nationally Determined
Contribution under the Paris Agreement. EPA leads the interagency process of preparing the
Inventory, working with technical experts from numerous federal agencies, including the
Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration, Department of Agriculture
(USD A), Department of Defense, U.S. Geological Survey, and academic and research institutions.
Managing the Transition from Ozone-Depleting Substances:
EPA implements efforts directed by Section 612 of the CAA to ensure a smooth transition away
from ozone-depleting substances (ODS) to safer alternatives. Applying a comparative risk
assessment, the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program evaluates the health and
environmental effects of alternatives in the sectors and subsectors where ODS and high-global
warming potential HFCs are used, providing additional substitute options in key sectors such as
refrigeration and air conditioning.
Phasing Down HFCs:
EPA implements the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, enacted to address
climate-damaging HFCs by phasing down their production and consumption; maximizing
reclamation and minimizing releases of HFCs and their substitutes from equipment; and
facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions. This
phasedown will decrease the production and import of HFCs in the United States by at least 85
percent by 2036, resulting in significant climate benefits.
ENERGY STAR:
ENERGY STAR is the national symbol for energy efficiency, recognized by more than 90 percent
of American households, and is a critical tool to fight the climate crisis. ENERGY STAR addresses
barriers in the market so that consumers and businesses can make informed decisions to reduce
energy use, save money, and reduce harmful air pollutants. By reducing energy use, ENERGY
STAR lowers costs for states and local governments as they design and implement plans to meet
their air quality and climate goals.
ENERGY STAR achieves significant and growing GHG reductions by promoting the adoption
of cost-effective, energy-efficient, and efficient electric technologies and practices in the
residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The Program yields significant environmental
and economic results through its network of thousands of partners. In 2020 alone, ENERGY
STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses save more than 520 billion
kilowatt-hours of electricity and avoid $42 billion in energy costs. These savings resulted in
emission reductions of more than 400 million metric tons of GHGs (roughly equivalent to more
than five percent of U.S. total GHG emissions) and more than 440 thousand tons of criteria air
pollutants (SO2, NOx, PM2.5). ENERGY STAR's criteria pollutant reductions are estimated to
result in $7 billion to $17 billion in public health benefits.28 These investments in turn drive job
creation across the economy. More than 750 thousand Americans are employed in manufacturing
or installing ENERGY STAR certified equipment alone - roughly 35 percent of all energy
28 For more information on ENERGY STAR's environmental, human health, and economic impacts, please see here:
https://www.energystar.gov/about/impacts. For more information on ENERGY STAR calculation methods, see the Technical
Notes, available here: https://www.energvstar.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/Techiiical%20Notes%202022.pdf.
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efficiency jobs in 2022, with energy efficiency accounting for 40 percent of all energy sector jobs
overall.29
EPA manages the ENERGY STAR Program with clearly defined support from the DOE.
Specifically, EPA manages and implements the specification development process for more than
75 product categories and the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition program; the ENERGY
STAR Residential New Construction Program for single-family homes, manufactured homes, and
multifamily buildings; and the ENERGY STAR commercial and industrial programs. This work
includes activities such as certification monitoring and verification; setting performance levels for
building types; managing and maintaining the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool to measure
and track energy use in buildings; and managing the integrity of the ENERGY STAR brand.
ENERGY STAR's IT portfolio is the foundation for program operation, partner communications,
data collection, and analysis. The portfolio includes Portfolio Manager, which is the backbone of
roughly 50 mandatory local benchmarking programs across the country; the qualified products
exchange, the repository of information on ENERGY STAR products; the ENERGY STAR
website, which is the program's primary means of communication with partners and citizens and
receives over eight million visits per year; and ES Connect, a customer database used to track and
communicate with thousands of stakeholders. All of these resources are supported by a robust
cloud-based IT infrastructure to ensure performance, reliability, and security for ENERGY STAR
stakeholders.
ENERGY STAR also supports equitable energy solutions by promoting broader access to energy-
saving products and home improvements among disadvantaged households. A key focus of
the ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade is to facilitate innovative financing approaches designed to
address barriers faced by the most energy burdened. The Program prioritizes outreach to low-
income populations on products that have the greatest opportunity to save energy and dollars. The
ENERGY STAR Program also looks for affordable alternatives to products that may be cost-
prohibitive, such as replacement windows (e.g., storm windows). In the residential new
construction sector, a quarter of active home builders that partner with ENERGY STAR work in
the affordable housing space, including 675 Habitat for Humanity affiliates who have built more
than 19,500 ENERGY STAR certified homes and apartments. Over 150 manufactured housing
plant partners have constructed more than 155,000 ENERGY STAR certified manufactured
homes. Within the multifamily sector, more than 75 percent of ENERGY STAR certified
multifamily high-rise buildings are identified as affordable housing.30
Renewable Energy Programs:
EPA works with industry and other key groups to promote climate leadership and encourage
efficient, clean technologies. For example, EPA's Green Power Partnership drives voluntary
participation in the U.S. green power market. This Program provides information, technical
assistance, and recognition to companies that use green power at or above minimum partnership
benchmarks. At the end of calendar year 2021, more than 700 EPA Green Power Partners reported
29 U.S. Department of Energy. (2023). U.S. Energy and Employment Report, https://www.energy.gov/policy/us-energy-
employment-iobs-report-useer (link is external). The survey does not account for retail employment.
30 For more information on ENERGY STAR's residential program, including affordable new construction, please visit:
https://www.energystar.gov/about/how_energy star_works/whv epa and
https://cmadmin.energystar.gov/partner_resources/residential_new.
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the collective use of more than 85 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. This amount of
green power use represents nearly 35 percent of the U.S. voluntary green power market (that goes
beyond required purchases under state renewable portfolio standards). Since 2001, the Program
has helped prevent more than 375 million metric tons of GHG emissions.31 In addition, EPA's
Green Power Partnership also recognizes more than 120 EPA Green Power Communities
nationwide that advance green power access and use to their community members. EPA also
establishes norms of climate leadership by encouraging organizations with emerging climate
objectives to identify and achieve cost-effective GHG emission reductions, while helping more
advanced organizations drive innovations in reducing their greenhouse gas impacts in their supply
chains and beyond.
State. Tribal and Local Climate and Energy Programs:
EPA works with state, tribal, and local governments to identify and implement cost-effective
programs that reduce GHG emissions, save energy, and improve air quality. EPA provides the
necessary tools, data, and technical expertise to help subnational governments implement energy
efficiency and clean energy policies and programs that reduce emissions, maximize co-benefits,
and prioritize low-income and vulnerable communities. Through trainings, webinars, outreach,
and technical assistance, the Programs help dozens of state and local governments develop
emissions inventories and analyze the emissions impacts and health benefits of energy efficiency
and clean energy strategies. Many more subnational governments use the Programs' resources and
policy guidebooks to discover best practices for emissions reductions. These programs also
highlight best practices on how to deliver inclusive climate programs that benefit low-income
communities and improve energy justice.
SmartWay Transport:
Launched in 2004, SmartWay is the only voluntary program working across the entire freight
system to comprehensively address economic and environmental goals related to sustainability.
Nearly 4,000 businesses that receive, ship, or carry freight rely upon SmartWay supply chain
accounting tools and methods to assess, track, and reduce transportation-related carbon, energy
use, and air emissions. By accelerating deployment of cleaner, more efficient technologies and
operational strategies across supply chains, SmartWay partners have avoided significant amounts
of pollution, helping to address the climate crisis and contributing to healthier air for underserved
and overburdened communities living close to freight hubs and routes. Improving supply chain
efficiency also helps grow the economy and protect and create jobs while contributing to energy
security. Participants in this economic sector are increasingly looking towards zero emission
technologies as options to improve environmental performance associated with their activities.
EPA is the SmartWay brand manager and is responsible for the specification process for hundreds
of product and vehicle categories, including both family (passenger) vehicles and commercial
(heavy-duty freight truck and trailer) vehicles, and the SmartWay Partnership and SmartWay
Affiliate recognition programs. EPA's technology verification program enables manufacturers to
voluntarily demonstrate fuel saving and emission reduction performance using standard testing
protocols. SmartWay partner fleets as well as others in the trucking industry use EPA's verified
technology lists to identify products that have been demonstrated to save fuel and reduce
31 For more information on EPA's Green Power Partnership's environmental, human health, and economic impacts, please visit:
https://www.epa.gov/greenpower/green-power-partnership-program-results.
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emissions. SmartWay also provides relevant information about fleet best practices and new
technologies to help program participants determine best approaches to managing their fleets.
Partnerships to Reduce Methane Emissions:
EPA operates several partnership programs that promote cost-effective reductions of methane by
working collaboratively with industry. Methane programs offer excellent opportunities for
reducing the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere and providing an energy resource in the
process. Methane is a significant source of GHG emissions and has a relatively short atmospheric
lifetime of about 9 to 15 years, which means that reductions made today will yield positive results
in the near term.
Unlike other GHGs, methane is an important energy resource that allows for cost-effective
mitigation. There are many opportunities to recover and re-use or sell methane from the agriculture
(manure management), coal mining, oil and gas, and landfill sectors. The AgSTAR Program,
which is a collaboration between EPA and USD A, focuses on methane emission reductions
from livestock waste management operations through biogas recovery systems. The Coalbed
Methane Outreach Program promotes opportunities to profitably recover and use methane emitted
from coal mining activities. The Landfill Methane Outreach Program promotes abatement and
energy recovery of methane emitted from landfills. The Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge
program spurs the adoption of cost-effective technologies and practices that reduce methane
emissions from the oil and natural gas sector through collaborative partnerships with companies.
EPA also manages the implementation of the Global Methane Initiative (GMI), a U.S. led
international public-private partnership that brings together over 45 partner governments and over
700 private sector and non-governmental organizations to advance methane recovery and use. GMI
builds on the success of EPA's domestic methane programs and focuses on advancing methane
reductions from agriculture, coal mines, landfills, oil and gas systems, and municipal wastewater.
With assistance from several agencies—particularly EPA and U.S. Department of State—the U.S.
Government has supported identification and implementation of more than 1,100 methane
mitigation projects since 2005. These projects have reduced methane emissions by about 500
million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02e), including approximately 39 MMTC02e
in 2021. Since 2005, U.S. efforts under the auspices of GMI leveraged more than $650 million for
project implementation and training and provided trainings for more than 50,000 people in
methane mitigation.32
Partnerships to Reduce Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
EPA operates partnership programs that promote cost-effective reductions of fluorinated
greenhouse gases (FGHG) by working collaboratively with industry. EPA's FGHG partnership
programs continue to make significant reductions in potent GHG emissions, such as
perfluorocarbons, HFCs, nitrogen trifluoride, and sulfur hexafluoride. Through its partnership
programs, EPA works closely with participating industries to identify cost-effective emissions
reduction opportunities, recognize industry accomplishments, and facilitate the transition toward
environmentally friendlier technologies and chemicals and best environmental practices. Although
32For more information on the Global Methane Initiative's environmental, human health, and economic impacts, please visit:
https://www.epa.gov/gmiAis-govemment-global-methane-iiiitiative-accomplishments.
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FGHGs account for a small portion of total U.S. GHG emissions, they have very high global
warming potentials.
Science. Economic, and Technical Analyses:
EPA conducts a range of economic, scientific, and technical analyses for CAA regulatory actions
and to support the Administration's efforts to address climate change. These efforts include the
communication of the science of climate change to the public by providing information on the
indicators of climate change, climate risks, and actions that can be taken to mitigate the impacts.
EPA applies an analytical framework to evaluate avoided risk and economic impacts of GHG
mitigation. These efforts also include the development of multiple models and tools to project
future multipollutant emissions (including GHGs) from the power sector to inform EPA's air
quality modeling and air, water, and land regulations affecting power plants. EPA applies
modeling tools and expertise across a wide range of high priority work areas, including supporting
U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement, providing analysis and technical expertise to the U.S.
Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and other interagency partners to support U.S. engagement
with foreign governments on climate change, renewable fuel climate assessments, and conducting
legislative analyses as requested by Congressional staff. Furthermore, EPA provides critical,
world-renowned non-CC>2, agriculture, and forestry analyses and participates in the interagency
process to improve and apply the models and analyses as needed. Moreover, EPA is expanding its
ability to conduct equity and Environmental Justice (EJ) analyses to identify policy implications
and improve collaboration with underserved and frontline communities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.1, Reduce Emissions that Cause
Climate Change in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Work in this program also directly
supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal: Phase down the production and
consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). By September 30, 2025, annual U.S. consumption of
HFCs will be 40 percent below the baseline of 302.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent (MMTCCtee) consistent with the HFC phasedown schedule in the American Innovation
and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and codified in the implementing regulations.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting resources to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also
addressing EJ through an integrated approach of regulations, partnerships, and technical
assistance. This request enables EPA to take strong action on CO2 and methane as well as high-
global warming potential climate pollutants such as HFCs; restores the capacity of EPA's climate
partnership programs to provide essential contributions to our Nation's climate, economic, and
justice goals; and strengthens EPA's capacity to apply its modeling tools and expertise across a
wide range of high priority work areas, including supporting U.S. participation in the Paris
Agreement.
EPA will continue to implement the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, which currently covers a
total of 41 sectors with approximately 8,100 reporters. In FY 2025, additional resources are
requested to implement regulations in FY 2025 to update global warming potentials and enhance
reporting of emissions from U.S. industrial sectors, including methane emissions from the oil and
natural gas sector. In FY 2025, EPA will verify at least 98 percent of Annual Greenhouse Gas
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Reports from these sectors prior to the anticipated data publication during the first week of October.
Focus areas for the Program will include:
• Implementing recent regulatory amendments to update, streamline, and enhance the scope
and quality of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program across multiple sectors, GHG
emissions data from the oil and gas sector, as well as carbon capture projects;
• Aligning the electronic greenhouse gas reporting tool (e-GGRT) with those regulatory
amendments and performing system enhancements to accommodate HFC supply data
submitted by industry to meet the reporting requirements of the AIM Act regulations;
• Conducting a verification process through a combination of electronic checks, staff reviews,
and follow up with facilities;
• Publishing reported data while enhancing the Facility Level Information on Greenhouse
Gases Tool (FLIGHT) mapping feature to visually display the distribution of GHG
emissions and sources of GHG supply in areas of the country of EJ and equity concern;
• Continuing the review and decision making on the increased number of Carbon Capture
and Storage Monitoring Reporting and Verification plans that are submitted to the GHG
Reporting Program due to changes in the IRS 45Q tax code; and
• Implementing administrative actions, including one or more rulemakings, using Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA) supplemental funds to revise the GHGRP subpart W (requiring
reporting of GHG emissions from Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems) and implementing
the Waste Emissions Charge.
In addition, EPA will work to complete the annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Emissions and
Sinks (Inventory). In FY 2025, additional resources are requested to enhance the data collection,
reporting and publication processes, while also supporting reconciliation and convergence of
bottom-up and top-down approaches to measuring methane emissions, ensuring EPA continues to
meet the legally binding treaty obligations. Focus areas will include:
• Continuing improvements to inventory methodologies in areas such as oil and gas, land-
use, and waste, consistent with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines,
and to meet upcoming Paris reporting requirements;
• Disaggregating the national Inventory to the state level and publishing the results annually
through the online Data Explorer tool;
• Furthering work to make use of advanced observation technologies, including through
developing the capacity to publish an annual gridded methane inventory, which is essential
for use by atmospheric researchers and as input to other studies;
• Integrating the GHG emission calculator into Portfolio Manager to help users fully comply
with accounting protocols and local mandates;
• Enhancing GHG inventory tools and technical assistance to states, local governments, and
tribes; and,
• In coordination with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other
partners, EPA will continue to study and prototype capabilities for a greenhouse gas
monitoring and information system that will integrate data from a variety of sources, with
a goal of making data more accessible and usable to federal, state, and local governments,
researchers, the public, and other users.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the ENERGY STAR Program, partnering with
nearly 840 utilities (representing an annual collective investment of $7.6 billion in energy
efficiency programs) plus state and local governments and nonprofits. These partners leverage
ENERGY STAR in their efficiency programs to achieve GHG reductions in major economic
sectors, consistent with national commitments. In FY 2025, ENERGY STAR also will continue
to modernize its IT infrastructure, including moving existing software to open-source, cloud-
based solutions to improve system performance and reliability while also reducing operational
costs. ENERGY STAR will further prioritize usability of its web-based tools and resources for
both partners and the general public.
More than 50 cities and states have developed mandatory energy requirements for existing
commercial and multifamily buildings (e.g., benchmarking, disclosure, and energy or climate
performance) that rely on EPA's Portfolio Manager (EPA's online tool for building managers to
measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions) and work
with EPA on implementation.
EPA also will support the IRA's expanded incentives - including tax credits and/or rebates for
consumers, businesses, and owners of commercial and multifamily buildings that explicitly rely
on ENERGY STAR - through both an information hub and targeted outreach and technical
assistance to potential users of these incentives.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DOE, EPA has an obligation to review and
update ENERGY STAR specifications on a regular cycle. Failure to update these specifications
undermines EPA's commitments under this MOU and risks a situation where ENERGY STAR
specifications would be less rigorous than DOE's regulatory standards, or national model energy
codes and advanced state-level codes for new construction, which introduces the possibility of
legal risk to the Agency. In FY 2025, the Agency is requesting additional resources to address the
growing backlog of ENERGY STAR specifications that are overdue for review and update.
ENERGY STAR will work in the Residential Sector to enable and accelerate the adoption of energy
efficiency. In FY 2025, the Program will:
• Update up to five product specifications for ENERGY STAR-labeled products to ensure
top efficiency performance and complete development of a specification for up to one
new product type;
• Further amend up to two ENERGY STAR specifications in response to changes in DOE
minimum efficiency standards and test procedures;
• Complete the stakeholder process across all relevant residential and commercial product
specifications to prioritize labeling of efficient, electric products;
• Administer third-party certification to ensure consumer confidence in more than 75
categories for ENERGY STAR labeled products, which includes overseeing 500
recognized laboratories worldwide and more than 20 certification bodies;
• Further drive long-term climate goals by advancing the cutting edge of the current and
future market through the ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Awards and the
ENERGY STAR Most Efficient recognition program, which recognizes over 2,500 product
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models from nearly 350 manufacturers;
• Leverage the market power of the ENERGY STAR brand through the ENERGY STAR
Home Upgrade to quickly scale home energy retrofits featuring the high impact, broadly
applicable measures (e.g., heat pumps and heat pump water heaters) that are critical to
efficiently decarbonizing the residential sector;
• Target energy-saving resources to underserved and energy burdened households with
expanded efforts to leverage the ENERGY STAR market power to advance utility-scale
uptake of equitable financing approaches for home energy upgrades, a key opportunity to
support environmental justice goals;
• Continue to develop and implement critical updates of program requirements for EPA's
ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction programs in response to newly-developed
and adopted national model codes and unique states codes, such as California, to ensure that
the Program continues to deliver at least 10 percent energy savings; and
• Provide support for the implementation of the Section 45L tax credit for energy-efficient
new homes, including coordination with other federal agencies (e.g., Treasury and DOE),
as well as providing technical assistance for builders and energy rating companies to ensure
maximum uptake of available credits that promote increased efficiency in residential new
construction.
In addition, ENERGY STAR will continue to partner with businesses and public-sector
organizations to advance energy efficiency in the commercial sector. In FY 2025, the program
will:
• Continue to operate and maintain ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, as well as deliver
critical enhancements to accommodate the more than 300 commercial software vendors
and utilities that use the tool, and add reporting and tracking functionality and enhanced
data quality checks to increase support to corporate and federal, state and local government
users;
• Update and expand ENERGY STAR building scores, used to understand how a building's
energy consumption compares with similar buildings nationwide;
• Verify the efficiency of more than 7,000 buildings with EPA's ENERGY STAR label,
including conducting approximately 250 spot audits;
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to the many local governments and states that
are exploring or have adopted building performance standards, as well as continue to
support jurisdictions that have adopted mandatory or voluntary energy benchmarking and
disclosure policies that rely on EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and related
tools; and
• Deploy in marketplace the new ENERGY STAR-based certification program that was
launched in FY 2024 to recognize the next generation of existing commercial and
multifamily buildings that demonstrate achievement of top efficiency plus low carbon
emissions through efficient electrification and use of renewable energy.
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ENERGY STAR will continue to work with partners in the industrial sector to improve efficiency
and reduce costs while protecting the environment. In FY 2025, the Program will:
• Continue to support ENERGY STAR industrial partners across 33 diverse industrial
sectors through webinars, focus industry meetings, company-to-company mentoring, and
recognition of efficient plants;
• Update and develop new Energy Performance Indicators to incorporate key factors that
impact energy use in the plant and convert electricity inputs to source energy;
• Work with, review, and audit an expected 200 industrial plants applications registered to
achieve the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry in which industrial sites commit to
reducing their energy intensity by 10 percent within five years; and
• Deploy scalable guidance and technical assistance to increase efficiency in lower-resourced
small and medium sized industries.
EPA will implement the Green Power Partnership and other activities to accelerate the transition to
a carbon-pollution free electricity sector. In FY 2025, the Program will:
• Update and develop new resources, educational tools, and recognition of actions and
leadership to incentivize all sectors of Green Power Partners;
• Foster market leadership through the Green Power Leadership Awards that focus on the
aggressive actions of Partners to facilitate use of green power within their own operations,
supply chains, underserved communities, and among Partner employees;
• Partner with over 130 Green Power Communities to encourage local efforts to increase their
use of and investment in renewable electricity, including underserved communities that
have traditionally lacked adequate access to green power;
• Promote cost-effective corporate GHG management practices that support the
measurement and management of corporate-wide emissions; and
• Maintain and update widely utilized tools, such as the Emissions Factor Hub, that are key
to ensuring accurate and credible estimations of corporate greenhouse gas emissions and
reporting practices in the measurement and management of greenhouse gas emissions.
In FY 2025, EPA will implement the State and Local Climate and Energy Program to support state,
local, and tribal actions that are essential to tackling the climate crisis, reducing pollution, and
promoting equity and environmental justice in clean energy programs. Focus areas of the Program
will include:
• Providing technical support to dozens of state, tribal, and local governments as they
implement climate and clean energy policies for efficiency, renewables, and efficient
electrification and provide increased support on equity and environmental justice in clean
energy policy design;
• Updating major analytical tools to enable state, tribal and local governments to develop
and analyze GHG inventories, pollutant emissions reductions, and public health co-benefits
of efficiency, renewables, and efficient electrification;
• Conducting outreach and training on tools to hundreds of state and local officials as well
as increased collaboration with other EPA offices and regions with focus on energy
efficiency and efficient electrification analytics; and
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• Providing best practices to states and local governments on energy efficiency and efficient
electrification program design through webinars and convenings for state and local
policymakers.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to mitigate domestic methane and fluorinated greenhouse gases
emissions by implementing partnership outreach programs focused on providing technical
information on best practices and cost-effective technologies in the petroleum and natural gas
systems, municipal solid waste landfills, livestock manure anaerobic digestion and biogas systems,
coal mining, and electric power transmission sectors. EPA's GreenChill Partnership Program will
continue to work with key sectors transitioning from ODS and HFCs to promoting lower global
warming potential and improved more energy-efficient technologies. The Responsible Appliance
Disposal Program partners achieve emissions reductions by collecting and disposing of
refrigerated appliances containing ODS and HFCs. Regulatory controls under the AIM Act will
further phase down HFCs.
EPA also will continue implementing and promoting global methane mitigation opportunities
across multiple sectors (oil and gas, coal mining, municipal solid waste, wastewater,
agriculture/manure management) in support of the GMI by:
• Running the secretariat of the GMI, coordinating and organizing overall activities;
• Providing technical leadership across multiple sectors;
• Coordinating with key methane-focused initiatives such as United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe, Climate & Clean Air Coalition, and the International Energy
Agency; and
• Serving Administration-level priorities, such as the Global Methane Pledge.
In FY 2025, EPA will maintain and enhance the climate change website by updating scientific
material and further developing web products that reach the American public and effectively
communicate the causes and effects of climate change and Administration priorities. EPA also will
support the State Department as the technical lead in developing both current and additional
measure projections and compiling information on GHG mitigation policies and measures to assess
our progress towards meeting our Nationally Determined Contribution goal. These projections and
actions will be included in the upcoming first U.S. Biennial Transparency Report, as required by
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement.
EPA will continue its United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change engagement by
serving as negotiators on U.S. delegations, for example, on transparency and markets, and working
to assess mitigation potential and information from other countries. EPA also will review national
inventory and related reports submitted by other countries, including other major economies such
as Brazil, Germany, and China.
EPA will continue to improve work on climate change impacts modeling including how risks and
economic impacts can be reduced under mitigation and adaptation scenarios by:
• Advancing the scientific literature on climate impacts through the Climate Change
Impacts and Risk Analysis project by publishing and applying sectoral impact
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methodologies and the FrEDI reduced complexity tool to improve analytical and
communication capability;
• Quantifying and monetizing the disproportionate risks of climate change on socially
vulnerable populations;
• Continuing to make the Climate Change Indicators more accessible through enhanced
products and visualization tools; and
• Collaborating with the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program through
participation in the National Climate Assessment and other key Program activities.
EPA also will analyze program data on GHG emissions from petroleum and natural gas facilities
and support the Agency by:
• Developing more detailed oil and gas projections to support the nationally determined
contributions under the Paris Agreement; and
• Performing technical analyses, regulatory development, and regulatory impact analyses.
EPA also will analyze program data on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants by:
• Developing regulations, conducting regulatory impact analyses, and model emission
projections to address criteria and toxic air pollutants as well as greenhouse gases from the
power sector;
• Providing economic analyses and power sector modeling to inform a holistic picture of
multipollutant and multimedia regulation of the sector; and
• Conducting detailed analytics and extensive public engagement to integrate environmental
justice into policy development for power sector rules.
Also in FY 2025, EPA will continue to achieve significant reductions in climate and other harmful
emissions from freight transportation by expanding SmartWay efforts to:
• Develop and refine GHG accounting protocols for freight carriers and their customers;
• Continue to provide expertise and serve as a technical test bed in support of the Agency's
efforts to reduce GHG emissions, including activities related to zero emission technologies;
• Continue to transition SmartWay partner tools to an online platform making it easier to
benchmark and track performance and expand access to SmartWay for smaller businesses;
• Encourage adoption of SmartWay approaches globally under international frameworks and
agreements, including co-administering SmartWay with Canada and continuing a
SmartWay pilot in Mexico;
• Contribute to the dissemination and implementation of an International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) standard to calculate GHG emissions from transportation
operations; and,
• Update GHG requirements for federal purchases of passenger vehicles under the Energy
Independence and Security Act as needed.
246
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CPP) Million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced annually by EPA's climate partnership
programs.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
486.9
500.7
513.9
509.3
MMTC02e
Actual
505.6
518.6
529.6
469.9
Data
Avail
11/2024
Data
Avail
11/2025
(PM REP) Percentage of Annual Greenhouse Gas Emission Reports verified by EPA before publication.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
65
98
98
98
100
Percent
Actual
97
96
95
99
97
97
Numerator
7,821
7,867
7,722
7,935
7,877
7,891
Reports
Denominator
8,061
8,165
8,126
8,029
8,141
8,130
(PM HFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:-"!.5
273.5
181.5
181.5
MMTC02e
Actual
:51».4
Data
Avail
11/2024
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$190.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$65,295.0 / +37.3 FTE) This program change is an increase to advance work to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and advance environmental justice through an integrated
approach of regulations, partnerships, and technical assistance. The increase would enable
EPA to take strong action on CO2 and methane as well as high-global warming potential
climate pollutants such as HFCs, as directed by the AIM Act; restore the capacity of EPA's
climate partnership programs to provide essential contributions to our nation's climate,
economic, and justice goals; and strengthen EPA's capacity to apply its modeling tools and
expertise across a wide range of high priority work areas including supporting U.S.
participation in the Paris Agreement and the Climate-Macro Interagency Technical
Working Group. This investment includes $7.3 million in payroll and additional changes
for fixed support costs. This also includes support for critical agencywide infrastructure for
Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and
litigation support, and implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$5,000.0) This program change is an increase for EPA, in coordination with NASA, to
study and prototype capabilities for a greenhouse gas monitoring and information system
247
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that will integrate data from a variety of sources with a goal of making data more accessible
and usable to federal, state, and local governments, researchers, the public, and other users.
• (+$5,000.0) This program change is an increase to support implementation of the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund under the Inflation Reduction Act. The administrative set
aside provided for the fund was less than two tenths of one percent.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act; Global Change Research Act of 1990; Global Climate Protections Act; Energy
Policy Act of 2005 § 756; Pollution Prevention Act §§ 6602-6605; National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) § 102; Clean Water Act § 104; Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 8001; American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM)
Act.
248
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Federal Stationary Source Regulations
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S2(i. ~f>tt
S M)J44
S-/-.SSS
s r.5-1-1
Total Budget Authority
$29,768
$30,344
$47,888
$17,544
Total Workyears
113.2
124.5
165.3
40.8
Program Project Description:
The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to take action to improve and protect air quality and limit
emissions of harmful air pollutants from a variety of sources. The CAA directs EPA to set National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six "criteria" pollutants considered harmful to public
health and the environment. The criteria pollutants are particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), sulfur
dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and lead (Pb). The CAA requires
EPA to review the science upon which the NAAQS are based and the standards themselves every
five years. These national standards form the foundation for air quality management and establish
goals that protect public health and the environment. Section 109 of the CAA Amendments of
1990 established two types of NAAQS. Primary standards are set at a level requisite to protect
public health with an adequate margin of safety. Secondary standards are set at a level requisite to
protect public welfare from any known or anticipated adverse effects.
Sections 111, 112, and 129 of the CAA direct EPA to take actions to control air emissions of toxic,
criteria, and other pollutants from stationary sources. Specifically, to address air toxics, the CAA
Section 112 program provides for the development of National Emission Standards for Hazardous
Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for major sources and area sources; the assessment and, as necessary,
regulation of risks remaining after implementation of NESHAP that are based on Maximum
Available Control Technology (MACT); the periodic review and revision of the NESHAP to
reflect developments in practices, processes, and control technologies; and associated national
guidance and outreach. In addition, EPA must periodically review, and, where appropriate, revise
both the list of air toxics subject to regulation and the list of source categories for which standards
must be developed.
The CAA Section 111 program requires issuing, reviewing, and periodically revising, as
necessary, New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for certain pollutants from listed categories
of new, modified, or reconstructed sources of air emissions; issuing emissions guidelines for states
to apply to certain existing sources; and providing guidance on Reasonably Available Control
Technology through issuance and periodic review and revision of control technique guidelines.
The CAA Section 129 program further requires EPA to develop and periodically review standards
of performance and emissions guidelines covering air emissions from waste combustion sources.
249
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Sections 169 A and 169B of the CAA require protection of air quality related values (AQRV) for
156 congressionally mandated national parks and wilderness areas, known as Class I areas.
Visibility is one such AQRV, and Congress established a national goal of returning visibility in the
Class I areas to natural conditions, i.e., the visibility conditions which existed without manmade
air pollution. The Regional Haze Rule sets forth the requirements that state plans must satisfy to
make reasonable progress towards meeting this national goal.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting additional resources to propose federal plans to implement rules to
limit GHG emissions from new and existing sources in the power sector and new and existing
facilities in the oil and gas sector, and to propose or finalize actions with court-ordered or court-
enforceable deadlines occurring in FY 2025, as well as other priority air quality actions. This
increase also implements a strategy to meet statutory deadlines for Risk and Technology Reviews
of Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards, per corrective action
commitments made in response to OIG recommendations in FY 2022 which include requesting
required resources.33
NAAQS
EPA strengthened the PM2.5 annual standard on February 7, 202434. EPA also is under a consent
decree to issue a proposed rulemaking for the secondary NAAQS for sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides,
and particulate matter by April 9, 2024, and to finalize the decision by December 10, 2024. In FY
2025, EPA will advance the review of the 2020 Ozone NAAQS, will continue its review of the lead
NAAQS and anticipates reviewing the primary nitrogen oxides NAAQS under a consent decree
schedule. EPA has requested resources commensurate to support these reviews. Each review
involves a comprehensive reexamination, synthesis, and evaluation of scientific information; the
design and conduct of complex air quality and risk and exposure analyses; and the development of
a comprehensive policy assessment providing analysis of the scientific basis for alternative policy
options.
With FY 2025 resources, EPA will continue a multi-phased process for improving air pollution
health benefits analysis methods to improve the science it uses to quantify health benefits from air
quality regulations. This is one of the learning priority areas as part of the Agency's Learning
Agenda in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan. EPA will finalize a health benefits guidelines
document outlining best practices for incorporating new scientific information into methods for
health benefits analysis. This will be followed by additional annual reviews and necessary updates
of specific methods and applications in the guidelines document. This effort will help ensure
33 The EPA Needs to Develop a Strategy to Complete Overdue Residual Risk and Technology Reviews and to Meet the Statutory
Deadlines for Upcoming Reviews. March 30,2022. Pages: At-A-Glance, 6, 8, 11,12,14, 25, 26, & 27.
https://www.epa.gov/systeiii/files/documeiits/2022-03/_epaoig_20220330-22-e-0026.pdf.
34 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-02/pm-iiaaqs-fiiial-fm-pre-
pufalicatioii.pdf".
250
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transparency and confidence in the process for selecting and applying the latest science in health
benefits analysis. EPA also will improve tools and approaches to enable more robust analysis of
program impacts on vulnerable communities. EPA will work to achieve and maintain compliance
with any existing standards. These include the ozone standards established in 2015, 2008, 1997,
and 1979; the 1987 PMio standards; the 2012, 2006, and 1997 PM2.5 standards; the 2008 and 1978
lead standards;35 the 2010 NO2 standard;36 the 1971 CO standard; and the 2010 SO2 standard.37
EPA also will work to complete initial area designations for the 2024 PM2.5 standard, as well as
any other outstanding designation actions for other NAAQS. EPA, in close collaboration with
states and tribes, will work to improve air quality in areas not in attainment with the NAAQS,
including assisting states and tribes in developing CAA-compliant pollution reduction plans.
Air Toxics
Section 112(d)(6) of the CAA requires EPA to review and revise, as necessary, all NESHAP (for
both major and area sources) every eight years. These reviews include compiling information and
data already available to the Agency; collecting new information and emissions data from industry;
reviewing emission control technologies; and conducting economic analyses for the affected
industries needed for developing regulations. Similarly, Section 112(f) of the CAA requires EPA
to review the risk that remains after the implementation of MACT standards within eight years of
promulgation. In addition, Section 112 requires EPA to periodically review, and, where
appropriate, revise both the list of air toxics subject to regulation and the list of source categories
for which standards must be developed. The CAA Section 129 Program further requires EPA to
develop and periodically review standards of performance and emissions guidelines covering air
emissions from waste combustion sources.
In FY 2025, EPA will undertake multiple CAA reviews and associated rulemakings. The air toxics
program will prioritize conducting reviews of NESHAP and CAA Section 129 rules, many of which
are subject to court-ordered or court-entered dates, or are actions otherwise required by courts. EPA
expects to propose or promulgate more than 41 air toxics rules in FY 2025. If EPA receives the
resources requested as part of its commitment to the OIG concerning corrective action measures
for the Air Toxics Program, EPA also will expect to propose or finalize an additional 48 air toxics
rules in FY 2025 - a total of 89 air toxics actions. EPA will enhance risk assessment capabilities
to better identify and determine impacts of exposures to air toxics on communities. The Program
will prioritize its work, as resources allow, with an emphasis on meeting court-ordered deadlines,
and incorporating environmental justice (EJ) considerations as part of the decision-making
process. FY 2025 funds also will be used to provide outreach, training, technical assistance, and
capacity building to communities and small businesses that may be affected by the rules we
promulgate.
As called for in the Administrator's April 27, 2021, Memorandum Regarding Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances,5 EPA will take actions to address PFAS pollution. The EPA Council
on PFAS will continue to collaborate on cross-cutting strategies; advance new science; develop
coordinated policies, regulations, and communications; and engage with affected states, tribes,
communities, and stakeholders. The Agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap outlined a whole-of-
35 In September 2016, EPA completed the review of the 2008 Lead NAAQS and retained the standards without revision.
36 In April 2018, EPA completed the review of the 2010 NO2 NAAQS and retained the standards without revision.
37 In February 2019, EPA completed the review of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS and retained the standards without revision.
251
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agency approach to addressing PFAS contamination. In the Roadmap, the Office of Air and
Radiation (OAR) committed to "evaluate mitigation options, and/or pursuing other regulatory and
non-regulatory approaches." This includes consideration of appropriate actions using existing
CAA authorities.
As called for in the Administrator's April 27, 2021, Memorandum Regarding Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances,5 EPA will take actions to address PFAS pollution. The EPA Council
on PFAS will continue to collaborate on cross-cutting strategies; advance new science; develop
coordinated policies, regulations, and communications; and engage with affected states, tribes,
communities, and stakeholders. The Agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap outlined a whole-of-
agency approach to addressing PFAS contamination. In the Roadmap, the Office of Air and
Radiation (OAR) committed to "evaluate mitigation options, and/or pursuing other regulatory and
non-regulatory approaches." This includes consideration of appropriate actions using existing
CAA authorities.
As part of a forward-looking air toxics strategy, EPA will address these regulatory and emerging
issues and improve access to air toxics data. The Agency will continue its transition to an approach
that develops and shares air toxics data faster and more regularly to the public, allowing for
increased transparency and the ability to see trends and exposure risks over time. In 2025 EPA will
report the most current air toxics data available each year in the annual Air Trends Report and an
online interactive tool (AirToxScreen) instead of the previous three to four - year cycle for toxics
data reporting and provide that data at increased spatial resolution. EPA will continue providing
information annually for communities on health risks from exposures to air toxics through the
AirToxScreen, which enables the public to identify existing and emerging air toxics issues.
NSPS
Section 111 of the CAA requires EPA to set NSPS for new, modified, or reconstructed stationary
sources of air emissions in categories that have been determined to cause, or significantly
contribute to, air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. Section 111 also requires
EPA, at least every eight years, to review and, if appropriate, revise NSPS for each source category
for which such standards have been established. Under CAA Section 111, EPA must establish
emission guidelines for existing sources for which air quality criteria have not been issued, are not
included in the list published under Section 108(a), or are emitted from a source category that is
regulated under Section 112, but to which a standard of performance would apply if such an
existing source were a new source.
In meeting the requirements of Executive Order 13990 and as part of the Administration's
comprehensive approach to tackling the climate crisis, EPA also will continue its work to reduce
GHGs from fossil-fuel fired power plants and from sources in the oil and natural gas industry.
These sources are the two largest categories of stationary sources of GHG emissions in the U.S.38
EPA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking for fossil-fuel fired power plants in May 2023 to
revise new source performance standards for natural gas-fired combustion turbines and to establish
emission guidelines for existing steam electric generating units and certain existing natural gas-
fired combustion turbines. EPA also issued a notice of proposed rulemaking for the oil and natural
38 EPA (2023) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2021. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
430-R-23-002. lit tps://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/iiiventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks-1990-2021.
252
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gas sector in November 2021 and a supplemental proposal in December 2022 to revise new source
performance standards and to establish emission guidelines for existing sources. These proposals
were informed by extensive engagement with states, tribal nations, communities, and a broad range
of stakeholders, as well as a fresh look at pertinent policies, technology, and data. EPA issued a
final rule addressing GHGs from new and existing sources in the oil and natural gas industry in
fall 2023 and intends to issue a final rule addressing GHGs from new and existing fossil fuel-fired
power plants in spring 2024.
In FY 2025, EPA plans to implement new source performance standards and emission guidelines
applicable to power plants and to the oil and gas sources that EPA will have finalized under Section
111. As part of this effort, EPA also will provide support for implementation of the final new
source performance standards and support to states in the development of state plans to meet oil
and natural gas emission guidelines and power plant emission guidelines. EPA also intends to
develop proposed federal plans for existing oil and natural gas sources and power plants not
covered by a respective state or tribal plan. These actions are key steps toward EPA's commitment
to deliver public health protections from these pollutants for communities across America.
In addition, in FY 2025, EPA will work to fulfill the CAA's Section 111 requirements for
approximately 11 source categories in multiple rulemaking actions, many of which are subject to
court or executive orders or are in litigation.
EPA also will undertake other projects, such as those required by statute or executive order;
overdue NSPS and area source technology reviews related to source categories in addition to those
described above. EPA will continue work on case-by-case regional and national NESHAP and
NSPS applicability determinations.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM NAAQS) Percentage of air quality improvement in counties not meeting current NAAQS.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IX
201<)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
8
9
10
Actual
3
"
S
lu
8
Data
Avail
11/2024
Percent
(PM NAAQS2) Percentage of people with low SES living in areas where the air quality meets the PM2.5
NAAQS.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
90
93
97
100
Percent
Actual
82
82
81
85
83
Data
Avail
11/2024
Numerator
52,044,172
51,560,102
48,678,558
50,304,779
49,634,175
People
Denominator
63,150,683
62,687,368
60,053,454
59,241,268
59,614,742
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands)
253
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• (+$1,132.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$13,648.0 / +38.8 FTE) This program change is an increase to support the regulation of
stationary sources of air pollution through developing and implementing emissions
standards, regulations, and guidelines. This includes resources to implement rules to limit
GHG emissions from new and existing sources in the power sector and new and existing
facilities in the oil and gas sector and to meet statutory and court-ordered legal deadlines.
This increase also is necessary to meet statutory deadlines for Risk and Technology
Reviews of Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards, per corrective action
commitments made to OIG. This investment includes $7.3 million for payroll.
• (+$2,764.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program change is an increase in support of implementation
of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, to help the Agency
identify, prioritize, and undertake evidence-building activities and develop evidence
building capacity to inform policy and decisions. This investment includes $358.0
thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
254
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Federal Support for Air Quality Management
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S I3-/.V3I
sn'.'iu
s//«.w
Science & Technology
$8,950
$11,343
$10,754
-$589
Total Budget Authority
$143,881
$159,047
$269,417
$110,370
Total Workyears
824.3
879.3
1,079.7
200.4
Program Project Description:
The Federal Support for Air Quality Management Program assists state, tribal, and local air
pollution control agencies in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs for the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS); establishes standards for reducing air toxics;
and helps reduce haze and improve visibility in some of America's largest national parks and
wilderness areas.
Under this program, EPA develops federal measures and regional strategies that help to reduce
emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Delegated states have the primary responsibility
(and tribes may choose to take responsibility) for developing clean air measures necessary to meet
the NAAQS and protect visibility. At the core of this program is the use of scientific and technical
air quality and emissions data. EPA, working with states, tribes, and local air agencies, develops
methods for estimating and measuring air emissions and monitoring air quality concentrations,
collects these data, and maintains databases (e.g., Emissions Inventory System, Air Quality
System, etc.). EPA also supports training for state, tribal, and local air pollution professionals.
NAAQS Development
The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to set the NAAQS for six "criteria" pollutants considered
harmful to public health and the environment. The criteria pollutants are particulate matter (PM),
ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and lead (Pb).
Section 109 of the CAA Amendments of 1990 established two types of NAAQS - primary and
secondary standards. Primary standards are set at a level requisite to protect public health with an
adequate margin of safety, including the health of at-risk populations. Secondary standards are set
at a level requisite to protect public welfare from any known or anticipated adverse effects, such
as decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings. The CAA requires
EPA to review the science upon which the NAAQS are based and the standards themselves every
five years. These national standards form the foundation for air quality management and establish
goals that protect public health and the environment.
255
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Air Pollution Information Tracking
For each of the six criteria pollutants, under Section 110 of the CAA, EPA tracks two kinds of air
pollution information: air pollutant concentrations based on actual measurements in the ambient
(outside) air at monitoring sites throughout the country; and pollutant emissions based on
engineering estimates or measurements of the total tons of pollutants released into the air each
year.
Air Quality Management Planning
Under CAA Section 110, EPA develops regulations and guidance to clarify requirements for state
and local air agencies for developing State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for implementing the
NAAQS. SIPs are the plans that ensure attainment and maintenance of the NAAQS. EPA works
with state and local governments to ensure the technical integrity of emission source controls in
SIPs and with tribes on Tribal Implementation Plans (TIPs). EPA also reviews SIPs to ensure they
are consistent with applicable requirements of the CAA and takes regulatory action on SIP
submissions consistent with CAA responsibilities.
New Source Review (NSR) Preconstruction Permit Program
The NSR preconstruction permit program in Title I of the CAA is a part of state plans to attain and
maintain the NAAQS. The two primary aspects of this program are the Prevention of Significant
Deterioration program, described in Section 165 of the CAA, and the Nonattainment NSR
program, described in various parts of the CAA, including Sections 173 and 182.
Outer Continental Shelf (PCS) Air Permit Program
Section 328 of the CAA establishes requirements for managing and minimizing air pollution
through the permitting of activities located offshore of the United States along the Pacific, Arctic
(except the North Slope Borough of Alaska), and Atlantic Coasts, and in certain parts of the Gulf
Coast. Additional specific requirements are codified in rulemaking. To support the Nation's
transition to clean energy, EPA is developing policy and guidance applicable to offshore wind
projects being constructed on the OCS and will devote increased resources to this work to support
the Administration's goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 as part of
the federal government's efforts to tackle climate change.
Protection of Visibility in Class I Areas
Sections 169A and 169B of the CAA require protection of visibility for 156 congressionally
mandated national parks and wilderness areas known as Class I areas. Congress established a
national goal of returning visibility in the Class I areas to natural conditions (i.e., the visibility
conditions that existed without manmade air pollution). The Regional Haze Rule sets forth the
requirements that state plans must satisfy to make reasonable progress towards meeting this
national goal.
Control of Air Toxics
Toxic air pollutants are known to cause or are suspected of causing increased risk of cancer
and other serious health effects, such as neurological damage and reproductive harm. EPA assists
state, tribal, and local air pollution control agencies in characterizing the nature and scope of their
air toxics issues through modeling, emission inventories, monitoring, and assessments. For
example, EPA maintains updated air toxic emission and exposure data, incorporating current
256
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toxicity data to provide recent information on air toxics risks from a national perspective and at a
local scale, where possible. EPA also supports programs that reduce inhalation risk and multi-
pathway risk posed by deposition of air toxics to water bodies and ecosystems, facilitates
international cooperation to reduce transboundary and intercontinental air toxics pollution,
develops and improves risk assessment methodologies for toxic air pollutants, and provides
training for air pollution professionals.
The provisions of the CAA that address the control of air toxics are located primarily in Section
112 and 129. Section 112 requires issuing National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP) for major sources and area sources; the assessment and, as necessary,
regulation of risks remaining after implementation of NESHAP that are based on Maximum
Available Control Technology (MACT); the periodic review and revision of all NESHAP to reflect
developments in practices, processes, and control technologies; and associated national guidance
and outreach. In addition, EPA must periodically review, and, where appropriate, revise both the
list of air toxics subject to regulation and the list of source categories for which standards must be
developed. EPA has promulgated rules for approximately 180 source categories to control air
toxics under Section 112 and is continually engaged in their periodic review and revision. EPA
will enhance risk assessment capabilities to better identify and determine impacts of exposures to
air toxics on communities, including communities impacted by environmental justice (EJ) issues.
The Program prioritizes its work, as resources allow, with an emphasis on meeting court-ordered
deadlines and incorporating EJ considerations as part of the decision-making process, as well as
implementing a strategy to meet statutory deadlines for Risk and Technology Reviews of
Maximum Achievable Control Technology standards, per corrective action commitments made in
response to OIG recommendations in FY 2022.39Section 129 of the CAA requires a similar
approach to review regulations applicable to solid waste incinerators, as well as issuance of new
source performance standards and emission guidelines pursuant to CAA Section 111, the review
of state plans to implement those guidelines, and development of federal plans to do so if
necessary. EPA has promulgated rules for approximately six categories of solid waste incineration
units to control air toxics and criteria pollutants under Section 129, and EPA is continually engaged
in their periodic review and revision. In addition to this regulatory work, EPA also provides
determinations to states and industry seeking information about source-specific applicability of
these regulations.
Climate Change
The President has prioritized action to tackle climate change with a focus on an equitable transition
to clean energy. These plans call for cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution to reduce the
contribution of human activities to climate change and its impacts on public health, while
investing in communities that are on the front line of impacts. EPA issues regulations to limit GHGs
and assists states, tribes, and local air pollution control agencies in the development,
implementation, and evaluation of programs to reduce GHG pollution. The Program also
supports the Agency's work with international partners to combat short-lived climate pollutants.
These air pollutants, including black carbon (a component of PM), methane, and tropospheric
39 The EPA Needs to Develop a Strategy to Complete Overdue Residual Risk and Technology Reviews and to Meet the Statutory
Deadlines for Upcoming Reviews. March 30,2022. https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2022-03/ epaoig_20220330-
22-e-0026.pdf.
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ozone, are contributing to and accelerating the impacts of climate change. In addition, wildfire
smoke is expected to increase because of a changing climate, and this will impact an increasingly
greater number of people. The Program will support agency efforts to address the public health
impacts of wildland fire smoke and help communities prepare for and respond to wildfire/smoke
events.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting $110.9 million in additional resources to support critical work to
implement climate and clean air regulations and programs both at headquarters and in regional
offices. This includes activities such as reviewing and taking action on state plans required under
forthcoming GHG standards, priority NAAQS work, taking timely action on SIPs, reducing the
SIP backlog, air monitoring and analysis, and EJ activities. EPA also will be undertaking the initial
area designations process for the 2024 PM2.5 NAAQS, and processing associated exceptional
events demonstrations. Also, the EPA's Office of Inspector General (OIG)40"41"42"43 and the
Government Accountability Office (GAO)44 have documented several programmatic goals that
are not being fulfilled due to insufficient resources year after year in both EPA Headquarters and
Regions. EPA's corrective actions commit the Agency to seeking resources for these activities as
contained in the President's Budget requests.
This request includes resources to support the implementation of emission guidelines for GHGs
from oil and gas operations as well as power plants under Section 111(d) of the CAA. Section
111(d) of the CAA provides states with a lead implementing role and considerable flexibility, and
the development and implementation of the emission guidelines will require extensive work to
develop program implementation infrastructure; engage states, tribes, and communities; assess EJ
impacts; evaluate state plans; and ensure consistent application of the emissions guidelines
nationwide. Resources will be used to continue developing a standard reporting system for states
to use, or adapt as needed, for submitting plans and tracking their compliance data, and ensuring
that communities have access to that data.
The request also includes additional support for NAAQS review work and implementation
activities, many of which are increasingly complex. Critical to successful implementation is timely
issuance of rules and guidance documents, ongoing outreach to states and other entities as well as
40 EPA Has Reduced Its Backlog of State Implementation Plans Submitted Prior to 2013 but Continues to Face Challenges in
Taking Timely Final Actions on Submitted Plans. June 14, 2021. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-
06/documents/ epaoig 2021.0614-21.-e-01.63 O.pdf.
41 EPA's Title V Program Needs to Address Ongoing Fee Issues and Improve Oversight. January 12,2022. Pages: At-A-Glance,
15, 19, 22, & 25. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-01/ epaoig_20220112-22-e-0017.pdf.
42 The EPA Needs to Develop a Strategy to Complete Overdue Residual Risk and Technology Reviews and to Meet the Statutory
Deadlines for Upcoming Reviews. March 30, 2022. Pages: At-A-Glance, 6, 8, 11,12,14, 25, 26, & 27.
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/_epaoig_20220330-22-e-0026.pdf.
43 EPA's Processing Times for New Source Air Permits in Indian Country Have Improved, but Many Still Exceed Regulatory
Time Frames. April 22,2020. Pages: At-A-Glance, 9, 15, 16, 24, & 31. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
04/docunients/ epaoig 20200422-20-p-0146.pdf.
44 AIR POLLUTION: Opportunities to Better Sustain and Modernize the National Air Quality Monitoring System. November 12,
2020. lit tps://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-2 l-38.pdf.
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development of NAAQS implementation and permitting-related tools. EPA will engage with states
and tribes to develop guidance to assist air programs with meeting implementation deadlines.
These critical resources also will support efforts to reduce the SIP backlog as well as ensure
timeliness of review of incoming SIPs, permitting needs (both NAAQS and GHG-related, onshore
and offshore), and air quality monitoring and analysis needs. This increase also will enhance
EPA's abilities to forecast where smoke will impact people; identify and communicate when and
where smoke events are occurring through monitoring and AirNow's Fire and Smoke Map; build
community capacity to be Smoke Ready and reduce smoke exposure; and strengthen internal as
well as state, local, and tribal capacity to better coordinate and communicate regarding wildfire
smoke and address related regulatory activities. During a 2023 air quality episode originating from
wildfires in Canada, the AirNow website received more than 10 million page views on June 8th,
2023 and was the most-visited federal government website that day.45
Addressing Climate Change
EPA expects to take action in FY 2025 for rules finalized in FY 2024 in accordance with Executive
Order 13990, which directed EPA to revise and address as appropriate the regulation of GHGs
from fossil-fuel fired power plants and the oil and gas sector, the two principal sources of industrial
GHG emissions.46 In FY 2025, EPA plans to propose federal plans to implement amended new
source performance standards and emission guidelines applicable to power plants and the oil and
gas sector that it will have finalized under Section 111 in FY 2024. Additionally, EPA expects to
review rules covering emissions from municipal solid waste landfills, the third-largest U.S. source
of anthropogenic methane emissions47 and propose the results of that review in FY 2025.
EPA will continue to work with other countries to take action to address climate change. EPA
will consider the results of a range of international assessments to address the climate impacts of
short-lived climate pollutants. Reducing emissions of these pollutants can create near-term climate
and public health benefits. EPA will continue to identify the most significant domestic and
international sources of black carbon and ozone precursor emissions by working with the
multilateral Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the Arctic Council, the Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP), and other related international efforts. Based
on these findings and enhanced analytical capabilities, EPA will pursue effective steps for
reducing these emissions. For instance, EPA is scaling up online tools and resources focused on
assisting low-and middle-income countries to implement best practices for addressing air pollution
in ways that achieve climate co-benefits.
In FY 2025, the Agency will provide on-the-ground resources to assist overburdened and
underserved communities as they work to engage on EPA's regulatory efforts and address the
impacts of climate change. These community resource coordinators will work with external
partners, such as community stakeholder organizations, other federal agencies, state, local and
regional governments, private sector entities, academic institutions, and foundations to assist
communities as they begin to plan for climate change and implement actions to increase resilience
to climate impacts.
45 According to https://analytics.usa.gov/.
46 EPA (2023) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2021. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
430-R-23-002. lit tps://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/iiiventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks-1990-2021.
47 EPA (2023) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2021. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
430-R-23-002. lit tps://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/iiiventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks-1990-2021.
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Finally, in FY 2025 EPA is requesting an increase of $1.1 million, including payroll, and one FTE
to support implementation of EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan. This increase will support
priority commitments, such as actions to integrate climate adaptation into EPA programs, policies,
and processes, efforts to address climate adaptation science and data needs, and efforts to consult
and partner with outside stakeholders.
Improving Air Quality
In FY 2025, EPA requests increased resources to support efforts to maintain and rebuild
programmatic capabilities that focus on protecting clean air. Air quality has improved significantly
for communities across the country since passage of the CAA in 1970 (with amendments in 1977
and 1990). Between 1990 and 2022, for example, national average levels have decreased by 22
percent for O3, 34 percent for coarse PM, 90 percent for SO2, and since 2010, national average
levels for Pb have decreased 88 percent.48 In FY 2025, EPA will continue to prioritize key activities
in support of attainment of the NAAQS and implementation of stationary source regulations by
state, tribal, and local air agencies. This includes activities in key nonattainment areas along the
U.S.-Mexico border as part of U.S. commitments under the Border 2025 agreement.
NAAQS Review
In FY 2025 EPA will continue its CAA-mandated responsibilities to review the science upon which
the NAAQS are based and the standards themselves. Periodic review of the NAAQS requires
significant resources and analysis of scientific and technical information to ensure for each
NAAQS that public health is protected with an adequate margin of safety, considering at-risk
populations.
EPA strengthened the PM2.5 annual standard on February 7, 2024.49 EPA also is under a consent
decree to issue a proposed rulemaking for the secondary NAAQS for SO2, NOx, and PM by April
9, 2024, and to finalize the decision by December 10, 2024. In FY 2025, EPA will advance the
review of the 2020 O3 NAAQS, will continue its review of the Pb NAAQS, and anticipates
reviewing the primary NOx NAAQS under a consent decree schedule. EPA has requested resources
commensurate to support these reviews. Each review involves a comprehensive reexamination,
synthesis, and evaluation of scientific information; the design and conduct of complex air quality
and risk and exposure analyses; and the development of a comprehensive policy assessment
providing analysis of the scientific basis for alternative policy options.
EPA will continue to administer the NAAQS by reviewing SIPs and decisions consistent with
statutory obligations; taking federal oversight actions, such as action on SIP and TIP submittals;
and developing regulations and policies to ensure continued health and welfare protection during
the transition between existing and new standards. EPA will work with air agencies to determine
the need for additional federal rulemakings and guidance documents to support state and tribal
efforts to meet CAA SIP/TIP requirements, in alignment with capacity and priorities. EPA will
provide technical and policy assistance to states and tribes developing or revising SIPs/TIPs. To
48 For additional information on air quality trends, please see the Air Quality -National Summary at: https://www.epa.gov/air-
trends/air-qualitV'-national-summary and at Our Nation's Air: Status and Trends Through 2021.
49 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/svsteiii/fItes/docTOients/2024~02/piii-naaqs~fTOat~fni-pre-
pubticatioii.pdf".
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the extent that the above-referenced NAAQS reviews result in a change to the standards, air quality
designations related activities for the changed standard(s) would be required. For example, EPA
will be working on initial area designations for the 2024 PM2.5 standard. The timing of any
additional initial area designations, or other designations, work would depend on when the final
NAAQS are promulgated.
NAAQS Nonattainment Areas
EPA, in close collaboration with states and tribes, will work to improve air quality in areas not in
attainment with the NAAQS, including identifying and, where necessary, redesignating to
nonattainment areas that previously were in attainment. The Agency will continue to implement
changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the SIP process, with a goal of maximizing
the timely processing of state-requested SIP actions and reducing the backlog. The Agency also
will act on redesignation requests of nonattainment areas to attainment in a timely manner. EPA
will maximize use of its comprehensive, online State Planning Electronic Collaboration System
(SPeCS) to promote efficiencies for states to submit SIP revisions to EPA, and for EPA to track and
process state submittals. Since it launched in January 2018, more than 1,900 SIP submittals (about
90 percent official submissions and 10 percent draft submittals) have come through SPeCS, and
more than 400 users have registered from all 50 states and eight air districts. EPA also will complete
its re-platforming of SPeCS to improve system integrity and functionality and work to provide
additional transparency to the public about NAAQS nonattainment areas, state SIP requirements,
and related EPA actions.
SIPs for Regional Haze
In FY 2025, EPA will continue reviewing and taking action on regional haze SIP revisions for the
second planning period (and working on any remaining first planning period obligations). EPA
will continue to work on any outstanding SIP matters and continue providing technical assistance
to ensure that states are making reasonable progress towards their visibility improvement goals,
consistent with statutory obligations. Consistent with this, EPA may be undertaking work on
Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) as needed to fully implement the Regional Haze
requirements. Under the Regional Haze Rule, states are required to submit updates to their plans
to demonstrate how they have and will continue to make progress towards achieving their visibility
improvement goals. EPA also has indicated its intent to undertake a notice-and-comment
rulemaking process to address future planning periods.
Fulfilling Legal Obligations
One of EPA's priorities is to fulfill its statutory and court-ordered obligations. Section 112 of
the CAA sets deadlines for EPA to review and update, as necessary, all NESHAP every eight years,
accounting for developments in practices, processes, and technologies related to those standards.
Section 112 also requires that EPA conduct risk assessments within eight years of promulgation
of each MACT-based NESHAP to determine if it appropriately protects public health and to revise
it as needed, and that EPA review and revise, as appropriate, the list of hazardous air pollutants.
Sections 111 and 129 similarly require review of rules promulgated under those programs to
address air pollution. In FY 2025, EPA will undertake these required reviews and associated
rulemakings. EPA will enhance risk assessment capabilities to better identify and determine
impacts on communities. The Program will prioritize conducting reviews of NESHAP and rules
issued under Sections 111 and 129, many of which are subject to court-ordered or court-entered
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dates or are actions otherwise required by courts and incorporating EJ considerations as part of the
decision-making process. From this work, EPA expects to propose or promulgate more than 51
rules in FY 2025. Additionally, if EPA receives the funding requested to implement its strategy to
meet statutory deadlines for reviewing air toxics rules, per corrective action commitments made
in response to OIG recommendations in FY 2022, EPA expects to take action on another 48 air
toxics rules in FY 2025.
Technical Assistance to External Government Partners
EPA will continue to assist other federal agencies and state and local governments in implementing
the conformity regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 176 of the CAA. These regulations
require federal agencies undertaking activities in nonattainment and maintenance areas to ensure
that the emissions caused by their activities will conform to the SIP.
In FY 2025, EPA also will continue to provide training and technical assistance to state, local, and
tribal air agencies for NSR, OCS, and Title V (operating) permits. This support will occur at
appropriate times and as requested, consistent with applicable requirements, before and during the
permitting process. EPA expects to implement such support in an efficient manner and consistent
with established timeframes for applicable oversight of state, tribal, and local air agencies during
the permitting process. Where EPA is the permitting authority for wind energy projects located on
the OCS, the Agency will prioritize timeliness in providing guidance, feedback, and review of
permit applications consistent with CAA and Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST)
Act (Title 41) requirements. EPA's Electronic Permitting System and Title V petition submittal
portal will improve EPA interaction with state, local, and tribal air agencies and the general public,
and improve data availability and transparency.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to assist state, tribal, and local air agencies with various technical
activities. EPA develops and provides a broad suite of analytical tools and associated technical
guidance, such as: source characterization analyses; emission factors and inventories; statistical
analyses; source apportionment techniques; quality assurance protocols and audits; improved
source testing and monitoring techniques; fenceline monitoring techniques, source-specific
dispersion, and regional-scale photochemical air quality models; and augmented cost/benefit tools
to assess control strategies.50 The Agency will maintain the core function of these tools (e.g.,
integrated multiple pollutant emissions inventory, air quality modeling platforms, etc.) to provide
the technical underpinnings for scientifically sound, efficient, and comprehensive air quality
management by state, local, and tribal agencies.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue providing information and assistance to tribes, states, and
communities through documents, websites, webinars, and training sessions on tools to help them
build capacity and to provide input into EJ assessments that can inform risk reduction strategies
for air toxics. The Agency will continue to communicate and effectively collaborate with
communities to address a myriad of environmental concerns.
In FY 2025, EPA will provide support for critical response to the growing number of wildfire
smoke events through real-time, accessible air quality information, as well as supporting
communication documents and websites. The Agency also will enhance its partnerships across the
50 For additional information, please see: fattps://www.epa.gov/techiiical-air-pollutioii-resources.
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federal government, such as with the Center for Disease Control and the U.S. Forest Service, to
ensure a consistent and coherent response and deployment of technical assistance to address the
public health impacts of wildland fire smoke. EPA expects this work to support tribal, state, local,
and community needs to prepare for an increasing number of wildfires and the impacts those fires
have on public health across the country, building capacity for "smoke ready" communities.
In FY 2025, state and local air agencies will continue to lead the implementation of the National
Air Toxics Trends Sites (NATTS). The NATTS Program is designed to capture the impacts of
widespread air toxics and is comprised of long-term monitoring sites throughout the Nation.51 EPA
will continue to consult on priority data gaps to improve the assessment of population exposure to
toxic air pollution.
Maintaining Analytical Capabilities and Continuing Data Management
EPA will maintain baseline analytical capabilities required to develop effective regulations,
including: analyzing the economic impacts and health benefits of regulations and policies;
developing and refining source sampling measurement techniques to determine emissions from
stationary sources; updating dispersion models for use in source permitting; and conducting air
quality modeling to characterize the future air quality changes that inform estimates of public
health and environmental impacts of our rules and policy actions. Resources from the Science and
Technology appropriation component of this program support the scientific development of
these capabilities.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided EPA supplemental appropriations under numerous
provisions including, but not limited to, fenceline monitoring (60105(a)), multipollutant
monitoring (60105(b)), sensors (60105(c)), wood heaters (60105(d)), and methane monitoring
(60105(e)). EPA will work on the planning, awarding, and implementation of these funds in FY
2025.
EPA, using resources from the IRA, will begin a multi-year project to develop a new information
technology infrastructure. The new information technology infrastructure will allow access to air
quality, emissions, and regulatory information for communities, environmental agencies, and other
stakeholders. Access to this information will enable the development and implementation of
strategies to improve air quality and reduce emissions of climate pollutants. During the
requirements analysis and gathering phase of the project, the development team will look to
incorporate the business processes so that one or more of the following legacy Agency systems
and applications can be retired once the infrastructure is operational: Air Quality System (AQS),
AirNow, Emissions Inventory System (EIS), Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT), Compliance and
Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI), Combined Air Emission Reporting System
(CAERS), Web Factor Information Retrieval System (WebFIRE), State Planning Electronic
Collaboration System (SPeCS), Exceptional Events Submission and Tracking System (EETS), and
Petitions to Object to Title V Permits (POTVP). Additionally, during the requirements analysis
and gather phase of the project, EPA will investigate the feasibility of incorporating other business
processes supported by other existing tools/applications. While funding of operations and
maintenance for legacy systems will still be required as the new infrastructure is being developed,
51 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/amtic/ak-toxics-ambient-monitoriiig.
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EPA's intent is that once the new infrastructure is operational, existing funding from these legacy
systems will be shifted to support the new infrastructure.
In FY 2025, EPA will develop the new information technology infrastructure, and continue to
operate and maintain the Air Quality System (AQS) and AirNow, which houses the Nation's
regulatory ambient air quality data. EPA also will continue to support the AQS Data Mart, which
provides that same ambient air quality data to the scientific community and the general public. The
Agency's national real-time ambient air quality data system, AirNow, will maintain baseline
operations. The public increasingly relies on AirNow for ambient air quality information during
wildfires. In FY 2025, EPA will continue integrating the Fire and Smoke map by engaging tribal,
state, and local agencies for input to provide information that millions of people rely on during
periods of smoke from wildfires.
EPA will continue to operate and maintain baseline operations of the Emissions Inventory System
(EIS), which quality assures and stores current and historical emissions inventory data and
supports the development of the National Emissions Inventory (NEI). EPA, states, and others use
the NEI to aid in state and local air agency SIP development, serve as a vital input to air quality
modeling, help analyze public health risks from air toxics, develop strategies to manage those
risks, and support multi-pollutant analysis for air emissions. As needed, the Agency will enhance
EIS to support the revised Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR) rule and other user-
focused needs.
In FY 2025, as EPA develops the new information technology infrastructure, the Agency will
continue to streamline emissions data reporting for multiple agency programs through the
Combined Air Emissions Reporting System (CAERS). This system is a central hub that takes a
single submission of data in a single format and sends it to the appropriate EPA program system.
When fully developed, CAERS is expected to reduce the cost to industry by only reporting
emissions data for multiple agency programs to one system and to the government by better
managing emissions data and making that data available in a timely fashion. EPA will enhance
CAERS to support the revised AERR rule and continue to onboard state, local, and tribal air
agencies.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue a multi-phased process for strengthening air pollution health
benefits analysis methods to improve the science it uses to quantify health benefits from air quality
regulations. EPA will finalize a health benefits guidelines document outlining best practices for
incorporating new scientific information into methods for health benefits analysis. This will be
followed by additional annual reviews and necessary updates of specific methods and applications
in the guidelines documents. This effort will help ensure transparency and confidence in the
process for selecting and applying the latest science in health benefits analysis. EPA also will
improve tools and approaches to enable more robust analysis of program impacts on communities
with EJ concerns and vulnerable populations.
As part of a forward-looking air toxics strategy, EPA will address regulatory and emerging issues
and improve access to air toxics data. The Agency will continue implementation of a new approach
that develops and shares air toxics data faster and more regularly to the public, allowing for
increased transparency and the ability to see trends and exposure risks over time. In 2025, EPA
will continue reporting the most current air toxics data each year in the annual Air Trends Report
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and an online interactive tool, instead of the previous three to four-year cycle for reporting air
toxics data, and providing that data at an increased spatial resolution. EPA will continue providing
information annually for communities on health risks from exposures to air toxics through the Air
Toxics Screening Assessment (AirToxScreen), so that the public can more easily identify existing
and emerging air toxics issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM NAAQS) Percentage of air quality improvement in counties not meeting current NAAQS.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IX
201<)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
8
9
10
Actual
3
"
S
lu
8
Data
Avail
11/2024
Percent
(PM NAAQS2) Percentage of people with low SES living in areas where the air quality meets the PM2.5
NAAQS.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
90
93
97
100
Percent
Actual
82
82
81
85
83
Data
Avail
11/2024
Numerator
52,044,172
51,560,102
48,678,558
50,304,779
49,634,175
People
Denominator
63,150,683
62,687,368
60,053,454
59,241,268
59,614,742
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$17,219.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes $1.1
million to support critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive order 14028
cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and
implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$92,640.0 / +193.4 FTE) This program change is an increase to support critical work to
implement climate and clean air regulations and programs. This includes activities such as
reviewing and taking action on state plans required under forthcoming GHG standards,
priority NAAQS work, taking timely action on SIPs and reducing the SIP backlog, air
monitoring and analysis, and EJ activities. Total includes $36.4 million for payroll.
• (+$1,100.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support implementation of
the EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan. In particular, this increase is to support priority
commitments, such as actions to integrate climate adaptation into EPA programs, policies,
and processes, efforts to address climate adaptation science and data needs, and efforts to
consult and partner with outside stakeholders. This investment includes $187.0 thousand
for payroll.
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act.
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Stratospheric Ozone: Domestic Programs
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
Vi.Vi/
s "j.r.vj
SfoJJJ
Total Budget Authority
$6,358
$6,951
$72,282
$65,331
Total Workyears
20.6
28.2
52.2
24.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's stratospheric ozone protection program implements provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA)
which facilitates a global phaseout of ozone-depleting substances (ODS); the American Innovation
and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 to phase down climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs); and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal
Protocol). These actions help protect both the climate system and the stratospheric ozone layer,
which shields all life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that ODS used around the world destroy the stratospheric ozone
layer,52 which raises the incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, and other illnesses through
overexposure to increased levels of UV radiation.53 Based on EPA's peer-reviewed Atmospheric
and Health Effects Framework model, the Montreal Protocol is expected to prevent approximately
443 million cases of skin cancer, 2.3 million skin cancer deaths, and 63 million cases of
cataracts for people in the United States born in the years 1890-2100.54 EPA developed this
model to better understand the benefits to public health of stratospheric ozone protection. As a result
of global action to phase out ODS, the ozone layer is expected to recover to its pre-1980 levels by
mid-century.
The AIM Act addresses the climate impact of HFCs by phasing down their production and
consumption, maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases of HFCs and their substitutes from
equipment, and facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based
52 World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2022, GAW Report No. 278, 509 pp.;
WMO: Geneva, 2022.
53 Ross J. Salawitch (Lead Author), Laura A. McBride, Chelsea R. Thompson, Eric L. Fleming, Richard L. McKenzie, Karen H.
Rosenlof, Sarah J. Doherty, David W. Fahey, Twenty Questions and Answers About the Ozone Layer: 2022 Update, Scientific
Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2022, 75 pp., World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2023.
This report is available on the internet at: https://www.csl.noaa.gov/assessments/ozone/2022.
54 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Updating the Atmospheric and Health Effects Framework Model:
Stratospheric Ozone Protection and Human Health Benefits. EPA: Washington, DC. May 2020. Available on the internet at:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-04/documents/2020_ahef_report.pdf.
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restrictions. A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to prevent up to 0.5 °C of global warming
by 2100.55
EPA uses a combination of regulatory and partnership programs to implement Title VI of the CAA
and the AIM Act and to further the protection of the ozone layer and climate system. Title VI
provides for a phaseout of production and consumption of ODS and requires controls on their use,
including banning certain emissive uses, requiring labeling to inform consumer choice, and
requiring sound servicing practices for the use of refrigerants in air-conditioning and refrigeration
appliances. Title VI also prohibits venting ODS and their substitutes and requires listing of
alternatives that reduce overall risks to human health and the environment, ensuring that businesses
and consumers have alternatives that are safer for the ozone layer than the chemicals they replace.
The AIM Act provides for a phasedown of production and consumption of HFCs in the United
States by 85 percent, supports industry's transition to next-generation technology, and requires
management of HFCs and their substitutes. EPA has established an allowance allocation program
to implement the phasedown, as well as robust compliance assurance and enforcement
mechanisms to provide a level playing field for producers and importers of HFCs and ensure the
program delivers the intended environmental benefits. EPA also works with the Department of
Homeland Security, including U. S. Customs and Border Protection, to manage an interagency task
force to prevent and deter illegal trade in HFCs and support enforcement of the phasedown.
As a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. is committed to ensuring that our domestic
program is at least as stringent as international obligations, and to regulating and enforcing the
terms of the Montreal Protocol respective of domestic authority. In 2007, with U.S. leadership, the
Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to a more aggressive phaseout for ozone-depleting
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) equaling a 47 percent reduction in overall emissions during
the period 2010 - 2040. The adjustment in 2007 also called on Parties to the Montreal Protocol to
promote the selection of alternatives to HCFCs that minimize environmental impacts, in particular
impacts on climate.56 The CAA provides the necessary authority to ensure EPA can collect and
validate data, and where appropriate, report data on production and consumption of ODS on behalf
of the United States. The Parties to the Montreal Protocol also agreed to the Kigali Amendment in
2016,57 which seeks to globally phase down the production and consumption of HFCs consistent
with the AIM Act. The United States ratified the Kigali Amendment on October 31, 2022. The
AIM Act and EPA's existing HFC allocation regulations provide EPA with the authority to collect
and validate data and report data on production and consumption of HFCs on behalf of the United
States.
Partnership programs are designed to increase benefits by focusing on specific areas where the
Agency has identified the most significant opportunities. The Responsible Appliance Disposal
55 World Meteorological Organization, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2018, World Meteorological Organization,
Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project—Report No. 58, 588 pp., Geneva, Switzerland, 2018. Available on the internet
at: https://ozone.unep.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/SAP-2018-Assessment-report.pdf.
56 Montreal Protocol Decision XIX/6: Adjustments to the Montreal Protocol with regard to Annex C, Group I, substances
(hydrochlorofluorocarbons).
57Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, Kigali 15 October 2016, found at:
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2016/CN.872.2016-Eng.pdf.
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(RAD) Program58 is a partnership that protects the ozone layer and reduces emissions of
greenhouse gases through the recovery of ODS and HFCs from old refrigerators, freezers,
window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers prior to disposal. RAD has approximately 50
partners and affiliates, including manufacturers, retailers, utilities, and state governments. The
GreenChill Partnership Program59 helps supermarkets transition to environmentally friendlier
refrigerants, reduce harmful refrigerant emissions, and move to advanced refrigeration
technologies, strategies, and practices that lower the industry's impact on the ozone layer and
climate. The Program includes stores in all 50 states and represents over 30 percent of the United
States' supermarkets. GreenChill partners are reducing refrigerant leak rates to half the estimated
national average and developing annual plans for further improvements.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Work in this
program also directly supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal: Phase
down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). By September 30, 2025,
annual U.S. consumption of HFCs will be 40 percent below the baseline of 302.5 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe) consistent with the HFC phasedown schedule in
the AIM Act and codified in the implementing regulations.
In FY 2025 an additional $65 million and 24 FTE are requested to implement provisions in the
American Innovation and Manufacturing Act to phase down the use of HFCs, to facilitate U.S.
entry to the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and to restore staff capacity around efforts
to tackle the climate crisis.
Title VI of the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol Activities
In carrying out the requirements of the CAA and the Montreal Protocol in FY 2025, EPA will
continue to meet its ODS consumption caps and work toward the required gradual reduction in
production and consumption of ODS. To meet the FY 2026 long-term performance goal for
lowering consumption of HCFCs to 76.2 tons per year of ozone depletion potential,60 EPA will
issue allowances for HCFC production and import in accordance with the requirements established
under CAA Sections 605 and 606; review petitions to import used ODS under sections 604 and
605; manage information that industry identifies as confidential under CAA Section 603; and
implement regulations concerning the production, import, and export of ODS and maintenance of
the tracking system used to collect the information. The FY 2022 result for this goal is -6.36 metric
tons of HCFCs. This result is negative because exports and destruction together exceeded
production and imports in calendar year 2022. In FY 2025, EPA anticipates proposing a rule on
feedstock uses of ODS. EPA also will implement a rule on reporting of process agent use and
emissions that is expected to be finalized in FY 2024. EPA also will prepare and submit the annual
report under Article 7 of the Montreal Protocol on U.S. consumption and production of ODS and
58 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/rad.
59 For more information, please visit: littp: //www, epa. gov/greenchill.
60 The HCFC consumption cap of 15,240 ODP-weighted metric tons for the U.S. was effective January 1,1996, and became the
U.S. consumption baseline for HCFCs.
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HFCs consistent with the treaty.61
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the CAA Section 608 and 609 refrigerant
management requirements related to the use and emission of ODS, HFCs, and other substitutes.
CAA Section 612 requires continuous review of alternatives for ODS through EPA's Significant
New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program to both find those that pose less overall risk to human
health and the environment and ensure a smooth transition to safer alternatives.62 Through these
evaluations, SNAP generates lists of acceptable and unacceptable substitutes for approximately 50
end-uses across eight industrial sectors. In FY 2025, EPA expects to list through notice as well as
a notice-and-comment rulemaking substitutes that would expand the list of acceptable lower-GWP
alternatives, particularly for end-uses where there is an urgent need for more options such as certain
air-conditioning and refrigeration applications as well as fire suppression, which also will support
implementation of the AIM Act. EPA also will continue to work towards ensuring the uptake of
safer alternatives and technologies, while supporting innovation, and ensuring adoption of
alternatives through support for changes to industry codes and standards. EPA also anticipates
finalizing a rule in FY 2025 that would address court decisions concerning the extent to which
manufacturers must replace HFCs with substitute substances.
With the decline in allowable ODS production, a significant stock of equipment that continues to
use ODS will need access to recovered and recycled/reclaimed ODS to allow for proper servicing.
EPA will continue to review available market and reported data to monitor availability of recycled
and reclaimed ODS where production and import of new material is phased out to support this
need. In addition, EPA will continue to implement a petition process to allow for the import of
used ODS, primarily halon for fire suppression purposes. EPA also will implement other
provisions of the Montreal Protocol, including exemption programs to allow for a continued
smooth phaseout of ODS, particularly for laboratory and analytical uses, feedstock, process
agents,63 and HCFCs used consistent with the servicing tail.
AIM Act Implementation Activities
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to implement the AIM Act HFC phasedown through an
allowance allocation program established in FY 2021, and this work also will support
implementation of EPA's FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal. In FY 2025, resources are
requested to promulgate rulemakings to establish requirements for the management of HFCs and
HFC substitutes in equipment, distribute grants to support technology transition, equipment
transition, and to provide program support for and coordination of implementation efforts within
EPA and working with other federal agencies.
The Agency will continue to implement and administer an electronic HFC reporting system, which
will begin collecting new reports required by regulations finalized in FY 2023 and FY 2024, and
develop additional tracking, review, and data tools to better ensure compliance with the phasedown
61 The Article 7 report prepared by EPA on behalf of the United States contains chemical-specific production, import and export
data. The data included in the report is aggregated and available at: https://ozone.unep.org/countries/profile/usa.
62 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/snap.
63 EPA will implement a rule on process agents that was finalized in FY2024.
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regulations, and work with other agencies to prevent illegal imports. In FY 2025, resources are
requested to implement innovative IT solutions, such as database integration across EPA and
Customs and Border Patrol databases. Specifically, EPA will ensure that the phasedown is not
undermined by illegal imports; implement a regulation expected to be finalized in FY 2024 to
establish requirements for the management of HFCs and HFC substitutes in equipment servicing,
repair, disposal, or installation, as appropriate; distribute grants to small businesses to support
technology transition; support enforcement by EPA and across the government by continuing to
lead the interagency HFC taskforce; and stand up new protocols for rules finalized in FY 2023
addressing products containing HFCs. EPA also will educate stakeholders on HFC phasedown
requirements. EPA will implement a regulation finalized in FY 2023 to issue allowances for HFC
production and consumption for calendar years 2024 through 2028. The Agency also will complete
a review required by the AIM Act and finalize a rulemaking to be proposed in FY 2024 on whether
to reauthorize the issuance of application-specific allowances for the six uses of HFCs identified
in subsection (e)(4)(B) beyond 2025, which include:
• a propellant in metered-dose inhalers;
• defense sprays;
• structural composite preformed polyurethane foam for marine use and trailer use;
• the etching of semiconductor material or wafers and the cleaning of chemical vapor
deposition chambers within the semiconductor manufacturing sector;
• mission-critical military end uses, such as armored vehicle engine and shipboard fire
suppression systems and systems used in deployable and expeditionary applications; and
• onboard aerospace fire suppression.
Under subsection (h) of the AIM Act, in FY 2025, EPA will begin implementing a rule expected
to be finalized in FY 2024 that will control certain practices, processes, or activities regarding: 1)
the servicing, repair, disposal, or installation of equipment that involves a regulated substance; 2)
a substitute for a regulated substance; 3) the reclaiming of a regulated substance used as a
refrigerant; or 4) the reclaiming of a substitute for a regulated substance used as a refrigerant.
Under subsection (i) of the AIM Act, in FY 2025 the Agency will continue to implement
regulations finalized in FY 2023 to restrict use of HFCs in products and equipment within certain
sectors or subsectors where HFCs are used, promoting a transition to next-generation technologies.
EPA will implement new reporting tools, upgrade existing data systems, and develop additional
compliance mechanisms to implement this regulation. Other activities under subsection (i) include
granting and/or denying petitions for sector-based restrictions on HFCs. In FY 2025, EPA
anticipates proposing a rule that would implement AIM subsection (i)(5) which provides EPA
authority to assess substitutes under the AIM Act.
The AIM Act also authorizes EPA to establish a grant program for small businesses for purchase
of recycling, recovery, or reclamation equipment for HFC substitutes, including for servicing
motor vehicle air conditioners. In FY 2025, additional funding is requested to fund distribution of
grants to support technology transition already underway and equipment transition. This builds off
EPA's FY 2024 request to initiate a grant program for small businesses for purchase of recycling,
recovery, or reclamation equipment for HFC substitutes, including for servicing motor vehicle air
conditioners.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to provide technical expertise for the Montreal Protocol's
Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its Technical Options Committees, advancing
reductions of ODS and HFC consumption and ensuring U.S. interests are represented.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to conduct its essential work to support a level playing field for
companies operating legally under the CAA and AIM Act regulations and those that have
transitioned to alternatives for ODS and HFCs. Under both the AIM Act and the Montreal Protocol,
in FY 2025 EPA will be implementing a 40 percent reduction in HFCs from historic levels. EPA
exchanges data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland
Security on ODS and HFC importers and exporters to determine admissibility and target illegal
shipments entering the United States, as well as reviews and approves imports flagged in the
Automated Commercial Environment. With the significant reduction of available HFC allowances
in FY 2025, this data exchange will increase in importance as accurate data will be needed on a
real-time basis. EPA also will continue to work with partner agencies, including through the
Interagency Task Force on Illegal HFC Trade, to detect, deter, and disrupt attempts to illegally
import or produce HFCs in the United States, as well as work with State Department and other
Departments to carry out the Administration's whole-of-government approach. These efforts also
include EPA's work to support federal sector management and transition from HFCs through
continued cooperation with organizations such as Department of Defense and the General Services
Administration.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM HCFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals that deplete the
Earth's protective ozone layer, in ozone depletion potential (ODP)-weighted metric tons.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
76.2
76.2
76.2
76.2
Metric
Tons
Actual
434.1
224.2
-110.8
-20.8
-6.36
Data
Avail
10/2024
(PM HFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
273.5
273.5
181.5
181.5
MMTC02e
Actual
253.4
Data
Avail
11/2024
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$648.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$64,683.0 / +24.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to implement provisions in
the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act to phase down the use of HFCs, to support
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U.S. entry to the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and to build staff capacity
around efforts to tackle the climate crisis. This investment includes $4.4 million for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Title VI of the Clean Air Act and the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
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Stratospheric Ozone: Multilateral Fund
Program Area: Clean Air and Climate
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S >12-1-1
SIS. 000
S.V, ~5f,
Total Budget Authority
$8,326
$9,244
$18,000
$8,756
Program Project Description:
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) is the
international treaty designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by facilitating a global
phaseout of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and since 2016, phasing down climate-damaging
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under its Kigali Amendment. EPA is phasing down ODS under Title
VI of the Clean Air Act and HFCs under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act
of 2020. As a result of global action to phase out ODS, the ozone layer is expected to recover to
its pre-1980 levels by mid-century. A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to prevent up to
0.5 °C of global warming by 2100.
The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol (Multilateral Fund) was
created by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol to provide funds that enable developing countries
to comply with their obligations following agreed upon schedules. The United States and other
developed countries contribute to the Multilateral Fund. The United States holds a permanent seat
on the Multilateral Fund's governing body (the Executive Committee) and can help focus efforts
on cost-effective assistance and encourage climate-friendly transitions. The U.S. contribution to
the Multilateral Fund is split between EPA and the Department of State.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA's contributions to the Multilateral Fund in FY 2025 will primarily continue to support cost-
effective projects designed to build capacity and eliminate ODS production and consumption in
over 140 developing countries and provide support for the global phasedown of HFCs. Through
2022, the Multilateral Fund supported over 9,175 activities in 145 countries that have phased out
292,732 ozone-depletion potential (ODP) metric tons, 305,336 carbon dioxide equivalent metric
tons of consumption of controlled substances, and 205,377 ODP metric tons of production of
controlled substances. Additional projects will be submitted, considered, and approved in
accordance with Multilateral Fund guidelines.
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In FY 2025, the United States will continue to promote developing country transitions to climate-
friendly alternatives and will support projects to phase down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment.
A small number of demonstration projects aimed at furthering climate projection are anticipated.
These projects will concern either planning for reclaim, recycling, and refrigerant disposal or energy
efficiency upgrades. The United States also will support preparatory activities such as establishing
HFC baselines, phasedown starting points, and Kigali HFC Implementation Plans to phase down
HFCs in developing countries, as well as projects to reduce HFC-23 byproduct emissions, ensuring
that the global HFC phasedown will leverage the expertise and experience gained during the 30-
year history with phasing out ODS. Taken together, this work will support developing countries'
compliance with Protocol obligations.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8,756.0) This program change reflects an increase to help fund additional activities
associated with the adoption of the Kigali Amendment and developing country phase down
of HFCs while continuing to support ODS phaseout activities.
Statutory Authority:
Title VI of the Clean Air Act.
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Compliance
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Compliance Monitoring
Program Area: Compliance
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S I04.5VJ
SI 12.-.10
SIM.4'4
s.v\ '44
Inland Oil Spill Programs
-$5
$649
$2,154
$1,505
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,377
$1,017
$1,036
$19
Total Budget Authority
$105,966
$114,396
$171,664
$57,268
Total Workyears
441.1
478.9
544.6
65.7
Program Project Description:
The Compliance Monitoring Program is a key component of EPA's Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance (OECA) that supports both compliance with federal environmental laws
and identifies noncompliance. Compliance monitoring activities, such as inspections and
investigations, or review of self-reported compliance monitoring information and other forms of
offsite compliance monitoring, are conducted by EPA and other co-regulators (states, federally
recognized tribes, and territories) to determine if regulated entities are complying with
environmental statutes, applicable regulations, and permit conditions. A robust inspection,
compliance assistance and enforcement program are essential to advancing the promise of clean
air, land, and water to many communities across the country, including those that are vulnerable
and overburdened, and for implementing Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis
at Home and Abroad.64
Compliance information gathered from these activities is reported into EPA's data systems for
analyses and inspection or enforcement targeting. A variety of data is available to co-regulators
and the public to increase compliance with EPA statutes and to identify programs and sectors with
high noncompliance in order to focus resources through National Enforcement and Compliance
Initiatives (NECIs).65 The NECIs can help identify conditions that may present an imminent and
substantial endangerment to human health and the environment and thereby warrant immediate
attention. The Compliance Monitoring Program further supports each NECI with specific and
robust targeting and data analysis (including developing dashboards and data integration systems
to allow EPA, states, and tribes to analyze national compliance datasets).
Given the large number of regulated entities, effective targeting of compliance monitoring and
analysis of compliance data plays a critical role in achieving the goals EPA has set forth for
64 For additional information, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-
order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
65 For additional information, please visit: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01-12/pdf/2023-0050Q.pdf.
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protecting health and the environment. The Compliance Monitoring Program utilizes a number of
tools and approaches to carry out its work, including:
• Compliance Program Data Management and Electronic Reporting: EPA has a national
enforcement and compliance data system, the Integrated Compliance Information System
(ICIS), which supports both the compliance monitoring and civil enforcement programs. ICIS
is a critical infrastructure tool used by the Agency, state, tribal, local, and territorial
governments as well as the regulated community and other federal agencies, to track
compliance and enforcement of environmental statutes. States are a major user of this resource.
For instance, twenty-one state governments depend on ICIS to directly manage their clean
water permitting and compliance activities. EPA utilizes ICIS enforcement and compliance
data and other information technology tools to: 1) Identify potential violations of federal
environmental laws; 2) Facilitate efficient enforcement; and 3) Promote compliance with these
requirements. ICIS data is available to the public via the internet-accessible Enforcement and
Compliance History Online (ECHO) system as well as the companion data change notification
tool ECHO Notify. Using ICIS and ECHO to electronically track its civil enforcement work
allows EPA to better ensure that its enforcement resources are used to facilitate transparency
and address the most significant noncompliance problems, including noncompliance affecting
overburdened or vulnerable communities and noncompliance that leads to climate impacts.
EPA, through the National Targeting Center (NTC), utilizes the data in ECHO to help identify
the worst problem areas to align inspections and enforcement activities. EPA collaborates with
state, local, federal, tribal, and industry partners, through the E-Enterprise initiative, to leverage
technologies such as promoting electronic reporting and permitting. EPA and states implement
the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Electronic Reporting Rule
through ICIS, the NPDES eReporting Tool (NeT), and the Network Discharge Monitoring
Report (NetDMR). These are key tools for improving the availability of clean water
compliance data to EPA, states, and the public.66
• Support for the Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Program: The Agency will continue to implement Phases 1 and 2 of the
NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule which covers electronic discharge monitoring reports,
Notices of Intent to discharge in compliance with a general permit and data sharing
requirements for EPA and states that includes permit and compliance monitoring data. EPA
will continue to work with states to ensure complete and high-quality data acquisition from
permits and from compliance and enforcement data. The Program will evaluate and prioritize
the development of additional electronic reporting tools that support states. EPA will continue
to provide tools and support for tracking, interpreting, and reducing their NPDES
noncompliance rate and will provide support to states to strengthen their NPDES compliance
programs. In FY 2023, the percentage of permittees in significant noncompliance with their
NPDES permits was 9.3 percent, down from a FY 2018 baseline of 20.3 percent. For federal
facilities in FY 2023, the percentage of permittees in significant noncompliance with their
NPDES permits was 4.0 percent, which is a 74 percent reduction for federal facilities from
their FY 2018 baseline.
66 For more information, please visit: https://www. epa. gov/compliance/npdes-ereporting.
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• Building Capacity in the Compliance Assurance Program's Inspector Cadre for EPA,
State, Tribal and Local Governments and Restoring EPA's National Enforcement
Training Institute as the premier National Enforcement Training Center in the United
States: To ensure the quality of compliance monitoring activities, EPA develops national
policies, updates inspection manuals, establishes training requirements for inspectors, and
issues inspector credentials. The Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990 required the establishment
of the National Enforcement Training Institute (NETI) to provide training to federal, state, and
local lawyers; inspectors; civil and criminal investigators; and technical experts in the
enforcement of the Nation's environmental laws. The Agency will build capacity in EPA's
inspector cadre and restore NETI, both of which are critical to advancing the FY 2022 -2026
EPA Strategic Plan "Goal 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance." This
includes OECA's goal to conduct 55 percent of annual inspections at facilities affecting
vulnerable or overburdened communities by September 30, 2026, an estimated 25 percent
increase over EPA's historical average. The Compliance Monitoring Program uses inspectors
on the ground to help identify public health concerns and environmental regulatory violations
throughout the United States, including in communities with Environmental Justice (EJ)
concern. In FY 2023, EPA outperformed and achieved over 60 percent of on-site inspections
in overburdened communities and is on target to continue this rate in FY 2024. EPA delivers
critical in-person and online training courses to new and experienced federal, state, tribal, and
local inspectors to ensure the integrity of the national Compliance Monitoring Program. EPA
hosts several in-person inspector training programs, such as the annual CWA NPDES
Technical Inspector Workshop, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Public Water System
Supervision (PWSS) Advanced Inspector Training, and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Pesticide Inspector Residential Training Program.
• Compliance Assistance: Compliance assistance is a valuable tool to assist regulated facilities
in understanding their compliance obligations and achieving and maintaining compliance.
EPA provides compliance assistance by working with third-party organizations and federal
agencies to support 17 web-based, sector-specific compliance assistance centers and other
web-based assistance resources. In addition, the Agency develops webinars, compliance
advisories, and other assistance materials to help EPA, state regulators, and the regulated
community to understand compliance rules and obligations. EPA also provides through the
Compliance Advisors for Sustainable Water Systems Program, facility specific technical
assistance to regulated entities under the CWA and SDWA programs and the polychlorinated
biphenyl program.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an increase of $41.4 million and 56.2 FTE in Compliance
Monitoring resources to implement the NECIs and continue to rebuild the inspector cadre. A robust
inspection and enforcement program is essential to advancing the promise of clean air, land, and
water to many communities across the country. Increased staffing can identify public health
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concerns and potential environmental regulatory violations. This is critical to protect communities,
including those that are vulnerable and overburdened.
In FY 2025, NETI will increase staffing and continue in its effort to re-establish its role as the
premier National Enforcement Training Center in the United States by building training capacity
(including for the NECIs), establishing inspector internship, cross-regional training, and
mentorship programs; creating a digital training hub; and educating the future workforce in the
enforcement of environmental laws in accordance with its statutory mandate.
EPA's inspection programs have been under-resourced for over a decade leading to a loss of
agency expertise and a decline in the numbers of inspections. To meet EPA's EJ goals and the
mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA must rebuild and strengthen its
inspection program with increased hiring and training of new and existing inspectors, including
in-person basic inspector training for the following programs: Clean Air Act (CAA); SDWA;
CWA; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); FIFRA; and Toxic Substances Control
Act (TSCA). Additionally, the Agency is requesting additional funding to purchase health, safety,
and inspection monitoring equipment. Some of the equipment include the following: Forward
Looking InfraRed (FLIR) cameras, Data Acquisition Real-Time (DART), flame ionization
detectors/photo ionization detectors, fence line monitors, and Smart Tools software and hardware
for inspectors.
EPA will continue its customer-focused, evidence-based targeting approaches to help inspectors
find environmental problems by utilizing software and technical assistance from the National
Targeting Center (NTC). The NTC works with media-specific communities of practice to
collaborate with EPA, regions, state, tribal partners, and builds and maintains relationships with
academic data science labs to develop training and tools. ECHO (and ECHO Gov) serves as the
data integration hub used by the NTC for developing models, publishing tools, and providing a
means for accessing the results of these efforts.
EPA will continue to implement its comprehensive action plan for integrating EJ and climate
change considerations throughout all aspects of the Program, including a performance measure
tracking the percentage of inspections affecting communities with potential EJ concerns. This
effort answers the President's call to "strengthen enforcement of environmental violations with
disproportionate impact on overburdened or vulnerable communities through the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance".67 This work includes, but is not limited to, multi-
state/multi-regional matters, issues of national significance, complex contamination at and from
federal facilities, and emergency situations.
In addition, EPA will provide targeted oversight and support to state, local, tribal, and other federal
agency programs. To accomplish this objective, the Agency will prioritize work with states to
67 For additional information on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, please see:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presideiitial-actioiis/2021/01/27/executive-order-oii-tackliiig-the-climate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
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develop methods that successfully leverage advances in both monitoring and information
technology.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an increase of approximately $3.0 million and 5.0 FTE to continue
its modernization efforts which was started with IRA funding.68 EPA will continue to improve
ICIS and ECHO, including future integration of the data collected using Smart Tools, which will
facilitate better access to compliance data and community information (e.g., EPA's EJ screening
tool) for EPA, states, tribes, other federal agencies, and the public. The Agency will continue to
modernize its national enforcement and compliance data system as it expands its compliance
monitoring and technical assistance efforts to address EJ issues (including the Compliance
Advisors for Sustainable Water Systems Program), per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS),
and climate change concerns including resilience and reduction in the use of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs).
In FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $2.0 million to expand the Program's software solutions
for field inspectors to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of compliance inspections
conducted by EPA and authorized states. In FY 2020 and 2021, EPA rolled out its Smart Tools for
inspectors in the RCRA Hazardous Waste Program and the CWA - NPDES Program. Smart Tools
software makes the process of documenting field inspections and preparing inspection reports
more efficient. This tool allows the Program to use its compliance monitoring resources more
efficiently, including monitoring for noncompliance. It also allows the Agency to make inspection
reports more readily and timely available to the regulated entities and the public. The work on the
design and development of software for additional inspection programs (e.g., Underground
Storage Tanks, CAA Risk Management Program, TSCA lead-based paint, FIFRA Good
Laboratory Practices Standards) will continue through FY 2025 and beyond.
Additionally, in FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $1.1 million and 2.0 FTE to strengthen
EPA's Drinking Water Agenda. EPA will increase its implementation of the Evidence Act through
the "Drinking Water Systems Out of Compliance" priority area in EPA's Learning Agenda.69 Safe
drinking water is critical to the health of communities and each year thousands of community water
systems violate one or more health-based drinking water standards. Drinking water noncompliance
is greatest in small, under-resourced communities and may be higher than EPA data suggests due
to under reporting. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to collect new information and conduct studies
under this learning priority area to evaluate the efficacy of policy instruments. EPA will define
potential metrics of public water systems' technical, managerial, and financial capacity for early
identification of at-risk drinking water systems. The analysis will test existing and new predictive
analytic tools designed to identify at-risk systems. EPA will continue to work with states, tribes,
and academic experts to implement OECA's Compliance Learning Agenda. The agenda will
improve the effectiveness of enforcement and compliance programs, approaches, and tools by
prioritizing the most pressing programmatic questions; planning evidence-based studies to address
these questions; and identifying effective and innovative approaches for improving compliance.
The first two priority proj ects identified through this effort will focus on assessing the effectiveness
of offsite compliance monitoring and identifying the root causes of municipal noncompliance.
68 OECA is working with the CIO to refine cost estimates for ICIS modernization.
6'Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (Public Law 115^135):
https://wvyw.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ435/PLAW-l lSpufat43S.pdf.
281
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In FY 2025, EPA also is requesting an increase of $2.0 million to support the Agency's
Compliance Advisors for Sustainable Water Systems Program (previously called the Circuit
Riders Program), which reduces noncompliance at small public water systems (PWSs) and small
wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) by providing hands-on technical assistance. Many small
drinking water and wastewater systems are under-resourced, in overburdened or vulnerable
communities, and unable to achieve and maintain compliance due to lack of technical, managerial,
and financial capacity. These communities are impacted by factors such as aging infrastructure,
workforce shortages, and declining rate bases. These challenges are the root cause of most
violations of the SDWA and CWA. Part trainer and part consultant, Compliance Advisors
troubleshoot issues, develop plans to return systems to compliance, and increase the technical
capacity of operators. The Compliance Advisors may revisit systems as needed, promoting
sustainable compliance.
Through FY 2023, Compliance Advisors have provided technical assistance to approximately 232
small PWSs and 61 WWTFs in under-resourced communities nationwide, across all Regions -
covering 25 states, Puerto Rico, and seven tribes. There are thousands more small systems and
facilities that need technical support to help them achieve and stay in compliance. In general, the
systems supported by the Compliance Advisor Program are small (serving populations of less than
10,000). Approximately 84 percent are in overburdened or vulnerable communities.70 Compliance
Advisors have completed work at 24 wastewater systems and 130 drinking water systems and
provided more than 1,000 standard operating procedures, checklists, and other tools to help these
small systems return to sustained compliance. In order to meet the significant demand for targeted
technical assistance, this investment will bolster other agency technical assistance efforts. The
regions working with states, tribes and territories will continue to identify and nominate systems
to receive Compliance Advisor help to return to and sustain compliance.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support inspections and fund compliance monitoring efforts to
support development of civil enforcement cases. The Agency will use compliance monitoring
funds to continue supporting enforcement and compliance inspections adhering to CAA
requirements including for motor vehicles, engines and fuels, stationary sources, chemical accident
prevention, wood heaters, municipal solid waste landfills, and stratospheric ozone; CWA
requirements for permitted discharges, preventing and addressing oil spills and spills of sewage or
other hazardous substances, wetlands protection, and biosolids use and disposal; TSCA
requirements for new and existing chemicals, lead based paint in target housing including
privatized military housing, and PCBs; FIFRA requirements for pesticide registration; Emergency
Planning and Community Right to Know Act requirements for emergency planning and Toxics
Release Inventory reporting; American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act requirements to
reduce the harmful effects of climate-change causing chemicals like HFCs; RCRA requirements
for hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste; and SDWA requirements for public water systems.
In FY 2025, EPA proposes to hire additional inspectors for federal facility investigations to
increase sampling capabilities to identify regulatory violations and threats to public health and the
environment. These resources will help ensure that EPA meets the RCRA statutory requirement
of annual inspections of federal facility treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. This investment
70 OECA protocols for identifying Areas of Potential EJ Concern.
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will assist in dispute resolution and case development against federal agencies that are responsible
for contamination (e.g., PFAS), thereby protecting military families and the public health of
surrounding communities affected by these contaminants, particularly those communities with EJ
concerns.
In FY 2025, the Agency is requesting an increase of $3.0 million to support EPA's PFAS Strategic
Roadmap and EPA's PFAS NEC! Resources will be used to actively investigate and identify
releases of PFAS to the air, land, and water from large manufacturers, processing facilities, waste
disposal facilities, and federal facilities where PFAS are suspected of contaminating various
environmental media. This investment will support case development and issuance of information
requests, including the potential identification of imminent and substantial endangerment issues
under CWA, SDWA, or RCRA.
In addition, resources will be used to continue the operation and development of the PFAS Analytic
Tools, a data integration platform currently used by the Agency, states, and researchers to analyze
national PFAS data sets. The funding will provide enhancements including increasing data
availability to the public, including communities with potential EJ concerns. Compliance
monitoring funds will advance protection of communities by supporting investigations into PFAS
contamination, including activities associated with EPA's PFAS NECI, and assisting with the
identification of areas for compliance assistance to ensure nearby facilities adhere to regulations
designed to protect vulnerable populations. The increased funding will help create and expand
programs to further environmental protections and increase monitoring capabilities.71
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 409) Number of federal on-site compliance monitoring inspections and evaluations and off-site
compliance monitoring activities.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
Inspections
&
Evaluations
Actual
10,600
10,300
8,500
10,800
13,900
13,100
(PM 444) Percentage of EPA inspection reports sent to the facility within 70 days of inspection.
FY
20IS
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
75
75
75
75
75
Percent
Actual
S?
85
83
77
Numerator
4.1"
1,940
4,362
5,521
Reports
Denominator
5.1 H"
2,287
5,237
7,129
71 For additional information, please see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7530144/pclf/nihms-1627933.pdf
283
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(PM 450) Percentage of EPA inspections at facilities affecting communities with potential environmental
justice concerns.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
45
50
50
55
Percent
Actual
57
61
Numerator
3,333
4,700
Inspections
Denominator
5,861
7,750
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,346.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agency wide infrastructure Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$41,357.0 / +56.2 FTE) This program increase will focus compliance monitoring
resources on implementation of the National Enforcement Compliance Initiatives,
including continued efforts to rebuild EPA's inspector cadre. Additional funding will build
capacity for inspections, case development, and to supplement the Program's training
budget by providing FTE to restore the NET! This funding will enhance EPA's
compliance monitoring programmatic capabilities to improve efforts to address pollution
in overburdened and vulnerable communities and increase compliance. This investment
includes $10.16 million for payroll.
• (+$2,000.0) This program increase will allow the Compliance Advisor Program to provide
critical technical assistance to an additional 80-100 systems to achieve and maintain
compliance. This investment also will be used to support inspections and case development
in the regional offices. The available funds will be used to support vulnerable and
overburdened communities identified by EPA and States as having concerns because of
lead Action Level exceedances.
• (+$3,000.0) This program increase will allow EPA to actively investigate and identify
releases of PFAS to the air, land, and water from large manufacturers, processing facilities,
federal facilities, and waste disposal facilities where PFAS are suspected of contaminating
various environmental media. In addition, these funds will allow EPA to continue operation
and development of the PFAS Analytic Tools, a data integration platform currently used
by EPA and states to analyze national PFAS data sets.
• (+$2,954.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program increase will support the modernization efforts of
ICIS and enhance its communication integration (internet-based services) with ECHO.
This modernization process will enhance EPA's efforts to address compliance data
exchange concerns in disadvantaged or vulnerable communities. This investment includes
$904.0 thousand for payroll.
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• (+$2,000.0) This program increase will allow EPA to advance work on the Smart Tools
for Field Inspectors to develop tools for some of the smaller Agency programs that have
more of a direct impact for EJ communities such as the TSCA lead-based paint programs.
• (+$1,061.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program increase will allow EPA to evaluate the Drinking
Water Learning Agenda, developed under the Evidence Act, and thereby test the efficacy
of policies to address drinking water noncompliance. The increase will allow the program
to conduct studies with broader participation with more partners (e.g., states and tribes,) to
test the effectiveness of inspection and enforcement approaches to improve compliance in
the drinking water program. This investment includes $361.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$645.0 / +0.5 FTE) This program increase will support implementation of OECA's
Climate Adaptation Implementation Plan. Resources will support completion of priority
actions including continued staff training to build climate change knowledge and
consideration of climate change in all aspects of the Agency's enforcement program. This
investment includes $90.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$381.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program increases FTE to support agencywide implementation
of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and Evidence Act
data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes $361.0 thousand
for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (MARPOL
Annex VI); American Innovation and Manufacturing Act: Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act;
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Oil Pollution Act; Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act; Rivers and Harbors Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Toxic
Substances Control Act.
285
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Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
286
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Children and Other Sensitive Populations: Agency Coordination
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
Vo'JYi
S - -JV
SIJS'
Total Budget Authority
5)7,749
5>1,387
Total Workyears
17.3
18.4
19.4
1.0
Program Project Description:
The Children's Health Program coordinates and advances the protection of children's
environmental health across EPA by assisting with developing regulations, improving risk
assessment and science policy, implementing community-level outreach and education programs,
and tracking indicators of progress on children's health. Children's environmental health refers to
the effect of the environment on children's growth, wellness, development, and risk of disease.
EPA strives for all parts of the Agency to apply and promote the use of the best available science,
policy, partnerships, communications, and action to protect children from adverse health effects
resulting from harmful environmental exposures. The Children's Health Program is directed by
the EPA ' Policy on Children's Health,72 Executive Order (EO) 13045: Protection of Children's
Health from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks,73 statutory authorities addressing
children's environmental health, and other existing guidance.74 The Program works to tackle the
climate crisis and advance environmental justice (EJ) by identifying and reducing inequitable
impacts of climate change and adverse environmental exposures on children, particularly children
in underserved communities.
In FY 2023, the Children's Health Program supported Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty
Units by providing programming on children's health in EJ communities;75 hosted a workshop to
provide technical assistance to grantees to support the improvement of school facilities with an
emphasis on underserved communities;76 implemented a partnership with the Association of State
and Territorial Health Officials to support inclusion of children's environmental health at the state
level; oversaw the publication of an interactive website based on a workshop by the National
Academy of Science to identify the latest priorities to protect children's health; conducted an
internal workshop to prioritize children's health research needs and the inclusion of research
findings in EPA decision-making; updated several documents used internally to enhance
incorporation of children's health protection in the EPA regulatory decision-making process;
developed a training course on children environmental health risk assessment for EPA rule
72 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/children/epas-policy-childrens-health.
73 For more information, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-04-23/pdf/97-10695.pdf.
74 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/children/guidance-tools-and-glossarv-key-terms-regarding-childrens-
environmental-health.
75 For more information, please see: https://www.pehsu.net/.
76 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/children/childrens-health-grants-and-funding-opportunities.
287
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managers; published a national-scale, multi-sector report that quantifies projected health effects to
children from climate change; published an online toolkit that compiles educational and outreach
materials highlighting the risks from heavy metal exposure primarily to children from a variety of
cultural and religious products; began scoping work to enhance America's Children and the
Environment (a resource on children's environmental health indicator data trends); conducted two
plenary meetings of the Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC),77 and
received advice on 1) American's Children and the Environment, 2) Climate Change Priorities for
Children's Health; implemented CHPAC's recommendations on health learning environments,
pesticides and TSCA, and initiated a new request for advice regarding prevention of lead exposure
through enhanced community engagement; hosted a series of events to educate the public about
children's health protection, including webinars regarding the Pediatric Environmental Health
Specialty Units and ways to protect children from extreme heat; updated website pages and
conducted events and outreach to stakeholders to reinvigorate EPA's presence and voice, among
other initiatives. Together, EPA programs completed 298 actions toward its children's health long-
term performance goal in FY 2023 having set a target of 163 actions at the beginning of the year.
The Program supported several Interagency Policy Councils on Child and Maternal Health to assist
their development of all-of-government approaches for protecting children's health in schools and
improving maternal health outcomes. EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection (OCHP)
contributed to the Lead Exposure and Prevention Advisory Committee and the National
Committee on Children, Climate and Disasters hosted by the Department of Health and Human
Services, the Cancer Moonshot, and others.
The Children's Health Program has a successful track record of collaboration with non-
governmental organizations, state, local and tribal governments, and other federal agencies. To
further protect children in EJ communities, and those affected by climate change, the Program led
the steering committee of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks to Children to develop interagency work plans to span the next five years. OCHP played a
key role in implementing EPA's Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S.
Communities and prepared the draft of a companion high-level update to the interagency Federal
Lead Action Plan to Reduce Lead Exposures report for OMB review. Within EPA, OCHP and the
regional coordinators collaborate closely with EPA's national program managers and regional
offices, as well as with EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, to
develop effective tools and messages in support of children in underserved communities who
disproportionately suffer from adverse environmental exposures, and to advance information and
messaging to address health risks to children from climate change. In EPA's 2023 Equity Action
Plan, EPA included as priority action #4, Protect Children Equitably from Exposure to
Environmental Contaminants.
In FY 2024, the Children's Health Program will contribute to the development of regulations,
scientific assessments and/or policies, including actions under the Toxic Substances Control Act,
Safe Drinking Water Act, Food Quality Protection Act and Clean Air Act, among others. To
implement EPA's Policy on Children's Health,78 OCHP will continue to train children's health
champions in each EPA program office, use the newly updated guidance documents to support
77 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/children/childrens-health-protection-advisorv-committee-chpac.
78 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-10/2021-policy-on-childrens-
health.pdf.
288
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program office work on protecting the health of children, and expand training on how to conduct
children's health evaluations. In FY 2024, OCHP also will implement the second year of its first
long-term performance goal for advancing protection of children's environmental health
applicable to relevant EPA national programs. Together, EPA programs will aim to complete 166
actions toward this long-term performance goal in FY 2024. OCHP continued a coordinated
national approach among regional Healthy Schools programs. With its newly updated webpages,
OCHP will reach stakeholders through more than 161,000 page views, and institute approaches to
better coordinate headquarters and regional children's environmental health activities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests a total investment of $7.75 million and 19.4 FTE for the Children's
Health Program, which is approximately $1.4 million and 1.0 FTE over the FY 2024 annualized
continuing resolution Program budget. The Agency will continue to protect children in
underserved communities who suffer disproportionately from the effects of exposures magnified
by socio-economic determinants of health, and to address children's exposures, which are
exacerbated by climate change. EPA actions will be informed by two important considerations:
first, the scientific understanding of childhood as a sequence of life stages, and second, the
recognition that protecting children's health is necessary to protect human health, because every
adult was once a child.
In FY 2025, the Children's Health Program will work to tackle the climate crisis and advance EJ
by following up on recommendations from the National Academy of Science, which highlighted
the latest scientific advancement and challenges to protecting children's health. The Program will
continue to implement the EPA Policy on Children's Health and its associated long-term
performance goal to ensure that EPA consistently and explicitly considers early life exposures and
lifelong health in all human health decisions. OCHP will continue to engage with EPA national
programs to appropriately include assessment and consideration of risk to children's
environmental health in risk assessment, risk management decisions, regulations, policies,
guidance documents, program initiatives, and public engagement. As part of these activities and
in support of the Cancer Moonshot, the Program will continue to compile data and provide analysis
on children's health to reduce or prevent exposure to carcinogens and protect children from cancer
risks. Additionally, the Program will continue to compile national data on childhood cancer79 in
the America's Children and the Environment interactive online tool and promote its guidance to
assess children's susceptibility to early life exposure to carcinogens.
Further, EPA will improve its ability to monetize the economic benefits to children's health of
environmental rules by quantifying children-related health endpoints that are not currently
included in EPA benefit-cost analyses. This work will improve substantially EPA's ability to
communicate to the public the impact of its regulations.
79 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/ammcaschildrenenvironment/health-childhood-cancer.
289
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The Program will convene the Steering Committee of President's Task Force on Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children to report on progress across the federal government in
the areas of climate change and disasters, childhood lead; asthma disparities; and climate,
emergencies and disasters, exposure to toxic chemicals, and other topics. The Program also will
continue to build on partnerships with key stakeholders and leverage resources and work for
durable, nationally relevant improvements in children's health protection.
The Program will host a variety of activities to mark Children's Health Month in October to
educate parents, caregivers, teachers, and others on how to better protect children from adverse
environmental exposure and continue to modernize its social media presence to improve outreach
to affected communities. The Program also will coordinate two meetings of the CHPAC, with
delivery of expert responses to additional charge questions related to high priority children's
environmental health issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CHOI) Number of EPA actions that concern human health that include assessment and consideration of
environmental health information and data for children at all life stages to the extent relevant data are
available.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
50%
163
166
TBD
Actions
Actual
N/A
298
(PM CH02) Number of EPA regional offices with stakeholder engagement on children's environmental
health designed to provide durable, replicable, and widespread results.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
3
6
9
10
Regional
Offices
Actual
6
9
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$884.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program increase supports EPA's efforts to improve the
Agency's cost benefits analysis for children's health. This investment includes $203.0
thousand for payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs.
• (+$503.0) This program change is an increase to provide additional support for existing
programs and workforce in the Children's Health Program. This includes updating and
expanding indicators and trends in America's Children and the Environment by gathering
evidence to better represent impacts of environmental exposures on children in underserved
communities and by making improvements in the accessibility and presentation of the
underlying data.
290
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Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); and Food
Quality Protection Act (FQPA).
291
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Executive Management and Operations
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
s xi.oxi
S
N
s r.im
Tolal Budgel Aulhorily
s~; ;
5>56,160
S73,269
5)17,109
Total Workyears
276.7
278.6
319.2
40.6
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 7.3 FTE to support Executive Management Operations working capital fund
(WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The Executive Management and Operations Program supports various offices that provide direct
executive and logistical support to EPA's Administrator. In addition to the Administrator's
Immediate Office (10), the Program supports the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental
Relations (OCIR), Office of Administrative and Executive Services (OAES), Office of the
Executive Secretariat (OEX), the Office of Public Affairs (OPA), and the Office of Public
Engagement (OPE).
The Program also supports EPA's 10 regional offices. The Program's management, coordination,
and policy activities link the Agency's engagement with outside entities, including Congress, state
and local governments, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, national and community
associations, and the public.
Within the Program, key functions include responding to congressional requests for information;
coordinating and providing outreach to state and local governments, tribes, and rural communities;
and supporting press and other communications activities. The Program also resources mission
support functions, including but not limited to administrative management services involving
correspondence control and records management systems, human resources management, budget
formulation and execution, outsourcing, and information technology management services.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $17.1 million and 40.6 FTE for the Executive
Management and Operations Program. These additional resources will strengthen engagement
with state and local partners; enhance training of healthcare providers in underserved communities
on the prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of children's exposure to lead;
implement and strengthen the Agency's ability to carry out effective risk communication; restore
292
-------
core capacity to the Executive Management and Operations Program; provide contract support for
the Agency's management operations and multi-media and risk communications; increase EPA's
efforts to address a range of environmental issues as they relate to youth through EPA's National
Environmental Youth Advisory Council established in 2023; and improve the Agency's public
engagement, partnership, and outreach initiatives at the regional level and across the Agency. This
investment also provides an annual payroll increase for existing FTE; essential workforce support
costs; support for critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and litigation support;
implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0; and FTE to support agencywide implementation of EPA's
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and EPA's Equity Action Plan,
which is required under various Executive Orders.
OCIR serves as EPA's principal point of contact for Congress, regions, states, and local
governments and as the coordination point for interaction with other agency offices and officials.
OCIR is comprised of two main components: the Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA) and
Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR). OCA facilitates all legislative activity and
interactions with Congress. OIR manages interactions with state and local governments and serves
as the liaison for the Agency with national associations for state and local officials.
In FY 2025, OCA will continue to prepare EPA officials for hearings, oversee responses to written
inquiries and oversight requests from members of Congress, and coordinate and provide technical
assistance and briefings on legislative areas of interest to members of Congress and their staff.
In FY 2025, OIR will continue to inform and consult with state and local governments on
regulations and other EPA activities. Additionally, OIR will continue to lead the Agency's efforts
to support and build partnerships with the states, local governments, and tribes on environmental
priorities through regular engagements with intergovernmental associations and state and local
officials, as well as through the National Environmental Performance Partnership System and the
increased use of Performance Partnership Agreements and Grants with a focus on addressing
climate change and ensuring underserved communities are considered throughout the process. OIR
also will continue to operate its Local Government Advisory Committee and Small Communities
Advisory Subcommittee, which provide crucial advice to the Administrator. OIR will continue to
enhance support for the Office of the Municipal Ombudsman (42 U.S.C. 4379j(a)(l)) to work with
communities on water and climate change and in leveraging diverse new federal funding sources
for optimal outcomes.
Additionally, OIR will enhance opportunities for internal policy/decision making through its
management of the Agency' s Executive Management Council and other venues dedicated to senior
level engagement. In addition, OCIR will continue to regularly review and evaluate its processes
for responding to congressional and intergovernmental correspondence and FOIA requests;
prepare for hearings or briefings; provide technical assistance; and coordinate with EPA's program
offices, regional offices, states, local officials, and associations. This will include modernizing
some of our operations to create more efficiency in the various functions and workflows within
the office.
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OPA facilitates the exchange of information between EPA and the public, media, Congress, and
state and local governments; broadly communicates EPA's mission; assists in public awareness of
environmental issues; and informs EPA employees of important issues that affect them. Annually,
OPA issues nearly 1,500 press releases; responds to approximately 8,000 media inquiries; and
oversees more than 150 audio-visual productions, 500 graphic productions, 2,700 event
photographs, and 40 portraits. In addition, in terms of digital media, OPA receives over 160 million
impressions on the internet, including www.epa.gov and EPA social media accounts, and posts
nearly 100 unique EPA homepage internet news banners. Also, to facilitate communications with
EPA employees nationwide, OPA annually posts over 200 intranet banners; issues 48 issues of a
weekly e-newsletter - This Week @ EPA - with a total of 240 articles; and sends more than 100
agencywide employee Mass Mailers from EPA's Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and other
senior leaders. In FY 2025, OPA will continue to inform the media of agency initiatives and deliver
timely, accurate information. The Office will continue to update the Agency's internet site to
provide stakeholders with transparent, accurate, and comprehensive information on EPA's
activities and policies. OPA will continue using social media, multimedia, and new media tools to
provide stakeholders with information. The Office also will work with EPA's program and
regional offices to improve employee communication; external communication on relevant
environmental and human health risks; collaboration and engagement with internal and external
stakeholders; updates to the Agency's intranet site; and the use of other communication tools.
OPA also is responsible for ensuring that EPA carries out effective risk communication by sharing
critical information on how we are addressing human health and environmental risks with the
American public, communities, public officials, and other stakeholders in a way that it is tailored
to their needs, reaching a wide audience, and providing meaningful actions they can take to reduce
risk. This is integral to most of the work done across the Agency's offices and regions and is
essential to carrying out EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment.
EPA will keep working to ensure that risk communicators at the Agency are connected to best
practices from the field, high quality training opportunities, and agencywide efforts underway to
improve risk communication. Further, EPA regularly faces intractable risk communication issues
that often need sustained focus by highly trained staff who can apply evidence-based practices.
Addressing these issues and meeting the challenges of the future requires creating sustained culture
change, building agency knowledge and a robust community of practice, and developing strong
relationships with the academic community and our federal, state, and tribal partners.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to strengthen EPA's ability to carry out effective and
consistent risk communication and position the Agency to meet the risk communication challenges
of the future by:
(1) Significantly expanding training across the Agency and with its partners, to create a
community of practice and increase staff knowledge in a meaningful and sustainable way.
This will increase the number of staff at the Agency and among partners who are using the
same best practices in their risk communication efforts while at the same time building a
network of staff located across all regions and offices who are well-positioned to share
their risk communication expertise.
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(2) Launching an internal risk communication fellowship program to increase EPA's progress
on the most difficult risk communication issues. The fellowship program will be open to
EPA employees and will provide 10 weeks of intensive risk communication study and
training followed by 10 to 13 weeks of applying the knowledge gained to an intractable
risk communication problem facing the home office or region.
(3) Developing academic partnerships to study EPA's risk communication challenges and
improve the Agency's reliance on evidence-based practices. This includes increasing
research partnerships to develop a research portfolio with the explicit goal of studying
EPA-relevant risk communication questions, and then translating findings into usable
tools, applications, and best practices for use across the Agency.
In FY 2025, the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks will
convene to report on progress across the federal government in the areas of climate change and
disasters, childhood lead, asthma disparities, and exposure to toxic chemicals. The Lead
Subcommittee will continue to focus on an all of government approach to reducing exposures to
lead. There is an opportunity to improve the environmental education and training of healthcare
providers and medical professionals in identifying and communicating the causes and impacts of
childhood lead exposure in underserved communities in an effort to prevent and reduce exposures.
EPA will work with healthcare providers and families to address this problem directly. To further
support the Administration's Lead Exposure Reduction Initiative, and in coordination with EPA's
program and regional offices, in FY 2025, the Agency will continue to lead ongoing efforts to: 1)
strengthen EPA's communications with the public on the risks of lead exposure by working with
external leaders in the field to build upon the way the Agency conducts its outreach; and 2)
leverage EPA's existing relationship with Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units
(PEHSUs)80 to enhance and support training of healthcare providers in underserved communities
to prevent and reduce children's exposure to lead.
There are several unique risk communication challenges regarding lead, but also unique assets for
the Agency to deploy to reduce risk to the American public—especially to children. Lead exposure
to children can result from multiple sources and can cause irreversible and life-long health effects.
There is no level of lead exposure which is safe. This means that anything the Agency can do to
reduce exposure and lower children's blood lead levels will lead to significant improvements in
public health and brighter, more productive futures for America's children. The specific goals for
FY 2025 include implementing coordinated federal strategies to prevent lead exposure and
associated effects; disseminating information to diverse audiences, including policy makers, health
care providers, the general public, and other stakeholders; and coordinating and disseminating an
inventory of federal actions to reduce childhood lead exposures.
As the central mission support administrative management component of the Administrator's
Office (AO), the OAES provides advice, tools, and assistance to the AO's programmatic
operations across 12 offices. In FY 2025, OAES will continue to conduct the following mission
80 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (https://www.pehsu.net/) provide expert information, training and consultation
for health care professionals and the public on evidence-based prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of children's
environmental health conditions. The PEHSU Program increases the ability of the general public to take simple steps to reduce
harmful exposures by raising awareness among parents, school officials and community leaders.
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support functions: human resources management, budget and financial management, information
technology and security, outsourcing, facilities management, and Government Accountability
Office/Office of the Inspector General audit management.
In FY 2025, OEX will continue to provide critical administrative support to the Administrator,
Deputy Administrator, Chief of Staff, senior agency officials, and staff to comply with the statutory
and regulatory requirements under the Federal Records Act, Freedom of Information Act, Plain
Writing Act, Privacy Act, and related statutes and regulations. OEX will continue to manage the
AO's correspondence management, records management, records digitization, Privacy Act
implementation, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and FOIA response activities. OEX
also will continue to manage Quill, the EPA's enterprise correspondence tracking and workflow
management information technology application.
OEX also will continue to process correspondence for the Administrator and Deputy
Administrator; review and prepare documents for their signature; manage the Administrator's
primary email account; serve as custodian of the Administrator's, Deputy Administrator's, and 10
senior officials' records; oversee the records management program and CUI program for all AO
staff offices; and review and issue ethics determinations for gifts received by the Administrator
and Deputy Administrator. OEX also will manage the privacy program for the AO and monitor,
review, and audit AO systems of records. Finally, OEX will continue to manage the AO FOIA
program and respond to all requests for records held by any of the AO's five associate
administrator offices, seven staff offices, and the Immediate Office of the Administrator.
In FY 2025, OPE will continue providing advice to the Administrator and senior staff on activities
surrounding different stakeholder groups, including generating and distributing outreach plans for
most regulatory actions. Such plans often include meeting regularly with stakeholder groups to
communicate the Administration's agenda at EPA; providing advance notification
communications to relevant stakeholder groups on upcoming regulatory actions; facilitating in-
state visits by the Administrator and/or senior staff to collect regulatory feedback; communicating
key dates to stakeholders pertaining to opportunities to comment on EPA rulemakings; and
organizing conference calls on regulatory topics with impacted stakeholders.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional investment of approximately $6.2 million and 2.5 FTE.
OPE will work directly with the regional offices to coordinate, communicate, and enhance agency
public engagement initiatives [e.g., Justice40; Journey to Justice and other community tours;
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Serving Institution (MSI)
engagements]. This investment will support the Administrator to ensure visibility with local
stakeholders, community members and greater coordination with the Regional Administrators.
OPE will continue to manage and plan the Administrator's Journey to Justice tours, highlighting
longstanding environmental justice concerns in under-severed communities at the forefront of
environmental burdens. OPE will continue to manage and convene at least one meeting of the
HBCU/MSI Consortium and Federal Advisory Committee to help develop the next generation of
environmental leaders. OPE also will explore, engage, and foster public and private partnerships
with outside stakeholders to elevate the Agency and the Administrator to non-traditional
stakeholders. In 2023, EPA established the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council
(NEYAC) to provide independent advice and recommendations to the Administrator on how to
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increase EPA's efforts to address a range of environmental issues as they relate to youth, with an
emphasis on communities below 29 years of age.81 OPE will engage the NEYAC to provide a
critical perspective on how the impacts of climate change and other environmental harms affects
youth communities. OPE also will work to enhance public engagement to amplify the
environmental education work that's happening on the local level.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$535.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical agencywide infrastructure
for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and
litigation support, and implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$6,191.0 / +2.5 FTE) This program change is an increase to expand and improve the
Agency's public engagement, partnership, and outreach initiatives; explore the creation of
a National Environmental Youth Advisory Council; create an HBCU/MSI Consortium and
Federal Advisory Committee. This change includes a realignment of $875.0 thousand and
2.0 FTE from the Environmental Education Program. This investment includes
approximately $474.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$6,129.0 / +22.5 FTE) This program change is an increase to support engagement with
state and local partners, enhanced training of healthcare providers in underserved
communities on the prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of children's
exposure to lead, and increased funding to implement and strengthen the Agency's ability
to carry out effective risk communication. This investment includes $4.3 million for
payroll.
• (+$2,550.0 / +8.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support evidence building
activities in support of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018.
This investment includes $1.5 million for payroll.
• (+$1,752.0 / +2.5 FTE) This program change is an increase to restore core capacity to the
Executive Management and Operations Program and provide contract support for the
Agency's management operations and multi-media and risk communications. This
investment includes $474.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$533.0 / +2.6 FTE) This program change increases FTE to provide executive and
logistical support and advance EPA engagement with partners, specifically for the
81 For additional information, please see: fattps://www.epa.gov/faca/iiatioiial-eiwiroiiiiieiital-youtli-advisoiY-comicil-iieyac.
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municipal ombudsman and for work on water grants. This investment includes
approximately $493.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$489.0 / +2.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
approximately $474.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); and Environmental Research, Development,
and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA).
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Exchange Network
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
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$16,323
$16,097
-$226
Total Workyears
23.2
30.2
30.2
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) is a standards-based, secure approach
for EPA and its state, tribal, and territorial partners to exchange and share environmental data over
the internet. Capitalizing on advanced technology, data standards, open-source software, shared
services for EPA's E-Enterprise Digital Strategy (EEDS), and reusable tools and applications, the
EN offers its partners tremendous capabilities for managing and analyzing environmental data
more effectively and efficiently, leading to improved decision-making.
The Central Data Exchange (CDX) is the largest component of the EN Program and serves as the
point of entry on the EN for environmental data transactions with the Agency.82 CDX provides a
set of core shared services that promote a leaner and more cost-effective service framework for the
Agency by avoiding the creation of duplicative applications. It enables faster and more efficient
transactions for internal and external EPA clients, resulting in reduced burden.
Working in concert with CDX is EPA's System of Registries, which is a system of shared data
services designed to enhance efficiency, reduce burden on the regulated community, and improve
environmental outcomes, including environmental justice (EJ). EPA and EN partners routinely
reference these shared data registries, from commonly regulated facilities and substances to the
current list of federally recognized tribes. They identify the standard or official names for these
assets, which, when integrated into EPA and partner applications, foster data consistency and data
quality as well as enable data integration.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support core functions for the EN information technology (IT)
systems. The EN Program will continue to be a pivotal component of EPA's Digital Strategy that
82 For more information on the Central Data Exchange, please see: https://cdx.epa.gov/.
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supports business process change agencywide. Under this strategy and the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act,83 the Agency is streamlining business processes and systems to reduce
reporting burden on states and regulated facilities and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency
of environmental programs for EPA, states, and tribes. EPA also is responsible for managing EN
technical governance groups and administering the pre- and post-award phases of the EN grants
to states, tribes, and territories. These efforts support a standards-based, secure approach for EPA
and its state, tribal, and territorial partners to efficiently exchange and share environmental data
electronically. The Agency also administers and implements the Cross-Media Electronic
Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) that removes regulatory obstacles for e-reporting to EPA
programs under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
EPA aims to reduce burden and avoid costs while improving IT. With CDX's migration to the
cloud, the Agency will continue to carry out baseline support for data exchange services leveraged
by states and tribal partners. This also includes providing a technology framework - shared
CROMERR services - which reduces the burden on programs and external reporters by providing
CROMERR compliant solutions. For example, the shared electronic identity proofing and
signature services for CROMERR supports 31 partner regulatory reporting programs to date. EPA
estimates that partners adopting shared CROMERR services save $120 thousand in development
and at least $30 thousand in operations each year, which results in a cost avoidance of greater than
$2.5 million for EN partners.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to improve the functionality and use of the System of Registries.84
In addition to streamlining the Registries, EPA will continue to implement a broader effort across
the enterprise to engage organizations and facilitate the adoption of these data services through
cloud technology and Representational State Transfer (REST or RESTful) application
programming interfaces (API). Registries are shared data services in which common data are
managed centrally but shared broadly. They improve data quality in EPA systems, enable
integration and interoperability of data across program silos, and facilitate discovery of EPA
information. An example of the Agency's effort to promote the adoption of data services is the
integration of the tribal identification services (TRIBES) across EPA systems.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing a solution related to shared facility identification
information. Centralized facility management also is fundamental to better environmental
management by bringing together EPA data across programmatic silos. Like facility data,
substance information also is regulated across EPA programs, with many EPA programs relying
on the Substance Registry Service (SRS) to improve data quality and reduce burden.
EPA tracks a wide range of data for each registry to measure customer usage and engagement. The
Agency also tracks web service hits to measure the number of users leveraging publicly available
APIs. For example, the SRS website has approximately 90 thousand pageviews per month; many
of these pageviews are users visiting the SRS web area to understand regulatory information about
chemicals. SRS also receives between 20 and 140 thousand web service hits per month (depending
on reporting cycles), mostly by EPA systems that have incorporated the web services into their
83 For more information on the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, please refer to:
https://wvyw.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ336/PLAW-l 15publ336.pdf.
84 For more information, please see: https://ofmpub.epa.gov/sor Jiiteniet/registiy/sysofreg/about/about.jsp.
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online reporting forms. FY 2025 priorities for EPA registries include continually improving
registry technologies by migrating the registries to a cloud-based environment open-source
platform to make them easier to locate, access, and utilize.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to expand the number of EPA and partner systems that integrate
registry services into their online reports and systems, reducing burden and improving data quality.
This includes updating EPA's dataset registry to allow EPA scientists, external partners, and others
to share information and make information easier to find in the cloud.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) to maintain, utilize, and improve systems to facilitate the import and
export of legitimate goods and leverage big data and artificial intelligence tools to identify and
prevent or stop illegal goods from entering or leaving the United States. EPA supports over 16
data exchange types within EPA and with CBP to automate and streamline over 8 million annual
import and export filings. This automation is essential for managing a significantly increasing
number of imports and exports (due to e-Commerce) and allows coordinators/officers to focus on
compliance monitoring and high value targeting activities for non-compliant imports and exports,
and to better coordinate with CBP.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$732.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (-$958.0) This program change is a reduction to the Exchange Network to reflect the
completion of a one-time investment to migrate the TRIBES, SRS, and READ applications
to a cloud based open-source platform.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA); Clean Air Act (CAA); Clean Water Act
(CWA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA).
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Environmental Education
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and
Local Levels
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
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$8,752
$9,500
$8,759
-$741
Total Workyears
8.9
11.2
9.2
-2.0
Program Project Description:
In 1990, the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) was established with the objective of
improving the public's understanding and knowledge of the natural and built environment,
enabling people to effectively solve environmental problems. NEEA states "there is growing
evidence of international environmental problems, such as global warming...that pose serious
threats to human health and the environment."85 The Environmental Education Program
implements environmental education (EE) programming that helps EPA address these issues from
the local community to national and international levels with a focus on communities that are
pollution-burdened and as well as underserved communities. Staff manage the National
Environmental Education Act Federal Advisory Committee (NEEAC). Congress established the
Agency's NEEAC under the NEEA, to advise the Administrator on a wide range of environmental
education matters.
The Program provides management and technical support to these advisory committees. The
Committee provides EPA's Administrator with independent advice on environmental issues,
addresses environmental issues, like climate change, that impact frontline and underserved
communities, through education, a commitment to equity, and stakeholder grants authorized by
the NEEA. The Program supports the Agency's environmental and public health protection goals
by empowering communities with expanded access to quality environmental and climate
education, providing educational materials for teachers, hosting educational events, and engaging
stakeholders through the National Environmental Education and Training Program (teacher
training program), the Presidential Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) Program, and the
Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) Program. These programs
promote civic action to reduce the impacts of climate change and promote environmental and
climate equity through an educational lens.
85 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/neea.pdf
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Each year, our Nation's youth are recognized for their outstanding dedication to environmental
stewardship projects and teachers are honored for promoting environmental awareness and
education. The PIAEE awards recognize outstanding kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who
employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context
to engage their students. The PEYA honors and highlights a wide variety of projects developed by
K through 12th grade students, school classes and clubs, youth camps, and youth organizations to
promote environmental awareness and action in their schools and communities. Students in all 50
U.S. states and territories are invited to participate in the Program.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.1, Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests approximately $8.8 million and 9.2 FTE for the Environmental
Education Program. The Program will implement the teacher training program and regional grant
program with a focus on fighting climate change and protecting public health through EE and
improved engagement with frontline communities that are pollution-burdened as well as
underserved communities.
In FY 2025, resources will:
• Support career development through education by funding innovative EE grant projects in
frontline communities that can lead to inclusive, just, and pollution-free communities and
an economy that supports high-quality jobs.
• Create a grant website tool for the public that provides detailed and valuable information
on all EE regional grants, including information on audience, project format and duration,
environmental topic, and the environmental and educational impacts achieved.
• Ensure formal and non-formal educators have the knowledge and teaching skills necessary
to help advance environmental and climate literacy in America through the National
Environmental Education and Training Program.
• Build strategic partnerships that include underserved and overburdened communities to
increase the conversation around using EE as a tool to achieve environmental protection
goals while achieving environmental justice, climate equity, and economic prosperity.
• Request that the National Environmental Education Advisory Council (NEEAC) provides
a set of national recommendations on how frontline and underserved communities can use
EE to build capacity to become resilient to the effects of climate change.
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• Continue the long-standing partnership with NEEF (National Environmental Education
Foundation) as we work collaboratively to identify opportunities to achieve environmental
education goals. EPA and NEEF will have an MOU to work together on water
infrastructure and safe drinking water, public health, climate change, environmental
justice, and citizen and climate science. EPA and NEEF will seek to work together on
additional education and public outreach efforts as appropriate.
• Utilize an information management system that will track outputs and outcomes for each
grant to ensure program effectiveness, improve program efficiency, and improve overall
customer service. The information tracking system also will be used for the PEYA and
PIAEE Programs.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$134.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$875.0 / -2.0 FTE) This program change realigns resources from the Environmental
Education program to the Executive Management and Operations program to support
public engagement and partnership activities and proactively engage stakeholders and
organizations impacted by EPA policies and regulations.
Statutory Authority:
National Environmental Education Act (NEEA); Clean Air Act (CAA), § 103; Clean Water Act
(CWA), § 104; Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), § 8001; Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), §
1442; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), § 10; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), § 20; and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
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Small Business Ombudsman
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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3.3
5.6
5.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Small Business Ombudsman Program includes the Asbestos and Small Business Ombudsman
(ASBO),86 housed within the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).
It also includes the Small Business Advocacy Chair and other small business activities located
within the Office of Policy's (OP) Office of Regulatory Policy and Management. These activities
within OP collectively lead EPA's responsibilities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as
amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act.87
The ASBO Program provides a suite of resources, technical assistance, and opportunities for small
business engagement, training, and advocacy for fair consideration. The ASBO Program operates
through two roles: EPA's Asbestos Ombudsman and EPA's Small Business Ombudsman. The Asbestos
Ombudsman role services a toll-free hotline, functioning as an informational liaison and guide in
responding to asbestos-related questions and concerns from the public. The Small Business
Ombudsman role provides informal guidance and support in the rulemaking process and offers
environmental compliance assistance and resources for small business. The ASBO advocates for a
fair process in working with small business, and in so doing, partners with a variety of internal and
external stakeholders, including EPA programs and regional offices, State Small Business
Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAPs),88 and the U.S. Small Business Administration's
(SB A) Office of Advocacy, and Office of the National Ombudsman. The ASBO also engages with
various small business groups and associations.
Overall, the core functions of the ASBO Program include:
• Assisting the public with hotline questions and complaints.
• Improving access to federal and state environmental information and assistance.
86 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/asbestos-small-business-
ombudsman.
87 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.g0v/aboutepa/about-office-policy-op#ORPM.
88 For more information, please see: https://nationalsbeap.org/.
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• Supporting EPA in better understanding small business perspectives when considering
regulatory impacts or enforcement issues.
• Advocating for and facilitating informal small entity engagement activities.
• Developing recommendations or reports on EPA's asbestos and small business compliance
assistance programs.
Based on the Agency's overall small business regulatory and environmental compliance assistance
activities, EPA has earned a grade of "A" in the last 16 SBA Office of the National Ombudsman
Annual Reports to Congress.89
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
Consistent with EPA's priorities for addressing climate change, equity, and Environmental Justice
(EJ) in FY 2025, the ASBO will:
• Gather and manage ASBO program reporting data and activities to help guide the Agency
on issues related to asbestos, small business regulatory compliance questions and
adherence to the 507 Program requirements. The 1986 Asbestos Hazard Emergency
Response Act (AHERA) (15 U.S.C. §2641-2656) and the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA)
Amendments' Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental
Compliance Assistance Program (42 U.S.C. § 7661f), provide for ASBO monitoring and
reporting on the effectiveness of EPA's asbestos resources and small business
environmental compliance assistance programs. Consistent with the Program's integrated
strategy for carrying out those monitoring and reporting responsibilities, in FY 2023, the
ASBO issued an internal EPA ASBO Program Report on Fiscal Year 2022 Public Inquires,
and further posted a summary of the Report's "Quick Stats and Facts" on the ASBO
website.90 In FY 2025, the ASBO will continue to carry out these monitoring and reporting
activities in accordance with the strategy, to help identify opportunities to strengthen EPA's
asbestos program services and small business regulatory and compliance assistance.
• Continue to strengthen and support state small business stakeholder engagement with
EPA's EJ activities through the ASBO's ongoing collaboration and cooperative assistance
agreement with the Kansas State University. ASBO funds the cooperative agreement in
support of the National SBEAP. SBEAPs are a key stakeholder on EJ activities as they
work directly with small businesses within the EJ community and provide environmental
compliance assistance to small and disadvantaged businesses within their state. In response
89 For more information, please see: https://wwwsba.gov/document/report--national-ombudsmans-annual-reports-congress.
90 The "Quick Stats and Facts" posting is accessible at: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
06/ASBO%20Program%20FY22%20Stats%20and%20Facts%20508 O.pdf.
306
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to Executive Order (EO) 13985,91 the SBEAPs created an EJ Subcommittee to provide
targeted support to small and disadvantaged businesses located in underserved
communities and are in the process of finalizing EJ communication materials to support
small business engagement in EJ communities. In FY 2025, the ASBO will continue to
collaborate and support the SBEAP EJ Subcommittee efforts and engagement throughout
the Regions. Additionally, as part of the ASBO's cooperative agreement in support of the
National SBEAP, the ASBO will continue to support, enhance, and promote the SBEAP
foreign language webpage, which is a key EJ resource for assisting the underserved, non-
English speaking business community on environmental compliance.
• Continue to strengthen small business access to and awareness of regulatory and
environmental compliance resources and updates. In FY 2025, the ASBO will leverage the
Program's monthly SmallBiz@EPA newsletter, using its new subscription management
and data analytics tools obtained in FY 2023, to help expand small business education and
familiarity with regulatory and environmental topics of interest to the small business
community.
• Foster stronger internal communication and collaboration involving EPA rule writers,
especially EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, which has specific implementation
responsibilities for Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, under EO 14008.92
In FY 2025, ASBO will continue to develop resources to guide EPA rule writers in
conducting early and informal small business stakeholder engagement activities. This will
allow the Agency to better understand the most up-to-date industry practices and potential
business impacts for better informed decision making and consideration of available
options.
• Under OP's Small Business Advocacy Chair, work with the SB A Office of Advocacy and
OMB to convene and manage Small Business Advocacy Review Panels. These Panels
develop recommendations to reduce the cost of EPA rules that may have a significant
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
• Continue to provide analytical support for assessing the impacts of EPA rules on small
entities, which is critical in informing underserved, non-English speaking business
community on environmental compliance.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
91 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-
advancing-racial-equitv-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment/.
92 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-rooni/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-
on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$8.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. The increase in fixed
and other costs is offset by a slight reduction to the Program. The Agency will prioritize
activities to continue to maintain compliance with its statutory obligations under the Small
Business Act.
Statutory Authority:
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 1986 (adding Title II to the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA)) (15 U.S.C. §2641-2656); Clean Air Act, Title 5, Section 507;
Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program
(42 U.S.C. §7661f); Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-
121, as amended by Pub. L. 110-28; Small Business Paperwork Relief Act, 44 U.S.C. 35; 42 U.S.C.
§ 766If; and 15 U.S.C. §§ 2641-2656.
308
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Small Minority Business Assistance
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S2.225
N 2.050
S 2.0 IS
Total Budget Authority
5)2,056
5>2,018
-S38
Total Workyears
8.0
7.6
7.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) manages the Agency's
Small Business Contracting Program mandated under Section 15(k) of the Small Business Act,
15 U.S.C. § 644(k). As prescribed under that section, the Program provides expertise in
maximizing small business prime and subcontracting opportunities to help promote procurement
equity and expand EPA's competitive supplier base in carrying out the Agency's mission. Under
the Program, OSDBU provides EPA's contracting community statutorily required counseling and
training on all aspects of governing small business requirements throughout the federal acquisition
cycle. It also engages in statutorily mandated advocacy on behalf of the various categories of small
businesses, including disadvantaged businesses; small businesses located in Historically
Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones); service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses
(SDVOSBs); and women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). In accordance with Section 15(k),
OSDBU further hosts or participates in an average of one small business outreach and training
conference each month, providing needed technical assistance to hundreds of small and
socioeconomic businesses across the country.
In implementing the statutory responsibilities required under Section 15(k), OSDBU reviews
acquisition strategies to maximize small business prime and subcontracting opportunities; provides
expertise in conducting market research for EPA acquisitions; performs contract bundling reviews
to avoid unnecessary or unjustified limitations on small business utilization; reviews purchase card
transactions within the statutory threshold; and evaluates large prime contractor subcontracting
plans. In addition, OSDBU assists in the coordination of unsolicited proposals for agency
acquisitions and in the resolution of small business payment issues under EPA acquisitions. It
further provides a broad range of training, outreach, and technical assistance to new and
prospective small business contract awardees.
Historically, data reported in the Federal Procurement Data Systems (FPDS) indicates that EPA
awards an average of 40 percent of total acquisition dollars to small businesses annually - far
exceeding the government-wide goal of 23 percent. EPA most recently earned a grade of "A" on
the FY 2022 Small Business Procurement Scorecard.93 This represents the 14th consecutive year
93 For more information on the FY 2022 Small Business Procurement Scorecard, please see fattps: //www, sba. go v/agencv-
scorecards/scorecard.html?agency=GW&year=2022.
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that EPA has earned at least an "A" on the Procurement Scorecard. In addition, based on available
provisional data, in FY 2023 EPA awarded a record level of contracting dollars in four out of the
five small and socioeconomic business categories, including a record of $1 million in total small
business contract awards, amounting to 45.3 percent of the Agency's total contract spend.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
Consistent with EPA's priorities to advance Environmental Justice (EJ), further procurement
equity to support underserved businesses and communities, and expand the Nation's supplier base,
in FY 2025, the Program will:
• Leverage technology to foster more efficient and effective vendor engagement as a pivotal
component in expanding small and socioeconomic business participation in EPA
acquisitions. Industry has specifically indicated in various EPA listening sessions and
reverse industry day events that ensuring small business access to federal procurement
opportunities and the corresponding responsible officials is indispensable to furthering
procurement equity. In FY 2025, OSDBU will capitalize on a new system, slated for
deployment in FY 2024, to simplify matching small and socioeconomic vendors with EPA
contracting opportunities and responsible EPA officials. Utilizing matchmaking
technology will take advantage of available technology to ensure small and disadvantaged
businesses have meaningful access and opportunities to market their solutions, experience,
and capabilities to EPA officials. This will help streamline acquisition planning and market
research, resulting in reductions in the overall procurement action lead time.
• Continue engagement in more dynamic acquisition planning and market research by
strengthening OSDBU's role as an essential member of the Agency's integrated acquisition
team. In FY 2025, OSDBU will continue to strengthen agencywide compliance with
internal vendor engagement metrics to expand EPA's market intelligence and familiarity
with socioeconomic small business sources available in the federal marketplace. OSDBU
will assume a leading role in providing small business expertise and counsel in tailoring
and coordinating innovative vendor engagement strategies to maximize meaningful small
and socioeconomic business procurement opportunities.
• Assist in the implementation and training on a new policy to expand large business
utilization of small and socioeconomic businesses in the performance of prime contracts.
The utilization strategy is intended to incentivize prime contractors to maximize small
business contracting teaming arrangements consistent with the efficient performance of
prime contracts. In FY 2024, OSDBU in partnership with EPA's Office of Acquisition
Solutions (OAS) began to develop a formal policy to mandate application of the strategy
to defined EPA acquisitions. In FY 2025, OSDBU will continue this partnership to ensure
effective policy implementation and training. Significantly, implementing the mandatory
strategy will encourage large business joint venture, mentor-protege, and subcontracting
relationships with small businesses. This will help build small and socioeconomic business
310
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capabilities, capacity, and experience, and thereby diversify and expand the federal
supplier base in accordance with governmentwide procurement equity directives94 on
expanding procurement equity.
• Conduct robust EPA in-reach activities to educate the Agency's acquisition workforce on
structuring acquisitions to expand small business contracting opportunities and reduce
barriers to procurement equity. OSDBU also will continue collaboration with OAS to
provide bootcamp training to enhance small business proficiency in competing for EPA
contract awards and in complying with contract administration requirements.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM SB1) Percentage of EPA contract spending awarded to HUBZone businesses.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.7
Percent
Actual
2.4
2.2
2.0
4.9
3.1
3.1
Numerator
37.5
35.0
30.3
75.6
59.6
69.3
Millions of
Dollars
Denominator
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,900
2,265
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$38.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and
changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C § 644(k).
94 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-
advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment/ and
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/M-22-Q3.pdf.
311
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State and Local Prevention and Preparedness
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 14.124
SI 5.44 f>
N 24.1W,
SH.MtO
Total Budget Authority
$14,124
$15,446
$24,106
$8,660
Total Workyears
55.1
67.1
93.1
26.0
Program Project Description:
The State and Local Prevention and Preparedness Program establishes a structure composed of
federal, state, local, and tribal partners who work together with industry to protect emergency
responders, local communities, facility workers, the environment, and property from chemical
accident risks through accident prevention and emergency response programs, community and
facility engagement, and improved safety systems. This framework provides the foundation for
community and facility chemical hazard response planning and reduction of risk posed by
chemical facilities.
Under Section 112(r) of the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments, chemical facilities that store
more than a threshold quantity of listed extremely hazardous substances are required to implement
a Risk Management Plan (RMP) program. These facilities, known as RMP facilities, take
preventive measures, report data, mitigate and/or respond to chemical releases, and work with
communities, first responders, and planning groups to increase understanding of risks.95
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 was enacted to
help communities plan for chemical emergencies and to inform the public about chemicals in their
community. Under EPCRA, facilities are required to report about the chemicals they produce, use,
and store to state and local governments. States, tribes, and local governments use this information
to prepare communities for potential chemical releases from these facilities through the
development of local emergency response plans.96
Under Section 31 l(j)(5) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA is required to issue and implement
regulations requiring certain facilities to develop plans to respond to worst case discharges of
hazardous substances that could threaten navigable waters.
95 For additional information, please refer to: fattps://www.epa.gov/mip.
96 For additional information, please refer to: fattps://www.epa.gov/epcra.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional investment of approximately $8.7 million for the State
and Local Prevention and Preparedness Program. The Program will perform the following
activities:
• Support inspection of RMP and EPCRA facilities to ensure compliance with accident
prevention and preparedness regulations, and work with chemical facilities to reduce
chemical risks and improve safety. There are approximately 11,600 chemical facilities that
are subject to the RMP regulations. Of these, approximately 1,800 facilities have been
designated as high-risk based upon their accident history, quantity of on-site dangerous
chemicals stored, and proximity to large residential populations.97 EPA prioritizes
inspections at high-risk facilities.
• The Program aims to conduct approximately 300 inspections a year, or three percent of all
RMP facilities. EPA will focus on high-risk facilities located in communities with
environmental justice concerns and communities with increased climate-related risks (e.g.,
extreme weather, flooding, wildfires, etc.). Additional resources requested in this program
will help enable the Program to meet the target number of 300 inspections and support the
Agency's Chemical Accident Risk Reduction National Enforcement and Compliance
Initiative (NECI).
• Additional resources also will address outstanding recommendations from the US
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, such as developing an inspection
database to track common deficiencies found during inspections, including any related to
natural hazards and climate change, and use that information to target compliance
assistance.
• Protect fenceline communities through regulatory updates and outreach, compliance
assistance, and inspections at regulated facilities, thereby reducing risks to human health
and the environment by decreasing the likelihood and impacts of chemical accidents.
• Provide basic and advanced RMP and EPCRA inspector training for federal and state
inspectors.
• Maintain and upgrade the RMP national database, which is the Nation's premier source of
information on chemical process risks and contains hazard information on all RMP
facilities. Industry electronically submits updated RMPs to this secure database. Using
funding requested in FY 2025, EPA will continue improvements to the RMP national
database to accommodate new risk management plan submission elements resulting from
97 Located in EPA's RMP database.
313
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recent regulatory changes and providing increased public access to non-sensitive portions
of the RMP database and subsequent analytics.
• Develop updates to the Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations
(CAMEO) software suite (i.e., the CAMEO Chemicals, CAMEO//??, Areal Locations of
Hazardous Atmospheres, and Mapping Application for Response, Planning, and Local
Operational Tasks applications), which provides free and publicly available information
for firefighting, first aid, emergency planning, and spill response activities.
• Implement the changes made in the RMP Safer Communities by Chemical Accident
Prevention final rule, which the Agency expects to complete before Spring 2024. This rule
will initiate the updating of EPA interpretive guidance and training of EPA, state, and local
inspectors on new and updated regulatory provisions to address Administration priorities
on environmental justice and climate change.
• EPA is under a consent decree to complete a final rulemaking under CWA section 31 l(j)(5)
by September 2024. The final rule will establish a new regulatory program requiring certain
facilities to develop plans for responding to a worst-case discharge, or to a substantial threat
of such a discharge, of CWA-listed hazardous substances. EPA requests $300 thousand
and 2.0 FTE in FY 2025 to begin implementation efforts for this new regulatory program,
as no current resources are associated with this effort. These additional funds and staff will
be used to develop implementation guidance and training and outreach materials and begin
training regional staff on conducting inspections and exercises for the new regulatory
provisions.
• Conduct outreach to regulated industry concerning changes or updates to RMP and EPCRA
regulations and interpretive guidance.
• Coordinate and collaborate with state, tribal, and local response entities on emergency
response plans and procedures to ensure cohesive and effective responses to chemical
releases.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program directly supports performance results in the Superfund: EPA Emergency
Preparedness program under the Superfund appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$661.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
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• (+$7,499.0 / +26.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support a multi-pronged
approach to protect fenceline communities at risk from nearby chemical facilities,
including providing increased outreach and inspections at regulated facilities to ensure
facilities have measures in place to prevent chemical accidents. This investment includes
$4.6 million for payroll.
• (+$500.0) This program increase is to upgrade and support operations and maintenance of
the existing RMP database.
Statutory Authority:
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA); the Clean Air Act (C AA)
§ 112(r); Clean Water Act (CWA) § 3 11
-------
TRI / Right to Know
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Promote Pollution Prevention
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
.S//.«AS,_
S 15.1)52
SI-I.IJJ
-.syjy
Total Budget Authority
$11,987
$15,052
$14,123
-$929
Total Workyears
36.9
37.0
37.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's success in carrying out its mission to protect human health and the environment depends
on collecting and making available timely, accurate, and relevant information to communities,
non-governmental organizations, industry, academia, and government agencies at the local, state,
tribal, federal, and international levels. EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program98 supports
the Agency's mission by annually collecting and publishing in a publicly accessible form: release,
other waste management (e.g., recycling), and pollution prevention (P2) data on over 800 TRI-
listed chemicals and chemical categories that include almost 200 per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS).99 Approximately 21,000 industrial and federal facilities report to TRI
annually.
EPA's TRI Program is a premiere source of cross-media toxic chemical information for
stakeholders. Using technological advances, the TRI Program has developed several analytical
tools that provide the public with easy access, mapping, and analysis of information on TRI
chemicals released or otherwise managed as waste at facilities in communities across the United
States and its territories. Some of these tools incorporate demographic indicators such as low
income, people of color, unemployment, education level, linguistically isolated households, and
young and elderly populations, as well as tribal land and risk indicators.
The TRI Program collaborates with other EPA programs on data analyses to describe relevant
trends in releases, recycling, treatment, energy recovery, and implementation of P2 practices with
respect to toxic chemicals and to support innovative approaches by industry and other partners to
reduce pollution. As a robust, community-focused, annual, cross-media dataset on toxic chemical
information, the TRI lends itself to comparative analyses with other program-specific data
managed by the Agency, providing insights that may not be apparent when viewing the datasets
independently. Such insights are especially valuable for 1) identifying opportunities based on TRI-
reported, location-specific release trends to reduce toxic chemical releases in disadvantaged
98 For additional information, please visit: http://www.etia.gov/tri/.
99 Many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were added to the TRI chemical list as a component of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA) when the Act was signed into law on December 20, 2019. The first year of TRI
reporting these PFAS was calendar year 2020.
316
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communities in accordance with the Administration's environmental justice (EJ) priorities, and 2)
promoting TRI-reported pollution prevention (P2) practices that reduce the release of toxic
chemicals and/or emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs).
The TRI Program serves as a central component of EPA's strategy to increase access to
environmental pollution information and enable communities, scientists, policymakers, and other
stakeholders to apply the information in their decisions and engagements to address impacts and
deter adverse burdens, particularly to low-income and disadvantaged communities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.2, Promote Pollution Prevention in the
FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to build upon the regulatory foundation of TRI to ensure that
communities have access to timely and meaningful data on toxic chemical releases and other waste
management and pollution prevention activities at facilities. As part of this effort, the TRI Program
will continue to update toxic chemical reporting requirements as appropriate, pursue additional
chemical listings, expand the scope of industry coverage (as applicable), respond to petitions,
improve the reporting experience, take steps to further optimize the quality of TRI data, explore
enhanced access and analytical capability with respect to this valuable information, identify
opportunities to reduce toxic chemical releases, and share and promote pollution prevention
approaches with industry.
This work supports the Administration's EJ priorities as the TRI Program will play an important
role in conducting analyses to support EPA's goals for disadvantaged communities with EJ
concerns. Additionally, the Program may conduct analyses in support of the Administration's
climate priorities such as review of TRI-reported P2 practices implemented to reduce or prevent
releases, waste management of TRI chemicals and chemicals identified by EPA as greenhouse
gases.
EPA also will continue to provide its online reporting application, the TRI-MEweb (TRI Made
Easy web) reporting tool, to assist reporting facilities with electronic preparation and submission
of TRI reports through EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX),100 which manages TRI access and
authentication services and provides identity proofing. TRI-MEweb has built-in functionality to
help prevent facilities from making reporting errors. In addition, the TRI data collected by EPA
are shared with states, tribes, and territories that are partners of the TRI Data Exchange (TDX).101
EPA will continue to maintain TRI-MEweb and the TDX throughout FY 2025. The Agency also
will continue to support the TRI Processing System (TRIPS) database, which is the repository for
TRI data.
In FY 2025, as a key element of its data quality assurance strategy, the Program will conduct at
least 650 data quality checks to help optimize the accuracy and completeness of the reported data
and thereby improve the Program's analyses and the utility of the data to the public. EPA also will
100 To access the CDX, please visit: fa tips: //cdx. epa. gov/.
101 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-iiiveiitory-tri-program/tri-data-exchaiige.
317
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continue to improve its systems, processes, and products based on feedback from users {i.e.,
communities; academia; industry; and state, tribal and local governments). Additionally, EPA will
explore opportunities to streamline the process it uses to determine whether chemicals should be
added to the TRI chemical list, to enhance efficiencies in the TRI Program.
The Program also will continue to publish English and Spanish versions of the annual TRI National
Analysis,102 which provides, among other things, up-to-date trends in releases and other waste
management practices of toxic chemicals and highlights innovative approaches by industry to
reduce pollution. The Analysis will include industry sector profiles, parent company analyses, and
TRI information reported from facilities in specific urban communities, watersheds, and tribal
lands. The TRI Program also will continue to make the preliminary data available to the public
shortly after the reporting deadline as downloadable data files and through online analytical tools
such as Envirofacts.103 The Program will continue to provide support to EPA's Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance programs by supplying facility target lists developed through the
comparison of TRI reporting with facility reporting to other EPA programs {e.g., air permits
required by the Clean Air Act). The TRI Program will continue to foster discussions and
collaborations in analyzing and using its data with stakeholders such as industry, government,
academia, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Engagement will include organizing
targeted webinars and, if resources permit, hosting an in-person TRI National Conference.
Section 7321 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2020 requires EPA to assess
certain PFAS to determine whether they meet Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-
Know Act (EPCRA) Section 313 chemical listing criteria. The NDAA automatically added seven
additional PFAS to the TRI list, effective January 1, 2024. EPA expects similar automatic additions
of PFAS to the TRI list over calendar year 2024, which will be implemented in FY 2025. Also in
FY 2024, EPA finalized a rule that designates NDAA-added PFAS to the TRI list of chemicals of
special concern; among other reporting changes, this eliminates the use of the de minimis
exemption as well as the option for facilities to use the Form A certification statement.
Additionally, in FY 2025, EPA expects to finalize a rule to list additional PFAS to TRI based on
their hazard characteristics, pursuant to section 7321 of the FY 2020 NDAA. EPA will publish the
proposed rule in FY 2024 and expects to respond to comments and promulgate the final rule in FY
2025.
Further, the TRI Program's information, data, and analyses will support the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA) Program, helping to identify conditions of use and to evaluate and estimate
occupational, general population, and potentially exposed and susceptible subpopulation exposures
for those chemicals undergoing risk evaluation and that are included on the TRI chemical list. This
work will assist agency chemical programs in their prioritization work, from the identification of
candidate chemicals for future risk evaluations to the support of other chemical assessments across
program and regional offices, advancing the work of chemical safety agencywide.
The TRI Program will additionally pursue chemical listings, including TSCA Work Plan chemicals
and other substances of interest to the Agency that are not included on the TRI chemical list, as
well as respond to TRI chemical listing petitions. Additional chemicals or sectors may be assessed
102 To access the TRI National Analysis, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/triiiatioiialaiialysis. EPA publishes each National Analysis
approximately six months after that year's data are reported.
103 EnviroFacts may be accessed at: https://enviro.epa.gov/.
318
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for TRI listing suitability and associated listing actions, and as required by EPCRA, the Agency
will respond to EPCRA chemical petitions regarding TRI within 180 days after receipt.104 The
quantity and complexity of petitions are unknown until submitted to EPA. EPA will continue to
respond to any TRI chemical petitions received during FY 2025.
Because electronic systems that collect and disseminate TRI data largely have been developed, FY
2025 work will focus on the operations and maintenance of TRI-MEweb, TRIPS, and processes
that contribute to quality control in the development of the annual TRI National Analysis. By
leveraging agency cloud services, the TRI systems will improve system performance, reliability,
efficiencies, portability, and administrative services (security, upgrades, patches, etc.). This also
will improve integration/consistency with other cloud-based systems and applications and will
provide quicker data processing. Moreover, this will enhance the capabilities of EPA's public-
facing TRI analytical tools.
In FY 2025 the TRI Program will identify facilities and sectors that released TRI-listed substances
proximal to disadvantaged communities (using functionalities within EPA's analytical tools, such
as TRI Toxics Tracker and EJ Screen). The Program also will develop maps and other products to
help facilitate exploration and understanding of potential impacts from chemical releases to
surrounding communities, including those that might be more susceptible to climate change
impacts (i.e., sea level rise and facilities located along the coasts of major bodies of water).
Additionally, TRI reporting includes information on institutional/firm environmental stewardship,
pollution prevention (P2), and other sustainability practices and activities (e.g., voluntary climate
mitigation-, adaptation- or resilience-oriented work) undertaken by facilities during the reporting
year. TRI's P2 reporting data105 include thousands of instances of source reduction implementation
and other sustainability activities by facilities, which often reflect economic benefits coupled with
improved environmental performance. TRI's P2 data tools have a wide range of capabilities to
help identify and amplify improvement to environmental practices, and the Program will continue
to conduct analyses of these practices and to develop profiles of these environmental
improvements, which can be useful for P2 practitioners including those seeking to advance
sustainability and strengthen the resilience of facilities near disadvantaged communities with EJ
concerns. The Program also will continue to support the Agency's P2 Program, and other Agency
source reduction and sustainability programs, specifically efforts to advance P2 best practices
among national emphasis areas, including tools to advance priorities such as the P2-EJ Facility
Mapping Tool.106
104 Additional information on current petitions may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/toxics-
release-inventory-laws-and-regulatory-activities.
105 For additional information, please visit: https//www.epa. gov/tri/p2.
106 To access the P2 EJ Facility Mapping Tool, please visit https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-d-facility-mapping-tool.
319
-------
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$316.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (-$1,245.0) This program change is a decrease in contract resources to support IT analytical
tools.
Statutory Authority:
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) § 313; Pollution Prevention
Act of 1990 (PPA) § 6607.
320
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Tribal - Capacity Building
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and
Local Levels
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 12.61V
S N.~l>
SJt.\0NN
***
1 '
^1
Total Budget Authority
$12,619
$14,715
$35,088
$20,373
Total Workyears
70.4
78.6
166.9
88.3
Program Project Description:
EPA is responsible for protecting human health and the environment under federal environmental
statutes and the Tribal Capacity Building Program serves a critical role in advancing this mission
working with tribal communities. Under the Agency's 1984 Indian Policy, 107 EPA works with
federally recognized tribes on a government-to-government basis, in recognition of the federal
government's trust responsibility to tribes, to implement federal environmental programs in Indian
Country.
To do this, EPA will:
• Use key environmental justice principles, such as equity for underserved communities,
strong, meaningful tribal engagement, and fair treatment as it prioritizes
implementation of EPA directly implemented programs, and for other activities;
• Fully consider ways in which program funding can best be used to address climate
change concerns to build climate resiliency for federally recognized tribes; and,
• Work to enhance the consideration and integration of tribal treaty rights and reserved
rights into EPA decision-making and regulatory development.
This program also supports the Categorical Grant: Tribal General Assistance Grants Program.
EPA's American Indian Environmental Office leads the agency wide effort to ensure
environmental protection in Indian Country.108
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.1, Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic
107 EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations, available at
https://www.epa.gov/tribal/epa-policy-admiiiistration-enviromnental-programs-iiidian-reservations-1984-iiidian-policy.
108
Please see http://www.epa.gov/tribal for more information.
321
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Plan. To support this work, EPA is requesting $18.5 million in additional resources and an increase
of 87.3 FTEs to focus on advancing environmental justice in Indian Country by ensuring full and
robust implementation of the laws that EPA administers in all areas where EPA has the authority
and responsibility to ensure protections while simultaneously honoring the federal trust
responsibility to the hundreds of federally recognized tribes EPA works with throughout the United
States in FY 2025.
Overall, the Agency continues to make steady progress toward strengthening human health and
environmental protection in Indian Country. In FY 2025, EPA will further the following priorities:
• Strengthen tribal partnerships and engagements, including through EPA's revised
Tribal Consultation Policy and tribal engagement strategies;
• Build tribal capacity to administer and meaningfully participate in environmental
programs;
• Directly implement programs in Indian Country for equitable environmental
protection, especially for underserved tribal communities; and,
• Enhance the protection of tribal treaty rights in EPA activities through the revised
Tribal Treaty Rights Guidance.
The strategic investment will directly result in the following enhancements and deliverables:
• Improve public health by reducing disparities in compliance rates between Indian
Country and the national average through greater Office of International and Tribal
Affairs support and leadership to EPA programs and regions for planning and
measuring EPA direct implementation actions in Indian Country.
• Continue the General Assistance Program (GAP) oversight and evaluation process
to ensure GAP funds are being efficiently distributed and used.
• Continue national coordination with intertribal consortia for technical assistance
and GAP planning.
• Provide support for EPA Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreement
(DITCA) funding to Tribes for direct implementation activities that are excluded
or restricted from GAP.
• Fully implement the revised EPA Tribal Consultation Policy and Implementation
Guidance to improve consultation practices in conformance with Executive Order
13175 on Tribal Consultation and train EPA staff. Review and improve access to
and quality of tribal data and information held in EPA information management
systems to enable informed management and budget decisions on tribal matters.
• Provide technical assistance for tribes to support delegation of federal authority to
the tribal government that allows tribes to implement EPA-overseen programs.
• Improve the availability of EPA regulatory tribal information available to tribal
members and the public on EPA's data systems through technical changes to
existing EPA data systems to allow improvements to a registry of EPA regulated
facilities and entities in Indian Country that is publicly available.
• Improve and disseminate best practices for engagement of communities by tribal
governments with delegated federal authority.
• Reduce the ratio of grants per project officer for tribal GAP grants.
322
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• Support tribes and EPA regions in negotiating EPA-Tribal Environmental Plans
(ETEPs) and all aspects of the National Environmental Performance Partnership
System (NEPPS), including Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs).
• Provide greater regional liaison work to strengthen partnerships with tribes with
"more time per tribe" for GAP technical assistance.
• Provide greater and earlier meaningful engagements with tribes on actions that
require consultation.
• Improve efficiency and use of the EPA GAP grant performance management
system to measure, evaluate, and improve how well GAP is meeting its statutory
purposes and establish benefits for tribes and EPA.
• Work as national program coordinator and connector for regional Environmental
Justice Thriving Communities Navigators.
• Work as the liaison to the Office of Policy's Climate Adaptation Program to
strengthen regional liaison work to implement tribal-related climate and treaty right
priorities in the EPA Strategic Plan and Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans
including consideration of a whole government approach to implement Tribal
Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans.
Tribal Consultation: EPA revised the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian
Tribes (Consultation Policy) 109 in 2023. The Consultation Policy builds on the EPA Indian Policy
and establishes clear agency standards for a consultation process promoting consistency and
coordination. From FY 2011 through FY 2025, EPA expects to have completed over 1,270 tribal
consultations, including an anticipated 125 tribal consultations in FY 2025. EPA will continue to
support the Agency's web-based Tribal Consultation Opportunities Tracking System (TCOTS), a
publicly accessible database used to communicate upcoming and current EPA consultation
opportunities to tribal governments. EPA's work increases access to public benefit programs and
advances environmental justice through simplified access to TCOTS information. The system
provides a management, oversight, and reporting structure that helps ensure accountability and
transparency.
Capacity Building: EPA will continue to support mechanisms for tribes to pursue developing and
implementing federal environmental programs, including the "treatment in a manner similar to a
state" (TAS) process and the use of the Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreement
(DITCA) authority. The Agency will continue to provide technical and financial assistance to tribal
governments to build their capacity to meaningfully participate and engage in environmental
protection activities. At the beginning of FY 2024, EPA had approved 107 TAS regulatory
program delegations to tribes, including 21 approvals for compliance and enforcement authority.
EPA had 14 DITCAs with tribes in place at the beginning of FY 2024.
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Capacity Building Support: GAP grants
to tribal governments help build the basic components of a tribal environmental program. The
Agency manages GAP grants according to its Indian Environmental GAP Guidance on Financial
Assistance Agreements. 110 In FY 2025, EPA will continue to administer GAP financial assistance
to build tribal capacity and address environmental issues on tribal lands under new GAP guidance
109 Please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation-tribes.
110 Please refer to https://www.epa.gov/tribal/gap-guidance-financial-assistance-agreements for further information.
323
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and training. EPA's work in FY 2025 also will continue to enhance EPA-tribal partnerships
through development and implementation of ETEPs with a continued focus on tracking and
reporting measurable outcomes and results of GAP-funded activities. GAP funding also continues
to support EPA PPG goals. EPA will strive to incorporate environmental justice and climate
change considerations in these activities.
GAP Performance Measurement: EPA will use, and adjust as needed, the performance
management application to align with the 2022 GAP Guidance and begin compiling and analyzing
data. The information technology-based performance application will provide a data-driven basis
for supporting funding decisions, funding priorities, and contribute to program accountability.
Increased GAP performance will complement tribal capacity in media programs including efforts
for CWA and SDWA SRF tribal set-asides.
Direct Implementation: EPA will continue to provide federal environmental program protections
in Indian Country by directly implementing programs. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to evaluate
its direct implementation responsibilities and activities on a program-by-program basis in Indian
Country and make the data and information it relies upon available through EPA's data and
information applications.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM E21) Number of significant actions taken by EPA programs with direct implementation authority that
will result in measurable improvements in Indian country.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IX
201<)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
25
20
15
Significant
Actions
Actual
25
25
(PM EC41) Percentage of EPA Tribal consultations that may affect Tribal treaty rights that consider those
rights as part of the consultation.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
20
25
80
100
Percent
Actual
100
100
Numerator
19
10
Tribal
Consultations
Denominator
19
10
FY 2025 Change from FY 2023 Annualized CR Budget (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,715.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted Vetting
2.0.
324
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• (+$183.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$2,524.0 / +12.0 FTE) This program change provides initial FTE and associated
resources to stand-up a national direct implementation program specifically to work with
tribes, tribal members, and others residing in Indian Country in carrying out EPA
responsibilities for environmental and human health programs under EPA statutes in Indian
Country. EPA's goal is to ensure that environmental programs implemented inside Indian
Country are as robust and protective as those same programs implemented outside of Indian
Country. This includes $2.38 million in associated payroll.
• (+$15,951.0 / +75.3 FTE) This program change increases FTE and resources to advance
equitable implementation of EPA authorities and directives in Indian Country. This
increase will allow the Agency to work effectively with tribal governments and
communities, administer tribal grants and critical technical assistance, and fulfill the
federal trust responsibilities that align with the environmental statutes. Support will be
provided to priority commitments made in EPA and Tribal Climate Adaptation
Implementation Plans and allow additional incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge into
climate change efforts. This includes $13.81 million in associated payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
325
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Enforcement
326
-------
Civil Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
sr'.sfio
S 205. V-/2
S 2Sf).2S2
s 5tuw
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$594
$661
$690
$29
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$2,580
$2,565
$2,699
$134
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$15
$0
$0
$0
Total Budget Authority
$181,048
$209,168
$259,641
$50,473
Total Workyears
904.4
998.1
1,096.7
98.6
Program Project Description:
The goal of EPA's Civil Enforcement Program is to protect human health and the environment by
ensuring compliance with the Nation's environmental laws and regulations. The Civil
Enforcement Program works in partnership with its federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial
regulatory partners to encourage compliance, compel regulated entities to correct and/or mitigate
violations, mitigate past harm, and assess appropriate penalties for violations, including removing
any economic benefit that a violator gained from noncompliance.
The Civil Enforcement Program works closely with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), state
and local governments, tribal governments, territories, and other federal agencies to ensure
consistent and fair enforcement of all major environmental statutes and regulations. Millions of
public, federal, and private regulated entities are subject to one or more of these statutory
requirements. The Civil Enforcement Program develops, litigates, and settles administrative and
civil judicial cases against violators of environmental laws. The Agency's National Enforcement
Investigations Center (NEIC) provides field investigation, laboratory analysis, toxicology,
chemistry, engineering, and regulatory support to the Civil Enforcement Program. In FY 2023,
because of EPA civil enforcement actions, over 73 million pounds of air, water, and toxic
pollutants and over 1.1 billion pounds of waste were treated, minimized, or properly disposed.111
EPA is responsible for direct implementation of programs that are not delegable or where a state
or tribe has not sought or obtained the authority to implement a program (or program components).
Examples of programs that are not delegable include the Clean Air Act (CAA) mobile source and
Ozone Depleting Substances programs; pesticide labeling and registration under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); the new and existing chemicals program
under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); and enforcement in Indian Country (except
111 For additional information on EPA's FY 2023 enforcement and compliance assurance program results, please
visit:https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/enforcement-and-compliance-amiual-results-fiscal-year-2023.
327
-------
where the Program has been delegated to the tribe). Many statutes have programs or regulations
that states have not obtained authority to implement, including the American Innovation and
Manufacturing (AIM) Act, as well as portions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) (lead-based paint program), and the Clean Air Act (CAA)
(chemical accident prevention) where EPA must play this role.
Even where a state is authorized or has delegated program implementation responsibility, EPA
retains concurrent enforcement authority. The Agency and authorized states have a joint
responsibility to achieve and maintain high levels of compliance with the Nation's environmental
laws. EPA works with authorized states and tribes to ensure a level playing field and assists states
and tribes in their implementation of delegated/authorized programs when needed, such as in cases
where the Agency maintains a unique expertise or capability, or where direct federal action is
necessary to take timely or appropriate steps to address threats to public health and the
environment. The Agency also carries out its statutory oversight responsibilities to ensure states
and tribes are meeting national compliance monitoring standards and taking timely and appropriate
actions to return facilities to compliance. EPA's work to protect communities with Environmental
Justice (EJ) concerns and to address violations that contribute to climate change are priorities for
the Agency and represent shared goals of EPA and partner agencies. For the Program to carry out
statutory oversight responsibilities, a robust inspection and enforcement program is essential to
advancing the promise of clean air, land, and water to many communities across the country,
especially in overburdened communities and communities impacted by climate change.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Civil
Enforcement Program advances other goals in the Agency's Strategic Plan, with a particular focus
on the cross-cutting goals: Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis and Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to
Advance Environmental Justice.
A robust inspection and enforcement program is essential to advancing the promise of clean air,
land, and water to the many communities across the country that have not received the full benefits
from EPA's decades of progress. Staff on the ground that can identify public health concerns and
potential environmental regulatory violations are critical to protecting communities that are
vulnerable or overburdened. Travel funding for inspections is essential to getting inspectors into
the field to conduct increased inspections in all of EPA's ten regional offices. EPA's inspection
programs have been under-resourced for over a decade leading to a loss of agency expertise and a
decline in the numbers of inspections. To meet EPA's EJ goals and its mission to protect human
health and the environment, the Agency must rebuild and strengthen its inspection program with
increased hiring and training of new and existing inspectors, including in-person basic inspector
trainings and travel funding for the trainings for the following programs: CAA; SDWA; CWA;
RCRA; FIFRA; and TSCA. The increase in funding is needed to purchase health and safety
equipment and inspection monitoring equipment such as Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR)
cameras, Data Acquisition Real-Time (DART), flame ionization detectors/photo ionization
detectors, fenceline monitors, and Smart Tools software and hardware for inspectors. These tools
328
-------
will modernize the process of collecting, inspecting, and recording inspection data to increase
enforcement results.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an increase of approximately $19.6 million and 41.4 FTE to
advance the Agency's Strategic Plan goals of tackling the climate crisis, taking decisive action to
advance EJ, and enforcing environmental laws and ensuring compliance by 1) Focusing resources
on the most serious environmental problems by implementing the FY 2024 through FY 2027
National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs) and 2) Supporting other EPA
agencywide priorities such as reducing children's exposure to lead and increased community
engagement.112
In FY 2025, EPA will focus its enforcement resources on the most serious environmental
violations by implementing NECI priorities that seek to mitigate climate change, improve air
quality, provide for clean and safe water, and ensure chemical safety. The Agency has selected the
following six NECIs for FY 2024 - 2027: 1) Mitigating Climate Change, 2) Addressing Exposure
to per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 3) Protecting Communities from Coal Ash
Contamination, 4) Reducing Air Toxics in Overburdened Communities, 5) Increasing Compliance
with Drinking Water Standards, and 6) Chemical Accident Risk Reduction. For the first time, the
Program will have a national focus of enforcement and compliance resources on mitigating climate
change, addressing exposure to PFAS, and protecting communities from carcinogenic coal ash
contamination. The Agency will strengthen its efforts to address hazardous air pollution in
overburdened communities focusing on communities facing high levels of toxic air pollution from
hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), such as benzene, ethylene oxide and other pollutants. This
focused initiative will include the corollary benefit of reducing concentrations of criteria air
pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter and addressing climate change impacts directly.
EPA will continue the FY 2020 - 2023 national initiatives focused on providing safe drinking
water and reducing the risk of deadly chemical accidents. Each of these initiatives addresses urgent
environmental and public health challenges that would be difficult for EPA and its state partners
to tackle without additional resources and concerted effort. These initiatives incorporate EJ
considerations to ensure that the benefits of our Nation's environmental laws can be shared by
everyone living in the United States.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an increase of $4.6 million and 20.0 FTE to advance the Office
of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance's (OECA's) expanded role in water sector emergency
response. In addition to this expanded role, as water systems continue to be adversely impacted by
climate change and aging infrastructure, there is an increase in the number of systems across the
country that are challenged to provide safe water to its residents. The Agency plays an important
role in providing a safety net where states are not able to act in a timely or effective way to ensure
safe water. This can include inspections to ensure compliance, enforcement efforts to compel
corrective actions, or require entities (e.g., public water systems or private facilities) to distribute
bottled water, filters, or testing kits. It also can include the Agency acting to directly distribute
and/or provide water, filters and testing kits on a short-term basis. This investment will allow
OECA to respond to the increasing number of water incidents across the Nation, many of which
affect EJ communities as evident from past incidents in Flint, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi;
112 For additional information on the NECIs, please visit: fattps: //www, epa. gov/enforcement/national-enforcement-and-
compliance-initiatives.
329
-------
Benton Harbor, Michigan; and Coachella Valley, California. Two factors are expected to increase
the future likelihood of EPA intervention in water incidents. First, the aging of America's water
infrastructure has been well documented by EPA and other sources over the last twenty years (e.g.,
Water Infrastructure Gap Analysis, EPA 2002; 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey
and Assessment, EPA 2023).113 Second, with the increasing frequency and severity of extreme
weather events (drought, flooding, hurricanes) due to climate change, water systems will be subject
to more disruptive events.
All of OECA's national civil enforcement initiatives focus on protecting overburdened and
vulnerable communities. The NECIs provide an opportunity to address widespread, high priority
violations in areas that have a strong nexus with the goals set forth in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan. By prioritizing and concentrating enforcement efforts and resources in alignment
with the Agency's Strategic Plan, the enforcement program can advance the Agency's broader
environmental and public health goals. To meet these goals, additional staff (e.g., inspectors, field
investigators, attorneys, and chemists) and extramural support (e.g., contract support, travel, and
training) are needed.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an increase of $8.2 million and 19.9 FTE to enforce the AIM Act
by preventing the illegal importation and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse
gases, in the United States, facilitating a transition to next-generation technologies, and managing
HFCs in existing equipment. Enforcing the phase down of HFCs is essential to tackling climate
change. HFCs can have negative impacts on the climate hundreds to thousands of times greater
than the same amount of carbon dioxide.114 The Program's job will be exponentially more
challenging in FY 2025 as additional requirements come into effect, increasing the universe of
regulated products as a result of new phasedown requirements and restrictions on the import,
manufacture, and use of certain products. As a result of these expanded restrictions, enforcing the
AIM Act in FY 2025 will require more than double the level of effort as compared to enforcing
the 2021 HFC Phasedown regulations. EPA requests this additional infusion of FTE and
extramural resources for equipment, training, and other important tools to lead the HFC Task Force
and to catch and deter potentially widespread illegal imports in FY 2025. The HFC Task Force
will identify, intercept, and interdict illegal HFC imports, share data to support allowances, train
customs officers and enforcement personnel, and address common HFC import experiences with
other countries. The Program will implement new HFC allowance modules and expand its ozone
depleting substances (ODS) tracking system to assess ongoing compliance. Additionally, in FY
2025, training on the new enforcement techniques and support for implementation of both the AIM
Act and HFC enforcement will be needed. As a result, EPA's Civil Enforcement Program needs
additional attorneys and inspectors to ensure adequate personnel are trained to develop and take
enforcement actions against violators. The additional FTE for case development will assist in
developing enforceable AIM Act rulemakings planned for FY 2025 and beyond. Without
additional staff, the Program will be hindered in its efforts to increase enforcement of HFC imports.
113 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
04/Fiiial FAQ DWINSA 4.4.23.vl.pdf
114 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/frequent-questions-phasedown-
hydrofluorocarbons#overview.
330
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to protect overburdened communities at risk from cumulative
impacts of large chemical manufacturing facilities, petrochemical operations, and refineries.
Through coordinated assessment of noncompliance in multiple statutory areas, EPA's Civil
Enforcement Program will plan inspections, case development, and enforcement actions to
integrate RCRA, CWA, SDWA, CAA (including Section 112(r)), TSCA, and the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) to ensure comprehensive compliance with
environmental regulations, thereby reducing risk to human health and the environment by
decreasing the likelihood of excess emissions, releases, and discharges.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $4.0 million to incorporate EJ and climate change into
every aspect of Civil Enforcement. EPA will continue to integrate EJ and climate change
considerations (including HFCs) throughout the Program. This work will answer the President's
call to "strengthen enforcement of environmental violations with disproportionate impact on
underserved communities through the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance" [EO
14008, sec. 222(b)(i)\ and to "combat the climate crisis with bold, progressive action" (EO 14008,
sec. 201).115 To address climate change, the Program will implement the Climate Enforcement
and Compliance Strategyt116 which directs all EPA enforcement and compliance offices to address
climate change, as appropriate, in every matter within their jurisdiction. The strategy recognizes
the urgency of the climate crisis and prioritizes enforcement and compliance actions to mitigate
climate change and include climate adaptation and resilience in case conclusions whenever
appropriate. The strategy builds on existing efforts underway to implement the OECA Climate
Adaptation Implementation Plan and EPA's first-ever Mitigating Climate Change enforcement
initiative targeting methane emissions from oil and gas facilities and landfills as well as illegal
importation of HFCs. The Program will focus on strengthening enforcement and resolving
environmental noncompliance through remedies with tangible benefits for disadvantaged
communities by preventing further pollution due to noncompliance; mitigating past impacts from
pollution; securing penalties to recapture economic benefit of noncompliance and deter future
violations; seeking early and innovative relief (e.g., fenceline monitoring and transparency tools);
and incorporating Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) in settlements, where appropriate
and to the extent permitted by law and policy. Additionally, EPA will continue its strong emphasis
on identifying and resolving CAA noncompliance in the oil and gas sector and requiring
compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard regulations.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $437 thousand and 2.2 FTE to expand PFAS enforcement.
The Program will utilize resources to focus on implementing EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap and
holding responsible those who significantly contribute to the release of PFAS into the
environment, such as major manufacturers and users of manufactured PFAS, federal facilities that
are significant sources of PFAS, and other industrial parties. PFAS released into the environment
can present an urgent public health and environmental threat. The Program will continue to
investigate releases, address imminent and substantial endangerments, and prevent exposure to
PFAS, under multiple environmental statutes. OECA is using its resources to 1) Issue corporate-
wide information requests and analyze responses, 2) Create site profiles and information databases
115 For additional information on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, please visit:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presideiitial-actioiis/2021/01/27/executive-order-oii-tackliiig-the-climate-crisis-at-
home-and-abroad/.
116 For more additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
09/epa sclimateenforcmentandcompliancestrategy.pdf.
331
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on specific facilities, 3) Obtain site-specific data such as PFAS sampling of private drinking water
wells in communities with EJ concerns located near military installations, and 4) Use
administrative and judicial authorities to require sampling to characterize nature and extent of
PFAS contamination and compel response actions to protect human health and the environment.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $3.4 million and 7.0 FTE to expand efforts to enforce the
Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule. EPA's review of publicly posted CCR Rule compliance
information suggests widespread noncompliance with CCR regulations. In enforcing the CCR
Rule, coal ash units would be made more resilient to extreme weather events and reduce
contamination in communities near coal ash units. CCR evaluations are technically complex and
require review and analysis of facility assessments that cover corrective action measures and
facility plans to permanently close units (the units can sometimes be hundreds of acres in size).
EPA needs to conduct CCR compliance reviews to ensure that facilities properly address the
significant health risks posed by these units and bring enforcement actions when violations are
found. This work is identified as a priority in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 434) Millions of pounds of pollutants and waste reduced, treated, or eliminated through concluded
enforcement actions.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
325
325
325
325
325
325
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Millions of
Pounds
Actual
810
347
2,058
7,864
195
1,214
(PM 436) Number of open civil judicial cases more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
129
120
99
99
96
95
94
Cases
Actual
94
74
66
65
50
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$7,628.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes
resources for critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028
cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and
implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$19,653.0 / +41.4 FTE) This program increase will advance enforcement efforts on the
most serious environmental violations through the NECIs that seek to improve air quality,
provide for clean and safe water, and ensure chemical safety. Additional FTE and resources
will support continued efforts to rebuild EPA's civil enforcement inspector cadre for
inspections, case development, training, and travel budget. This funding also will enhance
EPA's civil enforcement programmatic capabilities to boost efforts to address pollution in
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overburdened and vulnerable communities. This investment includes $7.8 million for
payroll.
• (+$8,250.0 / +19.9 FTE) This program increase will allow EPA to expand the work of the
Interagency HFC Task Force, which is focused on ensuring compliance with the AIM Act.
Additional FTE will allow EPA to build this major Congressional priority program from
the ground up, address existing requirements, and prepare for both additional new
regulatory requirements and expansion of the Program into EPA's regional offices. This
investment includes $3.75 million for payroll.
• (+$4,602.0 / +20.0 FTE) This program increase will provide additional support to the water
NECI as EPA works to become the lead federal agency for responding to water
emergencies. These resources will help EPA build capacity to address multiple water
emergencies and provide regional staffing of field support and oversight during water
emergencies. This includes $3.77 million for payroll.
• (+$4,000.0) This program change will support increased focus on EJ and climate change
considerations by developing and implementing a comprehensive action plan for
integrating climate and EJ considerations throughout all aspects of the Civil Enforcement
Program (e.g., private parties and federal facilities) in Headquarters and across EPA's ten
regional offices.
• (+$3,420.0 / +7.0 FTE) This program change will strengthen capacity to enforce the
CCR/coal ash rule. The requested resources are needed to provide technical and legal
support with noncompliant facilities. This investment includes $1.32 million for payroll.
• (+$954.0 / +4.0 FTE) This program change will increase protection for fenceline
communities, including from industrial accidents caused by the increased frequency and
intensity of extreme weather events from climate change. Increased resources will support
CAA section 112(r) inspections and enforcement actions to prevent industrial accidents.
This investment includes $754.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$649.0 / +0.5 FTE) This program change will support implementation of OECA's
Climate Adaptation Implementation Plan. Resources will support completion of priority
actions including expanding headquarters and regional communication about climate
change resources, tools and guidance; establishing a repository of climate examples; and
continued staff training to build climate change knowledge and consideration of climate
change in all aspects of enforcement. This investment includes $94.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$617.0 / +3.1 FTE) This program increase supports additional FTE for the Agency's
Regional laboratories and their support of the Civil Enforcement Program, which is critical
in building strong cases. This investment includes $585.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$437.0 / +2.2 FTE) This investment will increase EPA's effort to focus on implementing
EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap and holding responsible those who significantly
contribute to the release of PFAS into the environment, such as major manufacturers and
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users of manufactured PFAS, federal facilities that are significant sources of PFAS, and
other industrial parties. This investment includes $415.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$100.0 / +0.5 FTE) This program increase supports the agencywide implementation of
EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and Evidence Act data
stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes $94.0 thousand for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (MARPOL
Annex VI); American Innovation and Manufacturing Act; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act;
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Oil Pollution Act; Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; and Toxic Substances Control Act.
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Criminal Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on the most egregious cases (e.g., significant human
health, environmental, and deterrent impacts). The Agency will continue expanding its capacity to
support the criminal enforcement program, with an emphasis in several priority areas, including
communities with EJ concerns, mitigating climate change [including the enforcement of
unauthorized imports, production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)], addressing
methane emissions from the oil, natural gas and landfill sectors, criminal enforcement initiatives,
and preventing the illegal importation, sale, and distribution of unregistered pesticides. Program
goals and priorities include the following:
• In FY 2025, EPA requests an investment of $5.0 million and 26.6 FTE to continue to prioritize
and to dedicate additional criminal enforcement resources for investigations which involve
vulnerable communities or those that have historically been overburdened by pollution,
including communities with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns. This effort has been part of
the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECIs), with an emphasis on
addressing environmental crimes and crime victims in these areas.117 The Criminal
Investigation Division (CID) works with partners at the DOJ to jointly prosecute wrongdoing
and reduce the impact pollution has on these areas through investigation, judicial actions, and
settlements while maintaining case initiation standards.
• In FY 2025, EPA's Environmental Crime Victim Witness Assistance Program will continue
to closely align its implementation of the Criminal Victims' Rights Act and the Victims' Rights
and Restitution Act with EPA's EJ work.118 Activities include data mining and mapping to
identify where communities with EJ concerns, environmental crime victims, and public health
impacts overlap. This strategy will aid the Program in identifying sources of pollution
impacting these communities to better focus criminal enforcement resources on the Nation's
most overburdened or vulnerable populations and, where appropriate, use the crime victim
program resources and emergency funds to assist individuals in such communities. EPA
conducts outreach to environmental crime victims and overburdened communities using the
social media platform Nextdoor, sharing information relating to EJ, sources of pollution, and
links to EPA's Report a Violation webpage directly to households in overburdened
communities.
• In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $719 thousand and 2.1 FTE to support efforts
to interdict the illegal import, manufacture, and use of certain HFC products, pursuant to the
American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act. This work will directly support
implementation of the NECIs to mitigate climate change. The Task Force will continue to
identify, intercept, and interdict illegal HFC imports, share data to support allowances, train
customs officers and enforcement personnel, and address common HFC import experiences
with other countries. The Program will continue to build its new enforcement and compliance
program, which includes training, outreach, and coordination with federal, state, and local
partners. This includes work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DOJ and other
federal partners to successfully enforce federal laws related to HFCs. Critically important to
117 For additional information, please see: https://www.govinfo.go v/content/pkg/FR-202 3-01. -1.2/pdf/2023-00500.pdf.
118 For additional information, please see: https://www.justice.gov/usao/resources/crime-victims-rights-ombudsman/victims-
rights-act.
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success in this media are dedicated analysts in the Criminal Enforcement Program to research,
assess, and coordinate with federal partners, private industry, and task force members.
• In FY 2025, the Criminal Enforcement Program will continue to work with Interpol and other
federal partners to combat climate change through domestic and international law enforcement
collaboration. This work will include formalized information sharing related to preventing
illegal importation of prohibited products that contribute to global climate instability and
building capacity with other countries. Specifically, the Program will collaborate with Interpol
and other international law enforcement on cases that have a transnational organized crime
nexus.
• In FY 2025, the Criminal Enforcement Program also will increase its collaboration and
coordination with the Civil Enforcement Program to ensure that EPA's Enforcement Program
identifies the most egregious cases by responding to them effectively and efficiently to ensure
compliance and deter future conduct. The Agency will continue to investigate violations of
environmental statutes and associated violations of Title 18 of the United States Code to protect
public health and the environment.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$687.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefits costs. It includes critical agencywide infrastructure support for
Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and
litigation support, and implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$5,093.0 / +26.6 FTE) The net program increase will support investigations related to
the NECIs, expands enforcement in communities with EJ concerns, enforcement of
climate-related regulations, and increases polluter accountability. The increase is offset by
a decrease in contractual support for criminal enforcement activities.
• (+$719.0 / +2.1 FTE) This program investment will ensure EPA has the capacity and
technical expertise to investigate, analyze, sample, test, and transport HFCs. The increase
in FTE will allow analysts to research, assess, and coordinate with federal partners, private
industry, and task force members.
Statutory Authority:
Title 18 of the U.S.C.; 18 U.S.C. § 3063; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as
amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Clean Water Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Clean Air
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Act; Toxic Substances Control Act; Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act;
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act; Ocean Dumping Act; Rivers and Harbors
Act; Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990; American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
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NEPA Implementation
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
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$15,171
$20,611
$26,049
$5,438
Total Workyears
80.3
104.9
115.9
11.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementation Program implements the
environmental requirements of NEPA and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to review other
federal agency environmental impact statements (EISs) and NEPA regulations. This work includes
engaging with officials throughout the federal government and across EPA while supporting
EPA's lead NEPA Official. EPA has special authority and responsibilities under CAA section 309
to review and publicly comment on NEPA environmental analyses for major projects across the
federal government. This work is substantially increasing in scope and importance given recent
legislation related to energy development and infrastructure and the need to incorporate
consideration of climate change and environmental justice (EJ) into these assessments.
Consistent with Executive Orders (EO) 13990119 and 14008,120 the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) issued Interim NEPA guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
and Climate Change121 in January 2023. CEQ is in the process of updating NEPA regulations and
key guidance for addressing impacts to communities with EJ concerns. Through a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) with CEQ,122 EPA regularly supports and assists CEQ in the
development of guidance and technical tools. EPA also provides technical assistance to other
federal agencies on implementing NEPA, including identifying potential programmatic options to
streamline NEPA analyses while maintaining quality environmental analyses and meaningful
engagement with the public.
119 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/.
120 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
121 For additional information, please refer to: Federal Register : National Environmental Policy Act Guidance on Consideration
of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change.
122 1977 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CEQ and EPA addressed the allocation of responsibilities between the
two agencies for assuring government-wide implementation of NEPA. This includes the operational duties associated with the
administrative aspects of EISs. Through this MOU, EPA became the official recipient for all copies of EISs.
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EPA focuses on early engagement with other federal agencies consistent with NEPA principles
and uses interagency cooperation for early identification of issues and potential solutions to reduce
impacts and improve environmental outcomes. EPA's unique expertise helps other agencies
analyze and resolve complex NEPA issues. Through the review of other federal agencies' EISs
and the tools and training the program provides, EPA facilitates the robust consideration of impacts
related to climate change and EJ. EPA plays a critical role in identifying ways to mitigate negative
environmental impacts, including on overburdened and underserved communities.
In addition, EPA's NEPA Implementation Program manages e-NEPA, a web-based application
that serves as the official EIS filing system and clearinghouse for all federal EISs on behalf of
CEQ in accordance with the MOU with CEQ and 40 CFR Part 1506. The Program also oversees
EPA's actions subject to NEPA (40 CFR Part 6) and reviews of EISs for non-governmental
activities in Antarctica (40 CFR Part 8).
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $5.4 million and 11.0 FTE for the NEPA Implementation
Program to sustain the continued need for technical expertise in emerging subject matter areas.
This investment includes considering impacts associated with climate change and to communities
with EJ concerns. EPA plans to develop and update tools and training to equip NEPA/CAA 309
reviewers with ever evolving knowledge, strengthening its ability to provide recommendations to
improve environmental outcomes. Investing in EPA's responsiveness and technical assistance to
support other agencies in conducting environmental reviews will ensure the continued capacity
and expertise to improve environmental and community outcomes for priority infrastructure
environmental reviews subject to deadlines established in recent amendments to NEPA.
Additional funding will bolster EPA's commitment to assist and improve environmental reviews
while allowing the Program to continue to meet challenges, including rebuilding core capacity,
hiring of subject matter experts knowledgeable in various sector-based activities, and positioning
EPA to respond to national priorities and provide adequate succession planning and professional
development across EPA's NEPA/309 community. This strategic investment of subject matter
expertise provides new FTE in EPA's regional offices, which is critical as the majority of the
NEPA reviews and programmatic assistance to other federal agency field offices is conducted by
EPA regions. FY 2025 resource needs will be used to support economically beneficial initiatives.
For context, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act triggered a very similar substantial
increase in volume of NEPA reviews across the federal government. EPA's requested investment
to the NEPA Implementation Program will address current and anticipated future environmental
review workloads and provide increased staffing and resource support to meet the Nation's
infrastructure goals, particularly with respect to climate change and EJ.
CEQ has proposed revisions of its regulations for implementing NEPA procedures. EPA's NEPA
Implementation Program will make revisions accordingly to support the application of CEQ's
updates to NEPA regulations, guidance, and process improvements for priority federal projects. It
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is anticipated that in FY 2025 agencies also will update NEPA implementation procedures to be
consistent with updated CEQ regulations and guidance. EPA will be required under CAA section
309 to review these procedures for all federal agencies and must provide technical assistance to
CEQ and other agencies. This support will promote quality environmental review processes across
federal agencies to improve environmental and community outcomes.
In FY 2025 EPA will continue to work with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), CEQ,
and other federal agencies to evaluate ways to coordinate, streamline, and improve the NEPA
process, as well as to incorporate robust science-based analyses of project-related impacts and
potential measures to minimize and mitigate those impacts. Federal agencies received a substantial
increase in funded actions that will likely require EISs and thus necessitate EPA environmental
reviews due to the increase in projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L.
117-2),123 the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IDA), the Creating Helpful Incentives to
Produce Semiconductors for America Act (CHIPs Act), and other economic recovery and federal
investment actions, as well as policies and initiatives, such as EO 14017 America's Supply
Chains124 and the Energy Act MOU between the Bureau of Land Management and EPA. EPA
anticipates its existing workload will likely double based on interagency discussions hosted by
CEQ and OMB. This continued substantial increase in priority actions will require early
engagement and may require expedited reviews. With the additional resources requested in FY
2025, EPA will work with other agencies to prioritize and support the increase in environmental
review of Federal EISs. These initiatives support other federal agencies establishment of clear
timeline goals and will improve EPA's responsiveness, technical assistance, and support to other
agencies to enhance the overall environmental and community outcomes in other agency
environmental reviews.
EPA's commitment to engage early with federal agencies, as part of the Administration's
Permitting Action Plan, highlights the Agency's commitment to improved quality of EISs and
minimize delays. Early engagement helps accelerate robust environmental reviews through early
cross-agency coordination; supports the establishment of clear timelines and tracking; facilitates
early and meaningful outreach and communication with states, tribes, territories, and local
communities; provides technical assistance in areas of subject matter expertise; and promotes
interagency cooperation to improve environmental and community outcomes. As part of the
Permitting Action Plan, EPA has been updating its Policies and Procedures Manual for conducting
NEPA/309 reviews in FY 2023. In FY 2023, EPA also started developing and updating a limited
set of technical review guidance documents for priority sectors and topics to help NEP A/3 09
reviewers be more efficient and effective in their reviews that will be finalized in FY 2024. In FY
2025, EPA will continue to update technical review guidance documents on priority sectors and
topic areas. EPA also plans to continue to expand training curricula for NEP A/309 reviewers to
incorporate recent changes in CEQ regulations and guidance for NEPA related topics. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue to provide early engagement and identify improved approaches for effective
and streamlined environmental reviews from the start of the NEPA review through completion to
meet deadlines established in the 2023 amendments to NEPA. Updating actions associated with
the Permitting Action Plan will help improve EPA's responsiveness, technical assistance, and
123 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.congress.gOv/l 17/bills/hrl319/BILLS-l 17farl31.9eiir.pclf.
124 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/02/24/executive-order-on-americas-supply-chains/.
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support to other agencies with the obj ective of improving environmental and community outcomes
based on environmental reviews.
Executive Order (EO) 14096 of April 21, 2023, requires EPA in carrying out its responsibilities
under CAA section 309, to assess whether agencies analyze and avoid or mitigate disproportionate
human health and environmental effects on communities with EJ concerns. Further, the EO
requires EPA to submit an annual report to CEQ and the White House Environmental Justice
Interagency Council (WHEJAC). In FY 2024, EPA will be developing recommendations to
automate the data collection process to support the development of the annual report. In FY 2025,
EPA will implement the approved automation strategy that will allow for efficient and effective
annual reporting to CEQ and the WHEJAC.
EPA will support and collaborate with other federal agencies on priority actions and emerging
sectors, such as critical minerals mining, carbon sequestration, renewable energy, and energy
storage. In FY 2025, EPA will provide staff with specialized expertise at both headquarters and
the regional offices to facilitate timely interagency coordination on environmental reviews and
permitting actions. As part of this specialized expertise, EPA will support development of analytic
tools to help NEPA/309 reviewers and other agencies implement CEQ Interim NEPA Guidance
on Consideration of GHG and Climate Change. This support will improve EPA's technical
assistance capacity to help support improved environmental and community outcomes in review
of other federal agency NEPA documents.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,581.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$3,857.0 / + 11.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to build core capacity, support
the increase in environmental reviews of Federal EISs, hire and train new staff and subject
matter experts, and facilitate timely interagency coordination on environmental reviews
and permitting actions. This investment includes $2.0 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Clean Air Act (CAA) § 309; Antarctic Science,
Tourism, and Conservation Act; Clean Water Act § 511(c); Endangered Species Act; Fishery
Conservation and Management Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; and Title 41 of the Fixing
America's Surface Transportation Act.
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Environmental Justice
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Environmental Justice
Program Area: Environmental Justice
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and
Activities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
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CR
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$890
$5,876
$5,901
$25
Total Budget Authority
$110,237
$108,035
$323,613
$215,578
Total Workyears
116.4
223.6
264.6
41.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Environmental Justice (EJ) Program coordinates the Agency's efforts to address the needs
of overburdened and vulnerable communities by decreasing environmental burdens, increasing
environmental benefits, and developing collaborative partnerships with all stakeholders to build
healthy, sustainable communities based on residents' needs and desires. In 2022, EPA reorganized
its Office of Environmental Justice into a new national program along with the External Civil
Rights Compliance Office and the Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center. This new national
program is the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Right (OEJECR). OEJECR
focuses on collaboration as a central principle and method of advancing justice. The Program's
core philosophy is that EJ challenges need strong collaborative partnerships that include federal,
state, local, and tribal governments along with the private sector, academia, and philanthropy to
support communities in addressing multifaceted problems and positively changing conditions on
the ground. The Program provides grants, technical assistance, and expert consultative support to
communities, partners at all levels of government, and other stakeholders such as business and
industry, to achieve protection from environmental and public health hazards for people of color,
low-income communities, and indigenous communities.
Work in this program directly supports Administrator Michael Regan's message in the memo titled
"Our Commitment to Environmental Justice" issued on April 7, 2021.125 In addition, this work
supports implementation of Executive Order (EO) 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment
to Environmental Justice for All,126 EO 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Under served Communities Through the Federal Government,127 EO 13985: Advancing Racial
125 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/fLles/2Q21-04/documents/regan-
messageoncommitmenttoenvironmentaliustice-april072021.pdf.
126 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2Q23/Q4/26/2Q23-Q8955/revitalizing-
our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all.
127 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2Q23/Q2/22/2Q23-03779/further-
advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal.
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Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,128 and EO
14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad129 In accordance with the America's
Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 (P.L. 115-270), every EPA regional office employs a
dedicated EJ coordinator, and the Agency maintains a list of these persons on EPA's website.130
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.2, Embed Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and Activities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $215.6 million and 41.0 FTE for the Environmental Justice
Program in the EPM appropriation. This investment will provide unprecedented levels of capacity-
building grants and technical assistance to more communities, governmental partners, and
academic institutions. To ensure greater opportunity for investment and the resulting outcomes for
communities, EPA will offer more grant trainings and methods of technical assistance to help
underserved and under-resourced communities and their partners apply for competitive grant
opportunities and provide robust new levels of support to help communities and their partners
navigate the array of federal assistance programs to maximize the ability of programs to leverage
positive change on the ground. For example, this enhanced assistance will support broader
investment in climate initiatives in communities with EJ concerns as well as provide critical
support to community-based organizations, indigenous organizations, states, tribes, local
governments, territorial governments, and state and local EJ advisory councils, in pursuit of
identifying and addressing EJ issues through multi-partner collaborations. EPA also will continue
to support and engage grantees from previous years' competitions to ensure successful project
completion.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue funding existing grant programs:
1) $33.0 million for the Environmental Justice Community Grants Program (formerly named
Environmental Justice Small Grants) which competitively awards funding to a network of
external grant recipients to issue subgrants to non-profit, community-based organizations
to reduce the disproportionate health impacts of environmental pollution in communities
with EJ concerns;
2) $31.5 million for the Environmental Justice Government to Government Grant Program
(formerly named State, tribes, and Territories Environmental Justice Grants) which
provides funding for states, tribes, local governments, and territories to create or support
community-driven partnerships and associated environmental justice partnerships;
3) $15.0 million for the competitive, community-based Participatory Research Grant Program
which awards competitive grants to higher education institutions that develop partnerships
128 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federa1register.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advanciiig-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment.
129 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-Q2177/tackling-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-aiid-abroad.
130 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/forms/contact-us-about-environmental-
justice.
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with community entities to improve the health outcomes of residents and workers in
communities with EJ concerns; and
4) $3.0 million for the competitive, Environmental Justice training program which awards
competitive grants to community-based nonprofit organizations and partnerships between
community-based nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education.
Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (EJECR) National Program
In FY 2025, EPA's EJECR National Program will continue leading the integration of EJ in agency
decision making and implement a comprehensive framework for considering cumulative impacts
in relevant EPA decisions. Implementation of the cumulative impacts framework, as part of EPA's
FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal, will position EPA to consider and address cumulative
impacts that affect community health and well-being in its decisions, thus fundamentally
integrating EJ issues within the core regulatory decisions of the Agency. The EJECR National
Program will continue to provide essential support across all EPA programs to consider EJ in
environmental permitting, rulemaking, enforcement and compliance, emergency/disaster response
and recovery, and climate change priorities.
The FY 2025 Budget proposes to invest $69.7 million and 39.3 FTE to continue to enhance its
engagement with communities by building out community-centered technical assistance hubs, the
Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs) established in FY 2023 and
ensuring that the network provides coverage across the United States. The TCTACs will be
instrumental in providing dedicated EPA staff, hands-on facilitation of connecting underserved
communities and their partners directly with fundamental technical assistance and capacity
building EPA program resources in addition to resources available through other federal partners.
The EJECR National Program will ensure that all community support activities provide a stream
of tools, data, and methods back to the Agency to help other EPA programs analyze the EJ
implications of policy decisions and program implementation, such as through National
Environmental Policy Act processes or the consideration of costs and benefits in economic
analyses.
The FY 2025 resources also will continue to provide capacity to integrate EJ and civil rights
compliance principles across all programs and regularly engage with and support community and
state, tribal, and local partners. This will ensure the elimination of barriers to participation in EPA
programs and other activities by the public. Specific focuses will be on strengthening EPA's
language assistance and other services to improve access for people with Limited English
Proficiency and implementation of EPA external disability program as required under Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, the EJECR National Program will monitor
indicators developed to track EPA's performance in eliminating disparities in environmental and
public health conditions, as directed by the Agency Priority Goal for the first two years in the FY
2022 -2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Engagement with Partners, Stakeholders, and Communities
In addition to the TCTACs, EPA will continue to pursue a broad array of activities to support
efforts by partners, stakeholders, and communities to advance EJ. The EJ Program will continue
346
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to build and support trainings for an increasingly broad array of program development and learning
resource areas for other governmental agencies, communities, and other partners. This will
primarily be accomplished through the "EJ clearinghouse" mandated in EO 14096. These trainings
focus on the integration of equity and justice from communities through all levels of government,
as well as the private sector, with special focus on state agencies, tribal governments, Indigenous
populations, territorial governments, and insular areas such as Pacific Island Nations. During FY
2023, this included ongoing partnership with the Environmental Council of States to provide
additional and more finely tailored resources to support state efforts to advance equity and justice
in their agencies and the establishment of an unprecedented foundation of learning tools and
knowledge management resources available publicly through EPA's EJ Program.
EPA will continue to host regular National EJ Community Engagement calls.131 These calls will
continue to focus on a wide spectrum of topics related to EJ, the Justice40 Initiative,132 and EJ
mapping and screening tools, and will reach thousands of participants. Each call will feature
opportunities, such as expansive listening sessions, during which speakers interact with comments
and questions from participants. EPA also will continue to host "office hours" for users of
EJScreen to engage with the EPA EJScreen team with questions and feedback for further
enhancements to the tool. The EJ Program also will have greater communications presence with
more focused content, targeted communications, and other ways to reach communities and those
not yet engaged through both headquarters and regional EJ program activities and direct outreach
and support.
EPA also continues to directly engage community organizations and leaders while supporting
internal EPA efforts to integrate EJ considerations into all EPA policies, programs, and activities.
Work with the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (NEJAC) will continue to
help EPA advance and further integrate EJ into agency decision-making. In addition to the NEJAC,
EPA will report on progress to the Science Advisory Board, National Tribal Caucus, Children's
Health Protection Advisory Committee, Local Government Advisory Committee, and other
regular public engagement forums.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to develop education, training, and outreach resources associated
with EJ to answer the ever-increasing demand for such resources, particularly from other federal
agencies and state and local governmental partners. These resources include: 1) an EJ Training
Program to increase the capacity of residents in communities with EJ concerns to identify and
address negative impacts; 2) an EJ educational curriculum to broaden understanding of EJ to more
of the American public; and 3) an EJ Clearinghouse to serve as an online resource for EJ
information.
E J Grants Program
EPA's EJ Grants Program funding has grown significantly due to the additional $3 billion Inflation
Reduction Act133 resources received in FY 2022. The Program includes the EJ Thriving
Community Grantmakers Network and the innovative new EJ Community Change grant to directly
131 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/enviromiientaliustice/community-outreach-and-engagement.
132 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaliustice/justice40/.
133 Inflation Reduction Act: fattps://www.congress.gov/1.1.7/plaws/pubt 1.69 ibl1.69.pdf".
347
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fund community-driven collaborative efforts to implement change-making projects on the ground
in communities. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the EJ Thriving Community
Grantmakers network to efficiently provide subgrants to communities and their partners, the EJ
TCTACs to provide technical support to community-based organizations and their partners such
as tribes and local governments, and to award and support the implementation of collaborative EJ
community Change grants across the United States. This holistic approach to grant funding and
technical assistance will support development of the capacity of community-based organizations
and their partners to build strong collaborative efforts to effectively identify and address
community concerns in addition to providing funding to governmental partners to support their
integration of EJ considerations into their policies, programs, and activities. EPA also will continue
to provide grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories through the EJ Government to
Government grant program. These grants will support our governmental partners' effort to engage
local communities and further equity and justice priorities of their partnerships.
The EJ Grants Program priorities funded in FY 2023 included the new, larger EJ Community
Change implementation grant program that funds projects that implement solutions to long-
standing EJ challenges, development of cumulative impacts assessments, public education,
engagement of communities with state and federal processes, training, emergency planning and
preparedness, and addressing climate and disaster resiliency. EPA's EJ Program will continue to
focus support primarily for small community-based nonprofit organizations and their local partners
in an attempt to ensure EJ funding reaches lower-capacity and new organizations with the most
acute capacity building and environmental public health needs. The EJ Grants Program also will
work to minimize barriers for applicants by working with EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment
to develop submission flexibilities to help applicants from underserved communities and other
low-capacity institutions such as tribes and rural local governments apply for competitive grant
opportunities.
Interagency Coordination
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the efforts of the NEJAC as referenced above in addition
to supporting the efforts of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC)
established by EO 14008.134 EPA also will support the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
as it leads the Interagency Council on Environmental Justice as well as a suite of EPA bi- and
multi-lateral initiatives to support and partner directly with other federal agencies. EPA also will
continue to co-chair with the Department of Transportation the federal interagency Thriving
Community Network which focuses on aligning and leveraging federal agency resources such as
technical assistance, grants, and the efforts of regional/field staff across the United States.
EJScreen
The FY 2025 Budget provides an investment of $8.9 million, EPA will continue to support and
improve our national EJ screening and mapping tool (EJScreen). Efforts will focus on identifying
and adding valuable new data sources to the tool to include potential cumulative impacts index
score(s) for areas facing disproportionate environmental burdens in addition to inclusion of new
134 For more information, please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackliiig-the-climate-
crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
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climate-relevant data and enhancing user interface elements. EPA will enhance EJScreen based
upon user requests and feedback - from both within EPA and from external users - to further
inform equitable decision making across the federal government in addition to providing more
robust and diverse data to effectively prioritize communities in need and will ensure that EPA
programs develop guidance on using EJ tools such as EJScreen to support their decision making.
These enhancements will enable EPA to further focus program design to benefit communities with
EJ concerns and those most at risk to the effects of climate change.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM EJCR01) Percentage of EPA programs and regional offices that provide capacity-building resources to
communities with environmental justice concerns to improve how the public's feedback and comments
influence the Agency's decision-making process.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
25
50
75
Percent
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
(PM EJCR04) Percentage of new grant workplans submitted by states that include commitments to address
disproportionate impacts.
FY
20IS
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
5
25
50
Percent
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Agreements
Denominator
(PM EJCR08) Percentage of significant EPA actions with environmental justice implications that respond to
environmental justice concerns and reduce or address disproportionate impacts.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
40
50
60
Percent
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Actions
Denominator
(PM EJCR09) Percentage of EPA programs that have developed guidance on the use of environmental justice
and equity screening tools.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
50
75
100
Percent
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
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(PM EJCR13) Percentage of EPA national programs and regions that have established environmental justice
and external civil rights implementation plans.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
100
Numerator
17
Regions
and
Programs
Denominator
17
(PM EJCR18) Number of information sharing sessions and outreach and technical assistance events held
with overburdened and underserved communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights
and environmental justice issues.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8
90
650
1,100
Sessions
and Events
Actual
40
30
235
(PM EJCR19) Percentage of EPA national programs and regions that have created a new meaningful
involvement plan for a specific agency project or decision with potential impacts in communities with
environmental justice concerns.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
45
60
Percent
Actual
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8,506.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$85,621.0) This program change increases support for EJ work across the Agency. This
investment supports the significantly expanded base activity and agencywide coordination
required across the EJ Program.
• (+$69,715.0 / +39.3 FTE) This program increase will fully build out the Thriving
Community Technical Assistance Centers to support basic capacity building of
communities and their partners to advance equity and justice in their communities and
support agencywide implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and
Accessibility Strategic Plan and Evidence Act data stewardship and governance
requirements. This investment includes $6.8 million for payroll.
• (+$13,500.0) This program change increases support for the community-based
Participatory Research Grant Program. Eligible recipients would be higher education
350
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institutions that aim to develop partnerships with community entities to improve the health
outcomes of residents and workers in communities with EJ concerns.
• (+$13,000.0) This program change increases the Environmental Justice Community Grant
Program to non-profit, community-based organizations to reduce the disproportionate
health impacts of environmental pollution in communities with EJ concerns.
• (+$8,500.0) This program change increases support for the Environmental Justice
Government to Government Grant Program.
• (+$8,900.0) This program change increases support for EJScreen to improve how the
Agency utilizes nationally consistent data that combines environmental and demographic
indicators to map and identify communities with EJ concerns. In addition, resources are
included to update EPA's IT systems to support the Climate and Economic Justice
Screening tool and the EJ Clearinghouse, which would serve as an online resource for
information on EJ.
• (+$6,000.0) This program change increases support for the National Environmental Justice
Advisory Council; other federal advisory council activities; and the White House
Environmental Justice Advisory Council.
• (+$1,500.0) This program change increases support for the competitive, EJ training
program which awards competitive grants to community-based nonprofit organizations
and partnerships between community-based nonprofit organizations and institutions of
higher education.
• (+$311.0 / +1.7 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
$294.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L.
117-2).
351
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Geographic Programs
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Geographic Program: Chesapeake Bay
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S'-IJi-IO
yj 2,000
N V 2,000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$74,640
$92,000
$92,000
$0
Total Workyears
35.7
41.2
41.2
0.0
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $47.6M for this program in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, with a drainage area that covers
six states and the District of Columbia in the mid-Atlantic. The Bay is not only treasured for
recreational purposes but also serves as a vital resource for ecological and economic activities in
the region and beyond. The Chesapeake Bay Program operates under the authority of Section 117
of the Clean Water Act and includes the seven Chesapeake Bay watershed jurisdictions (Delaware,
Maryland, the District of Columbia, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia), the
Chesapeake Bay Commission, and the federal government. EPA coordinates and supports the
activities of the partnership and represents the federal government on the partnership's Chesapeake
Executive Council. On June 16, 2014, the Chesapeake Bay Program partners signed the most
recent Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (Agreement).135 The Agreement establishes 10
goals and 31 outcomes including restoration of wetlands and riparian forest buffers, sustainable
fisheries, water quality, vital habitats, climate change, and toxic contaminants, with Management
Strategies and two-year Logic & Action Plans guiding the work of each outcome. Progress toward
the Agreement commitments is updated regularly and publicly available for evaluation.
EPA, the watershed jurisdictions, and other key federal agencies set two-year water quality
milestones that measure progress made in achieving the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily
Load (Bay TMDL) and the jurisdictions' Watershed Implementation Plans.136 The Bay TMDL
satisfies a requirement of the Clean Water Act and EPA commitments under Court-approved
consent decrees for Virginia and the District of Columbia dating to the late 1990s.137 The Bay
TMDL is designed to ensure all nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution control efforts
needed to restore the Bay and its tidal rivers are in place by 2025.
135 The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (2014) as amended in 2022, available at:
https://dl81evlok51eia.cloudfront.net/chesapeakebay/Chesapeake-Bay-Watershed-Agreement-Amended.pdf.
136 The federal and jurisdictional milestones related to water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are available at
https://www.epa. gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl/chesapeake-bay-milestones#2022.
137 The Chesapeake Bay TMDL, available at: http://www.epa.gov/chesapeake-bay-tmdl/.
353
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on supporting implementation of the two-year Logic and
Action Plans for the 25 management strategies developed under the Agreement, with particular
focus on improving performance toward achieving outcomes where progress is lagging. While the
2014 Agreement does not have an end date, many of the Agreement's outcomes have target dates
of 2025. In FY 2024, the Chesapeake Bay Program will evaluate progress made toward the
outcomes of the current Agreement to determine the focus of the work beyond FY 2025, while
considering recent advances in science and restoration. The Program also will conduct an overall
program evaluation to ensure our operations and organization are effective and efficient. The
Program is increasing focus on environmental justice, ensuring the benefits of the Chesapeake Bay
Program are distributed equitably. In addition, the Program is increasing efforts in the climate
change space by focusing initiatives on the resiliency of the watershed. Specific emphases include:
• At the Fall 2022 Executive Council meeting, it was acknowledged that although the
jurisdictions met their sediment reduction goals ahead of schedule, the current outlook was
that necessary nitrogen and phosphorus reductions would not be met on time. At the
following Executive Council meeting (Fall 2023), recommendations to accelerate progress
were accepted, which include considerations for geographic targeting, social science,
robust monitoring networks, and climate-induced water temperature changes.
• Accelerating implementation of outcomes that help keep the watershed resilient in the face
of climate change (e.g., forest buffers, urban tree canopy, wetland protection and
restoration, and land conservation).
• Increasing community engagement in achieving program outcomes and initiating efforts
to garner partnership commitment to outyear priorities to achieve a restored Chesapeake
Bay, considering current scientific understanding and emerging issues, and ensuring
consideration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
• Maintaining and expanding the historically strong submerged aquatic vegetation, and tidal
and non-tidal water quality monitoring programs implemented through grants with
jurisdictional partners and federal interagency agreements.
• Ensuring the most up-to-date science is used throughout the Chesapeake Bay Program to
support decision-making, implementation, and future condition assessment (for example,
improving computer models to help predict the impact of climate change on the
Chesapeake Bay Program's ability to meet water quality standards in the tidal waters of
the Chesapeake Bay); and
• Increasing investment and tracking of investments in diversity, equity, inclusion, and
justice in Chesapeake Bay Program restoration efforts, including implementing EPA
CBPO's 2023 Equity Strategy and the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership's 2021
Diversity Equity Inclusion Justice (DEIJ) action strategy, and supporting local level actions
targeting disadvantaged communities. This includes working with the EPA's National
Center of Environmental Economics to develop a methodology for understanding and
tracking benefits to disadvantaged communities from Bay restoration work.
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Environmental results, measured through data collected by the jurisdictions and shared with the
federal government, show the importance of the investment that federal, state, and local
governments have made in providing clean and safe water. Every year, the Chesapeake Bay
Program uses available monitoring information from the 92 segments of the Chesapeake Bay to
estimate whether each segment is attaining criteria for one or more of its designated uses. EPA,
along with other federal, state, and academic partners, are using this information to demonstrate
progress toward meeting water quality standards and the Bay TMDL.
The seven Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions have reported that, as of 2022, best management practices
to reduce pollution are in place to achieve 51 percent of the nitrogen reductions, 60 percent of the
phosphorus reductions, and 100 percent of the sediment reductions needed to attain applicable
water quality standards when compared to the 2009 baseline established in the Bay TMDL.138 In
FY 2025, EPA will evaluate progress toward meeting the 2024 - 2025 milestone commitments of
the jurisdictions. The two-year milestones are intended to demonstrate how the jurisdictions will
meet their pollution reduction goals by 2025 through the major source sectors (e.g., agricultural
sector, urban stormwater, and wastewater).
EPA will continue to provide the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership with funding and technical
assistance, expand our ability to track and report progress across our suite of outcomes, and
coordinate and facilitate partnership efforts to reach our mutual goals of a healthy Bay and
watershed. While continuing progress toward restoring the Bay watershed, EPA and other
Executive Council members signed and released the historic Statement in Support of Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion and Justice.139 This statement reaffirmed the Executive Council's commitment
to recruit and retain staff and volunteers that reflect the diversity of the watershed, foster a culture
of inclusion and respect across all partner organizations, and ensure the benefits of our science,
restoration, and partnership programs are distributed equitably without disproportionate impacts
on disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, EPA is working to accelerate integration of climate change in Bay restoration efforts.
EPA and other Executive Council members signed and released the Collective Action for Climate
Change directive.140 One key activity is the launch of a Climate Directive Pilot Project which
prioritizes implementation projects that advance progress towards multiple Agreement outcomes
in disadvantaged and/or climate vulnerable communities. EPA also is addressing climate change
by: 1) starting in 2025, predicting the impact of 2035 climate changes on water quality and
adjusting pollution targets; 2) understanding adaptations needed in the watershed and coastal
regions; and 3) maintaining or improving the watershed's resiliency to climate change. Work is
underway to develop state-of-the-science models of the Chesapeake airshed, watershed, and tidal
waters to refine the 2035 climate risk assessment. Also, EPA and the Bay Program partnership are
actively investigating best management practices to better protect the watershed and tidal Bay
against the observed increased precipitation volumes and intensity brought about by climate
change in urban and agricultural regions.
138 For more information, please see https://www.chesapeakeprogress.com/clean-water/watershed-implementation-plans.
139 For more information, please see https://www.chesapeakebav.net/channel files/40996/deii statement final all signatures.pdf
140 For more information, please see https://dl81evlok51eia.cloudfront.net/chesapeakebay/documents/climatedirective filial 3.pdf".
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In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $47.6 million
for this program in FY 2025. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will
provide funding under this program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, Section 117; Estuary Restoration Act of 2000; Chesapeake Bay
Accountability and Recovery Act of 2014; Clean Air Act; Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
356
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Geographic Program: Gulf of Mexico
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 22.550
S25.52-1
N25.000
S'O
Total Budget Authority
$22,550
$25,524
$25,600
$76
Total Workyears
16.1
21.7
21.7
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Gulf of Mexico is an iconic and important body of water, providing ecological, economic,
cultural, and recreational opportunities for millions of residents and visitors to the region. The Gulf
of Mexico is heavily impacted by the Mississippi River, the main river system which drains into
it. The Mississippi River watershed captures drainage from 41 percent of the land area of the
contiguous United States (includes nearly 1.5 million square miles over parts of 31 states).
Through the Gulf of Mexico Division (GMD), EPA collaborates with federal, state, and local
partners to restore the Gulf, and ultimately improve the health of the coastal area, benefiting
approximately 16 million Americans.141
The mission of the EPA's GMD is to facilitate collaborative actions that protect, maintain, and
restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic
and ecological well-being of the region. The GMD competitively funds projects and uses
interagency agreements and strategic partnerships to accomplish its mission. All GMD projects
and partnership work are linked to one or more of the following performance measures: 1) improve
and/or restore water quality; 2) protect, enhance, or restore coastal and upland habitats; 3) promote
and support environmental education and outreach to inhabitants of the Gulf watershed; and 4)
support the demonstration of programs, projects, and tools which strengthen community
resilience.142 The GMD provides significant leadership and coordination among state and local
governments, the private sector, tribes, scientists, and citizens to align efforts that address the
challenges facing the communities and ecosystems of the Gulf Coast. The GMD is committed to
voluntary, non-regulatory actions and solutions based on scientific data and technical information
underpinning the Agency's work with the stakeholders.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
141 For more information please see: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/librarv/visualizations/2019/demo/coastliiie-
america-print.pdf.
142 For more information please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-12/GMD2022AR%20FINAL_0.pdf.
357
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In FY 2025, the Agency will continue supporting specific actions and solutions designed to
improve the environmental and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico region through cooperative
efforts and partnerships. Specifically, the Agency will address nutrient reduction on working lands
with targeted habitats. Additionally, GMD will center its focus on sustainable agriculture and
resilience in the farming community. EPA will continue to expand Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) experiential education and workforce development
to underserved communities. Through green infrastructure practices such as artificial reefs,
riparian buffers, prairies, and living shorelines, GMD will continue to build the adaptive capacity
of ecosystems and communities. The GMD projects are competitively funded and coordinated
with and complement ongoing Resource and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities,
Revived Economies (RESTORE) and Natural Resource Damages Assessment (NRDA) activities
related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The GMD continues to seek broad participation and
input from the diverse stakeholders who live, work, and recreate in the Gulf Coast region.
The GMD directly funds assistance agreements, interagency agreements and partnerships, which
support the following activities:
Environmental Education and Outreach
In FY 2025, the GMD will continue to promote the use of best available science and sustainable
environmental practices by developing programs, establishing partnerships, and competitively
funding projects that increase environmental literacy. The GMD will enhance experiential learning
opportunities for Gulf residents and visitors alike.
To ensure that environmental education and outreach efforts extend to overburdened and
underserved populations, GMD will work with various sectors of government, community leaders,
and academia on projects that promote capacity building and lead to behavioral changes in
communities with environmental justice concerns. Education and outreach are vital to
accomplishing the Agency's mission to protect human health and the environment, to inform and
provide actionable information to communities with environmental justice challenges, and to meet
the GMD-specific goals of promoting healthy and resilient coastal communities.
GMD will evaluate success of this work by tracking the number of participants involved in
environmental literacy and stewardship activities. Recipients of competitively funded projects are
required to report on this data quarterly and personnel must input direct engagement efforts into
the GMD's quarterly metrics tracking database.
Strengthen Community Resilience
Coastal and inland communities continuously face a range of natural and man-made challenges,
including storm risk, land and habitat loss, depletion of natural resources, compromised water
quality, and resulting economic instability. In FY 2025, the GMD will continue to emphasize
robust partnerships and extensive community engagement to strengthen coastal and near-shore
community preparedness. Through actions, activities, partnerships, and projects, communities
throughout the Gulf will be more resilient, and thus better prepared for natural disasters or other
358
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emergencies. The GMD will leverage its Community Resilience Index Tool to provide
municipalities with a method to assess vulnerabilities and take steps to mitigate risks.
GMD will evaluate success of this work by tracking the number of communities informed on
vulnerabilities and risks and those with programs, projects, and tools developed and/or
demonstrated to identify vulnerabilities and to manage risks as a way of improving the social well-
being, the economy, and/or the environment. Recipients of competitively funded projects are
required to report on this data quarterly and personnel must input direct engagement efforts into
the GMD's quarterly metrics tracking database.
Improve Water Quality
The Clean Water Act provides authority and resources to protect and improve the water quality in
the Gulf of Mexico and all waters of the United States. The GMD supports projects and works
with partners, such as the Hypoxia Task Force, to improve water and habitat quality throughout
the Gulf of Mexico watershed. In FY 2025, the GMD will fund projects which improve water
quality on a watershed basis through monitoring nutrient reduction, analyzing data, and assessing
changes.
GMD will evaluate success of this work by tracking the number of water segments/bodies with
improved understanding of water quality conditions and/or water quality parameters through
competitively funded projects and partnerships with stakeholders. Recipients of competitively
funded projects are required to report on this data quarterly and personnel must input direct
engagement efforts into the GMD's quarterly metrics tracking database.
Enhance. Protect, or Restore Coastal Habitats
Managing critical ecosystems is widely recognized as a fundamental environmental priority
throughout the Gulf Coast region. Critical issues include, but are not limited to, sediment
management, marsh/habitat loss due to subsidence, the continued reduction of freshwater in-flow,
and climate change. For decades, the Gulf Coast has endured extensive natural and man-made
damage to key habitats such as coastal wetlands, estuaries, barrier islands, upland habitats, seagrass
vegetation, oyster reefs, coral reefs, and offshore habitats. In FY 2025, the GMD will continue to
fund projects and work with partners to enhance coastal ecosystems, improve sediment
movement/management, restore acreage where feasible and cost-effective, and reverse the effects
of long-term habitat degradation.
GMD will evaluate success of this work by tracking the number of habitats restored, improved, or
enhanced through competitively funded projects and partnerships with stakeholders. Recipients of
competitively funded projects are required to report on this data quarterly and personnel must input
direct engagement efforts into the GMD's quarterly metrics tracking database. This work will be
further reported on to assess commitments as part of the Evidence and Evaluations Act.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$519.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (-$443.0) This program change is a decrease to offset fixed and other costs.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
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Geographic Program: Lake Champlain
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S25..S23
S 25.000
N 2x000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$25,823
$25,000
$25,000
$0
Total Workyears
0.1
1.0
1.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The trans-boundary region of Lake Champlain is a resource of national significance and home to
more than 600,000 people, about 35 percent of whom depend on the lake for drinking water. The
8,234-square mile basin includes areas in Vermont, New York, and the Province of Quebec. Lake
Champlain draws millions of visitors annually. The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program
(LCBP) supports implementation in Vermont and New York of a comprehensive pollution
prevention, control, and restoration plan for protecting the future of the Lake Champlain Basin.
Through the LCBP, EPA is addressing various threats to Lake Champlain's water quality,
including phosphorus loadings, invasive species, and toxic substances.143
The Program's goal is to achieve clean waters that will sustain diverse ecosystems, vibrant
communities, and working landscapes. These ecosystems should provide clean water for drinking
and recreation and support a habitat that is resilient to extreme events and free of aquatic invasive
species.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA's budget request will allow the Program to address high levels of phosphorus by
implementing priority actions identified in the Opportunities for Action Management Plan to
reduce phosphorus loads.144 The 2016 Vermont Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for
Phosphorus for Lake Champlain is central to the planning and implementation work within the
Lake Champlain Basin to reduce phosphorus loads and meet the wasteload and load allocations
specified in the TMDL. Phosphorus reductions from the New York portion of the basin continue
to be subject to the TMDL approved in 2002, and the state is expected to release an updated Lake
Champlain Watershed Implementation Plan in 2024. The Program also seeks to prevent the
143 For additional information please see: https://www.epa.gov/tmdl/lake-champlain-phosphorus-tmdl-commitment-clean-water
and lit tp: //www. Icbp. org,
144 For additional information please see: https://www.lcbp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/OFA 2022 Full-Plan.pdf.
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impacts of aquatic invasive species and to restore habitat across its basin. The LCBP also will
increase efforts to better understand how to address harmful algal blooms (HABs) and prevent the
introduction and spread of invasive species.
In FY 2025, EPA will focus on the following activities:
• Ninety-three percent of the total phosphorus load to the lake is from stormwater or nonpoint
source runoff, and seven percent is from wastewater treatment plant sources in Vermont,
New York, and Quebec. EPA and its partners will continue to reduce phosphorous
pollution from stormwater runoff, nonpoint sources, and wastewater treatment facilities to
meet reductions specified in the Vermont and New York TMDLs. Specifically, EPA will
focus on:
o Implementing stormwater planning, design, and construction of green stormwater
infrastructure at Vermont public schools and state universities, including
implementing best management practices on rural roads in both Vermont and New
York, thereby increasing their resiliency to climate impacts,
o Addressing agricultural nonpoint sources including continued research to
determine the efficiency of agricultural best management practices; evaluating farm
practices to identify where improvements to practices are needed; and
decommissioning former agricultural lands better suited for habitat and floodplain
restoration efforts.
The Program also aims to restore healthy ecosystems to provide clean water for recreation and
drinking water and intact habitat that is resilient to extreme events and invasive species. In FY
2025 the Program will support:
• Biodiversity, by preventing habitat fragmentation and improving resilience to changing
weather conditions.
• Prevention of aquatic invasive species that harm the environment, economy, or human
health, including aquatic plants, animals, and pathogens. EPA will continue to work with
partners to understand the impact of any potential spread. The Agency also will continue
to monitor invasive water chestnuts and fund efforts to reduce their density and
distribution. Additionally, EPA and its partners will continue to implement the activities
identified in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Invasive Species Program Report
submitted to Congress under requirements of the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act.145
• Collection of cyanobacteria data that will increase public awareness of bloom conditions,
the effects of excessive phosphorus in the Lake, and continue to document where algal
blooms are prevalent across the basin to inform management decisions.
• The LCBP will continue to support the development of new ways to understand the high
seasonal concentrations of harmful algal blooms, report on their potential health impacts,
and provide necessary information to the health departments of New York and Vermont to
close beaches, protect drinking water intakes, or take other actions. In addition, the
Program will investigate developing new approaches for urban and agricultural stormwater
control.
145 For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/great-lakes-and-1ake-champlaiii-iiivasive-species-program-
report.
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• The Lake Champlain Basin Program will continue to address environmental justice
concerns in the basin through implementation of its strategic plan, and implementation of
the program's approved Equity Strategy for the Justice40 Initiative.
• The Program's 2022 management plan includes new metrics to expand tracking and
reporting of implementation efforts. In FY 2025 the Program will continue development
of a new project tracking database to better analyze, visualize, and share program results
with stakeholders and the public.
• The triennial State of the Lake and Ecosystem Indicators Report from the Lake Champlain
Basin Program will be published in FY 2025 presenting the most recent information on the
conditions of Lake Champlain and its watershed.
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Public Law 117-58) appropriations includes
$8 million for the Program in FY 2025. LCBP will continue implementation of priority
projects funded via IIJA including a competitive aquatic organism passage grant program,
strategic land acquisition of priority parcels for water quality, aquatic habitat and /or
climate change mitigation, wetland and floodplain restoration in New York, and aquatic
invasive species management and spread prevention in the Lake Champlain basin.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriation language that will provide funding for the Lake
Champlain Program in no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909; Clean Water Act §120; Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
(Pub. L. 117-328).
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Geographic Program: Long Island Sound
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S-10.00 2
S-/0,000
-s:
Total Budget Authority
$36,429
$40,002
$40,000
-$2
Total Workyears
3.6
8.0
8.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Long Island Sound Program protects wildlife habitat and water quality in one of the most
densely populated areas of the United States, with nearly nine million people living in the
watershed. In total, the Long Island Sound watershed comprises more than 16 thousand square
miles, including virtually the entire state of Connecticut, and portions of New York, Rhode Island,
Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The Long Island Sound provides recreation for
millions of people each year and provides a critical transportation corridor for goods and people.
The Long Island Sound continues to provide feeding, breeding, nesting, and nursery areas for
diverse animal and plant life. The ability of the Long Island Sound to support these uses is
dependent on the quality of its waters, habitats, and living resources. The Long Island Sound
watershed's natural capital provides between $17 and $37 billion in ecosystem goods and services
146
every year.
Improving water quality and reducing nitrogen pollution are priorities of the Long Island Sound
Program. The Program is making measurable differences in the region. Through State Revolving
Fund and local investments of more than $2.5 billion to improve wastewater treatment, the total
nitrogen load to the Long Island Sound in 2022 decreased by more than 49 million pounds from
1990 levels, a 70 percent reduction in the effective load of nitrogen. This and other investments
have enabled the EPA-State partnership to attain the pollution reduction targets set in the nitrogen
total maximum daily load (TMDL) 2000. As a result, water quality is improving. The average
maximum area of waters not attaining dissolved oxygen criteria protection of aquatic life has
decreased by more than 50 percent since 2010.
The Program also is focused on habitat protection and restoration. Program partners have restored
593 acres of coastal habitat between 2015 - 2022, well ahead of the pace needed to achieve the
goal of restoring 1,000 coastal acres by 2035. In 2022, program partners completed 25 projects in
coastal habitats, restoring 134.3 acres. An average of 50 acres a year is needed to meet the 2035
target. The Program is currently averaging 89.6 acres a year. The Program also is ahead of schedule
146 For more information please see: Kocian, M., Fletcher, A., Schundler, G., Batker, D., Schwartz, A., Briceno, T.
2015. The Trillion Dollar Asset: The Economic Value of the Long Island Sound Basin. Earth Economics, Tacoma,
VVA.
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in meeting its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) target of reopening
200 miles of river migratory corridors by 2035 for fish passage to Long Island Sound. The initiative
has so far reconnected 125.2 river miles, 62.7 percent of the way toward meeting the target.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to oversee implementation of the Long Island Sound Study
(LISS) CCMP by coordinating the cleanup and restoration actions of the LISS Management
Conference. The LISS CCMP is organized around four major themes:147 1) clean waters and
healthy watersheds; 2) thriving habitats and abundant wildlife; 3) sustainable and resilient
communities; and 4) sound science and inclusive management. Throughout the four themes, the
CCMP incorporates key challenges and environmental priorities including resiliency to climate
change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice. The plan also set 20 quantitative
ecosystem recovery targets to drive progress. In 2020, the LISS updated the CCMP with 136
implementation actions covering the period 2020 - 2024. In FY 2025, EPA will focus on the
following:
• Finalize a revised CCMP that sets new ecosystem targets and establishes a new five-year
action plan for the period 2025 - 2029.
• Continue to reduce nitrogen pollution through implementing the Nitrogen Reduction
Strategy. EPA will work cooperatively with Connecticut and New York to expand
modeling and monitoring to develop numeric nitrogen targets that are protective of
designated uses and set local nitrogen reduction targets where necessary.
• Coordinate priority watershed protection programs such as increasing streamside buffer
zones as natural filters of pollution.
• Support community sustainability and resiliency through the Sustainable and Resilient
Communities Work Group to help communities plan for climate change impacts while
strengthening ecological health and protecting local economies.
• Coordinate the protection and restoration of critical coastal habitats to improve the
productivity of tidal wetlands, inter-tidal zones, and other key habitats that have been
adversely affected by unplanned development, overuse, land use-related pollution effects,
and climate change (e.g., sea level rise, warming temperatures, changes in salinity, and
other ecological effects).
• Integrate environmental justice considerations across program decision-making and
implementation through the new LISS Environmental Justice Work Group.
• Conduct targeted outreach and engagement efforts to understand community needs in areas
with environmental justice concerns.
• Increase the participation of new and diverse partners in LISS programs and decision-
making.
147 For more information please visit: https://longislandsoundstudy.net/2015/09/2015-comprehensive-conservation-and-
management-plan/.
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• Continue program evaluations in response to GAO-Report 18-410 Long Island Sound
Restoration: Improved Reporting and Cost Estimates Could Help Guide Future Efforts.148
The purpose of the evaluation is to assess progress made toward meeting the goals, actions,
and schedules of the LISS CCMP, including quantifiable targets of ecosystem condition.
• Finalize the Long Island Sound Office's biennial report to Congress summarizing the
progress made in implementing the CCMP, highlighting any modifications to the CCMP,
and recommendations concerning the CCMP.
• Continue coordinated water quality monitoring, modeling, and research.
• Support community partnerships to reduce pollution, protect and restore habitats, and
increase sustainability and resiliency through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund.
• Conduct focused scientific research into the causes and effects of pollution on the Sound's
living marine resources, ecosystems, water quality, and human uses to assist managers and
public decision-makers in developing policies and strategies to address environmental,
social, and human health impacts.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$42.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and
changes to benefit costs.
• (+$40.0) This program change is an increase to resources available to restore Long Island
Sound.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act § 119.
148 To read the report, visit: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-18-410.
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Geographic Program: Other
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S10.-ISO
SI-1.200
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SO
Total Budget Authority
$10,486
$14,200
$14,200
$0
Total Workyears
5.4
6.7
6.7
0.0
In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $30.2 million for this program
in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
EPA targets efforts to protect and restore many of the unique communities and ecosystems across
the United States through the geographic programs. To protect and restore these treasured
resources, the Agency develops and implements approaches to mitigate sources of pollution and
cumulative risks posed by a variety of geographically distinct environmental stressors. These
approaches improve water resource quality in ecosystems and the health and economic vitality of
residents that rely on them. While substantial progress has been made in all these programs, more
work is required to further reduce toxins, lower nutrient loads into watersheds and water bodies,
increase ecologically and economically important species, restore habitats, and protect human
health. The programs also are focused on targeting investments and benefits to disadvantaged
communities within their reach, consistent with the goals of the Justice40 initiative, and
prioritizing investments with climate adaptation and mitigation outcomes.
The Northwest Forest Program
The Northwest Forest Program addresses water quality impairments in forested watersheds and
works to improve the quality and quantity of surface water to meet beneficial use and drinking
water/source water protection goals. Climate change is increasing the demands on the Program
due to the increase of catastrophic wildfires and resulting impacts to water quality and municipal
drinking water.
The Northwest Forest Program supports monitoring of watershed conditions across 72 million
acres of forest and rangelands in the Northwest. In Oregon and Washington, 40 to 90 percent of
the land area within national forests supply drinking water to communities west of the Cascade
Range crest. This Program provides the data communities need to help manage these drinking
water resources. Funding allows EPA to provide critical support to the Aquatic Riparian
Effectiveness Monitoring Program and the Pacfish/Infish Biological Opinion Effectiveness
Monitoring Program. These regional scale watershed monitoring programs are essential to
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determining the effectiveness of riparian management in meeting aquatic/riparian habitat,
ecosystem function, and water quality standards.
The Northwest Forest Program also helps EPA respond to tribal trust and treaty responsibilities.
EPA staff are key to protection and restoration of watersheds and water quality important to tribes.
EPA has tribal trust responsibilities in the Northwest for tribes reliant on salmon and shellfish.
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program (PRP)
The purpose of PRP is to restore the ecological health of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin by
developing and funding restoration projects and related scientific and public education projects.
The basin comprises 16 Louisiana parishes and four Mississippi counties. The land use of the basin
ranges from rural to urban and is the most densely populated region in Louisiana, including
metropolitan New Orleans and Louisiana's capitol, Baton Rouge. The basin provides a home and
natural habitat to over 2.1 million people and is one of the largest estuarian systems in the United
States. The basin's topography ranges from rolling woodlands in the north to coastal marshes in
the south, with the 630 square mile Lake Pontchartrain, the second largest saltwater lake in the
United States, as its centerpiece.
Projects funded under this program maintain, protect, and restore the water quality and ecosystems
of the basin. These projects reduce the risk of pollution, increase protection of fisheries and
drinking water sources and enhance recreational opportunities for the citizens of Louisiana.
Southeast New England Program (SNEP)
Southeast New England (from Westerly, Rhode Island, to Pleasant Bay, Massachusetts) faces
environmental challenges that are both unique and highly representative of critical national
problems, especially in coastal areas. Typical problems include rivers hydrologically disconnected
by dams and restrictions, lost wetland functions, urbanization, and centuries-old infrastructure, all
compounded by the increasing impacts of excess nutrients from wastewater, stormwater runoff,
and atmospheric deposition. Excess nutrients have contributed to severe water quality problems
including algal blooms, low dissolved oxygen conditions, fish kills, impaired benthic
communities, and habitat loss (e.g., sea grass and salt marsh) in estuaries and near-coastal waters
of this region and worldwide. The impacts of climate change, especially the likelihood of extreme
weather events and increased precipitation, will further stress these systems in coming years, not
only environmentally but also socially and economically. The Program seeks to link environmental
quality to economic opportunity and jobs by delivering local solutions in a regional and watershed
context. Taking up and successfully addressing these issues will enable the Program to serve as a
model for other areas.
SNEP serves as a hub to enable protection and restoration of the coastal watersheds of Southeast
New England. Protecting these watersheds and the ecosystem services they provide will help
sustain the region's communities and environmental assets into the future. SNEP draws upon
networks of stakeholders and experts to seek out and support innovations in practices, technology,
and policies that will enable better and more effective watershed protection and restoration. The
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goal is to create a sustainable path for change and to lead the next generation of environmental
management by:
• Developing and investing in innovative, cost-effective restoration and protection practices,
as well as new regulatory, economic, and technology approaches.
• Providing technical assistance to tribes, municipalities and local organizations.
• Supporting local restoration efforts.
• Integrating delivery of programs to the public by our fellow agencies and partners.
• Focusing on ecosystem services.
• Improving technology transfer and delivery of restoration programs across the region.
• Developing regional approaches to collate water quality and habitat data in order to provide
a report on regional trends.
• Developing and implementing metrics to track the impact of SNEP proj ects throughout the
region.
Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP)
The Columbia River Basin is one of North America's largest watersheds, covering approximately
260 thousand square miles, originating in British Columbia, Canada, with seven states including
significant portions of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The basin provides
environmental, economic, cultural, and social benefits and is vital to many entities and industries
in the Pacific Northwest, including tribal, recreational, and commercial fisheries; agriculture;
forestry; recreation; and electric power generation.
Human activities have contributed to impaired water quality that impacts human health and fish
and wildlife species survival. Tribal fish consumers, other high fish consumers and subsistence
fishers are exposed to known toxic contaminants and increased human health risks. Beginning in
2004, EPA has made a priority commitment to reducing toxics in the basin reflecting a
responsibility to environmental justice for tribal people to protect human health and help restore
and protect fish and wildlife populations. There are several endangered fish and wildlife species
throughout the basin. A major salmon restoration effort is underway that has expended millions of
dollars to restore salmon throughout the basin. Additionally, this is a part of EPA's contribution to
support the September 2023 President's Memorandum of "Restoring Healthy and abundant
Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin."149
In 2016, Congress adopted the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act as Section 123 of the Clean
Water Act (CWA), which directs EPA to lead a basin-wide collaboration and competitive grant
program to assess and reduce toxics in the basin. Section 123 also directs EPA to establish a
Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) to assess trends in water quality; collect and
assess data to identify possible causes of environmental problems; provide grants for projects for
specific purposes; and establish a voluntary Columbia River Basin Restoration Working Group.
149 For more information please see: https://www.federatregister.gov/documents/2023/10/02/2023-21882/restoring-healthy-and-
abundant-salmon-steelhead-and-other-native-fish-populations-in-the-columbia.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funding will be split amongst the Northwest Forest Program, Lake Pontchartrain Program,
Southern New England Program, and Columbia River Basin Program for restoration of the four
geographic programs with an emphasis on initiatives that advance environmental justice and
address the threats exacerbated by climate change.
Northwest Forest Program
In FY 2025, the Program will support the following activities:
• Monitoring and assessment of wildfire impacts to water quality, including ongoing efforts
in watersheds impacted by the catastrophic 2020 Labor Day fires in Oregon.
• Table-top exercises with federal, tribal, and state, land management, water quality and air
quality experts to address barriers to implementing the Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
• Aquatic and Riparian Effectiveness Monitoring Program (AREMP) of the Northwest
Forest Plan and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Western Oregon Resource
Management Plan to help maintain and restore watersheds across 24 million acres of
federal lands in western Washington and Oregon, and northern California.
• The PacFish/InFish Biological Opinion Effectiveness Monitoring Program to monitor
stream and riparian habitats for both inland fish species and anadromous fish like salmon
that rely on both the Pacific Ocean and freshwater rivers to ensure conservation strategies
are working effectively to sustain fish populations.
• The Drinking Water Providers Partnership— an annual public-private funding opportunity
for water providers and watershed restoration practitioners in Oregon and Washington to
implement riparian or in-stream restoration actions to restore and protect the health of
watersheds and drinking water.
• States' implementation of forestry non-point source programs and development of Total
Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and Best Management Practices for forestry.
• Development of Spatial Statistical Network models to evaluate impacts of forest practices
and climate change on stream temperatures across entire watersheds. Further support for
watershed management and development and implementation of TMDLs.
• Collaboration with partners and local water providers to address sediment and temperature
impairments in forested watersheds.
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program (PRP)
In FY 2025, the Program will help restore the ecological health of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
by:
• Implementing the current Lake Pontchartrain Basin Program Comprehensive Management
Plan (CCMP) and Comprehensive Habitat Management Plan (CCHP), including
implementation of restoration projects.
• Revising the CCMP/CCHP to meet the current needs of the basin and updating
recommendations to meet current best management practices and technology.
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• Working with the executive committee and management conference to expand the reach
of the Program to communities who have not participated in the past and to reinvigorate
participation in the management conference.
• Incorporating Justice40 into the PRP through:
o identification of key areas for investments;
o development of robust protocols for proposal review and project review;
o outreach to eligible applicants to include investments and benefits to disadvantaged
communities in their projects; and
o tracking and reporting the investments and benefits of PRP projects to
disadvantaged communities in the basin.
• Continue to evaluate (1) the suitability of the management conference and the Program's
organizational structure in achieving the Program's objectives; (2) the grantee's
performance related to PRP grants; and (3) the program's progress toward achieving the
PRP equity strategy goals. This evaluation is partially in response to GAO
Report-23-105547 Lake Pontchartrain Basin: Additional Transparency and
Performance Management Could Improve EPA 's Restoration Program.150
Southeast New England Program (SNEP)
In FY 2025, the Program will support technical assistance, grants, interagency agreements, and
contracts to spur investment in regionally significant and/or landscape-scale restoration
opportunities, more fully integrate restoration actions, build local capacity, promote policy and
technology innovation, encourage ecosystem (water quality and habitat) approaches, and enact the
Southeast New England Program's Five-Year Strategic Plan.151 SNEP is tracking community
engagement and is striving to provide funding or technical assistance to 70 percent of regional
municipalities (93 out of 133) and all of the federally-recognized tribes (3) by the end of FY 2025.
Specific activities include:
• Investing in on-the-ground environmental restoration/protection projects through the
SNEP Watershed Implementation Grants (SWIG) Program.
• Building capacity of municipalities and other organizations to actively participate in
implementing restoration projects and effectively manage their environmental programs
through the SNEP Network.
• Promoting the development of next-generation watershed management tools.
• Collaborating amongst the Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bay National Estuary
Programs, the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the Cape Cod and Martha's
Vineyard Commissions and other Cape and Island organizations, municipalities, and key
stakeholders to identify, test, promote, and implement approaches that can be replicated
across Southeastern New England, with a focus on the nexus between habitat, nutrients,
and stormwater and ecosystem and community resilience.
• Funding pilot projects and research to introduce innovations and practices that accelerate
and guide ecosystem restoration and avoid or reduce nutrient impacts.
• Continuing the SNEP Pilot Watershed Initiative which seeks to concentrate and
quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of coordinated environmental restoration projects
150 For more information visit: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105547.
151 For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/snep/snep-strategic-plan
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at a sub-watershed scale. Leveraging for efficiency and effectiveness by coordinating
operations, resources, and funding principles amongst restoration partners, including
federal and state agencies.
• Supporting efforts to restore ecological health and build resiliency in disadvantaged
communities.
• Continuing development of a regional water and habitat monitoring strategy that
incorporates current monitoring efforts to tracks environmental restoration progress and
inform the public about the health of the SNEP region.
• Funding vital applied research efforts related to eelgrass restoration, permeable reactive
barriers, and remote sensing of lake and pond water quality.
• Continuing updates to the SNEP Dashboard grants tracking system to better understand the
environmental, social, and economic impacts the Program has on the region through
selected metrics.
Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) - Section 123 of the Clean Water Act
EPA CRBRP's vision is to be a catalyst for broad toxics reduction work efforts and basin-wide
collaboration to achieve a healthy ecosystem with significantly reduced toxic levels in fish,
wildlife, and water, thus enabling communities to access unimpaired watersheds with healthy fish
and wildlife habitat. The major FY 2025 plans for EPA's CRBRP include:
• Continuing to manage the implementation of the CRBRP Funding Assistance Program
awards to monitor and reduce toxics in the basin.
• Competing a sixth round of CRBRP funding assistance in support of the statutory directive
to provide voluntary competitive grants.
• Providing technical assistance and communication products for the Columbia River Basin
Restoration Working Group and the public.
• Continuing to update EPA Columbia River Basin website, which serves as a source of
technical references and other information on understanding and reducing toxics in the
basin.152
• Integrating Environmental and Tribal Justice and Treaty Rights into the Program.
• Supporting climate adaptation strategies and resilience as it relates to toxics reduction.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
152 For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act.
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Geographic Program: South Florida
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SO.SOf,
SSJOO
SSJOO
SO
Total Budget Authority
$6,806
$8,500
$8,500
$0
Total Workyears
1.2
3.0
3.0
0.0
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $3.2 million for this program in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
The South Florida Program ecosystem extends from Chain of Lakes near Orlando, Florida to the
full extent of the Florida Keys including the Dry Tortugas which is over 250 miles south. Nine
million people, two federally recognized Native American tribes: Seminole and Miccosukee, three
national parks, 15 national wildlife refuges, Big Cypress National Preserve, the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary, the Everglades, and unique coastal resources: St. Lucie and
Caloosahatchee Estuaries, Indian River Lagoon, Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, Florida Keys, and
coral reefs make up this unique and sensitive ecosystem. These ecosystems support a multi-billion-
dollar economy through outdoor tourism, boating, recreational and commercial fishing, coral reef
diving, and world-class beaches.
Challenges faced include: the long-term sustainability of sensitive natural areas, agriculture, and
the expanding human population; balancing the region's often conflicting flood control, water
supply and water quality needs; and mitigating and adapting to extreme weather events and sea-
level rise.
EPA's South Florida Program (SFP) coordinates research and restoration activities in south Florida
where water quality and habitat are directly affected by development, pollution, and climate
change. The SFP has developed an equity strategy that includes an emphasis on addressing the
dual burdens of pollution and climate in disadvantaged communities. EPA implements,
coordinates, and facilitates activities through a variety of programs in the region including: the
Clean Water Act (CWA); the Everglades Water Quality Restoration Strategies Program; the
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program; the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Monitoring Program; the Coral Reef Environmental
Monitoring Program; the Benthic Habitat Monitoring Program; the Southeast Florida Coral Reef
Initiative, as directed by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force; and other programs.153'154
153 For more information please see: http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-epa-region-4-southeast.
154 For more information please see: https://www.epa.gov/everglades.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The SFP supports efforts to protect and restore ecosystems impacted by environmental challenges.
In FY 2025, EPA will focus on the Florida Keys Water Quality Protection Program, Florida Coral
Reef Tract, impacts of Everglades Restoration, nutrient reduction to reduce harmful algal blooms,
and CWA implementation.
• Through the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program, the
SFP will engage stakeholders across the breadth of the Florida Keys (and beyond) to review
long-term monitoring projects of water quality and ecosystems related to water quality in the
Keys. Data generated by EPA partners informs these programs which have documented
periodic oceanographic events such as algal blooms, seagrass die-offs and coral diseases.
These monitoring programs have provided the foundational data for the development of
nutrient numeric criteria. The long-term status and trend collected by the Coral Reef
Environmental Monitoring Program is tracking the ongoing Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
that continues to decimate reef building coral species of the Florida Reef Tract. To date, the
SFP has provided more than $3 million to support coral research to hinder or halt the disease
destroying corals reefs that are vital to Florida's eco-tourism industry and that serve as a natural
barrier to storms and hurricanes. The SFP will continue to support these efforts.
• The SFP will complete study reports associated with the Everglades Regional Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment Program (REMAP) in 2024 and 2025 based upon monitoring
completed in 2023 and 2024. This is an EPA conducted extensive assessment of the
Everglades' health which has been performed since 1993. Federal agencies, tribes, state
agencies, agriculture, the public, non-governmental organizations, and the National Academies
of Sciences use the data to understand water quality and ecological conditions and to assess
restoration progress. The data also help to explain the effectiveness of pollution control
programs.
• EPA will continue CWA and National Environmental Policy Act coordination with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, South Florida
Water Management District, and tribes for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
(CERP) and Western Everglades Restoration Plan planning and Implementation. CERP is a
$20 billion federal-state restoration effort with over 60 projects that affect aquatic resources
throughout south Florida.
• The SFP will continue implementation of the Florida Keys Wastewater Master Plan to provide
advanced wastewater treatment or best available technology services to all homes and
businesses in the Florida Keys through the EPA and state co-chaired Florida Keys National
Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) Water Quality Protection Program. The goal is to remove from
service all non-functioning septic tanks, cesspits, and non-compliant wastewater facilities.
More than 90 percent of Florida Keys homes and business are on advanced wastewater
treatment systems and more than 30 thousand septic tanks have been eliminated. The SFP will
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also consider the impacts of wastewater dischargers on nearshore waters affecting the Keys
and the Florida's Reef.
The SFP will continue support for restoration, monitoring, and modeling of seagrass
communities within St. Lucie Estuary, the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Indian River Lagoon,
Biscayne Bay and Florida Keys to address of loss of seagrass meadows from phosphorus
enrichment and chlorophyll increases resulting in dying seagrass beds, increasing harmful algal
blooms, fish kills, and manatee deaths.
EPA will continue work with state and local governments, universities, and non-governmental
organizations to implement on-the-ground and satellite water quality monitoring programs for
the Florida Keys, Biscayne Bay, St. Lucie Estuary, Florida Bay, and Caloosahatchee Estuary.
EPA has provided more than $4 million to support water quality that includes water quality
monitoring; harmful algal blooms detection, nutrient source identification and tracking;
bacteria (enterococcus) tracking for healthy beaches; and submarine groundwater discharge to
evaluate groundwater as a potential nutrient source.
The FY 2025 budget request continues support for oysters, seagrass, mangroves, and sponge
restoration efforts that reestablish and rehabilitate these natural systems; identify and map
habitat areas for protection, restoration and management; and develop conservation/ restoration
plans for these resilient ecosystems that provide habitat, food, nutrient removal, water
filtration, storm attenuation, carbon storage and shoreline stabilization in South Florida.
EPA will develop an annual Request for Applications for FY 2025 funds and continue
management of more than $20 million in South Florida prior-year projects enhancing water
quality, coral and seagrass monitoring; restoring coral, seagrass and sponge ecosystems;
developing models to identify pollutant sources; investigating emerging contaminants and
researching water quality environments conducive to algal blooms.
EPA will begin to draft a multi-year management plan specific to the entire region that
identifies the areas where impacts from EPA programs will have the greatest impact in
protecting and restoring waters in the region.
EPA will continue to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, local
municipalities and grantees to quantifying the impact of shallow wastewater effluent injection
on groundwater nutrient fluxes to surface waters in the FKNMS.
The program will support CWA Section 404 implementation, including wetlands conservation,
permitting, dredge and fill, and mitigation banking strategies through collaboration with U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
EPA will continue to work with the State of Florida on Everglades Water Quality Restoration
Strategies to address pollution. Part of this work will be tracking progress on the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits and consent orders within the Everglades,
including discharge limits for phosphorus and corrective actions that are consistent with state
and federal law and federal court consent decree requirements.
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In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990; National Marine Sanctuaries
Program Amendments Act of 1992; Clean Water Act; Water Resources Development Act of 1996;
Water Resources Development Act of 2000; National Environmental Policy Act.
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Geographic Program: San Francisco Bay
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S
S 5-/.500
N 5-/.500
SO
Total Budget Authority
$45,061
$54,500
$54,500
$0
Total Workyears
2.6
7.8
7.8
0.0
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $4.8 million for this program in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
The San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary is recognized as an estuary of national importance by EPA,
other federal agencies, state partners, and local stakeholders. The Bay Area, home to more than
seven million people, is one of the densest urban areas in the nation. While historically, San
Francisco Bay had about 200 thousand acres of mudflats and tidal marshes, over 90 percent of that
was lost to diking and filling for agriculture and urbanization. San Francisco Bay supports 500
species of wildlife, more than a quarter of which are either threatened or endangered. Investing in
wetland restoration is pivotal to the bay's resiliency to rising sea levels and other hydrologic
changes.
Since 2008, EPA has received an annual appropriation for a competitive grant program, the San
Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund (SFBWQIF), to support projects that protect and
restore San Francisco Bay and advance the Estuary Blueprint/Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan (CCMP) restoration goals.155 Funding for the SFBWQIF is specifically targeted
for the watersheds and shoreline areas of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties that drain into
the Bay. Since 2008, the SFBWQIF has invested over $128 million in 83 grant awards to restore
wetlands and improve stormwater quality around San Francisco Bay. SFBWQIF grants have
leveraged $248.5 million in funding from partners; the grant program represents a collaborative
investment with local partners guided by the Estuary Blueprint/CCMP. The San Francisco Estuary
restoration community is working rapidly to meet its goal of restoring 100,000 acres of wetlands
that can provide flood protection, recreation, water quality improvement, and habitat for
surrounding communities. SFBWQIF has invested $62 million of the total $128 million to restore
over 11,400 acres of wetlands around the Bay, including tidal wetlands.
The FY 2025 request will support increased investments in projects around San Francisco Bay that
are designed for resiliency considering a wide range of climate change impacts. The program will
increase focus on historically underserved and overburdened communities through continued
outreach and capacity building with partner organizations.
155 For more information, please see: https://www.sfestuaiy.org/estuan''-blueprint/.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Program will focus on the following activities:
• Issue a Request for Applications soliciting proposals to restore wetlands, restore water quality,
and implement green development practices that use natural hydrologic processes to treat
polluted runoff around San Francisco Bay.
• Issue a Request for Applications soliciting proposals to support underserved populations in the
Bay Area to improve the habitat and water quality in their local communities and improve the
ease in which underserved community voices are included in the planning for regional
environmental projects.
• Continue to administer the SF Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund and gather evidence of
progress, consistent with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership's Comprehensive CCMP.156
• Continue to build the resilience of San Francisco Bay ecosystems, shorelines and communities
to climate change and sea level rise.
• Continue to use EPA grants to fund climate resilient projects and improve access to funds for
underserved communities.
• Provide funding and technical support to implement a new regional monitoring program for
San Francisco Bay wetlands. The Wetlands Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP) will
provide baseline data and include the following: 1) monitoring site network; 2) open data
sharing platform; 3) comprehensive science framework. Building upon the WRMP Plan
released in April 2020, EPA will continue to provide additional funding to SFEP/San Francisco
Estuary Institute (SFEI) and partners for implementation of the WRMP.
• Continue technical support for the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program (RMP), a
28-year-old partnership between regulatory agencies and the regulated community to provide
a long-term data set and scientific foundation to make water quality management decisions.
The RMP monitors water quality, sediment quality and bioaccumulation of priority pollutants
in fish, bivalves, and birds. To improve monitoring measurements or the interpretation of data,
the RMP also regularly funds special studies.
• Seek to leverage other sources of funding such as the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and
Federal Emergency Management Agency's pre-hazard mitigation funds in support of priority
CCMP projects such as SFEP working with municipal partners on the Hay ward Shoreline
horizontal levee pilot project and the related "First Mile" project.
• Continue EPA's participation in the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team (BRRIT), a
five-year, multi-agency pilot effort to facilitate the complex permitting of restoration projects.
The goal of BRRIT is for agencies with permitting jurisdiction over multi-benefit habitat
restoration projects to improve the permitting process. BRRIT agencies use dedicated staff
time to conduct early design review, provide written guidance and comments, identify Agency
requirements that need to be met, and resolve regulatory issues early in the project planning
and design phase. This permitting effort enables the accelerated implementation of BRRIT
funded restoration projects. EPA will continue to provide agency staff support to the technical
156 Please see the SFEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (2016) athttps://www. sfestuary.org/wp-
coiitent/uploads/2017/08/CCMP-v26a-all-pages-web.pdf.
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and managerial aspects of the regulatory improvement process to benefit wetlands restoration
projects in the Bay.
• Continue to increase the reuse of dredged material for wetlands restoration, which is critical in
preparing and responding to sea level rise in San Francisco Bay.
• Establish funding for new ocean acidification monitoring through the Nutrient Management
Strategy to establish baseline data that expands the relevant datasets the wastewater sector
depends on in making infrastructure upgrade decisions. Regular SF Bay water quality surveys
(USGS/Nutrient Management Strategy) currently miss key ocean acidification metrics
including, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pC02), alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic
carbon, that are high priority parameters identified through regional ocean acidification
workshops.
• Key actions include continued partnerships with state and federal agencies to implement and
track fourteen TMDLs,157 provide technical assistance when asked by Delta stakeholders to
sustain the Delta Regional Monitoring Program (RMP), and work towards continued
integration of long-term data sets in the Bay and Delta, such as the Bay Regional Monitoring
Program for water quality (RMP) and the Interagency Ecological Program.
• Continue setting up the San Francisco Bay Program Office as authorized by the Water
Resources Development Act of 2022 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328). Section 125 of the
Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1276a
157 For more information, please see the SF Bay Delta TMDL Progress Assessment at
http://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/sf-bay-delta-tmdl-progress-assessment.
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Geographic Program: Puget Sound
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S-ISJI'
S 5-/.000
N 5-1.000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$48,317
$54,000
$54,000
$0
Total Workyears
6.7
9.0
9.0
0.0
In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $17.8 million for this program
in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
Puget Sound is the southern portion of the international Salish Sea and is the largest estuary by
water volume in the United States. The Sound is an economic and cultural engine for the region's
more than 4.7 million people, including nineteen federally recognized tribes. Nearly 71 percent of
all jobs and 77 percent of total income in Washington State are found in the Puget Sound Basin.
By 2040, the population is projected to grow to seven million, the equivalent of adding
approximately four cities the size of Seattle to the watershed.
Puget Sound's beneficial uses are significant. In 2017, the value of Puget Sound commercial
fishing (finfish and shellfish) was $114 million, and the gross domestic product from Puget Sound-
related tourism and recreation activities was $4.7 billion. Puget Sound's shellfish industry is
considered the Nation's most valuable and is an important source of family wage jobs in
economically challenged rural communities.
Development and land use conversion have adversely impacted the beneficial uses of Puget
Sound's waters. For example, pollution and agricultural runoff reduce the safe harvest and
consumption of shellfish across 143 thousand acres of shellfish beds and cause the closure of
popular swimming beaches and recreational sites annually. Southern resident killer whales and 59
populations of Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout are listed under the Endangered Species
Act. Tribal nations also are unable to sustain their culture and way of life.
A healthy and functioning Puget Sound benefits all who live, visit, or recreate in the Sound or have
a connection to the region. A properly functioning ecosystem provides residents with food, water,
and raw materials; regulates and moderates harmful elements; and provides cultural, spiritual and
recreational experiences.
Federal support of Puget Sound recovery comes from many programs, most of which are
administered by EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U. S. Department
of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Interior, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Since 2010, Congress has appropriated over $470 million using Clean Water Act Section
320 authority for Puget Sound. Under Section 320, EPA has provided the National Estuary
Program and Geographic Program funding and support to help communities make on-the-ground
improvements for clean and safe water, protect, and restore habitat, allow for thriving species and
a vibrant quality of life for all, while supporting local jobs.
EPA's work with the Puget Sound Partnership, tribes, state agencies and other partners has
supported important gains in recovery. Examples include:
• Comprehensive regional plans to restore the Sound;
• More than $1 billion of non-federal dollars leveraged for recovery;
• Partnerships with 19 federally recognized tribes;
• Transboundary collaboration with Canada;
• Scientific gains on toxic effects of urban stormwater (such as 6PPD-quinone) and related
mitigation actions;
• Development and use of funding and decision-making tools to integrate environmental
justice and climate adaptation plans and projects;
• Since 2007, a net increase of harvestable shellfish beds;
• Over 41 thousand acres of habitat protected and/or restored (cumulative from 2006); and
• More than six thousand acres of shellfish harvest bed upgraded (cumulative from 2007).
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Key FY 2025 activities for EPA's Puget Sound Program include:
• EPA will fund assistance agreements with the 19 federally recognized tribes in Puget
Sound, three Tribal consortia and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. EPA
proposes to provide funding to tribes for both capacity building and implementing priority
tribal projects in the Puget Sound basin.
• EPA will fund over $7 million in tribal projects to support key local watershed science and
monitoring; local partnerships in restoration projects to support habitat and water quality;
and enhancement of ongoing programs and policies for recovery.
• EPA is a co-chair of the overall federal effort to address Tribal Treaty Rights at Risk
consistent with the roles assigned by the Council on Environmental Quality. This is an
essential role for EPA and other federal leaders in the region to meaningfully engage and
develop actions with Puget Sound tribes to address their treaty rights.
• The Program will continue to implement actions under the Puget Sound National Program
Office and the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force as outlined in the new Clean
Water Act amendment for Puget Sound (Section 126 of the CWA). This includes a report
to Congress in December 2023.
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• The Program will enhance Federal Task Force leadership, including leadership and
implementation of the FY 2022 - 2026 Puget Sound Federal Task Force Action Plan.158
This will leverage hundreds of millions of dollars in federal investments in Puget Sound
and provides alignment of program and policies for recovery.
• The Program will build on over 20 years of international cooperation with Canada
implementing the Canada - U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2021-2024 Action Plan.159
The Program will participate in a series of workshops on topics of shared interest in
transboundary work including joint efforts for southern resident killer whales, science
collaboration and enhancing transboundary governance opportunities.
• The FY 2025 budget request will help fulfill National Estuary Program responsibilities,
including support for the implementation of the Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan (CCMP) for recovering Puget Sound (the Action Agenda). The Program
received, reviewed, and approved the updated CCMP in FY 2022 that sets up the next four
years of collaborative implementation of recovery efforts in Puget Sound. In 2025 EPA
will work with the Puget Sound Partnership and the Puget Sound Management Conference
to develop the 2026-2030 Action Plan (CCMP).
• The Program will continue to integrate climate adaptation and environmental justice while
supporting local jobs. The Program is building climate resiliency into the actions and
projects funded with Puget Sound assistance agreements for habitat, shellfish, and water
quality, which presents the opportunity to grow and integrate climate justice in all program
areas with federal, state, tribal and local partners.
• The Program will be managing and awarding up to $100 million in projects from Puget
Sound funding over the next five years consistent with the EPA's 2021 Strategic Initiative
Lead Funding Model.160 The Program will fund over $17 million in shellfish, habitat and
storm water projects and programs.
• The program will continue to fund and coordinate cutting-edge science in the Salish Sea
with funding over $6 million in science projects from Puget Sound funding and programs
with federal, state, tribal and academic partners.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that will provide funding under this
program as no-year funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
158 For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-06/puget-sound-federal-task-force-
action-plan-2022-2026.pdf
159 For more information please see: https://www.epa.gov/puget-sound/actions-plans-us-canada-cooperation-salish-sea.
160 For more information please visit: https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/87563/FY21-EPA-Funding-
Guidance-to-SILs FINAL.
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Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328).
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Great Lakes Restoration
Program Area: Geographic Programs
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
sMiijiir
SMtH.000
S JOS.000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$361,607
$368,000
$368,000
$0
Total Workyears
63.2
77.0
77.0
0.0
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $200M for this program in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
The Great Lakes are the largest system of surface freshwater on Earth, containing 20 percent of
the world's surface freshwater and 95 percent of the United States' surface freshwater. The
watershed includes two nations, eight states, two Canadian provinces, and 35 tribes.
Through a coordinated interagency process led by EPA, the implementation of the Great Lakes
Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is helping to restore the ecosystem. This restoration effort provides
environmental and public health benefits to the region's thirty million Americans who rely on the
Great Lakes for drinking water, recreation, and fishing. The restoration and protection of the Great
Lakes also fuels local and regional economies and community revitalization efforts across the
basin.
This interagency collaboration accelerates progress, promotes leveraging, avoids potential
duplication of effort, and saves money. In accordance with the Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA and
its partners are accomplishing this restoration through the implementation of a five-year GLRI
Action Plan. The implementation of the GLRI Action Plan III, covering FY 2020 through FY
2024, began in October 2019. EPA and its partners are currently in the process of developing the
GLRI Action Plan IV, which will cover FY 2025 to FY 2029.
EPA and its partners have achieved significant results since the GLRI started in 2010,161 including:
• Five Areas of Concerns (AOCs) delisted, including the Ashtabula River AOC in FY 2021.
(Prior to GLRI, only one Great Lakes AOC was delisted.) Ten others have had the cleanup
and restoration actions necessary for delisting completed.
• 112 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) at 28 AOCs in the eight Great Lakes states have
been removed, more than eleven times the total number of BUIs removed in the preceding
22 years.
• Over 4.3 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment have been remediated.
• Over 265,000 acres on which invasive species control activities have been implemented.
161 For more information, please see https://glri.us/.
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• Self-sustaining populations of Silver and Bighead carp have been kept out of the Great
Lakes.
• Over 16 million pounds of invasive carp have been removed from the Illinois River,
reducing the potential for these species to invade the Great Lakes.
• Loadings of over 2.3 million pounds of phosphorus were reduced through implementation
of conservation practices (phosphorus is a major driver of harmful algal blooms in Great
Lakes priority watersheds).
• More than 500,000 acres of habitat have been protected, restored, or enhanced; and,
• Over 685,000 youths have benefited from Great Lakes based education and stewardship
projects.
Under the GLRI, funds are first appropriated to EPA. After annual evaluation and prioritization
consistent with the GLRI Action Plan, EPA and its partner agencies collaboratively identify
projects and programs that will best advance progress under GLRI. EPA then provides a substantial
portion of those funds to its partner federal agencies to implement GLRI projects and programs in
partnership with EPA, states, and tribes. EPA and its partner federal agencies will directly
implement projects and fund projects performed by other entities such as states, tribes,
municipalities, counties, universities, and nongovernmental organizations. GLRI funding can
supplement each partner agency's base funding.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the GLRI will continue to support activities that target the most significant
environmental problems in the Great Lakes. Emphasis will continue to be placed on 1) cleaning
up and delisting AOCs, which will help to revitalize and generate community benefits in
environmental justice communities; 2) reducing phosphorus contributions that contribute to
harmful algal blooms and other water quality impairments; and 3) invasive species prevention
GLRI Action Plan III targets GLRI restoration within the focus areas, objectives, and performance
goals described below. In FY 2025, the GLRI also will continue to emphasize providing benefits
to underserved communities who are marginalized, underserved, or overburdened by pollution.
Under Action Plan IV, these and other investments in underserved communities will continue to
grow ensuring GLRI investments are just, equitable, and responsive to multiple voices and
viewpoints in planning and implementation.
Toxic Substances and Areas of Concern Objectives:
• Remediate, restore, and delist AOCs: EPA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE), United States Geological Survey (USGS), National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other GLRI partners will continue accelerating
the pace the U.S. BUI removals. EPA and its federal partners will work with and fund
stakeholders to implement management actions necessary to remove the BUIs (indicators of
poor environmental health) that will ultimately lead to the delisting of the remaining AOCs on
the U.S. side of the border. Agencies target collective efforts under the GLRI to maximize
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removal of BUIs and delisting of AOCs. Agencies will support BUI removal through sediment
remediation under the Great Lakes Legacy Act (part of the GLRI) and other restoration
activities. FY 2025 targets are: ten BUIs (for a total of 138 BUIs cumulative since 1987)
removed in AOCs; and two AOCs delisted (for a total of 8 AOCs delisted since 1987).
• Engage underserved communities and share information on the risks and benefits of
consuming Great Lakes fish, wildlife, and harvested plant resources with the people who
consume them: Federal agencies and their state and tribal partners will continue to help the
public make informed decisions about healthy options for safe fish consumption. Expansion
of successful pilot programs will increase the availability and accessibility of safe fish
consumption guidelines to vulnerable populations that consume Great Lakes fish. Additional
emphasis will be placed on the safe consumption of wildlife and harvested plant resources.
• Increase knowledge about contaminants that have impacted or pose the potential to impact the
ecological and/or public health of the Great Lakes and its natural resources: Federal agencies
will coordinate with appropriate state and tribal partners to begin to fill critical monitoring and
data gaps for priority chemicals in the Great Lakes. Monitoring data from this process will
provide information on the magnitude and extent of these chemicals in the Great Lakes and
help in the evaluation of associated ecological, economic, and recreational consequences.
Invasive Species Objectives:
• Protect native species and communities by preventing introductions of new non-native species:
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will implement a prioritized plan to significantly
reduce pathways by which non-native species may still enter the Great Lakes basin.
Coordination and planning with state, tribes, and other entities as well as feedback received by
the Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Regional Panel will inform prioritized and
interjurisdictional projects that significantly address pathways including recreational boating,
bait release, organisms-in-trade, and others. GLRI will support efforts to test and implement
new technologies holding great promise to assess, block, or manage specific pathways. GLRI
will continue to help protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp, principally through high-
priority projects that prevent Silver and Bighead Carp introduction into the Great Lakes,
prevent Grass Carp establishment in the Great Lakes with an emphasis in Lake Erie, Lake
Michigan, and its tributaries, and better understanding the spread of Black Carp toward the
Great Lakes. In FY 2025, the goal will be to address one regional introduction pathways for
non-native species invasion through interjurisdictional, comprehensive approaches.
• Reduce economic, ecological, and human health impacts to the Great Lakes by limiting range
expansion, including lake-to-lake transfers, of invasive species: GLRI federal agencies and
their partners will increase the probability of detecting invasive species through refinement of
current detection strategies and deployment of new sampling technologies and approaches.
Sustained funding to states and tribes will be a key strategy to ensure rapid response,
eradication, or containment efforts can occur after new detections of invasive species, impacts
of non-native species and deploy the latest control technologies and approaches. Great Lakes
partners will continue to efficiently distribute information on invasive species regionally
through GLANSIS and tailor educational products so that the public can play a large role in
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reducing the economic, ecological, and human health impacts of invasive species. In FY 2025,
the goal is to conduct eight rapid response exercises.
• Provide ecosystem and human benefits through prioritized and collaborative invasive species
control efforts: GLRI federal agencies, states, tribes, and their partners will prioritize
maintaining the benefits of previously completed invasive species control projects by ensuring
staff capacity and tools are in place so that infestations do not reappear. Prioritization of
completed projects in upland and coastal habitat projects completed under previous GLRI
Action Plans will guide future investment so that benefits to fish and wildlife species as well
as residents are not lost over time and sites do not revert to previous degraded conditions.
Advancing the Great Lakes Sea Lamprey Control Program will continue to be a priority for
GLRI to ensure that lake trout restoration accomplishments made through past GLRI
investments are maintained and accelerated further. Technology development, testing, and
field trials will be prioritized to address critical, continuing pathways for non-native species to
enter the Great Lakes as well as battling invaders already established in the Great Lakes in
habitats highly valued for the ecosystem benefits provided. In FY 2025, the goal is to control
invasive species on 10,000 acres.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Impacts on Nearshore Health Objectives:
• Reduce nutrient loads from agricultural watersheds to reduce harmful algal blooms (HABs):
GLRI federal agencies and their partners will continue to support direct farmer assistance and
outreach to reduce nutrient losses in agricultural watersheds as well as continue to strategically
target and design projects based on the latest science. EPA will do this by: (1) expanding
outreach and demonstration farm networks to improve adoption of on-farm nutrient
management practices; and (2) demonstrating practices that slow down and filter agricultural
stormwater runoff, such as expanding buffers to waterways, widening floodplains on drainage
ditches, and creating wetlands in receiving waterbodies. FY 2025 targets are:
• Reduce 300,000 pounds of phosphorus from conservation practice implementation
throughout Great Lakes watersheds; and
• Provide technical or financial assistance on 150,000 acres in priority watersheds.
• Reduce untreated stormwater runoff to improve water quality: GLRI federal agencies and their
partners will continue to encourage and accelerate implementation of projects to reduce or
prevent stormwater runoff to protect nearshore water quality. EPA will continue to support
green infrastructure practices to infiltrate stormwater runoff, with a focus on implementation
in underserved communities. These projects will capture or slow the flow of untreated runoff
and filter out sediment, nutrients, toxic contaminants, pathogens, and other pollutants from
runoff before it enters Great Lakes tributaries, beaches, and nearshore waters. Federal agencies
and their partners also will continue to support implementation of watershed management
projects that slow and intercept runoff in urban and rural communities to prevent runoff and
erosion, now and in future conditions with a changing climate. FY 2025 targets are:
• Capture or treat 75 million gallons of untreated stormwater runoff captured or treated;
and,
• Restore or protect 13 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and riparian corridors restored or
protected.
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• Improve effectiveness of nonpoint source control efforts to reduce HABs: EPA and its federal
partners will continue to adaptively manage to maximize nonpoint source control efforts.
Strategies will include 1) testing or piloting new/innovative ways to achieve nutrient
reductions, such as slow-release fertilizer and manure transformation technologies; 2)
assessing the ability of wetlands to capture nutrients; and 3) monitoring nutrient levels in the
major tributaries to the Great Lakes and nearshore areas experiencing algal blooms.
Habitats and Species Objectives:
• Protect, enhance, and increase resilience of habitats necessary for sustaining native aquatic and
terrestrial species important to the future Great Lakes ecosystem: GLRI federal agencies and
their partners will build upon past restoration efforts targeted at critical habitat types, increase
access and use of project sites by residents, tribes, and underserved communities, and continue
to generate lessons learned from projects so that climate adaptation options for future projects
are identified upfront in the planning process. Projects will be largely based on the following
priorities:
o Watersheds predicted to retain cold-water habitat necessary for native fish populations.
o Coastal habitats that support productive fisheries, recreational and cultural uses by
communities, and protection of infrastructure against lake-level changes.
o Forest ecosystems, subtypes, and associated communities of species that provide
resiliency for insect and wildlife populations or enhance critical corridors for future
movement of species in response to changing climate.
FY 2025 targets are:
o Restore, protect, or enhance 10,000 acres of coastal wetland, nearshore, and other
habitats; and
o 200 miles of connectivity between rivers, streams, and lakes providing passage for
aquatic species.
• Increase resiliency and representation of native species under future climate conditions: EPA
and its federal partners will continue to provide significant funding to agencies, entities, and
Tribal Nations that manage, stock, and restore populations of native species and incorporate
climate adaption options into their restoration strategies. Reintroduction of species important
to Tribal Nations will be planned and implemented to provide important food resources and
cultural uses. GLRI agencies will continue restoring the native top predator (lake trout) and
native prey fish species (e.g., cisco, bloater, kiyi, and others), bringing back critical elements
of the food web in Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, and additional locations in the Great Lakes.
Coastal wetland habitats and reefs important to native fish and breeding marsh birds will be
prioritized so projects provide increased resiliency and the habitat diversity needed for
breeding, nursery, and feeding. A subset of federally threatened and endangered species will
be identified for accelerated population recovery actions so that iconic species found here in
the Great Lakes not only persist, but are restored to self-sustaining populations, and are
downlisted in the future. In FY 2025, the target is to complete actions to significantly protect
or promote recovery of populations of one species.
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Foundations for Future Restoration Actions Objectives:
• With a focus on underserved communities, (1) educate the next generations about the Great
Lakes ecosystem; and (2) teach people the skills needed to enter the environmental restoration
and protection workforce: EPA and its federal partners will continue to promote Great Lakes-
based ecosystem education and stewardship for K-12 school students and community members
(for example, courses at parks, nature centers, museums, zoos, and on-board vessels) while
investing in youth in underserved communities. GLRI agencies and partners will continue to
support activities centered on providing experience-based learning opportunities, with an
emphasis on youth, and continue to develop Great Lakes literate educators using the essential
principles and fundamental concepts included in the Great Lakes Literacy curriculum. These
activities will support the overall goal of educating students and next generations to foster
Great Lakes stewardship, promote conservation, and expose and prepare under-represented
youth for higher education opportunities in natural resource management. With enhanced
focus under Action Plan IV, GLRI agencies and their partners will implement workforce
development programs to teach people in underserved communities the skills needed to enter
the environmental restoration and protection workforce that supports GLRI projects.
• Conduct targeted science to inform and assess Great Lakes restoration: GLRI federal agencies
and their partners will continue to support targeted science projects and implement programs
that will help track progress towards GLRI long-term goals and inform future restoration
actions. There will be a continued focus on priority issues such as HABs and coastal resiliency,
but also new efforts such as ecosystem monitoring in winter. There also will be continued
support for assessing the health of the Great Lakes through long-term monitoring programs
and CSMI.
In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Public Law 117-58) includes $200
million for this program in FY 2025. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting appropriations language that
will provide funding under this program as no-year funds.
GLRI Funding Allocations:
EPA leads the cooperative process to determine funding allocations for programs and projects of
the GLRI agencies. Under the CWA Section 118, EPA provides the appropriate authorizing and
appropriating committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives a yearly detailed
description of the progress of the GLRI and amounts transferred to participating federal
departments and agencies.
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Summary of FY 2018 - 2025 Allocations* by Focus Area
(Dollars in Thousands)
Focus Area
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Toxic Substances
and AOC
$105,600
$107,400
$115,800
$118,500
$62,600
$95,200
$106,600
TBD
Invasive Species
$56,700
$57,000
$62,900
$66,000
$81,000
$69,200
$71,700
TBD
Nonpoint Source
Pollution Impacts on
Nearshore Health
$50,600
$51,200
$51,000
$55,400
$83,800
$78,100
$76,300
TBD
Habitat and Species
$52,400
$51,400
$54,500
$56,200
$79,500
$77,600
$72,100
TBD
Foundations for
Future Restoration
Actions
$34,700
$33,000
$35,800
$33,900
$41,100
$47,900
$41,300
TBD
TOTAL
$300,000
$300,000
$320,000
$330,000
$348,000
$368,000
$368,000
TBD
Allocations are based on budgets approved by Regional Working Group (RWG) agencies. The FY 2022 thru FY
2024 allocations reflect adjustments as a result of allocating BIL funding, principally to cleanup of AOCs. RWG
agencies develop allocations for future funding, such as FY 2024 and FY 2025, based on the authorized GLRI
funding level and will make adjustments upon appropriation.
Summary of FY 2017 - 2025 Allocations* by Agency
(Dollars in Thousands)
A lie no
I V 2017
I V 20IX
I V 201')
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
dhs-uscc;
S1.5X0
$500
$1,661
$1,250
$1,300
$1,200
$1,300
TBD
TBD
DOC-NOAA
$12,027
$24,629
$29,405
$28,163
$16,621
$30,361
$22,789
TBD
TBD
DOD-USACE
$55,940
$43,559
$37,387
$30,599
$42,612
$29,067
$12,315
TBD
TBD
DOI-BIA
$10,904
$11,617
$9,842
$15,840
$15,765
$19,724
$21,244
TBD
TBD
DOI-NPS
$4,379
$3,940
$3,822
$3,794
$4,968
$7,816
$7,614
TBD
TBD
DOI-USFWS
$41,794
$52,902
$47,272
$53,523
$59,288
$86,082
$79,327
TBD
TBD
DOI-USGS
$26,817
$25,724
$21,603
$19,780
$19,790
$24,980
$22,875
TBD
TBD
DOT-MARAD
$800
$675
$803
$5,500
$8,000
$6,500
$2,100
TBD
TBD
HHS-ATSDR/CDC
$593
$590
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
TBD
TBD
USD A-APHIS
$1,262
$1,176
$1,312
$1,378
$1,459
$1,832
$2,138
TBD
TBD
USDA-NRCS
$22,072
$25,096
$20,697
$22,239
$24,374
$31,824
$33,091
TBD
TBD
USDA-USFS
$11,355
$10,153
$11,646
$9,921
$12,464
$12,958
$14,148
TBD
TBD
IA Totals:
$189,522
$200,560
$185,448
$191,988
$206,641
$252,343
$218,941
TBD
TBD
EPA and Misc IAs
$110,478
$99,440
$114,552
$128,012
$123,359
$95,657
$149,058
TBD
TBD
Totals:
$300,000
$300,000
$300,000
$320,000
$330,000
$348,000
$368,000
TBD
TBD
Allocations are based on budgets approved by Regional Working Group (RWG) agencies. The FY 2022 and FY 2023 allocations reflect
adjustments as a result of allocating BIL funding, principally to cleanup of AOCs. RWG agencies develop allocations for future
funding, such as FY 2024 and FY 2025, based on the authorized GLRI funding level and will make adjustments upon appropriation.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act Section 118.
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Homeland Security
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Homeland Security: Communication and Information
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
N 4.5V2
S2
Sfi.liv
S 1,42'
Total Budget Authority
$4,592
$4,692
$6,119
$1,427
Total Workyears
11.8
13.3
15.3
2.0
Program Project Description:
There has been an evolution of the term and mission of national and homeland security since 9/11.
National security is now widely understood to include non-military dimensions, such as climate
and environmental security, economic security, energy security, and cybersecurity, as well as
traditional homeland security topics. Due to this, the homeland security roles and responsibilities
of the EPA have expanded and several areas (e.g., climate, natural disasters) now involve
engagement from the broader national security community. Systematic preparation is essential for
the threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation, including acts of terrorism,
climate change, pandemics, catastrophic natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and other national
security emergencies. The White House, Congress, and the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) have defined responsibilities for EPA in several areas, including critical water infrastructure
protection and response to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear events, through a series
of statutes, presidential directives, and national plans.
In addition, EPA supports disaster recovery and mitigation and this essential work has been
steadily expanding to include climate change and climate security work identified in recent
Executive Orders. EPA's Mitigation and Recovery Order 2074 reaffirms our role using EPA
programs and resources and directs Regions to assign coordinators to support the agency-wide
efforts with mitigation and recovery. EPA's critical mitigation work prepares communities to
prevent or reduce impacts when natural (e.g., climate change) or human-made disaster (e.g., dirty
bomb, anthrax) occurs. Regions work with federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local communities
to provide technical assistance to reduce loss of life and environmental impact per the National
Mitigation Framework and the National Investment Mitigation Strategy. Climate change will
continue to increase the frequency, extent, and severity of natural disasters.
As our response roles are executed and the event continuum transfers to recovery, EPA then
focuses on how best to restore, redevelop, and revitalize the health, social fabric, economy, and
environment of the community using the six Recovery Support Functions of the National Disaster
Recovery Framework.
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EPA's Homeland Security: Communication and Information Program has two components. The
Office of Homeland Security (OHS) supports the Agency's coordination and communication
activities related to national security and homeland security. The Office of Mission Support, which
manages the Agency's Enterprise Security Operations Center (SOC), is responsible for the
centralized, integrated, and coordinated cybersecurity prevention, detection, response, and
supporting recovery capability for EPA networks.
OHS provides technical, policy, and intelligence advice to senior agency leadership related to
national and homeland security. OHS coordinates the Agency's intelligence activities, including
EPA's engagement with the White House, National Security Council (NSC), and other federal
departments and agencies on the development of new national and homeland security policies and
requirements. OHS also ensures that the NSC and other lead federal entities understand the impacts
of new national security initiatives and policies on existing EPA programs. OHS maintains
intelligence operations and analyses capabilities focusing on EPA's equities, including the
protection of critical infrastructure, specifically the water sector, climate change and security
issues, and biodefense and global health security issues. OHS serves as the Federal Intelligence
Coordinating Office (FICO) for EPA and coordinates with the Intelligence Community (IC) in
support of policy development and consequence management efforts. OHS also focuses on
coordination and integration of chemical, biological, and radiological preparedness and response
programs. More specifically, OHS focuses on the protection of air and water quality and the
prevention of land contamination, through external engagement with federal departments and
agencies and internal coordination with EPA program offices with homeland security
responsibilities. OHS also has developed a Classified Information Management Program to ensure
effective classified communications with all 10 EPA Regions in the event of a national security
emergency or incident. OHS coordinates with regional, state, and local Fusion Centers and Joint
Terrorism Task Forces to focus on integrating EPA regional offices with the information sharing
environment and DHS' intelligence sharing network. OHS also advances implementation of the
National Counterintelligence and Security Center's Enterprise Threat Mitigation Framework via
the following programs: EPA Insider Threat, Safeguarding Science/Research Security, National
Operations Security (OPSEC), and Defensive Counterintelligence. OHS also manages the program
that supports the Department of Treasury with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
States (CFIUS) and Foreign Visitors to EPA.
In addition, OHS works closely with EPA's Water Program to coordinate and integrate water
security efforts internally and externally with stakeholders regarding physical threats and
contamination and cyber threats to operations. EPA serves as the Sector Risk Management Agency
(SRMA) for the water sector. The Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community
(IC) (February 2023)162 indicated that cyber threats from nation states and non-nation states remain
an acute growing problem threatening U.S. critical infrastructure. Cyberattacks across critical
infrastructure sectors are rapidly increasing in volume and sophistication, impacting both
information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems in the water sector.
EPA's Enterprise SOC provides a centralized, integrated, and coordinated cybersecurity incident
response capability that defends against unauthorized activity within computer networks, by
162 Please see the following for more information: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publicatioiis/2020 10_06_homeland-
threat-assessment .pdf and https://www.dni.gov/files/ODlSlI/documents/assessments/ATA-2023-Unclassified-Report.pdf.
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preventing, detecting, monitoring, analyzing, and responding to suspicious or malicious activity
through its Computer Security Incident Response Capability (CSIRC). The SOC and CSIRC also
provide situational and threat awareness, cyber network defense infrastructure, cybersecurity tool
engineering and support, vulnerability and risk assessments, and threat intelligence processing and
threat hunting capabilities. The SOC leverages an enterprise security information and event
manager, enterprise logging, endpoint detection and response, and other capabilities to perform its
mission, as well as maintain communications with DHS' Liaison Officers to respond to alerts that
have potential national security impact.
National and homeland security information technology efforts are closely coordinated with the
agencywide information security and infrastructure activities, which are managed by EPA's
Information Security and IT/Data Management programs. These IT support programs also enable
contact among localities, EPA program and regional offices, and laboratories in emergency
situations.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. With the resources
requested in FY 2025, this program will:
• Continue to promote a coordinated approach to EPA's homeland security activities and
support the alignment of resources with government-wide national and homeland security
priorities and requirements as defined by the NSC and the IC, including climate security,
cybersecurity, and biodefense.
• Continue to build on and develop the Agency's cybersecurity intelligence capabilities to
provide a level of support that would enable EPA to better prepare for and respond timely
to specific threats, mitigate attacks, assess evolving water sector cyber intelligence
requirements, and assist in developing proposals to prevent/mitigate cyber incidents. By
further building these capabilities, the Agency will be able to increase research, analyses,
and engagement with the water and wastewater sector and partner agencies who deal with
cybersecurity {i.e., DHS' Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)) and
help EPA fulfill the requirements in Section 9002 of the FY 2021 National Defense
Authorization Act. All indicators suggest cybersecurity threats and requirements,
particularly those associated with the critical infrastructure sector, will only increase in
number, complexity, and potential consequences for the foreseeable future.
• OHS and EPA's Water Program will continue to develop an integrated strategy to work
together more effectively to coordinate water and wastewater sector-wide cybersecurity
threat information and intelligence sharing efforts. Specific examples of OHS'
roles/responsibilities in this area include:
o Engaging with the Water Sector Coordinating Council and the Water Information
Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) to more closely work with CISA and the
intelligence and law enforcement communities to facilitate the identification of
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intelligence requirements and priorities of critical infrastructure owners and operators,
in the water and wastewater sector, in coordination with the Director of National
Intelligence and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate;
o Supporting risk assessment and risk management efforts by EPA in conjunction with
CISA; and
o Working with CISA to provide and facilitate awareness, within the water and
wastewater sector, of ongoing, and where possible, real-time awareness of identified
threats, vulnerabilities, mitigations, and other actions related to the security of the water
and wastewater sector.
• Continue to develop new collaborative practices and methods, with Intelligence
Community agencies, to meet the cybersecurity needs of the water and wastewater sector,
along with other critical sectors, to address increasingly sophisticated and complex threat
actor tactics and techniques. EPA has coordinated with NSC, CISA, Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), and water sector entities, on several occasions, regarding cyber-attacks
on the water sector's IT and OT systems, which has resulted in a renewed emphasis on
notification and communication efforts with the water utilities.
• Continue to develop new collaborative practices and methods with Intelligence
Community agencies and the National Security Council to meet the requirement in
Executive Order (EO) 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,163 "to
place the climate crisis at the forefront of this Nation's foreign policy and national security
planning," and to address emerging domestic and global biological risks, including
pandemics and national bio-preparedness policies.
• Provide more comprehensive support to the expanding collaborations with Department of
Energy (DOE), CISA, and other programs on cyber threat response.
• Promote a coordinated approach to communicating classified and sensitive information to
EPA programs, laboratories, and regional offices via secure communications systems to
support timely intelligence and information sharing to enable safe and effective operational
preparedness and response.
• Continue to develop a program, working with the Office of Policy, to support the regional
Disaster Recovery Coordinators, increasing national disaster mitigation and recovery
capacity and climate resilience. OHS also will support regional Mitigation Coordinators to
increase mitigation planning and advance policy to increase resilience in support of
Executive Order 14008, " Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. "
• Support federal, state, tribal, and local efforts to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and
recover from the impacts of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other emergencies by
providing leadership and coordination across EPA's program offices and regions.
163 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-
order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
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• Provide technical, policy, and intelligence advice to senior agency leadership related to
biodefense and pandemic preparedness. For the Agency, track the targets and outcomes of
the National Biodefense Strategy (NBS) and its Implementation Plan. Serving as the EPA
Federal Intelligence Coordination Office, coordinate analytical intelligence support
capacity across the Agency to meet EPA's NBS requirements and whole-of-government
biological response obligations. Enhance focus on coordination and integration of
biological preparedness and response programs as they relate to protection of human health
and the environment through external engagement with federal departments and agencies
and internal coordination with EPA program offices.
• Ensure appropriate agency representation in various White House and other federal
national security and homeland security policy activities. These efforts include serving as
EPA's representative for homeland and national security, national disaster response, and
mitigation and recovery policy in monthly meetings of the Homeland Preparedness and
Response Interagency Policy Committee (IPC), the Homeland Critical Infrastructure
Resilience IPC, chaired by the NSC, and in weekly NSC Cyber Response Group meetings
and other national security policy committees, including the Recovery IPC, Artificial
Intelligence IPC, and the Cyber IPC. In addition, OHS serves as EPA's representative in
monthly meetings of the Recovery Support Function Leaders Group, chaired by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Mitigation Framework Leadership
Group, also chaired by FEMA, and on other interagency workgroups.
• Expand Agency secure video telecommunications (SVTC) capabilities, in support of
agency representation in various White House and other federal national security and
homeland security policy activities.
• Focus on filling critical policy, knowledge, and technology gaps that may be essential for
an effective EPA response, including working with our interagency partners to define
collective capabilities and resources that may contribute to closing common homeland
security gaps, including emerging chemical threats and cybersecurity concerns for critical
water infrastructure.
• Provide EPA end-users with relevant, accurate, reliable, objective, and timely intelligence
bearing on matters of environmental policy and regulation and domestic threats and
counterintelligence, where EPA functions to preserve or assist in the restoration of human
health and the environment.
• Continue phased implementation of EO 13587, Structural Reforms to Improve the Security
of Classified Networks and the Responsible Sharing and Safeguarding of Classified
Information164 to meet the main pillars of classified information protection with a focus on
the implementation of an Insider Threat Program to address and mitigate threats to national
security.
164 For more information, please see: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/07/executive-order-13587-
structural-reforms-improve-security-classified-net.
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• Track emerging national and homeland security issues, through close coordination with the
U.S. Intelligence Community, to anticipate and avoid crisis situations and target the
Agency's efforts proactively against threats to the United States.
• Phase in National Security Presidential Memorandum 28 (NSPM-28) to support OPSEC
for the Agency.
• Support the coordination and communication requirements of NSPM-32 to share
information on critical incidents in a timely and effective manner.
• Phase in NSPM-33 to support other offices' work in Safeguarding Science/Research
Security for the Agency.
In FY 2025, EPA also will continue to support EO 14028, Improving the Nation's
Cyber security,165 implementation through monitoring across the Agency's IT infrastructure to
detect, remediate, and eradicate malicious activity/software from EPA's computer and data
networks. Specific activities include:
• Continue to mature and enhance internal Computer Security Incident Response Capability
to ensure rapid identification and reporting of suspicious activity through increased training
and awareness of cybersecurity threats. Training opportunities (e.g., Annual Training,
Quarterly Phishing exercises, and Cybersecurity Awareness Month Activities) are
provided to individual users to identify the most recent cybersecurity threats along with
Quarterly Incident Response tabletop exercises to develop agency staff proficiency in
responding to cyber security incidents.
• Improve threat intelligence sharing. EPA personnel are active participants in the United
States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, a DHS-led group of experts from incident
response and security response teams. Indicators and warnings are shared between EPA
incident responders and their cleared counterparts in other agencies and with the
Intelligence Community. This provides the ability to integrate actionable intelligence with
deployed systems to improve cybersecurity defensive capabilities.
• Continue maturation and refinement of the Agency's Incident Response procedures in
compliance with EO 14028 and CISA's Playbook for Responding to Cybersecurity
Vulnerabilities and Incidents.
• In compliance with OMB Memorandum M-22-01, Improving Detection of Cybersecurity
Vulnerabilities and Incidents on Federal Government Systems through Endpoint Detection
and Response,166 EPA will continue work to integrate End Point Detection and Response
(EDR) capabilities with the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Program to support
proactive detection of cybersecurity incidents within the EPA information environment,
supporting active cyber threat hunting, containment, remediation, and incident response.
165 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-actioiis/2021/05/12/executive-
order-on-improving-the-nations-cybersecurity/.
166 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/M-22-01.pdf.
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This work includes extensive coordination with CISA and deployment of capabilities
across the Agency.
• Mature the security logging capabilities, as outlined in OMB Memorandum M-21-31,
Improving the Federal Government's Investigative and Remediation Capabilities Related
to Cybersecurity Incidents.167 This activity will build on implementation of Event Logging
Level 3 for Advanced Logging requirements at all criticality levels. It will focus on fully
implementing Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response tools to streamline threat
and vulnerability management, incident response, and security operations automation, as
well as User Behavior Monitoring analytics to enable early detection of malicious
behavior.
• In compliance with OMB Memorandum M-22-09,168 Moving the U.S. Government Toward
Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles, the SOC will support implementation of a Zero Trust
Architecture across the Agency to enable increased visibility and use of analytics to help
strengthen Information Security and Privacy governance.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,007.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change increases resources and FTE for
implementing the EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan, supporting the increased
resilience of EPA programs, and strengthening the capacity of states, communities, and
businesses to adapt to climate change, with a particular focus on enhancing environmental
justice. This includes $213.0 thousand in payroll costs.
• (+$446.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change increases resources and FTE for enhancing
homeland security coordination and communication efforts across the Agency. This
includes $213.0 thousand in payroll costs.
• (+$25.0) This program change provides an increase in resources for the Agency to share
emerging bio-surveillance threat information and intelligence within the Agency, track and
coordinate environmental countermeasures development for National Biodefense Strategy
(NBS) quarterly reporting, and perform bio-surveillance integration with the interagency.
• (-$51.0) This program change reflects efficiencies realized from streamlining homeland
security IT efforts across the Agency.
167 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/M-21-31-Improving-the-Federal-
Govemments-Investigative-and-Remediation-Capabilities-Related-to-Cybersecurity-Incidents.pdf.
168 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-Q9.pdf.
400
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Statutory Authority:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, §§ 1001, 2001, 3001, 3005; Safe Drinking Water Act;
Clean Water Act, §§ 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 107; Clean Air Act, §§ 102, 103, 104, 108; Toxic
Substances Control Act, §§ 201, 301, 401; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act,
§§ 136a-136y; Bio Terrorism Act of 2002, §§ 303, 305, 306, 307; Homeland Security Act of 2002;
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act; Defense Against Weapons of Mass
Destruction Act; and Food Safety Modernization Act, § 208.
401
-------
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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$12,249
$10,852
$34,351
$23,499
Total Budget Authority
$12,498
$11,775
$35,376
$23,601
Total Workyears
26.2
26.6
57.6
31.0
Program Project Description:
The Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Program supports EPA's efforts to coordinate and
provide technical expertise to enhance the protection of the Nation's critical water infrastructure
from terrorist threats and all-hazard events through effective information sharing and
dissemination. This program provides water systems with current information on methods and
strategies to build preparedness for natural and man-made threats.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
This program also supports the Agency's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJ A)
implementation priorities including preparing for and responding to cybersecurity challenges so
that water systems are more resilient.
In FY 2025, EPA will build capacity, at water systems, to identify and respond to threats to critical
national water infrastructure by:
• Providing timely information on contaminant properties, water treatment effectiveness,
detection technologies, analytical protocols, and laboratory capabilities;
• Supporting effective communication conduits to disseminate threat and incident
information and to serve as a clearinghouse for sensitive information;
• Encouraging information sharing between the water sector and environmental
professionals, scientists, emergency services personnel, law enforcement, public health
agencies, the intelligence community, and technical assistance providers. Through this
exchange, water systems can obtain up-to-date information on current technologies in
water security, accurately assess their vulnerabilities to terror acts, and work cooperatively
402
-------
with public health officials, first responders, and law enforcement officials to respond
effectively in the event of an emergency;
• Providing water utilities, of all sizes, with access to a comprehensive range of important
materials, including the most current information, tools, training, and protocols designed
to enhance the security (including cybersecurity), preparedness, and resiliency of the water
sector (including addressing natural hazards and climate change); and
• Ensuring that water utilities receive timely and informative alerts about changes in the
homeland security advisory level and regional and national trends in certain types of water-
related incidents. For example, should there be types of specific, water-related threats or
incidents that are recurring, EPA, in coordination with the Department of Homeland
Security and other appropriate agencies, will alert utilities of the increasing occurrence of
or trends in these incidents.
Providing this information, coupled with effective information sharing processes, allows the water
sector to improve its understanding of the latest water security and resiliency protocols and threats.
These protocols reduce risk by enhancing the water sector's ability to prepare for an emergency.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance and
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs, under the EPM appropriation, to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$34.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$68.0) This program change provides increased resources to promote the protection of
critical water infrastructure.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act, §§ 1431-1435; Clean Water Act; Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Emergency and Response Act of 2002; Emergency Planning and Community Right-
to-Know Act, §§ 301-305.
403
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Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
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$625
$625
$501
-$124
Building and Facilities
$3,944
$6,676
$6,676
$0
Flazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,167
$1,029
$1,530
$501
Total Budget Authority
$11,795
$13,518
$13,865
$347
Total Workyears
12.3
13.3
13.3
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 13.3 FTE to support Homeland Security Working Capital Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Environmental Programs and Management resources for the Homeland Security: Protection of
EPA Personnel and Infrastructure Program supports EPA efforts to maintain a robust physical
security and preparedness infrastructure, ensuring that its facilities are secured and protected in
line with the federally mandated Interagency Security Committee (ISC) standards.
In order to secure and protect EPA's personnel and physical infrastructure, the Agency operates a
USAccess Personal Identity Verification (PIV) program, which adheres to the requirements as set
forth in Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12).169 This program ensures the
Agency complies with government-wide standards for the issuance of secure and reliable forms of
identification to federal employees and contractors who require access to federally controlled
facilities and networks. Additionally, EPA's National Security Information (NSI) program
manages and safeguards EPA's classified information for its federal workforce and contractors,
including conducting mandatory training and NSI inspections at EPA's accredited facilities. In
addition to the NSI program, EPA operates a Personnel Security Program that initiates and
adjudicates personnel background investigations, processes fingerprint checks, determines
individual eligibility to access classified NSI, and maintains personnel security records for all
federal and non-federal employees.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
169 For additional information, please see: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-presidential-directive-12
404
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As part of the nationwide protection of buildings and critical infrastructure, EPA performs physical
security vulnerability assessments on its facilities each year. Through this program, the Agency
also recommends security risk mitigations, reviews and manages access control measures,
determines physical security measures for new construction and leases, and manages the lifecycle
of security equipment.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to partner with GSA on implementing Enterprise Physical Access
Control Systems (ePACS). ePACS modernizes EPA's security infrastructure in compliance with
HSPD-121 and ensures that the Agency is enhancing safety, security, and efficiency with more
effective controlled access to EPA physical space and networks.
In FY 2025, EPA will complete security projects to ensure protection of occupants and compliance
with federal mandates and ISC standards, including:
• Migrating to ePACS at the Research Triangle Park, NC Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL
Laboratory, the Newport, OR Environmental Laboratory, the Washington, DC EPA
Headquarters facilities, the Edison, NJ Region 2 Laboratory, and the New York City, NY
Region 2 Headquarters.
• Upgrading closed-circuit television and physical security in response to vulnerabilities
identified in physical security assessments.
The Agency will continue to utilize GSA's Managed Service Office program, USAccess, for
Personal Identity Verification card enrollment and issuance. USAccess is a GSA managed, shared
services solution that provides EPA the ability to produce and maintain secure and reliable forms
of identification for all EPA employees and contractors as required per HSPD-12.
The Agency will continue to prioritize implementation of Trusted Workforce 2.0170 (TW 2.0). TW
2.0 is a whole-of-government background investigation reform effort overhauling the personnel
vetting process by creating one government-wide system that allows reciprocity across
organizations. This effort includes moving from periodic reinvestigations every five to ten years
towards a Continuous Vetting program, which protects the trusted workforce in real time.
Additionally, the Agency will expand continuous vetting enrollment to include Non-Sensitive
Public Trust (NSPT) personnel and report on performance metrics mandated in the Performance
Management Implementation Guidance, jointly issued by OPM and the Director of National
Intelligence in 2023.
In FY 2025, pursuant to the June 2023 Trusted Workforce Implementation Strategy, issued by the
Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council, EPA will complete
projects that support the transition to TW 2.0, including: enrollment of EPA personnel into the
continuous evaluation program managed by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
and integration of EPA processes with National Background Investigation Services (NBIS),171
continuing to implement a new personnel vetting IT system for the background investigation
process to deliver stronger security, faster processing, and better information sharing.
170 For additional information, please see: https://www.performance.gov/trusted-workforce/.
171 For additional information, please see: https://www.dcsa.mil/is/nbis/.
405
-------
EPA complies with 5 CFR 1400,172 which requires that federal and non-federal positions are
designated for both risk and sensitivity and that personnel have appropriate background
investigations commensurate with their position's risk and sensitivity designation. EPA will
continue to manage the personnel security, suitability, fitness, and NSI programs and conduct
background investigations following appropriate federal guidance, ensuring that personnel are
properly investigated for the positions they encumber and that classified material and activity is
properly handled. As federal guidelines and policies change or are introduced, the systems
supporting background investigations and the NSI Program will be updated and enhanced, as
needed.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$30.0) This net change reflects cost efficiencies associated with the continued adoption
of the Enterprise Physical Access Control System (ePACS) shared service across EPA
facilities.
Statutory Authority:
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; Privacy Act of 1974; REAL ID Act
of 2005; Homeland Security Act of 2002; Americans with Disabilities Act; Reorganization Plan
No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.)
(EPA's organic statute).
172 For additional information, please see: https://www.ecfr.gov/cuiTmlAilJe-S/chapte--lV/parl-1400.
406
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Indoor Air and Radiation
407
-------
Indoor Air: Radon Program
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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$70
$199
$173
-$26
Total Budget Authority
$2,914
$3,563
$5,320
$1,757
Total Workyears
8.0
9.0
12.4
3.4
Program Project Description:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to take a variety of actions
to address the public health risk posed by exposure to indoor radon. Under the statute, EPA studies
the health effects of radon, assesses exposure levels, sets an action level, provides technical
assistance to states, industry, and the public, advises the public of steps they can take to reduce
exposure, and promotes the availability of reliable radon services and service providers to the
public.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States - and the leading cause of
lung cancer mortality among non-smokers - accounting for about 21,000 deaths per year.173 EPA's
non-regulatory Indoor Air: Radon Program promotes actions to reduce the public's health risk
from indoor radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all homes be tested for radon
and if radon levels above EPA's guidelines are confirmed, elevated levels should be reduced by
home mitigation using proven, straightforward techniques. EPA also recommends that new homes
be built using radon-resistant features in areas where there is elevated radon. Nationally, risks from
radon have been reduced in millions of homes, but there are millions more that are still in need of
mitigation. Additionally, low-income families and tribal communities lack access to resources to
address radon. This voluntary program promotes partnerships among national organizations, the
private sector, and more than 50 state, local, tribal, and territory governmental programs to reduce
radon risk.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
173 https://www.epa.gov/radoii.
408
-------
EPA will continue to lead the federal government's response to radon and to implement the
Agency's own multi-pronged radon program. Work in this program supports the President's
priority of advancing environmental justice (EJ). EPA will drive action at the national level to
reduce radon risk in homes and schools through the National Radon Action Plan, partnerships with
the private sector and public health groups, technical assistance to states and industry, public
outreach, and education activities. The Agency will encourage radon risk reduction as a normal
part of doing business in the real estate marketplace, will promote local and state adoption of radon
prevention standards in building codes, and will participate in the development of national
voluntary standards (e.g., mitigation and construction protocols) for adoption by states and the
radon industry. EPA will continue to support the framework that ensures a quality, credentialed
radon workforce.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM LCD) Number of lung cancer deaths prevented through lower radon exposure.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
1,881
1,981
2,083
2,162
Deaths
Prevented
Actual
1,482
1,578
1,684
1,795
1,894
1,970
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,777.0 / +3.4 FTE) This increase in resources supports efforts to restore EPA's staff
expertise, analysis, and capacity in the indoor air radon program in order to better lead the
federal government's response to radon and to implement the Agency' s own multi-pronged
radon program. This investment includes $684.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act (SARA); Clean Air Act.
409
-------
Radiation: Protection
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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$2,321
$1,683
$2,416
$733
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$2,081
$2,472
$3,144
$672
Total Budget Authority
$12,792
$13,243
$17,308
$4,065
Total Workyears
57.3
54.8
67.2
12.4
Program Project Description:
EPA has general and specific duties to protect human health and the environment from harmful
and avoidable exposure to radiation under multiple statutes. EPA's Radiation Protection Program
carries out these responsibilities through its federal guidance and standard-setting activities,
including: regulatory oversight and implementation of radioactive waste disposal standards for the
Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP); the regulation of airborne
radioactive emissions; general disposal standards for nuclear waste repositories; and the
development and determination of appropriate methods to measure and to model radioactive
releases and exposures under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).174 The Radiation Protection
Program also supports EPA, state, local and tribal authorities by providing radiation protection
scientific analyses and recommendations needed to inform risk management policies, and the
necessary radiation risk communications expertise to support local community engagement on
issues related to legacy contamination and environmental justice (EJ) needs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA will meet its statutory obligation to implement its regulatory oversight responsibilities for
DOE activities at the WIPP facility, as mandated by Congress in the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act
of 1992. In FY 2025, EPA anticipates concluding a detailed review of an initial DOE request for
expanding the WIPP repository to address needs for more waste disposal area, permitting disposal
of previously identified transuranic waste as well as more recently identified needs for disposal of
surplus plutonium. EPA will engage with stakeholders and community groups as part of the WIPP
review and will review and implement regulations or guidance, as necessary.
174 For more information on EPA's radiation protection program: http://www.epa.gov/radiation.
410
-------
Building on related efforts from FY 2023-24, EPA anticipates increased regulatory activity related
to the Clean Air Act and Atomic Energy Act. A key area for ongoing work is related to the
management of phosphogypsum wastes, including both requests for approval of alternate uses and
rulemaking. The increased interest in advanced nuclear reactors is expected to affect EPA's
regulatory programs and require reconsideration of rules related to nuclear power operations,
uranium recovery, and radioactive waste disposal.
The Agency will provide technical and policy analysis supporting scientific goals for space
exploration. EPA serves on the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board with the National
Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide launch
safety analysis.175
EPA scientists will participate, as appropriate, in interagency working groups to examine issues of
low-dose radiation health impacts and identify any needed changes to existing technical and policy
guidance. EPA radiation risk communicators will provide radiation-related website and
communications product content that is clear and accessible to the general public, including those
with limited English proficiency.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$90.0 /+0.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$2,570.0 / +7.3 FTE) This program change is an increase that supports efforts to restore
EPA's staff expertise, analysis, and capacity in the radiation protection program to provide
radiation protection scientific analyses and recommendations needed to inform risk
management policies. It also supports the necessary radiation risk communications
expertise for local community engagement on issues related to legacy contamination and
environmental justice needs. This investment includes $1.4 million for payroll and
additional fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Energy Policy Act of 1992; Nuclear Waste Policy Act
of 1982; Public Health Service Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation
Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act of 1992;
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Clean Water Act.
175 For more information, please see: https://sma.nasa.gov/docs/default-source/sma-disciplines-and-programs/nuclear/insrb-
charter—508d.pdf?sfvrsn=7862c7f8 2.
411
-------
Radiation: Response Preparedness
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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$3,200
$3,596
$4,802
$1,206
Total Budget Authority
$5,311
$6,246
$7,987
$1,741
Total Workyears
29.6
33.3
41.4
8.1
Program Project Description:
EPA responds to radiological emergencies; conducts essential national and regional radiological
response planning and training; and develops response plans for radiological incidents or
accidents. EPA will continue to conduct assessment and preparedness for response to incidents
involving foreign and domestic nuclear technology used in space nuclear systems and advanced
reactor technologies. EPA generates policy guidance and procedures for the Agency's radiological
emergency response under the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The Agency maintains its own
Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT) and is a member of the Department of
Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Radiological Preparedness
Coordinating Committee (FRPCC), the Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Board, and leads the
Federal Advisory Team for Environment, Food and Health (the "A-Team"). The A-Team includes
radiation protection experts from EPA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA); and their
function is to advise federal, state, local, and tribal authorities during radiological/nuclear
emergencies on public safety issues including evacuation, sheltering, and contamination concerns
for food, drinking water and other resources.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to streamline activities and fill gaps in the expertise that is critical
for essential preparedness work, restoring critical capacity to meet EPA's core mission. The RERT
will maintain essential readiness to support federal radiological emergency response and recovery
operations under the NRF and NCP. EPA will participate in interagency training and exercises to
maintain readiness levels needed to fulfill EPA's responsibilities.
412
-------
Evaluation of Response Plans
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with interagency partners, including those under the FRPCC
as well as those at the state, local, and tribal levels to examine and, as needed, revise radiation
emergency response plans, protocols, and standards. Under the NRF, EPA serves various roles
during nuclear incidents, for example, as a supporting agency for incidents in the United States and
as a coordinator for communicating with the U.S. public during foreign nuclear incidents, such as
the Fukushima accident. In FY 2025, EPA will maintain staff readiness and training needed to meet
the Agency's mission during such incidents. EPA will review and revise preparedness guidance to
ensure that the Agency's response efforts address the needs of the public, with special emphasis on
the most vulnerable.
EPA will support the U.S. Government assessment of foreign and domestic nuclear technology
used in space nuclear systems and advanced reactor technologies. Building on efforts in FY 2024,
EPA will continue work on the safety evaluations of the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency's (DARPA) Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) mission and
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dragonfly mission for potential impacts to
human health and the environment from these space nuclear systems. EPA will continue
radiological contingency planning and preparedness for DRACO and Dragonfly mission launches.
Coordinating Preparedness Efforts
EPA will continue essential planning and will participate in interagency tabletop and field exercises,
including radiological accident and incident response and anti-terrorism activities with the Advisory
Team for Environment, Food, and Health, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of
Energy (DOE), the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). The Agency also will provide technical support on priority issues to
federal, state, local, and tribal radiation, emergency management, solid waste, and health programs
responsible for implementing radiological emergency response and preparedness programs. The
Agency will continue to train and advise on the Protective Action Guidance176 and use lessons
learned from incidents and exercises to ensure the effective delivery of EPA support in coordination
with other federal, state, local, and tribal authorities.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RAD2) Percentage of radiation emergency response program personnel and assets that meet functional
readiness requirements necessary to support federal radiological emergency response and recovery
operation.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
90
92
92
92
Percent
Actual
<>:
87.7
87.1
176 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-
01/documents/epa pag_manual_final_revisions_01.-1.1.-201.7 cover_disclaimer_8.pdf.
413
-------
FY 2025 Change from 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$535.0 / +3.1 FTE) This program change is an increase that supports efforts to restore
EPA's staff expertise, analysis, and capacity in the radiation response program in order to
examine and, as needed, revise radiation emergency response plans, protocols, and
standards and continue essential planning for preparedness efforts. This investment
includes payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Homeland Security Act of 2002; Atomic Energy Act of 1954; Clean Air Act; Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PKEMRA); Public Health Service Act (PHSA);
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA).
414
-------
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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$27
$278
$185
-$93
Total Budget Authority
$13,309
$13,871
$47,755
$33,884
Total Workyears
35.3
39.2
71.4
32.2
Program Project Description:
Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) authorizes EPA
to conduct and coordinate research on indoor air quality, develop and disseminate information,
and coordinate risk reduction efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. Poor indoor air quality
represents one of the most significant public health risks within EPA's responsibility.177 EPA uses
a range of strategies to reduce health risks from poor indoor air quality in homes, schools, and
other buildings through partnerships with non-governmental, professional, federal, state, and local
organizations. Through these partnerships EPA provides information, guidance, and technical
assistance that equips industry, the health care community, the residential, school, and commercial
building sectors, and the general public to take action. As technical experts working at the
intersection of the built environment and health, EPA is focused on policy and guidance to improve
building conditions, including for disproportionately impacted communities, to reduce indoor air
risk and achieve improvements in environmental and health outcomes.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will promote actions and interventions to make improvements in public health
including efforts targeted to children, underserved communities, and other vulnerable populations.
The Program will include a particular focus on opportunities to accelerate the adoption of best
indoor air quality practices including ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning to help suppress the
transmission of airborne infectious disease and indoor exposure to wildfire smoke. EPA will
continue to lead on these issues by providing technical assistance and guidance for residential,
commercial, and public buildings, emphasizing that building improvements will be beneficial to
not only pandemic preparedness, climate change and disaster resilience, but also improved public
health in the long-term.
177 For additional information, please visit: littps://www.epa. gov/iaq.
415
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EPA will continue to equip school leaders and the school sector, through the Indoor Air Quality
Tools for Schools program, to put in place comprehensive indoor air quality management
programs that implement sustainable ventilation, filtration, and other indoor air quality
improvements to promote healthy school environments for students and staff. EPA will provide
and promote technical assistance, training, outreach, and other support to improve indoor air in
schools nationwide, including those in low-income and disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, EPA will collaborate with public and private sector organizations to provide clear
and verifiable protocols and specifications for promoting good indoor air quality and support
adoption of these protocols and specifications into existing healthy, energy efficiency, and green
building programs and initiatives to promote healthy buildings for a changing climate. EPA also
will equip the housing sector with guidance to promote the adoption of these best practices with
the aim of creating healthier, more energy efficient homes, including for low-income families.
In FY 2025, EPA will build the capacity of community-based organizations to provide
comprehensive asthma care that integrates management of indoor environmental asthma triggers
and health care services, with a particular focus on low-income, minority, and tribal communities.
As of FY 2023, EPA had equipped 2,954 programs to support the infrastructure, delivery, and
sustainability of comprehensive asthma care. In FY 2025, EPA's goal is to have equipped 3,155
programs.
EPA, in collaboration with other federal agencies, and partners will continue to work to ensure
access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. EPA will continue to work
with partners to increase the sustained use of clean fuels and stoves and cleaner and efficient
biomass cookstoves worldwide, not only to address the more than three million premature deaths
worldwide attributed annually to cookstove emissions, but also as an important component of the
Administration's climate strategy. EPA, in collaboration with the Clean Cooking and Climate
Consortium, will continue to work to encourage national governments to include household energy
emissions reductions in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), or Paris Climate
Plans). In FY 2025, 115 countries will have household energy emissions reductions in their NDCs.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PMIA) Number of programs, annually, equipped to support the infrastructure, delivery and sustainability
of comprehensive asthma care.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
1,800
2,855
3,005
3,155
Programs
Actual
1,232
1,645
2,132
2,446
2,705
2,954
(PM NDC) Number of countries with household energy in their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions
or Paris Climate Plans).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
115
Countries
Actual
416
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$33,977.0 / +32.2 FTE) This program change is an increase to restore EPA's staff
expertise, analysis, and capacity in the indoor air program. Funds also support efforts to
address indoor air quality during wildfires, reduce asthma disparities, promote healthy
school facilities in low-income communities in the U.S., and address the international
climate crisis by improving public health through the adoption of clean cookstoves. This
investment includes $6,154 million for payroll and additional changes to fixed support
costs.
Statutory Authority:
Title IV of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA); Title III Toxic
Substances Control Act; Clean Air Act.
417
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International Programs
418
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International Sources of Pollution
Program Area: International Programs
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S -.214
S -J2.1
SIS. MO
Total Budget Authority
$7,214
$7,323
$26,183
$18,860
Total Workyears
33.0
33.4
50.9
17.5
Program Project Description:
The United States works with international partners to address global sources of pollution,
including greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as the impacts of pollution from the United States on
other countries, regions, and the global environment. International sources of pollution impact air,
water, land, the oceans, food crops, and critical supply chains. Healthy environments, ecosystems,
and communities provide the foundation for protecting human health and the environment and
creating sustainable economic development, job opportunities, and sustainable growth.
Tackling the Climate Crisis, Accelerating Environmental and Economic Justice
Through this program, EPA works with international partners, such as foreign governments and
international organizations, to deploy assistance for measures that can strengthen on the ground
action to tackle the climate crisis and reduce transboundary pollution that impacts local
communities and travels through the environment to impact other communities across the globe;
this assistance also can strengthen the fundamental environmental rule of law. EPA's international
mission is essential to addressing transboundary pollution and adverse environmental impacts in
the United States and helps facilitate a cleaner and healthier environment around the world.
Strengthening environmental protection abroad so that it is on par with practices in the U.S. helps
level the playing field for industry and creates incentives for innovation and deploying cleaner
technologies. EPA's international programs also play an important role in fulfilling national
security and foreign policy objectives and creating a platform for promoting U.S. innovation and
showcasing state and local breakthrough programs and policies.
An important example of this work is EPA's engagement with the Group of Seven (G7) and the
Group of Twenty (G20) through environment ministerial meetings, which negotiate outcomes on
key EPA issues such as climate change, food waste, marine litter, resource efficiency, lead
pollution, and air quality. EPA's engagement with international financial institutions, United
Nations (UN) entities, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
has helped advance recognition of the critically important role of environmental factors, including
air pollution and toxic chemicals, that contribute to the global burden of non-communicable
diseases (NCDs), and of the role that sound environmental laws can play in reducing these risks.
419
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.3, Advance International and
Subnational Climate Efforts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to engage bilaterally, regionally, and through multilateral institutions to improve
international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gases, increase resilience and adaptive capacity, as
well as prevent and address the transboundary movement of conventional pollution and waste.
Climate and Equity
Specifically, in line with the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan, EPA will provide technical
assistance through the transfer of tools and knowledge to address climate change with partner
countries, with the goal of leveling the playing field, addressing disproportionate adverse human
health and environmental impacts in vulnerable and underserved communities, and helping to
ensure that all countries make meaningful progress in implementing their nationally determined
contributions under the Paris Agreement. This helps fulfill EPA's commitment to implementing
at least 40 international climate engagements that result in an individual partner commitment or
action to reduce GHG emissions, adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that
promotes equity by 2026.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting $18 million and 16 FTE above FY 2024 Annualized CR levels to
enhance capacity building governance programs for priority countries with increasing GHG
footprints and increase their capacity to implement partnerships as well as legislative, regulatory,
and legal enforcement efforts. These programs also will work to improve adaptive capacity and
mitigation strategies of pollution-burdened, vulnerable, and indigenous communities. Actions will
include partnering with the Secretariat of Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) to
assist project partners in transitioning to electric mobility solutions in key countries, particularly
in underserved and vulnerable communities, to finalize a high ambition work plan with the
Secretariat and work to develop or advance environmental standards for critical mineral supply
chains. They also will include technical assistance and capacity building to strengthen
environmental assessment processes and improve transparency and meaningful community
participation in decision making.
In FY 2025, the Agency will work with like-minded Arctic Council countries to identify external
resources and needs of indigenous Arctic communities and Alaskan Native Villages (ANVs) to
better understand pollution sources and management best practices that may impact local health
conditions. EPA also will continue to co-chair the Arctic Council expert group on short-lived
climate pollutants (SLCPs) to facilitate the development and implementation of projects to reduce
SLCP emissions, relying upon procedures for engagement developed by the White House and
Department of State.
EPA also will continue to share agency tools that can help partners increase their adaptive capacity
to climate change and understand the impacts of climate change on vulnerable and underserved
communities through the UN Environment Program's Global Adaptation Network, and existing and
new bilateral work programs with a focus on Africa.
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Marine Pollution
EPA will continue to engage internationally to prevent and reduce plastic pollution and marine
litter through sharing best practices and U.S. innovation as well as through the development of a
new global agreement. Marine plastic litter is a prominent global issue and one that can negatively
impact water quality, tourism, industry, and public health in the United States. EPA will provide
critical technical and policy expertise through a multilateral intergovernmental negotiating
committee (INC) process to develop a new binding international arrangement to end plastic
pollution.178 Since 80 percent of plastic marine litter comes from land-based sources of waste,179
countries with inadequate waste management contribute to the pollution in our shared oceans.
Improving integrated waste management and working on source reduction in these countries will
continue to be a priority.
Since the beginning of the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan, EPA has implemented 90 actions
overseas to mitigate marine litter and improve water quality and national air quality. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue to share tools and provide technical assistance, including through efforts
related to Trash Free Waters (TFW), to key contributing countries in Asia and Africa as well as
building on the results of past projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. In FY 2025, EPA
will further deploy TFW in Asia using materials that were translated into Thai, Vietnamese,
and a common Indonesian language. In Africa, EPA will help key countries develop and
implement TFW projects to prevent litter from entering the marine environment. EPA will
continue to strengthen actions with a regional focus on major source countries in Southeast
Asia and key partners in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa through bilateral
relationships and/or partnerships with UNEP leaders on implementing and disseminating
governance measures, policies, and technology to prevent marine litter.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work on the Kootenai Watershed, including with the regional
and national level governments in Canada, as a priority matter. EPA's work on reducing
transboundary mining pollution aims to improve human health and the environment in the
watershed and protect salmon, steelhead, and other fish in the Columbia River System (CRS).
Air Quality
EPA will engage with key priority countries and UN institutions to address air pollution that
contributes significant pollution to the domestic and international environment. For example,
several Asian countries (e.g., Thailand) are implementing national air quality monitoring,
planning, and control strategies with advice and lessons learned from the United States. In Africa,
EPA will continue its work to increase air quality monitoring and characterization, climate co-
benefit assessments, and air quality management planning. Environmental policies adopted and
implemented overseas will improve competitiveness for U.S. businesses, drive demand for U.S.
emissions control technologies, and expand exports of U.S. environmental goods and services,
which will create green jobs at home and improve air quality conditions in the United States.
178 For more information, please see: https://www.unep.org/about-ua-enviromiient/iiic-plastic-pollution.
179 J. R. Jambeck, R. Geyer, C. Wilcox, T. R. Siegler, M. Perryman, A. Andrady, R. Narayan, and K. L. Law, "Plastic waste
inputs from land into the ocean," Science, 2015, Volume 347, Number 622.
421
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Food Waste
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to cooperate with the United Nations and the Office of
Management and Budget to ensure that methodologies used to track international progress on
reducing food waste accurately reflect U.S. progress and to better understand the climate benefits
of reducing food waste. Approximately eight to ten percent of global greenhouse gas emissions
are from food loss in the agricultural supply chain and consumer food waste.180 The Agency will
continue to advance food waste efforts, which is an increasing portion of landfill waste in rapidly
urbanizing cities in developing countries, and explore awareness raising work with Canada and
Mexico.
Chemicals
EPA also will maintain efforts to reduce environmental threats to U.S. citizens from global
contaminants impacting air, water, and land. EPA will continue technical and policy assistance for
global, regional, and bilateral efforts to address international sources of harmful pollutants, such
as mercury. Since 70 percent of the mercury deposited in the U.S. comes from global sources,181
both domestic efforts and international cooperation are important to address mercury pollution.
EPA will continue to work with international partners and key countries to fully implement
obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury to protect the U.S. population from
mercury emissions originating in other countries, including from artisanal and small-scale gold
mining. EPA also continues its leadership role within the United Nations Environment Program's
Global Mercury Partnership.
With respect to mercury, EPA continues to work with partner countries to develop National Action
Plans (NAPs) that demonstrate how they will reduce or eliminate the use of mercury in the
Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector. ASGM is the largest source of global
mercury releases182 and the development of NAPs called for by the Minamata Convention on
Mercury is a critical first step to help major emitters reduce the use and release of mercury into the
environment.
EPA will continue to play a leadership role in the Lead Paint Alliance to increase the number of
countries that establish effective laws to limit lead in paint, which remains a priority health concern
following successful efforts to eliminate lead in gasoline worldwide. In addition, EPA will
continue to work with International Arctic partners to further develop a joint project proposal on
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This effort will focus on aqueous film-forming fire-
fighting foams (AFFFs) in arctic airports through in-kind technical expertise.
180 For more information, please see: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) Special Report on Climate Change and
Land, Chapter 5 Food Security, pg 440, https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/4/2021/02/08 Chapter-S 3.pdf.
181 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/intemational-cooperation/miiiaiiiata-convention-mercurv
and www.mercuryconvention.org.
182 For more information, please see: Global mercury assessment 1IXNEP - UN Environment Programme.
422
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM E13a) Number of climate engagements that result in an individual partner commitment or action to
reduce GHG emissions, adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that promotes equity.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8
10
10
10
Engagements
Actual
8
10
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$486.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$304.0 / +1.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$18,070.0 / +16.0 FTE) This program change increases FTE and resources to support efforts
for international climate change work, including greenhouse gas guidance, pilot programs,
and indigenous engagements on climate change. This increase will enhance capacity
building governance programs for priority countries with increasing GHG footprints to
increase their ability to implement partnerships as well as support legislative, regulatory,
and legal enforcement efforts. This includes $3,244 million in associated payroll.
Statutory Authority:
In conjunction with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102(2)(F): Clean Air Act §
103(a); Clean Water Act § 104(a)(l)-(2); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) § 1442(a)(1);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 8001(a)(1); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) §§ 17(d), 20(a); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) §10(a);
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203(a)(1); E.O. 13547; E.O. 13689;
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. §§ 4501-4372.
423
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Trade and Governance
Program Area: International Programs
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S'J'JO
N 5.510
S -.201
S I.OVI
Total Budget Authority
$7,390
$5,510
$7,201
$1,691
Total Workyears
13.9
15.3
18.0
2.7
Program Project Description:
EPA has played a key role in trade policy development since the 1972 Trade Act mandated that
the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) engage in interagency consultations. Specifically, EPA is
a member of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, the Trade Policy Review Group, and relevant
subcommittees-interagency mechanisms that provide advice, guidance, and clearance to the
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the development of U.S. international trade and
investment policy. Trade influences the nature and scope of economic activity and therefore the
levels of pollutant emissions and natural resource use. EPA's role in trade negotiations is to ensure
that agreements have provisions that are consistent with the Administration's environmental
protection goals while not putting the United States at an economic disadvantage. EPA offers
technical assistance and environmental governance capacity building for trade partners to support
implementation of environmental commitments made in Free Trade Agreements. EPA also
provides technical expertise on environmental governance and policy for international financial
institutions, including environmental policy reviews and project-level environmental guidance.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.3, Advance International and
Subnational Climate Efforts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Free Trade Agreements and United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its participation in the North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (CEC), which provides regional and international leadership to
advance environmental protection, human health, and sustainable economic growth in North
America. EPA will continue to work on the implementation of the Environment Chapter of the
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and other free trade agreements. The CEC
work on border watersheds supports America the Beautiful (AtB); specifically, the Administration
is pursuing a national conservation goal to protect or conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and
waters by 2030. Additional cooperation under the CEC is aimed at enhancing climate resilience in
environmental justice communities, contributing to the Agency's Justice 40 objectives. EPA
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activities will include monitoring and verifying provisions pertaining to global and national
environmental requirements in the agreement and providing subject matter expertise, including
activities that enhance capacity building governance programs in North America that increase the
capability to implement partnerships as well as legislative, regulatory, and legal enforcement to
reduce the overall GHG footprint.
EPA will continue active participation in the USTR-led Interagency Environment Committee for
Monitoring and Environment (IECME) established to access implementation and maintenance by
Mexico and Canada in compliance with their environmental obligations. EPA also will continue
to strengthen the environmental governance of trade partner countries so that they can implement
and enforce effective climate mitigation and adaptation activities and incorporate environmental
justice principles.
In addition, EPA will continue to play an active role in the negotiation of agreements with other
countries to facilitate trade and to promote good regulatory practices and anti-corruption measures,
and then provide technical assistance to support implementation of environmental commitments
within those agreements. At present, EPA is focused on collaboration through the USTR-led
interagency process to support the negotiation of a new trade arrangement between the U.S. and
Kenya, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, and the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on
21st Century Trade. Further, given the Biden Administration 2022 Trade Agenda emphasis on
achieving climate change objectives and supporting underserved and vulnerable communities,
including possibly through trade measures, EPA will continue to track and provide technical
advice and input for the negotiation of a sectoral agreement with the EU on steel and aluminum
that will lead to decarbonizing production and the development of new critical minerals
partnerships and agreements, and monitor measures to develop implicit or explicit carbon pricing
mechanisms across countries.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with partners (including the Treasury Department, State
Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the U.S. International Development
Finance Corporation) to support the environmental performance of international financial
institutions such as the development of environmental safeguards, including climate performance.
In addition, EPA will endeavor to improve environmental governance of U.S. funded international
development projects that enhance capacity building governance programs for priority countries
with increasing GHG footprints and increase their capacity to implement partnerships as well as
legislative, regulatory, and legal enforcement.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,691.0 / +2.7 FTE) This program change supports an increase in resources to provide
support and capacity building for regional and international Trade and Governance programs
425
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and projects addressing climate change and environmental justice. This includes $530.0
thousand in associated payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
In conjunction with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102(2)(F): Clean Air Act §
103(a); Clean Water Act § 104(a)(l)-(2); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) § 1442(a)(1);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 8001(a)(1); Federal Insecticide Fungicide
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) §§ 17(d), 20(a); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) §10(a);
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203(a)(1); E.O. 12915; E.O. 13141;
E.O. 13277; U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. §§4501-
4372.
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US Mexico Border
Program Area: International Programs
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
N 2.512
N 2.VV3
S 5.U2
S2.LW
Total Budget Authority
$2,512
$2,993
$5,132
$2,139
Total Workyears
10.9
12.4
17.4
5.0
Program Project Description:
The two-thousand-mile border between the United States and Mexico is one of the most complex
and dynamic regions in the world, where the benefits of international programs are perhaps most
apparent. This region accounts for three of the ten poorest counties in the U.S. and is characterized
by higher-than-average poverty, unemployment, uninsurance, and lower-than-average median
incomes.183 In addition, over 500 thousand of the 15 million people in the region live in colonias,184
which are unincorporated communities characterized by substandard housing and unsafe drinking
water or wastewater systems. Population growth indexes show a trend of increasing growth, related
among other factors to the influx of migrants from different regions. This trend has increased the
pressure on basic infrastructure and services in border cities, which struggle to keep up with
population growth. The adoption of the Border Programs has gone a long way to protect and
improve the health and environmental conditions along a border that extends from the Gulf of
Mexico to the Pacific Ocean.
The Border 2025 Program will continue to emphasize local priority-setting, focus on measurable
environmental results, and encourage broad public participation. Specifically, Border 2025 builds
on earlier program work, which includes project-promoted solutions or monitoring related to air
quality, used tire management, environmental health promotion, response to environmental
emergencies, and treatment of wastewater.185
The Border 2025 Program identifies four long-term goals to address the serious environmental and
environmentally related public health challenges, including the impact of transboundary transport
of pollutants in the border region. These strategic goals are: Goal 1) Reduce Air Pollution; Goal
2) Improve Water Quality; Goal 3) Promote Sustainable Materials and Waste Management and
Clean Sites; and Goal 4) Improve Joint Preparedness for and Response to Hazardous
Environmental Emergencies. Within the goals are specific objectives that identify actions that will
183 For additional information, please visit:
https://www.ruralhealth.us/NRHA/media/Emerge NRHA/Advocacy/Policy%20documents/05-11-18-NRHA-Policy-Border-
Health.pdf.
184 For more information, please see: https://www.dallasfed.Org/~/media/documents/cd/pubs/lascolonias.pdf.
185 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-
05/docunients/final b2020_acc report_may_24_2021.pdf.
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be taken in support of the program's mission. The Border 2025 Program supports the President's
Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workplace as
well as cross-agency efforts of tackling the climate crisis and advancing environmental justice.
Guiding principles support the mission statement, ensure consistency among all aspects of the
Border 2025 Program, and continue successful elements of previous binational environmental
programs. Prioritizing environmental equity and addressing disproportionate environmental
impacts in border communities by protecting, improving, and promoting environmental awareness
and environmental and human health is one of the Program's core principles. This principle aligns
with one of EPA's priorities to promote equity for underserved communities and civil rights in the
U.S. border region.
The Border 2025 Program is under the Justice40 Initiative that has as its goal to ensure that 40
percent of overall benefits of federal investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. To
help support Justice40 implementation, activities may include developing benefits methodologies
and identifying, tracking, analyzing, and reporting Justice40 data. EPA and the Secretariat of
Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) will continue to closely collaborate with the
ten border states (four U.S./six Mexican), 27 U.S. federally recognized tribes, indigenous
communities including the afro-Mexican community in Mexico, and local communities in
prioritizing and implementing projects that address their particular needs.
Note: The border water and wastewater infrastructure programs are described in the State and
Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) appropriation, Infrastructure Assistance: Mexico Border
Program.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.3, Advance International and
Subnational Climate Efforts in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Air Pollution
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on air pollution reductions in binational airsheds, work on
reducing emissions through implementing policy-based or technology-based programs, and
maintain effective air quality monitoring networks and timely access to air quality data along the
border region to help support the Administration's goal of reducing air pollution and the effects of
climate change. This effort to meet health-based air quality standards, especially for particulate
matter and/or ozone, is expected to mitigate negative effects on public health by deploying
innovative strategies or technologies and building public awareness of associated health risks to
protect public health and advance environmental justice.
EPA and SEMARNAT will continue to build on the successful air quality efforts conducted in the
Border 2020 Program, which resulted in complete greenhouse gas emissions inventories for each
Mexico border state, and improved public health, especially in underserved communities. In
addition, building upon over 20 years of binational air quality success within the New Mexico,
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Texas, and Chihuahua shared air basin, local coordinated efforts will advance work to address
mobile sources at two designated border cities.
EPA will assist in expanding technical training to promote standardized approaches and
improvements to emissions inventory development, improved compliance with vehicle emission
standards, establishment of and compliance with vehicle inspection and maintenance programs,
increased data-sharing on used vehicle emissions testing, and strengthened Green Freight
Programs such as Transporte Limpio (Mexico) and SmartWay (United States). Cooperation across
the border has a high positive impact in protecting U.S. citizens and vulnerable populations in
Texas' largest populated border city of El Paso, which makes up a metropolitan area with Juarez,
Mexico, that shares and breathes the same air. In addition, EPA will provide support to update
and/or complete climate action plans in each of the six northern Mexican Border States (as
appropriate) and build the necessary capacity to guarantee sustained implementation. Along the
U.S. border, California, Arizona, and New Mexico have completed Climate Change Action Plans.
Water Management
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to address border water management in the Tijuana River
Watershed. The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) authorizes and directs
EPA to coordinate with specific federal, state, and local entities to plan and implement high priority
infrastructure projects that address transboundary pollution affecting San Diego County,
California. EPA will advance implementation of projects to prevent and reduce the levels of trash
and sediment entering high priority binational watersheds. Other projects that prevent/reduce
marine litter should primarily focus on preventing waste at the source through improvements to
solid waste management systems, education campaigns, and monitoring as well as reducing trash
entering the aquatic environment through the capture of litter using river booms in known
watershed litter hot spots. Additionally, EPA will improve access to transboundary water quality
data by developing spill notification protocols, increasing awareness of beach contamination,
displaying timely information on water quality in high-priority watersheds, and continuing the
work of the binational water quality improvement plan.
Sustainable Materials Management
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to collaborate and partner on sustainable materials management
demonstration projects to prevent waste and improve the recovery of materials, such as plastic, e-
waste, and scrap tires, through public-private partnership programs and infrastructure investments
in the border region to mitigate public health and environmental impacts and avoid costly cleanup
efforts. Additionally, EPA will work to increase institutional capacity for resource efficiency and
sustainable management of materials and develop/implement strategies to reduce illegal dumping
and landfill fires, maximize material recovery, and promote environmentally sound disposal
practices and clean sites. Each region of the border has different economic, social, and cultural
situations, with different capacities to mitigate the generation and management of waste and
secondary materials.
EPA will continue to work to increase institutional capabilities in planning and technical
assistance, enabling the development of programs, projects, or actions which consider the life cycle
429
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analysis on natural resource economics, manufacturing, transport, and other market factors to
effectively collect and use materials and avoid them being lost to landfills.
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Additionally, the United States and Mexico will work together to enhance joint preparedness for
environmental response and facilitate easier transboundary movement of emergency response
equipment and personnel by activities such as: updating Sister City Plans with preparedness and
prevention and providing training to emergency responders on preparedness and prevention related
activities. As part of the efforts for binational emergency preparedness and response, the Program
will continue updating the Mexico-U.S. Joint Contingency Plan in both Spanish and English as
well as conducting knowledge exchange and tabletop exercise activities to build partnership
capacity and provide locals with the opportunity to test and improve emergency plans in their
areas. In addition, both countries will coordinate binational efforts border-wide.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM E13b) Number of Border 2025 actions implemented in the U.S.-Mexico Border area to improve water
quality, solid waste management and air quality including those that address climate change, and advance
emergency response efforts.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
3
10
10
10
Actions
Actual
6
10
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$336.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs due to adjustments to provide essential workforce support and
changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,803.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program change increase supports efforts addressing pollution
and climate change related activities along the United States and Mexico Border. To
address the priority needs in the region and in support of the Border 2025 Program
priorities, this effort continues to focus on smaller scale sustainability and core capacity
building projects designed to improve the environment and protect the health of people
living along the U.S.-Mexico border. This includes $928.0 thousand in associated payroll.
Statutory Authority:
In conjunction with the 1983 Agreement between the United States of America and the Mexican
United States on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the
Border Area (La Paz Agreement) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102(2)(F):
Clean Air Act § 103(a); Clean Water Act § 104(a)(l)-(2); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) §§
1442(a)(1); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 8001(a)(1); Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) §§ 17(d), 20(a); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
§ 10(a); Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203(a)(1); U.S.-Mexico-
Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. §§ 4501-4372.
430
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IT/ Data Management/ Security
431
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Information Security
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S,V./,V.V
S V.N 2
N 2.W
SI-/.-<>*
Hazardous Subslanco Superiiind
SI,494
$1,062
$6,012
$4,950
Total Budget Authority
$9,682
$10,204
$29,949
$19,745
Total Workyears
10.3
14.1
17.1
3.0
Program Project Description:
Digital information is a valuable national resource and a strategic asset that enables EPA to fulfill
its mission to protect human health and the environment. The Information Security Program's
mission is to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of EPA's information assets. The
information protection strategy includes, but is not limited to, risk management, oversight, and
training; network management and protection; and incident management.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $14.6 million and 3.0 FTE to support enhancements to
protect the Agency's information technology (IT) portfolio. This investment will improve EPA's
IT resiliency and limit vulnerabilities in the event of a malicious attack. EPA will continue to work
toward full compliance with high priority directives (Adoption of Multifactor Authentication,
Encryption of Data At Rest, Encryption of Data In Transit, Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk
Management, Zero Trust Architecture, and Event Logging) in Executive Order (EO) 14028:
Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity.186
1 Work in this program takes direction for IT implementation practices and priorities from the following:
• EO 14028: Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity (https://www.whitMhxyuse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/05/12/executive-order-on-improvinz-the-nations-cvbersecuritv/).
• OMB Memo M-19-26: Update to the Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) Initiative (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-
conteni/uploads/2019/09/M-l 9-26.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-21-30: Protecting Critical Software Through Enhanced Security Measures (https://whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2021/08/M-2 l-30.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-21-31: Improving the Federal Government's Investigative and Remediation Capabilities Related to
Cybersecurity Incidents (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/M-21-31-lmproving-the-Federal-
Governments-lnvestigative-and-Remediation-Capabilities-Related-to-C.ybersecurity-Incidents.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-22-01: Improving Detection of Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities and Incidents on Federal Government
Systems through Endpoint Detection and Response (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/M-22-
Ol.pdfl.
432
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Improving the Defense and Resilience of Government Networks
Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)
A key priority for EPA's information security will be implementing zero trust capabilities
addressing gaps identified by the Agency to enable the development of networks which can resist
malevolent actions regardless of their origin. ZTA will grant authorized users full access to the
tools and resources needed to perform their jobs but limit access to unnecessary areas. Proper
permissions for a given user's needs are a critical component of ZTA, and coding for more granular
control over the network environment is an information security priority. The Agency also will
focus addressing the need to ensure all devices in EPA's environment are compliant with
information security requirements prior to accessing network resources. EPA will continue efforts
to elevate awareness of and harden isolated environments with enhanced security measures by
integrating those environments with continuous monitoring capabilities to improve visibility and
reduce risk.
EPA will continue to improve defense and resilience of government networks in accordance with
ZTA security principles, which focus on virtual identity management capabilities. These
improvements ensure agency staff can access necessary software applications while providing
resistance to malicious phishing campaigns and sophisticated online attacks. For those system
environments not integrated into the larger enterprise system {i.e., those that may not be compatible
with the enterprise-wide identity management capabilities), EPA will continue efforts to harden
those systems with continuous monitoring capabilities to reduce risk.
The Agency will continue to implement cybersecurity enhancements necessary to support a larger
remote workforce, which includes strengthening cloud security monitoring and access to sensitive
data, cyber incident response, and cloud platform management services. These enhancements
allow agency staff to securely use systems and services in the cloud while also improving
application performance associated with Trusted Internet Connections (TIC). The Agency also
will pilot enterprise web application control tools to protect web applications by preventing
malicious traffic from accessing the web application or agency data. The Agency will continue to
build its Insider Threat Program for the unclassified network to monitor Privileged Users and
Systems Administrators activity, as recommended by several cybersecurity assessments,187 and to
monitor and report on EPA networks and systems.
• OMB Memo M-22-09: Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles
(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-Q9.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-22-16: Administration Cybersecurity Priorities for the FY 2024 Budget (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2022/07/M-22-16.'pdf).
• OMB Memo M-23-03: Fiscal Year 2023 Guidance on Federal Information Security and Privacy Management
Requirements (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/M-23-03-FY23-FISMA-Guidance-2.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-23-18: Administration Cybersecurity Priorities for the FY 2025 Budget
(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/M-23-18-Administration-Cvbersecurity-Priorities-for-the-FY-
2025-Budget-s.pdf).
• NIST 800-53 (https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.80Q-53r5.pdf).
187 These assessments include Annual Assessments and Classified briefings with the Department of Homeland Security and
EPA's Office of Homeland Security, as well as a 2017 OIG Report, available at:
https://www.epa. gov/sites/production/files/2017-10/documents/ epaoig_201.71.030-1.8-P-0031. .pdf.
433
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IT Modernization for Federal Cyber security by Design
EPA will continue to strengthen IT assets and develop resiliency against potential cybersecurity
threats. This work includes enhancing Multifactor Authentication to strengthen access controls to
data and evaluating areas which still may require implementation of encryption for Data at Rest
and Data in Transit to protect data. EPA has prioritized investments to protect the most sensitive
systems and information. Additionally, EPA will work with the Department of Homeland Security
and the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program to ensure up-to-date technologies
are implemented.
Cyberattacks are rapidly increasing in volume and sophistication, impacting both IT and
operational technology systems. EPA's Agency IT Security and Privacy (AITSP) Program enables
agency wide implementation, management, and oversight of the Chief Information Officer's (CIO)
Information Security and Privacy Programs through continuous monitoring functions; one
objective includes the maturation of the Continuous Authorization to Operate (ATO). These
capabilities serve to identify and address security vulnerabilities and incidents quickly, ensuring
that EPA's information environment remains safe.
EPA will continue to support the ongoing implementation of capabilities for data labeling and data
loss prevention, which will improve security information and event management by collecting,
synthesizing, managing, and reporting cybersecurity events for systems across the Agency.
The Information Security Program supports EPA's Enterprise Security Operations Center (SOC),
which manages the Computer Security Incident Response Capability (CSIRC) processes to support
identification, response, alerting, and reporting of suspicious activity. EPA will continue maturing
the system logging capabilities in Event Logging (EL) Level 3 for Advanced Logging
requirements at all criticality levels, leveraging Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response
tools to streamline threat and vulnerability management, incident response, and security operations
automation. Additionally, EL 3 will utilize User Behavior Monitoring analytics to enable early
detection of malicious behavior. Through CSIRC, EPA will continue to collaborate with other
federal agencies and law enforcement entities, as needed, to support the Agency's mission.
The Agency's Security Operations Center will continue maturing End Point Detection and
Response capabilities with the CDM Program to support proactive detection of cybersecurity
incidents, active cyber threat hunting, containment and remediation, and incident response. EPA
will continue modernizing its network and system logging capabilities (on-premises systems and
connections hosted by third parties, such as Cloud Service Providers) for both investigation and
remediation purposes.
EPA leverages CDM capabilities to address the Agency's cybersecurity security gaps and
efficiently identify and respond to government-wide cybersecurity threats and incidents. In FY
2025, as part of the work with the Department of Homeland Security to support implementation
of current and future Phase CDM requirements, the CDM Program will continue closing remaining
gaps in asset management. Privileged access to EPA's network will continue to provide critical
security controls for the Agency's cloud applications. The CDM Program also will review interior
434
-------
EPA network boundary protection from interconnections to external networks and expand
endpoint detection and response capabilities. EPA also will continue to mature and promote
utilization of the CDM dashboard to rapidly identify and respond to potential threats in the
information technology environment. EPA will continue collaborating with DHS on enhancing
threat hunting capabilities. In line with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and DHS
direction, the CDM Program will implement priority capabilities as they are identified. In FY 2025,
EPA estimates a $15 million budget for the CDM Program.
Strengthening the Foundations of our Digitally-Enabled Future
Securing Infrastructure Investments
The Agency collects Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) metrics and
evaluates related processes, tools, and personnel to identify gaps and opportunities for
improvement.188 EPA's CIO, who also is the Senior Agency Official for Privacy (SAOP), in
coordination with the Chief Information Security Officer, will continue to monitor and report on
these metrics. EPA will:
• Modernize and automate the methodology and workflow for collecting Federal
Information Registry data supporting the System of Record Notice Management process.
• Continue implementing Ground Truth Testing to validate security and find weaknesses
through manual and automated penetration testing and red team exercises.
The Agency continues to work on refinements to improve the ability to track and report on critical
software used by the Agency in compliance with Federal Information System Reporting and OMB
direction. EPA includes cybersecurity and privacy components in senior leadership program
reviews. These reviews enhance CIO oversight by enabling better risk area determination and
targeted improvement to system and mission program managers. While EPA program and regional
offices maintain responsibility for improving their performance in specific cybersecurity
measures, EPA's senior leadership routinely reviews performance results and potential challenges
for achieving continuous improvement.
The Agency will be making investments in securing mission activities from risks posed by leading
edge technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation
(RPA) and Quantum Computing.189 These investments will help to ensure that agency personnel
can perform their business mission activities efficiently and securely with the implementation of
the necessary controls to allow use of leading-edge technologies within the environment and
prevent malicious actors from leveraging these technologies to disrupt business operations.
188 Including those found in Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 and Federal Information Security
Cybersecurity Act of 2015.
189 OMB Memo 23-02: Migrating to Post-Quantum Cryptography: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-content/uploads/2022/l 1/M-
23-02--M-Memo-on-Migrating-to-Post-Ouantum-Cryptography.pdf.
435
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Human Capital
EPA will further enhance agency-specific role-based training to ensure personnel in key
cybersecurity roles have a comprehensive understanding of modern, secure IT and cybersecurity
requirements, with the skills, knowledge, and capabilities to effectively support EPA's
cybersecurity posture.
Technology Ecosystems
EPA will build on efforts to fully implement the Agency's Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk
Management Controls to comply with the Government Accountability Office findings.190 This
work includes coordinating across the Agency with personnel from Information Technology,
Information Security, and Procurement to update the policy and obtain the necessary tools to
address these critical security requirements. EPA will continue to implement standards,
procedures, and criteria to harden and secure software development environments, and investigate
the addition of automated tools to secure the development environment.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM ALR) Implementation of advanced event logging requirements (EL3) across EPA networks.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
ELI
EL3
EL3
EL3
Tier
Actual
EL0
EL0
(PM DAR) Percentage of EPA data at rest in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY
2018
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
90
95
100
Percent
Actual
93
Numerator
110
Systems
Denominator
118
(PM PIT) Percentage of EPA data in transit in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
90
98
100
Percent
Actual
98
Numerator
116
Systems
Denominator
118
190 Government Accountability Office Report on information and communications technology (ICT) Supply Chain: GAO-21-
164SU.
436
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FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
75
85
100
100
Percent
Actual
48
79
Numerator
223
321
Applications
Denominator
463
406
(PM ZTA) Percentage of "Zero Trust Architecture" pro.
ects completed on time.
FY
20IX
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
100
100
Actual
50
Percent
Numerator
1
Denominator
2
Projects
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$149.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$14,646.0 / +3.0 FTE) This program change supports enhancements to protect the
Agency's information technology infrastructure portfolio and advance the implementation
of EO 14028: Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. This investment will increase EPA's
information technology resiliency and limit vulnerabilities in the event of a malicious
attack. This investment includes $625.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Cybersecurity Act of 2015; Federal Information
Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA);
Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA).
437
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IT / Data Management
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
VAiA-J/
S VI.X21
SIOK.fiOl
S If>, 'SO
Scionco & Technology
S3,489
$3,197
$3,346
$149
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$22,040
$19,764
$19,645
-$119
Total Budget Authority
$121,160
$114,782
$131,592
$16,810
Total Workyears
457.5
490.9
510.9
20.0
Total work years in FY 2025 include 175.0 FTE to support IT/Data Management working capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
This program supports the maintenance of EPA's Information Technology (IT) and Information
Management (IT/IM) services that enable citizens, regulated facilities, states, and other entities to
interact with EPA electronically to access, analyze and understand, and share environmental data
on-demand. The Information Technology/Data Management (IT/DM) Program also provides
support to other IT development projects and essential technology to EPA staff, enabling them to
conduct their work effectively and efficiently in the context of federal IT requirements, including
the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA); Technology Business
Management (TBM); Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC); and the Open, Public,
Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, in accordance with Executive Order 14110191 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy
Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, EPA will encourage the use of AI in the federal
space, and do so with transparency, responsibility, safety, and ethical standards. The Agency will
maintain EPA's current AI Inventory and develop a compliance plan, strategy, and AI governance
committee. EPA forecasts that workforce demand for AI tools and training will increase and is
addressing this need through the development of training and pilot programs. Security and privacy
risks are of utmost importance and governance channels already exist which are constantly
evaluating risks associated with AI. EPA will be working to integrate AI into these existing
governance channels.
191 For more information, please see: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2023/l 1/01/2023-24283/safe-secure-and-
trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence.
438
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In FY 2025, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments, EPA will make investments in IT infrastructure to support meaningful, in-person
work across the Agency. Investments include modernizing and enhancing available tools to ensure
the workforce has the proper technology to operate as effectively as possible in a modern capacity
to implement the Agency's mission. Additionally, resources will be utilized to provide a high-
quality service delivery experience for the public.
Additionally, EPA requests $6.2 million in FY 2025 for the maintenance and modernization of the
Agency's enterprise network switch infrastructure. This funding ensures critical infrastructure is
replaced when it reaches end of life/end of support. Failure to replace switch infrastructure may
result in network degradation, which leaves EPA vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, and can
disrupt operations.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementation of its agencywide Digitization Strategy, which
includes the operation of two EPA digitization centers and the operation of the Agency Records
Management System (ARMS), which is necessary to meet the requirements of Memoranda M-19-
21 Transition to Electronic Records issued by the Office of Management and Budget and the
National Archives and Records Administration.192 In FY 2025, EPA will digitize, validate, and
upload electronic files into the ARMS. Additionally, EPA will leverage artificial intelligence and
machine learning to assist staff with appropriately scheduling electronic records that are saved to
ARMS. The Agency will operate the Paper Asset Tracking Tool (PATT) to track paper records as
they are submitted and processed through the digitization centers.
The Agency also will continue implementing the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act
(P.L. 115-336), which includes modernization of internal and public-facing websites and digital
services, as well as digitization of paper forms and non-digital services. EPA will continue
digitizing the Agency's public-facing paper forms in compliance with the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act and based on the completed inventory of the Agency's forms.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to maintain and manage its core IT/DM services, including
Information Collection Requests, the National Library Network, the Agency's Docket Center, and
EPA's Section 508 Program, which directly supports the requirements under Executive Order (EO)
14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce ,193
Key initiatives include:
• Further strengthening the Agency's IT acquisition and portfolio review process as part of
the implementation of FITARA. In the most recent FITARA scorecard, released in
September 2023,194 EPA scored an overall B. EPA will continue to use the results of the
FITARA scorecard to drive agency priorities and investments.
192 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/201.9/08/M-1.9-21.-new-2 .pdf.
193 For more information, please refer to Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/.
194 For additional information, please refer to: https://fitara.meritalk.com/.
439
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• Continuing work to convert internal administrative paper or analog workflows into modern
digital workflows to speed up routine administrative tasks, reduce burdensome paperwork
for EPA employees and managers, improve internal data collection and reporting, and
improve cross-agency data interoperability and delivery to the public. In FY 2025,
application development work will continue to automate processes identified in the Agency
high priority list.
• Continuing to implement EPA's Controlled Unclassified Information Program to
standardize, simplify, and improve information management and IT practices to facilitate
the sharing of important sensitive data within the Agency, with key stakeholders outside of
the Agency, and with the public, meeting federal standards as required by Executive Order
13556: Controlled Unclassified Information.195
• Increasing the use of registries, continue migration to a cloud infrastructure, and improve
registry quality by modernizing from custom built solutions to commercial off-the-shelf
tools with expanded capabilities. Registries are shared data services in which common data
are managed centrally but shared broadly; they improve data quality in EPA systems,
enable integration and interoperability of data across program silos, and facilitate discovery
of EPA information publicly and internally.
EPA's Customer Experience (CX) Program will focus on improving the mission support
experience of EPA staff to improve their ability to serve the public, in line with the guidance in
Executive Order 14058.196 The Program focuses on collaborations such as the Hiring and
Onboarding process, which collects feedback from IT professionals, hiring managers, regions,
programs, and other stakeholders to improve the experience for hiring authorities and new
employees at EPA. The CX Program collects customer feedback, conducts data analytics, assesses
priorities within a governing community of practice, and presents recommendations to senior
leaders to allocate resources to improve CX initiatives.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to support the essential capabilities of GeoPlatform, a shared
technology enterprise for geospatial information and analysis. By implementing geospatial data,
applications, and services such as the Facility Registry System, the Agency can integrate, interpret,
and visualize multiple data sets and information sources to support environmental decisions. The
Agency will continue developing and increasing capabilities of EPA's Data Management and
Analytics Platform, which has both internal and public facing elements, such as Envirofacts. EPA
will partner with other agencies, states, tribes, and academic institutions to propose innovative
ways to use, analyze, and visualize data through EPA's Data Management and Analytics Platform.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementation of a governance framework for enterprise data life
cycle approach for managing regulated facility data.
In FY 2025, Web Infrastructure Management will continue to modernize EPA's web presence to
support internal and external users with information on EPA business, support employees with
internal information, and provide a clearinghouse for the Agency to communicate initiatives and
195 For more information, please refer to Executive Order: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2010/l 1/09/2010-
28360/coiitrolled-uiiclassified-inforiiiatioii.
196 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/16/2021-27380/transforming-
federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government.
440
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successes. EPA also will continue to upgrade its web infrastructure to ensure that it meets current
statutory and evolving security requirements.
The EPA Chief Data Officer (CDO), with support from the Agency's Data Governance Council
(DGC) will continue to develop enterprise scale data governance, including data policies,
procedures, and standards to ensure all priority data assets are fully available. Additionally, they
will promote data management that emphasizes equitability and FAIR (Findable, Accessible,
Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. EPA's enterprise data governance implementation
plans depend on coordination across the Agency's program offices and regions. Currently, EPA
relies on a network of data managers and stewards across the Agency to implement governance.
To facilitate effective communication between the DGC and responsible parties, as well as to
ensure development and implementation of the most effective data policies, procedures, and
standards, EPA has established a data officer position in each EPA program office and region.
These data officers fulfill essential communication and coordination functions and serve as
anchors for building a stronger culture of utilizing data to build evidence and support decision
making across EPA.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM GOP A) Number of priority internal administrative processes automated.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
1
1
3
Processes
Actual
1
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$695.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$6,200.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase to provide funding for the
enterprise network switch infrastructure necessary for the operations of the EPA network
including data centers. This funding ensures critical infrastructure is replaced when it
reaches end of life/end of support. Failure to replace switch infrastructure may result in
network degradation, leave EPA vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, and disrupt EPA
operations.
• (+$3,878.0 / +16.0 FTE) This program change supports critical agencywide
implementation of Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements; Executive
Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements; electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation
support; and implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0. This investment includes $3.0 million
for payroll.
• (+$4,000.0) This program change is an increase to provide the necessary support for a
modern workforce and will require the integration of facilities and infrastructure, human
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resources, and information technology programs to successfully re-envision the federal
work environment.
• (+$2,007.0 / +4.0 FTE) This change is to implement Executive Order on Artificial
Intelligence. Activities including establishing a compliance plan, establishing an AI
governance committee, and implementing pilot programs to encourage the use of AI in a
secure and productive manner. This investment includes $751.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act; Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-
Cohen Act (CCA); Rehabilitation Act of 1973 § 508; Foundations for Evidence-Based Policy
Making Act of 2018; Geospatial Data Act of 2018.
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Legal/ Science/ Regulatory/ Economic Review
443
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Administrative Law
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
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President's
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Total Workyears
19.3
25.8
25.8
0.0
Program Project Description:
This program supports EPA's Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and the Environmental Appeals
Board (EAB).
Administrative Law Judges
The ALJs preside in hearings and issue initial decisions in cases initiated by EPA's enforcement
program concerning environmental, civil rights, and government program fraud related violations.
Additionally, pursuant to an interagency agreement providing for reimbursement of services, the
ALJs also adjudicate enforcement actions brought by National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), primarily under statutes protecting marine mammals and endangered
species over which EPA and NOAA share jurisdiction, such as the Marine Protection, Research,
and Sanctuaries Act and Endangered Species Act. The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the
United States of America guarantees the regulated community the right to due process of the law.
The ALJs issue orders and decisions under the authority of the Administrative Procedure Act
(APA) and the various environmental, civil rights, and anti-fraud statutes that establish
administrative enforcement authority and implement the Constitution's guarantee of due process.
The ALJs preside in hearings in cases initiated at EPA Headquarters and in each of EPA's 10
regional offices. The ALJs also offer an opportunity for alternative dispute resolution to
completely resolve disputed issues or narrow the issues to be decided after a hearing, which may
further reduce costs. Parties participating before the ALJs include local and national community
groups, private parties, and federal, state, and local governments.
The ALJs promote public participation in the administrative hearing process through remote
hearings and prehearing conferences. They maintain an extensive, publicly accessible website,
containing all initial decisions and case filings.197 Additionally, to promote access to justice,
participants in cases pending before the ALJs may file documents electronically and are not
required to pay a filing fee or be represented by counsel. The ALJs maintain a "Citizen's Guide"
on its public website, which contains downloadable templates of common pleadings filed in
197 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gOv/ali#colorbox-hidden2
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proceedings before the ALJs. Together with the recently published "Practice Manual: A Guide to
Frequently Asked Practice Questions," the Citizen's Guide serves as an informal explanatory aid
to proceedings before the ALJs for parties unfamiliar with the administrative hearing processes.
The right of affected persons to appeal ALJ initial decisions is conferred by various statutes,
regulations, and constitutional due process rights. A small subset of the initial decisions issued by
the ALJs are appealed to the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB).
Environmental Appeals Board
The Environmental Appeals Board is a four-member appellate tribunal established by regulation
in 1992 to hear appeals and issue decisions in environmental adjudications under all major
environmental statutes that EPA administers. The EAB furthers the Agency's mission to advance
environmental justice (EJ) and address climate-related issues by ensuring the integrity of federal
decision-making and fairness in its adjudication of administrative appeals.
Since the 1994 Executive Order on Environmental Justice198 was issued, the EAB has played a
pioneering role in ensuring that the Agency meets its obligation with respect to EJ and, for
example, in the context of permitting, has remanded several permit cases where the record did not
support a finding that the permit authority reasonably considered the contested EJ issues in their
permit decision making process.
To promote access to justice, parties appearing before the EAB are not required to be represented
by counsel or pay a filing fee. Additionally, the EAB promotes public participation in the appeals
process through remote oral arguments and maintaining an extensive website, accessible to the
public, containing all final EAB decisions and case filings. Among others, parties participating
before the EAB include local and national community groups, tribal nations, private parties, and
state and local governments. The EAB also recently published a "Guide to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's Environmental Appeals Board," which provides general information about
the Board including how to participate in the administrative appeal process.
The EAB also decides petitions for reimbursement under the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 106(b); hears appeals of pesticide
licensing and cancellation proceedings under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA); and serves as the final approving body for proposed settlements of enforcement
actions initiated at EPA. The EAB issues decisions in a fair and timely manner consistent with the
APA and the applicable environmental statutes, and under the authority delegated by the
Administrator and pursuant to regulation, ensuring consistency in the application of legal
requirements. In approximately 90 percent of matters decided by the EAB, no further appeal is
taken to federal court, providing a final resolution to the dispute. The EAB also offers an
opportunity for alternative dispute resolution.
198 Executive Order 12898 - Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations, https://www.archives.gov/files/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12898.pdf.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the ALJs will continue to convene formal hearings either remotely or in the location
of the alleged violator or violation, as required by statute. As the Agency continues its focus on
reviewing FIFRA registrations and making determinations on certain claims against the Superfund
under CERCLA into FY 2025, the ALJs will support adjudication of these time-sensitive matters.
In FY 2025, the EAB will continue to efficiently and fairly adjudicate permit and enforcement
appeals under all statutes as well as petitions for reimbursement under CERCLA, and expediting
appeals such as Clean Air Act New Source Review cases and FIFRA licensing proceedings that
are particularly time sensitive. The EAB anticipates addressing a potential increase in
Underground Injection Control permits under the Safe Drinking Water Act related to carbon
sequestration projects. In FY 2025, the EAB will support the implementation of the American
Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) of 2020, specifically administrative enforcement of
its provisions concerning hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are designed to phase down the
production and consumption of listed HFCs, manage these HFCs, and facilitate transition to next
generation technologies.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$726.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$74.0) This program change is an increase to support programmatic investments relating
to advancing environmental justice through the Administrative Law Program.
Statutory Authority:
Administrative Procedure Act (APA); Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as
amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute);
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA); Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Clean Water Act (CWA); Clean Air Act
(CAA); Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA); Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA); Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA); Marine Protection, Research, and
Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA); Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act
(MCRBMA); the Act to Prevent Pollution From Ships (APPS).
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Alternative Dispute Resolution
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
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FY 2024 Annualized
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$758
$791
$1,841
$1,050
Total Budget Authority
$1,602
$1,763
$4,661
$2,898
Total Workyears
4.7
5.9
14.0
8.1
Program Project Description:
EPA's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program offers cost-effective processes for
preventing and resolving conflicts on environmental matters and some workplace conflicts as an
alternative to litigation and to support collaboration. The Program provides facilitation, mediation,
public involvement, training, and consensus building advice and support for the entire Agency.
The Program's ADR services especially support the meaningful engagement of EPA programs
with communities and other stakeholders, including states and tribes, by helping to develop
collaborative and effective partnerships.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $1.8 million and 5.7 FTE for the ADR Program. EPA will
continue to provide conflict prevention and ADR services to all EPA programs and external
stakeholders on environmental matters. EPA expects the need for these services to increase in FY
2025 in support of achieving the Agency's environmental justice (EJ) and equity goals. This
program will continue to support implementation of Executive Order (EO) 13985: Advancing
Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.199
This investment also will be used to build capacity to improve oversight and enforcement of civil
rights compliance and to prioritize and advance EJ concerns.
Specifically, the ADR Program will:
• Administer its five-year Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (ECCR)
Services contract, which will be awarded in Spring 2024 and is expected to have an $85
199 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-actioiis/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
447
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million capacity. The ADR Program provides most of its conflict prevention and resolution
services to the Agency through this contract. The contract supports facilitation and
mediation services for more than 150 active projects involving stakeholders across the
Agency and is expected to take on an additional 30 to 40 projects in FY 2025. The ADR
Program expects continued growth in the areas of EJ, climate change, and Title VI civil
rights cases. Contract support contributes to more productive engagement between EPA
programs and communities, especially underserved and overburdened communities.
• Provide facilitation, mediation, and training services through the conflict resolution
specialists on staff and the Regional ECCR specialists, who perform environmental ADR
work as collateral duty with support from the ADR Program. The ADR Program expects
to provide support through conflict resolution specialists and ECCR specialists for agency
programs and stakeholders by providing facilitation, mediation, or other consensus
building support on 30 to 40 projects in FY 2025, including up to 10 Title VI civil rights
cases. The ADR Program provides facilitation services to resolve Title VI civil rights
complaints as part of the Informal Resolution Agreement process and the demand for
facilitation services to resolve complaints continues to grow. As with contract support,
direct staff support promotes greater collaboration among EPA and its stakeholders, as well
as greater inclusion of overburdened and underserved communities.
• Provide training to EPA staff in conflict resolution concepts and skills. The ADR Program
offers this training through eight interactively designed courses to all national program
offices and regions. The ADR Program created virtual versions of its trainings during
COVID, which has expanded its reach throughout the Agency. In FY 2023, the ADR
Program and ECCR specialists delivered 17 trainings to more than 900 EPA employees.
The ADR Program expects a continued increase in training requests in FY 2025. Trainings
include the building of skills such as working across cultural divides and supporting
productive dialogue, which help EPA programs better engage with communities.
• Help to achieve the goals of President Biden's Justice40 initiative by tracking the number
of ADR projects in which services are provided to underserved and overburdened
communities. From January to December 2023, the ADRProgram initiated 22 new projects
that provide conflict prevention or ADR services to benefit underserved and overburdened
communities, and the Program expects to increase services in FY 2025.
The following are examples of FY 2023 accomplishments:
• Successfully managed a $53 million Conflict Prevention and Resolution Services contract
and administered 410 contract actions valued at slightly over $50 million in the first four
years. Through contract support, the ADR Program provided conflict resolution services
for multiple projects and in dozens of communities to promote greater collaboration and
inclusion of underserved and overburdened communities.
• Supported 106 environmental collaboration and conflict resolution cases nationwide,
including a community-led cumulative environmental health impact assessment in
Michigan, as well as training support for Community Lead Awareness Sessions in
underserved communities and on tribal lands. To support these projects, the ADR Program
provided design and facilitation support to gather public input on controversial issues,
supported community outreach efforts by facilitating listening sessions, and helped key
stakeholders to reach agreement.
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• Provided facilitation services for eight Title VI civil rights cases to support the inclusion
of all parties in the development of Informal Resolution Agreements between EPA and
recipients of Title VI complaints.
• Trained more than 600 EPA personnel in conflict resolution skills through 14 courses and
supported additional conflict resolution trainings, led by Regional ECCR
Specialists, for 300 EPA staff and managers.
Performance Measures Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$26.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$1,796.0 / +5.6 FTE) This program change is an increase for the use of alternative
dispute resolution processes, such as mediation and facilitation, to promote equity by
including underserved communities in negotiations. This investment includes $1.1 million
for payroll.
• (+$26.0 / +0.1 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
$19.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA) of 1996; Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1996;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Civil Rights Program
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement in Communities with Environmental Justice
Concerns, Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
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$10,146
$12,866
$32,227
$19,361
Total Workyears
52.9
66.4
145.6
79.2
Program Project Description:
EPA has long held and elevated three fundamental principles: to follow the science, follow the
law, and be transparent. In 2022, EPA also added a fourth foundational principle: advance justice
and equity. By so doing, EPA solidified its recognition that it was time to infuse the consistent and
systematic, fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals into all EPA policies, practices, and
programs. These principles form the basis of the Agency's culture and guide its operations and
decision making - whether with respect to the public and communities, or EPA's workforce.
EPA's Civil Rights Program enhances efforts to meet regulatory responsibilities under Title VI
and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended among other applicable civil rights statutes
and regulations, including 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7, 29 C.F.R. § 1614.102(c)200 and U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Management Directive 110,201 which require
federal agencies to fully fund its civil rights program. The Civil Rights Program enforces federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination against EPA employees and applicants for
employment and by applicants for and recipients of EPA federal financial assistance.
EPA is committed to strengthening external civil rights enforcement to address health and
environmental disparities, eliminate discriminatory barriers to clean air, water, and land, and
ensure the protection of human health and the environment for all persons in the United States.
There are two offices within the Agency's civil rights program, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
and the Office of External Civil Rights Compliance (OECRC). OCR has responsibility for the
internal enforcement of several civil rights laws related to equal employment opportunity (EEO),
and OECRC carries out the external enforcement of several civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from EPA.
Together, both offices comprise EPA's civil rights program and its foundational commitment to
the advancement of justice, equality, and equity.
200 For more information, please see: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XrV/part-1614/subpart-A/section-
1.61.4.1.02.
201 For more information, please see: https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/management-directive/management-directive-110.
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EPA's Civil Rights Program provides leadership, direction, and guidance in carrying out the
Agency's civil rights mission to all EPA employees, applicants, and recipients of federal financial
assistance in carrying out civil rights responsibilities. The Program provides counseling and
investigates discrimination complaints filed against EPA and EPA federal financial assistance
recipients. The Program identifies triggers and eliminates barriers to EEO and environmental
justice.
In addition, the Program promotes alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve
discrimination complaints. The Program develops policy to clarify recipients' legal obligations. It
conducts training and accountability visits (TAVs) of EPA offices to encourage compliance with
civil rights laws and EPA policy against discrimination. It also conducts pre-award reviews and
affirmative post-award compliance reviews and audits of recipients of federal financial assistance.
EPA also provides technical assistance to recipients and enhances communication and engagement
with environmentally overburdened and disadvantaged communities. The Program also processes
accommodation requests due to disability that are made by employees and applicants and issues
final agency decisions in employment discrimination complaints.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.3, Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement
in Communities with Environmental Justice Concerns in the FY 2022- 2026 EPA Strategic Plan202
Work in this program also directly supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority
Goal: Implement guidance, tools, and metrics for EPA and its Tribal, state, local, and community
partners to advance environmental justice and external civil rights compliance. By September 30,
2025, advance cumulative impacts practice across agency programs, finalize, and deploy external
civil rights guidance, and apply at least 10 indicators to drive disparity reductions in environmental
and public health conditions. As highlighted in the strategic plan and FY 2025 Annual Performance
Plan, EPA must enforce applicable civil rights laws in the same manner as environmental statutes.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $19.3 million and 79.2 FTE to strengthen its Civil
Rights Program. This investment will increase capacity to enforce the Nation's external civil rights
laws, advance EEO at EPA, support Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements,
and enable agencywide implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Strategic Plan as required by Executive Order 14035.203
Internal Civil Rights
In FY 2025, EPA must ensure progress in affirmative employment as mandated by the EEOC with
the goal of making EPA a model EEO employer. EPA must meet statutory and regulatory
requirements to address potential barriers to employment and advancement and deliver training
and services to EPA employees. EPA endeavors to assess organizational EEO efforts through
listening sessions and during TAVs with program and regional offices. EPA typically has more
requests for these interactive TAVs than time and resources to support them all in a year.
202 It also provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across strategic goals and objectives in the FY
2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
203 For more information, please see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/06/30/2021-14127/diversity-equity-
inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce.
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With the two additional FTE requested, EPA will address the increasing number of reasonable
accommodation requests204, more complex EEO complaints and Final Agency Decisions, and the
additional special projects that accompany the responsibilities of a model EEO program. EPA will
continue to prioritize its interagency agreements to ensure impartial investigations of EEO
complaints. Additionally, EPA will actively support and lead specific efforts and workgroups to
implement its DEIA Strategic Plan.
Employee Complaints and Resolution (ECR)
In FY 2025, the Internal Civil Rights Program will dedicate most of its resources to the processing
of discrimination complaints. It will market the benefits of the Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) Program to address informal complaints. It also will continue to take proactive steps,
including educating through trainings, listening sessions, and community outreach. EPA is
expected to engage in the following activities:
• Track and manage investigations, draft final agency decisions, and track compliance of
EEOC decisions within standard timelines set by the EEOC.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the revised procedures for processing final agency decisions.
• Implement strategies for transparently communicating and addressing trends in formal
complaints at program and region offices.
• Implement ADR training (for management and staff) to strengthen participants' knowledge
and to increase offers and participation in the ADR process.
• Implement a communications campaign to educate the workforce on the benefits of ADR.
• Conduct at least four region and program office TAVs.
• Recruit and provide training, from the EEOC, to new collateral duty EEO Counselors.
• Update and maintain the EEO Case Management database to effectively track EEO
complaints, ensure timeliness, and the ability to produce annual required reports to the
EEOC, Congress, OPM, and the Department of Justice.
Affirmative Employment, Analysis, and Accountability (AEAA)
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on identifying and eliminating barriers to employment
and advancement at the Agency. EPA dedicates a significant amount of labor to assembling and
analyzing data and statistics for the Management Directive 715 Report (MD-715), EPA's annual
report to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The MD-715 highlights EPA's efforts to establish and maintain a model civil rights program,
identifies EEO priorities, and drives the State of the EEO briefing to the Administrator each year.
This effort will include guiding every region and program office through the collection of
enhanced data and investigating workforce data triggers. In FY 2025, EPA expects to engage in
the following activities:
204 On December 26, 2023, the EEOC sent out an email and attachment seeking to address concerns from the community about
return to office and the increase in reasonable accommodation requests.
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• Analyze, complete, close and/or monitor, as appropriate, two other Barrier Analysis efforts:
"Upward Mobility of Hispanic Employees into the Senior Executive Service (SES)" and
"Upward Mobility of Employees into the Senior Executive Service (SES) based on the
EEO Categories of Race and Sex."
• Continue to implement recommendations resulting from the EPA MD-715 priority
regarding the collection of applicant flow data for Career Development Opportunities.205
• Evaluate the underrepresentation of EEO groups from MD-715 reports.
• Monitor and assist the Administrator's Office and regional and program offices with
implementation of their workforce EEO Actions Plans.
• Manage EPA's ten Special Emphasis Programs.206
• Provide the National Special Emphasis Program Managers additional subject matter
training.
• Recruit new collateral duty Special Emphasis Program Managers and train all Special
Emphasis Program Managers.
• Collaborate in the planning of EPA's National Commemorative Programs.
• Conduct at least four region and program office TAVs.
• Provide effective training and tools for managers to report and carry out their
responsibilities under the MD-715.
National Reasonable Accommodations Program (NRAP)
In FY 2025, EPA will work to enhance the effectiveness of services through training, policy
development, and improving the support functions of the Local Reasonable Accommodation
Coordinators (LORACs). EPA expects to hire an Assistant Director for the National Reasonable
Accommodation Program to lead the National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators
(NRACs) and LORACs. The Agency has a legal obligation to provide an effective accommodation
for employees and applicants with disabilities absent an undue hardship. In FY 2025, EPA expects
to engage in the following activities:
• Receive, track, advise on response, and monitor requests for, and the delivery of reasonable
accommodations for all national program offices and oversee similar actions in every
region, including applicants to the EPA.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of revised procedures for providing Personal Assistant Services.
• Support the Agency's efforts to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities.
• Evaluate the Reasonable Accommodations Management System (RAMS) and
upgrade/enhance features as necessary.
• Conduct recertification training for LORACs.
• Conduct at least four region and program office TAVs.
To be an effective internal civil rights program, it must be trusted by all EPA employees for its
impartiality and transparency.
205 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2023-04/EPA%20FY%202022%20MD-
71.5%20Report%20FINAL.pdf.
206 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.g0v/ocr/affLLH1ative-employment-analysis-and-accountability#special.
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External Civil Rights
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $17.6 million and 76.5 FTE to enforce the Nation's
external civil rights laws through EPA's Headquarters program as well as the regional offices. This
investment will provide essential program support to investigate and resolve critical civil rights
complaints, initiate affirmative compliance reviews, and work toward achieving measurable
environmental, public health, and quality of life improvements in the most overburdened,
vulnerable, and underserved communities.
EPA will continue to elevate environmental justice and external civil rights within the Agency and
integrate environmental justice considerations and full compliance with civil rights obligations
across all of EPA's policies, programs, and activities. EPA also will continue to advance its
commitment to bring justice to frontline communities that experience the worst impacts of
environmental pollution.
Through the continued implementation of Goal 2 of EPA's FY 2022 - 2026 Strategic Plan: "Take
Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights." EPA will promote further
the integration of environmental justice and external civil rights throughout EPA and carry out the
objectives, sub-objectives, and annual and long-term goals articulated in Strategic Plan Goal 2. In
particular, EPA's request includes critical FTE for external civil rights compliance activities in the
regional offices, including participation in pre-award reviews and post-award complaint and
compliance review investigations and resolutions.
Specifically, with respect to external civil rights, in FY 2025, EPA will:
• Continue its shift to proactive activities, by initiating proactive pre-award and post-award
civil rights compliance reviews to address the impacts of potentially discriminatory
activities on overburdened communities.
• Fully implement its authority to address actions, policies, and practices by recipients of
EPA funding that subject overburdened and disadvantaged communities to discrimination.
• Continue to develop and implement clear and strong civil rights guidance and
corresponding training and technical assistance to increase recipients' compliance with
civil rights laws.
• Conduct timely and effective civil rights complaint investigations and resolutions -
including investigations and informal resolution agreements that effectively address
discriminatory practices.
• Continue to update and refine the Case Resolution Manual.to ensure it provides civil rights
staff with current and strategic tools and procedures for timely and effective investigation
and resolution of cases.
• Fully implement the EPA Limited English Proficiency policy and procedures and Order,
revised in FY 2023, and develop and finalize an EPA Order to ensure meaningful access
for persons with disabilities to EPA programs services and activities.
• Enhance communication and engagement with environmentally overburdened
communities to meaningfully inform EPA's civil rights complaint resolution work and to
empower and increase their participation in critical decision making.
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• Increase transparency by continuing to affirmatively provide information and case-related
documents to the public through the interactive "Complaint Docket" online.207
• Strengthen federal interagency collaboration and coordination on complaints, compliance
reviews, and policy guidance to enforce federal civil rights laws.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM EJCR06) Percentage of required civil rights procedural safeguard elements implemented by state
permitting agencies that are recipients of EPA financial assistance. i
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
20
40
70
90
Percent
Actual
33
58
Numerator
138
236
Elements
Denominator
408
408
(PM EJCR13) Percentage of EPA national programs and regions that have established environmental justice
and external civil rights implementation plans.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
100
Numerator
17
Regions
and
Programs
Denominator
17
(PM EJCR14) Percentage of EPA programs and regions that have implemented program and region-specific
language assistance plans.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
'0
35
60
80
Percent
Actual
0
5
Numerator
0
1
Programs
and
Regions
Denominator
23
19
(PM EJCR15) Percentage of EPA programs and regions that have implemented program and region-specific
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
10
25
Percent
Actual
0
Numerator
0
Programs
and
Regions
Denominator
19
207 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/extemal-civil-rights/extemal-civil-rights-docket-2014-present.
455
-------
(PM EJCR16) Number of proactive post-award civil rights compliance reviews initiated to address
discrimination issues in environmentally overburdened and underserved communities.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
3
6
4
10
Compliance
Reviews
Actual
1
1
0
1
0
(PM EJCR17) Number of audits completed to ensure EPA financial assistance recipients are complying with
federal civil rights laws.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:5
30
30
60
Audits
Actual
0
u
1
(PM EJCR18) Number of information sharing sessions and outreach and technical assistance events held
with overburdened and underserved communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights
and environmental justice issues.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8
90
650
1,100
Sessions
and Events
Actual
40
30
235
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,162.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This increase includes
critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$17,625.0 / +76.5 FTE) This program change increases staffing and capacity to enforce
the Nation's external civil rights laws and to work toward the goal of achieving measurable
environmental, public health, and quality of life improvements in the most overburdened,
vulnerable, and underserved communities; supports activities including investigations into
claims of discrimination by underserved communities and pre-award reviews and post-
award compliance reviews and audits This investment includes $14.6 million for payroll.
• (+$434.0 / +2.0 FTE) This program increase supports the Office of Civil Rights' internal
civil rights program to advance EEO at EPA. This investment includes $382.0 thousand
for payroll.
• (+$140.0 / +0.7 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
$133.0 thousand for payroll.
456
-------
Statutory Authority:
Equal Pay Act of 1963; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964; Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967; Title IX of the Educational
Amendments of 1972; Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 § 13;
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 §§ 501, 504, 505, 508; Rehabilitation Act of 1973 § 504; Age
Discrimination Act of 1975; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; ADA Amendments Act of
2008; and Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008; and Pregnant Workers
Fairness Act (2022).
457
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Integrated Environmental Strategies
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SV, ~U2
S II.2V-
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Total Budget Authority
$9,702
$11,297
$40,197
$28,900
Total Workyears
43.8
55.5
79.0
23.5
Program Project Description:
The Integrated Environmental Strategies (IES) Program advances the Agency's mission of
protecting human health and the environment by focusing on cross-media environmental concerns.
The IES Program provides tools, training, advice, and resources to help EPA work as a more
effective organization. Nationally, IES is focused on: 1) partnering with states, territories, tribes,
local governments, businesses, other federal agencies, and others to adapt to and increase the
resilience of the Nation to the impacts of climate change, with a particular focus on advancing
climate justice; 2) providing for the development of efficient, accurate, and timely reviews for
permitting and approval processes that support automation, oversight, and integration of
environmental justice (EJ) and climate change in environmental permitting; 3) working with
industrial sectors to identify and develop innovative approaches to better protect the environment
and public health; 4) collaborating with partners, including federal, state, tribes, municipalities,
communities, businesses, and other stakeholders, to implement locally-led, community-driven
approaches to environmental protection through technical assistance, policy analysis, and training;
and 5) helping "energy communities" facing economic impacts from mine and power plant
closures with strategic planning, technical assistance and project implementation, and the
leveraging of private sector funding and federal resource matching for energy transformation and
economic diversification.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.2, Accelerate Resilience and
Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests a total investment of $40.2 million and 79.0 FTE for the IES Program.
Within this amount, $19.3 million and 14.5 FTE are needed to accelerate the Agency's work in
the Climate Adaptation Program; $3.0 million and 6.0 FTE are needed to advance the coordination,
streamlining, oversight, automation, and integration of EJ and climate change into environmental
permitting; and $5 million dollars and 3.0 FTE are needed to enhance the Agency's assistance to
energy communities to transition from coal to green energy. The remaining resources will be used
to support core program work (including sectors and communities) and Administration priorities
458
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focused on achieving the goals of the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Program will
continue to focus on the five aforementioned major areas, each presenting unique opportunities to
improve delivery of environmental protection across multiple media and stakeholders.
Climate Adaptation Program
The impacts of climate change affect people in every region of the country, threatening lives and
livelihoods and damaging infrastructure, ecosystems, and social systems in communities across
the Nation. Climate change also challenges EPA's ability to accomplish its mission to protect
human health and the environment. The Climate Adaptation Program is taking action to ensure
that EPA continues to fulfill its mission even as the climate changes and is working with other
federal agencies to increase the resilience of the Nation.
The Program recognizes that certain parts of the population, such as communities of color, low-
income communities, children, the elderly, tribes and indigenous people, and small rural
communities, are often especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. To that end, the
Program will focus on engaging the most overburdened and vulnerable groups of people and
communities to improve their capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to or recover from
climate change impacts.
The Climate Adaptation Program's overarching goals and expected accomplishments are 1)
ensuring EPA continues to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment even
as the climate changes and disruptive impacts increase; 2) meeting (or exceeding) the Long-Term
Performance Goals in Objective 1.2 of the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan; and 3) ultimately
empowering communities across the Nation and all 574 tribes to adapt to the risks of climate
change, with a particular focus on advancing climate justice.
In FY 2025, EPA requests approximately $19.3 million and 14.5 FTE for its work in the Climate
Adaptation Program. With this investment, EPA will continue to provide targeted assistance to
states, tribes and indigenous peoples, territories, local governments, communities, and businesses
to bolster these groups' climate resilience efforts. The National Tribal Caucus's (NTC) Climate
Subgroup collaborates closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure
that the EPA's Climate Adaptation Program is attuned to the unique needs of Tribal communities.
In the year 2025, EPA, in conjunction with the NTC Climate Subgroup, will sustain the Tribal
Climate Town Hall listening sessions, enhance tribal capacity through the Tribal Climate Intensive
Education events, and provide targeted support to tribes—especially those with high needs and
lower climate capacity—via direct assistance and a peer-to-peer mentorship program. The Agency
will focus resources on communities with environmental justice concerns to develop new
strategies that strengthen their adaptive capacity and increase climate resilience across the Nation.
EPA also will produce and deliver training, tools, technical assistance, financial incentives, and
information the Agency's partners indicate they need to adapt and increase resilience to climate
change.
In FY 2025, EPA will focus on achieving the priorities of a new FY 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation
Plan, while completing implementation of its 2021 Climate Adaptation Action Plan and the 20
459
-------
Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans developed by the Program and Regional Offices.208
EPA will leverage the additional resources provided in FY 2025 to support priority commitments
in the Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans; specifically, additional priority actions for which
funding is not currently available. These additional actions will enhance the adaptive capacity and
resilience of stakeholders by providing technical assistance through the Program and Regional
offices. These actions align with the National Climate Resilience Framework, which calls for
providing communities with information and resources needed to assess their climate risks and
develop the climate resilience solutions most appropriate for them as well as helping communities
become not only more resilient, but also more safe, healthy, equitable, and economically strong.
EPA will continue to monitor progress toward established targets for each of the Long -Term
Performance Goals in Objective 1.2 ("Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change
Impacts") of the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The baseline and additional priority actions
identified in the 20 Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans support EPA's efforts to continue
to fulfill its mission in the presence of climate change and associated impacts. This includes
analyzing each of EPA's programs for climate-related fiscal and programmatic risks, especially in
climate sensitive programs, and investing mitigation of the risks. The requested resources also will
be used to advance climate justice through the provision of technical assistance to protect
communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change, in fy 2023, EPA completed
177 priority actions committed to in EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan and in the Program
and Regional Implementation Plans, exceeding the annual target of 100. These actions are in
addition to the 151 priority actions completed in FY 2022.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to modernize EPA financial assistance programs to
encourage climate-resilient investments across the Nation. Particular attention will be given to
ensuring that the outcomes of investments made with funds from the Infrastructure Investment and
Job Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to modernize the Nation's infrastructure will
be resilient to the impacts of climate change, as well as support climate mitigation goals. EPA will
implement practices provided by the Climate-Smart Infrastructure Interagency Working Group to
minimize the projected climate change impacts on federal infrastructure and all of EPA's
infrastructure programs.
The FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan commits the Agency to consider the current and future
impacts of climate change in its rulemaking processes. As such, EPA will continue to integrate
climate adaptation into regulations and permits to make its regulatory actions resilient and adaptive
to climate change and natural hazards. EPA is already making progress integrating considerations
of climate change risks into rulemakings. For example, in May 2023, EPA proposed a rule related
to Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) from Electric Utilities, including CCR surface
impoundments, CCR management units, and CCR landfills that considers climate change impacts
on facilities.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to enhance the climate literacy of its workforce with respect to
adaptation and resilience by coordinating, facilitating, and sustaining peer-to-peer learning
2°8 por additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/climate-adaptation/climate-adaptation-plans.
460
-------
and engagement on climate adaptation across program and regional offices. EPA will continue to
track and coordinate its climate adaptation learning and training opportunities.
Permitting Strategies
EPA implements its statutory authority through various permitting programs. In FY 2025, EPA
requests an additional investment of $3.0 million and 6.0 FTE. The Agency continues to focus
efforts across EPA program and regional offices and with state and tribal co-regulators to support
coordination, efficiencies, oversight, automation, and integration of EJ and climate change for
environmental permitting. The Office of Federal Activities (OFA) coordinates across 13 other
federal agencies, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, the Council on
Environmental Quality, and the Office of Management and Budget to coordinate on permitting
and meet EPA's Permitting Action Implementation Plan goals. EPA uses its EPA Permitting
Action Implementation Plan to help address the expansion of permitting for major infrastructure
projects, expanded FAST-41 covered sectors,209 and to address seven critical elements of the Plan:
• Accelerating smart permitting through early cross-agency coordination.
• Establishing clear timeline goals and tracking key project information.
• Engaging in early and meaningful outreach and communication with stakeholders.
• Improving agency responsiveness, technical assistance, and support.
• Using agency resources and the environmental review process to improve environmental
and community outcomes.
• Ensuring staffing levels are adequate to address anticipated environmental review and
permitting-related workloads.
• Addressing, elevating, and resolving schedule delays, disputes, and other issues impacting
the environmental and permitting process in a timely manner.
Additionally, OFA addresses cross-cutting permitting and major infrastructure topics that are
identified as critical for infrastructure development. These topics, often new or cutting-edge
national priorities {e.g., critical minerals production, quantum processing/manufacture, etc.),
require integration of permitting policy, implementation, and evaluation.
EPA is working to transition the Agency's major permitting programs from paper submissions to
electronic processes through the automation of permit application review and issuance. The
benefits of permit automation will reduce the processing time on issuing permits, decrease the time
between receiving monitoring data and engaging in enforcement actions, and increase
transparency by allowing communities to search, track, and access permit actions easily. Permit
automation improves the integration of climate change and EJ considerations into permit processes
and ensures that climate change and EJ are evaluated and addressed appropriately within the terms
and conditions of the permit. For the regulated community, permit automation provides a
simplified, streamlined, and transparent permitting process, resulting in both time and cost savings.
To start physical permit automation, EPA had to complete a number of tasks, including defining
automation, inventorying existing automated processes, identifying processes that needed to be
209 Current covered sectors are renewable or conventional energy production, electricity transmission, surface transportation,
aviation, ports and waterways, water resource, broadband, pipelines, manufacturing, mining, and carbon capture sectors. FPISC
is currently undergoing rulemaking to add a critical mineral sector.
461
-------
automated, and establishing a baseline of processes to automate, all of which was completed in FY
2022. With those determinations made, EPA has automated one process out of the thirteen baseline
processes identified and is currently automating two other processes. EPA has committed to
automate an additional 30 percent of its baseline (or 3.9 processes) in FY 2024 and the same
amount in FY 2025, and is on track to achieving those commitments.
EPA's renewed focus on effective integration of EJ and climate change considerations within the
Agency's various decentralized permitting programs continues to play a leading role in
coordinated efforts aligned with the Administration's priorities including:
1. Coordinating permit support for major infrastructure projects, including carbon
capture/use/sequestration and renewable energy projects requiring a permit.
2. Supporting integration of EJ and climate change analysis into permit development.
3. Supporting EPA and FAST-41 oversight, permit quality, permit timelines, and permit program
integrity.
4. Documenting best practices and addressing cross-cutting permitting and policy issues (e.g.,
Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act coordination); and, in
partnership with other federal agencies, state and tribal permitting offices, continuing to
streamline and gain efficiencies in the review of all permits.
5. Expanding a successfully piloted e-permitting application tool to other permitting program
areas.
Smart Sectors
EPA's Smart Sectors Program (SSP) provides a platform for the Agency to collaborate with
industry to develop innovative approaches to protect the environment and public health from a
multi-media perspective. SSP serves as a hub for understanding and addressing sector-specific
environmental challenges and opportunities, facilitating dialogue with industry representatives and
other stakeholders, and managing a network of SSPs in all 10 EPA regional offices. The Program
will continue as a liaison to connect, convene, and facilitate discussions among agency experts and
business leaders to address discrete issues unique to each sector and help sectors drive
improvements that serve the Agency's greater mission of protecting human health and the
environment.
In FY 2025, SSP will continue to focus activities in three areas: broad multi-stakeholder
engagement, cross-agency coordination, and policy and program initiatives as they relate to
industry sectors. Multi-stakeholder engagements will provide a platform for working with industry
trade associations and leading companies, as well as other stakeholders on key issues such as
climate change, EJ, and fostering environmentally sustainable infrastructure development. In
addition to industry, the Program will work with non-governmental organizations, organized labor,
the academic community, state/local governments, and overburdened and vulnerable communities
with EJ concerns, as appropriate. The Program will coordinate or lead cross-agency, sector-based
projects and activities to address the Administration's priorities, including tackling climate change,
delivering EJ, advancing green procurement, and securing environmentally responsible and
resilient supply chains.
462
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Community-Driven Environmental Protection
The IES Program delivers technical assistance, training, and tools to economically distressed
communities and coordinates the Agency's work with communities to increase efficiency,
effectiveness, and accountability, leading to improved environmental and public health protection.
In FY 2023, the Program prioritized interagency collaboration towards the development of
community driven approaches to support reinvestment in underserved communities with water,
air, and infrastructure driven challenges. In FY 2025, the Program will continue to deliver direct
technical assistance to communities, especially in underserved areas of the country. EPA will
continue to deploy tools and expertise, through technical assistance delivery. These resources will
continue to strengthen EPA's efforts to leverage public and private sector investments in support
of improved economic development and environmental outcomes.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to support community-driven solutions to local
environmental challenges, focusing on the Administration's priorities, such as leveraging private
investment and aligning federal investments to maximize benefits to vulnerable and underserved
communities, and increasing climate resilience. Technical assistance and training are the
cornerstones of EPA's cooperative approach to addressing environmental challenges in
communities, particularly communities that are economically distressed. In FY 2025, the Program
will continue to prioritize technical assistance, capacity building and training, and promote more
equitable approaches towards improved public health and environmental resilience. Where
appropriate, EPA will partner with stakeholders to help achieve locally led, community-driven
approaches towards protecting air, land, and water in parallel with supporting equitable
development and revitalization. In FY 2025, the Program will partner with EPA programs and
regional offices to support their delivery of outreach, resources, and assistance to communities in
ways that align with the principles of community driven solutions. The Program will continue to
expand on partnerships, like the Recreation Economies for Rural Communities initiatives in FY
2023, providing assistance to rural communities and small towns to help them leverage the power
of a growing outdoor recreation economy. EPA worked with the USDA Forest Service, the
Northern Border Regional Commission, and the Appalachian Regional Commission, to develop
and complete 25 workshops in FY 2023. This type of community-driven assistance, and others
like it, are focusing on technical assistance, capacity building and training, to promote more
equitable approaches towards improved public health and environmental resilience.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue analyses on emerging trends, innovative practices, and
tools that support equity, climate resilience, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, and clean air, land,
and water outcomes. EPA will continue to develop tools to help interested communities
incorporate innovative, equitable approaches to infrastructure and land development policies. This
assistance helps deliver multiple economic, community, and human health goals embedded in
EPA's core mission, including managing stormwater, improving local air and water quality,
cleaning up and reusing previously developed sites, and supporting revitalization and
redevelopment in economically distressed communities to create economic opportunities while
reducing GHG emissions and protecting the environment.
463
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Energy Communities
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its cross-government leadership role on the federal Interagency
Working Group on Coal & Power Plant Communities & Economic Revitalization (IWG). The
additional $5.0 million and 3.0 FTE will be used to support and increase the cross-government
number of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) in energy communities from three in FY 2023 to at
least ten by the end of FY 2025. The RRTs will help energy communities in transition address
their critical redevelopment challenges. A desired outcome is the transition to low carbon
electricity generation as a competitive advantage for economic redevelopment.
Performance Measures Targets:
(PM AD07) Number of priority actions completed in EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan and Program
and Regional Implementation Plans.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
mo
100
105
105
Priority
Actions
Actual
151
177
(PM AD09) Cumulative number of federally recognized tribes assisted by EPA to take action to anticipate,
prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
mo
150
330
370
Tribes
Actual
1 10
Data
Avail
3/2024
(PM AD10) Cumulative number of states, territories, local governments, and communities (Le., EPA
partners) assisted by EPA to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of
climate change.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:5o
300
500
525
Partners
Actual
:42
Data
Avail
3/2024
(PM AD11) Number of tribal, state, regional, and/or territorial versions of the Climate Change Adaptation
Resource Center (ARC-X) or similar systems developed by universities with EPA support.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
3
6
7
8
Systems
Actual
i
7
464
-------
(PM AD12) Hours of appropriate subject matter expert time provided by EPA to help communities adapt to
climate impacts, build long-term resilience, and support the most underserved and vulnerable communities
after federally declared disasters.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Targel
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Hours
Actual
9,763
7,130
(PM AD13) Number of capacity building trainings, tools, and events, developed or hosted by EPA, that serve
a unique purpose, unique audience, and/or provide new or updated information.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
27
32
Actions
Actual
r
(PM OCR02) Cumulative number of communities that, as a result of OCR assistance, have been able to
attract new investment and/or enact policies that produce improved public health and environmental
outcomes.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY 2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
TBD
Communities
Actual
(PM PAT) Annual Percentage of EPA permitting processes automated.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
10
30
30
Percent
Actual
8
Numerator
1
Permitting
Processes
Denominator
13
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$700.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$19,300.0 / +14.5 FTE) This change is an increase provided for EPA's Climate
Adaptation Program to support increased resilience of EPA programs and strengthen the
adaptive capacity of states, tribes, territories, local governments, communities, and
businesses. This investment includes approximately $2.8 million for payroll.
• (+$5,000.0 / +3.0 FTE) This program change will support additional cross-government
rapid response teams assisting energy communities challenged by mine and power plant
closures. It also with support EPA's interagency work as part of the Interagency Working
Group on Coal & Power Plant Communities & Economic Revitalization (IWG). This
investment includes $572.0 thousand for payroll.
465
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• (+$3,000.0 / +6.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to integrate Administration
priorities to support the coordination, streamlining, oversight, automation, and integration
of EJ considerations and climate change within the scope of environmental permitting
decisions on all FAST-41 covered projects across the Agency's decentralized permitting
authorities. This investment includes $1.1 million for payroll.
• (+$900.0) This program change is an increase to support core program capacity and build
the Program by addressing the Administration's priorities and adhering to the goals in the
FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); National Environmental Policy Act; CAA §
309; Endangered Species Act; National Historic Preservation Act; Archaeological and Historic
Preservation Act; Fishery Conservation and Management Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act;
and Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act.
466
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Legal Advice: Environmental Program
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
Sf>0.20'
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Hazardous Subslanco Superliind
$844
$599
$482
-$117
Total Budget Authority
$61,051
$60,660
$87,097
$26,437
Total Workyears
258.8
273.3
352.5
79.2
Total Workyears in FY 2025 include 8.3 FTE funded by TSCA fees and 22.0 FTE to support Legal Advice working
capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The Legal Advice: Environmental Program provides legal representational services, legal
counseling, and legal support for all the Agency's environmental activities. The legal support
provided by this program is essential to the Agency's core mission to protect human health and the
environment. The personnel assigned to this program possess essential expertise in critical fields
that EPA relies on for all decisions and activities in furtherance of its mission. The Program
includes the Office of General Counsel's (OGC's) Air and Radiation Law Office, Cross-Cutting
Issues Law Office, Ethics Office, National Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office, Pesticides
and Toxic Substances Law Office, Resource Management Office, Solid Waste and Emergency
Response Law Office, and Water Law Office, as well as ten Offices of Regional Counsel (ORCs).
The Program provides legal counsel on nearly every major action the Agency takes. It plays a
central role in all statutory and regulatory interpretation of new and existing rules, as well as rule
and guidance development under EPA's environmental authorities. The Program also provides
essential legal advice for every petition response and emergency response. When the Agency acts
to protect the public from pollutants or health-threatening chemicals in the air we breathe, in the
water we drink, or in the food we eat, the Program provides counsel on the Agency's authority to
take that action. The Program then provides the advice and support necessary to finalize and
implement that action. When agency action is challenged in court, the Program defends it, in
coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The Program also provides support and
legal counsel in adhering to court orders and mandates. The Program also supports EPA's National
FOIA Office and the Ethics Office as part of the legal services activity within the Agency's
Working Capital Fund.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
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In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional investment of $26.6 million and 75.2 FTE for the
Program to provide legal advice and counsel and to defend EPA's environmental programs as the
Agency undertakes increased efforts to tackle the climate crisis, protect drinking water sources
and waters of the United States, and safeguard the public from harmful toxic substances, among
many other initiatives and responsibilities. This investment includes an increase of approximately
$5.8 million in fixed costs for existing FTE. The Program will continue to provide expert legal
counseling for agency programs and regional offices, as well as support for judicial and administrative
litigation, under all the environmental statutes administered by EPA. The Program also will
continue to provide cross-cutting legal advice and counsel on important administrative law
developments that are crucial to EPA's issuance of durable and defensible actions.
In FY 2025, the Program will use the additional resources to strengthen staffing and attorney
training for those who provide legal advice and counsel in furtherance of the Agency's mission to
protect human health and the environment. The Program will provide legal support to EPA's
environmental programs under the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA),
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Federal
Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA),
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA), and other authorities within the Agency's purview. The Program
also will continue to strengthen its FOIA implementation to enhance transparency and work toward
achieving the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan long-term performance goal to eliminate the
backlog of overdue FOIA responses. The Program also will continue to lead the Agency's ethics
program.
Legal counseling resources continue to be highly sought after, and the Program has experienced
increasing demand for its services in the last ten years. The Program has seen a significant increase
in work on rulemakings related to the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and toxic
substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among many other high priority
agency matters that the Program supports. EPA OGC's and ORCs' workloads have significantly
outpaced staffing resources, particularly as the Program has added work on critical Administration
priorities, including climate change and environmental justice. Many of the FTE requested would
increase staffing for the Program's ORCs. The Program's FOIA workload (which is now within
the ORCs' purview) has increased and the ORCs' civil rights and environmental justice portfolios
also have increased exponentially in recent years, as has other environmental law work. Increasing
FTE for the ORCs, and the Program overall, is critical to ensuring continued legal support for the
Agency's headquarters and ten regional offices.
The following are examples of recent FY 2023 accomplishments and work being completed to
illustrate this program's role in implementing the Agency's core mission:
• The Program provided critical legal and strategic counsel in developing the Heavy-Duty
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Rule, the strongest ever national clean air standards to cut smog-
and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks. Program attorneys were crucial to the
development of EPA's proposed New Source Performance Standards and Emission
Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil-Fuel-Fired Power Plants to help
ensure that the rulemaking is developed and implemented in a legally durable manner. The
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Program also continues to play a key role in implementing the American Innovation and
Manufacturing (AIM) Act, which requires the phase down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
a potent class of GHGs.
• The Program was EPA's legal advisor (at both the headquarters and regional level) on the
East Palestine train derailment. Program attorneys provided crucial legal advice on all
aspects of the response, including key issues related to interstate transportation of
hazardous waste, public disclosure of waste shipments, and other challenging issues. The
Program's critical legal advice concerning PFAS contamination has been central to
advancing the Agency's efforts on this top Administration priority; for example, Program
attorneys counseled on two ongoing RCRA rulemakings that will help promote cleanup of
PFAS contamination at RCRA hazardous waste management facilities. Program attorneys
also provided important legal counseling on multiple actions pertaining to coal combustion
residuals (CCR), including the Agency's issuance of a proposed rule to regulate legacy
CCR surface impoundments and management units.
• Program attorneys provided significant legal support on development of the Agency's
latest rulemaking defining "waters of the United States," a key CWA term that defines the
limits of federal jurisdiction over discharges into, or filling of, surface waters throughout
the United States. The Program also played a crucial role in responding to the May 2023
Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA, which was the most consequential decision the
Court has ever rendered regarding CWA jurisdiction. Program attorneys also provided
significant legal support for high profile agency actions under SDWA to address PFAS,
including through a new precedent-setting drinking water standard.
• Program attorneys provided specialized legal and strategic expertise to programs and other
EPA attorneys on a wide range of cross-cutting legal issues. For example, Program
attorneys provided critical counseling on the Major Questions Doctrine. The Program
provided expert counsel on a range of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
activities, including support for EPA's responsibilities under CAA Section 309 to review
federal agency environmental impact statements. The Program also published the
Cumulative Impacts Addendum to EPA Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice
(EJ), which furthers the Agency' s Strategic Plan goals related to EJ and equity. In addition,
the Program continued to serve an essential role in counseling on the Agency's
international law efforts and initiatives.
• Program attorneys provided key legal support to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs on
an update to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Workplan, which proposed interim
ecological measures intended to reduce exposure to non-target species. The Program
provided crucial legal advice in support of EPA's implementation of numerous high-
priority, time-sensitive actions under amended section 6 of TSCA, including the Agency's
development of the proposed risk management rulemaking on methylene chloride, one of
the first 10 chemicals that underwent risk evaluation under TSCA. The Program also
concluded a 12-year megasuit with a unique settlement that avoids the lengthy process of
ESA pesticide consultation for several of the remaining active ingredients.
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• The Program continued to manage the overall agency ethics program to ensure that
employees carry out their duties ethically. The Program met programmatic goals for
confidential financial disclosure filing. Of the more than 7,700 confidential financial
disclosure reports filed across the Agency, nearly 96 percent were timely filed and nearly
89 percent of those were timely reviewed and certified. Program attorneys also continued
to provide excellent customer service to the Agency's 100 plus deputy ethics officials, as
well as to EPA employees and former employees. Program attorneys also continued to
deliver high quality trainings within and outside of EPA.
• The Program continued to lead the Agency's implementation of the FOIA program and
nationwide FOIA policies. The National FOIA Office procured and deployed FOIAXpress,
the Agency's new FOIA case management system. The Program led EPA's efforts to
reduce the backlog of overdue FOIA responses by nearly 26 percent, reducing the backlog
from 950 down to 704 requests. The Program provided critical legal support for 70 of
EPA's most complex and high profile FOIA requests, including requests pertaining to the
East Palestine, Ohio train derailment and emergency response. The Program also
completed the initial review and assignment of 5,238 FOIA requests, processed 275
expedited FOIA processing requests and 769 applications for fee waiver, and processed
and closed more than 1,171 FOIA requests.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM FQ2) Number of FOIA responses in backlog.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
845
712
474
236
Responses
Actual
2,761
2,128
1,395
1,056
950
704
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$5,751.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$10,389.0 / +37.0 FTE) This program change addresses a need for increased demand for
legal counseling services, supporting the Agency on defensive litigation on all its
environmental programs in the regions and headquarters. The Program will provide legal
support to EPA's environmental programs under the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water
Act (CWA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA), Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Food Quality
Protection Act (FQPA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and other authorities within
the Agency's purview. These additional resources also will assist EPA in tackling the
climate crisis and securing environmental justice. This investment includes $8.7 million in
payroll.
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• (+$10,051.0 / +36.7 FTE) This program change addresses a need for increased demand of
legal counseling services, including in the Agency's Offices of Regional Counsel, which
support the Agency on defensive litigation, civil rights, and environmental justice-related
counseling. This investment includes $8.6 million for payroll.
• (+$363.0 / +1.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
$354.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Legal Advice: Support Program
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S l.\V22
s/.v.yi"
S2U.5X-I
S l.f)2~
Total Budget Authority
Mvo:
SI 8,95 7
S20,584
5il,627
Total Workyears
73.4
83.7
93.7
10.0
Total Workyears in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE funded by TSCA fees.
Program Project Description:
The Legal Advice: Support Program includes the Office of General Counsel's (OGC's) Civil
Rights and Finance Law Office (CRFLO) and General Law Office (GLO), as well as certain
positions in EPA's ten Offices of Regional Counsel (ORCs). The Program supports EPA, across
the Agency's headquarters and ten regional offices, in maintaining high professional standards
throughout the Agency and in complying with all laws and policies that govern EPA's operations.
The Program provides critical support for EPA's work under various civil rights statutes, including
comprehensive counseling on civil rights matters, such as equal protection. The Program provides
crucial legal representational services, legal counseling, and legal support for a wide variety of
activities necessary for EPA's operation and success, including providing legal counseling and
support on a range of employment, appropriations, intellectual property, national security, and
information law-related matters.
The Program's legal support is key to fulfilling the Agency's role in Executive Order 13985:
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government,210 and is instrumental in advancing the environmental justice (EJ) and civil rights
goals in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Program provides critical legal support for
EPA's newly formed Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), which
was created in Fall 2022 to improve oversight and enforcement of civil rights and prioritize and
advance EJ concerns. The Program's employment law expertise is critical to ensuring fair and
impartial hiring and retention of a qualified workforce, and to supporting the Agency in adverse
employment actions. The Program also provides counsel and advice for settlement of Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) claims against the Agency. In addition, the Program's Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) legal counseling and litigation support are key to ensuring transparency
and accountability.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
210 Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government, 86 Fed. Reg. 7009 (Jan. 20,2021), available otf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-
01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government.
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Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional investment of $1.6 million and 7.0 FTE to
strengthen EPA's Legal Advice: Support Program. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to provide legal
support for the Agency's crucial civil rights work, which has expanded considerably in recent
years and continues to increase; will continue to provide legal counsel and support on legal advice
and support on matters related to contracts, grants, finance, appropriations, and employment law
matters for the Agency, including work related to the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which has
increased in recent years and involves incredibly complex, billion-dollar cases; and will continue
to counsel and advise on information law matters. The requested investment also is critical to
ensuring that the Program has staffing resources sufficient to provide legal support for the new
OEJECR.
Legal counseling resources continue to be highly sought after, and the Program has experienced
increasing demand for its services in the last 10 years. EPA OGC's and ORCs' workloads in
program areas have significantly outpaced staffing resources. In particular, the Program has seen
a significant increase in workload related to providing critical legal support for the Agency on civil
rights matters, which support key Administration priorities. The Program also has seen an increase
in demand for legal counseling from certain agency programs related to implementation of
Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) and has seen increased demand for legal support related
to FTCA matters. The majority of the FTE requested would increase staffing for the Program's
ORCs. Additional resources also are necessary to provide legal support for the newly formed
OEJECR. Increasing FTE for the ORCs, and the Program overall, is critical to ensuring continued
legal support for the Agency's headquarters and ten Regional offices.
The Program is critical to ensuring the Agency's compliance with its legal obligations so that the
Agency can focus on fulfilling its core mission of protecting human health and the environment.
The additional resources for this program are crucial to ensuring that the Agency continues to
make legally sound decisions that advance EPA's mission, support EPA's operations, and serve
the American public. Increasing FTE for the ORCs' work in these program areas is critical to
ensuring continued legal support for the Agency's ten regional offices. Additional resources are
required to maintain staffing levels sufficient to keep pace with the increasing demands placed on
the Program and the ORCs' work in Program areas, and to support OEJECR.
The following are examples of FY 2023 accomplishments:
• The Program completed over 3,770 Confidential Business Information (CBI)
determinations on CBI claims submitted pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA). Program attorneys also provided critical legal counseling and support on several
significant TSCA-related rulemakings. This determination rate represents an
extraordinarily successful effort to improve transparency and reduce litigation risk that
continues the significant achievements gained in FY 2022. The TSCA CBI team is now
working on some of the most complex and oldest pending determinations. In January 2021,
the TSCA CBI team's backlog was at 1,160. This backlog was reduced to 207 at the end
of FY 2022. At the end of July 2023, the TSCA CBI team further reduced its backlog to
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fewer than 28 TSCA CBI determinations and hopes to clear out its backlog by the end of
FY 2023.
• The Program counseled the Agency on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
(DEIA) efforts, including the Agency's DEIA Action plan, DEIA data reporting, and
barrier analyses. This activity furthers the Agency's implementation of Executive Order
14035's directive to advance equity within the Federal Government and "cultivate a
workforce that draws from the full diversity of the nation." The Program facilitated the
completion of OGC's Equity Assessment contract, which advanced OGC's efforts to assess
equity in the workplace and captured suggestions for ways to improve the workplace. The
Program also is working to improve DEIA hiring, outreach, and recruitment efforts through
a new outreach program as well as informational interviewing.
• Program attorneys successfully defended the Agency in both information law and
employment law litigation. Specifically, the Program skillfully defended EPA in 43 FOIA
cases and more than 90 employment law matters, including 15 district court cases or court
of appeals employment matters. In addition, the Program resolved more than 44 matters
through settlement or victory on the merits. The Program also timely completed 92 FOIA
administrative appeals.
• The Program counseled the Agency's infrastructure programs on evaluating the
applicability of the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act and implementation of
BABA requirements throughout the Agency. This BABA authority was included in the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and applied domestic preference requirements to
several EPA infrastructure program as well as Superfund. Program attorneys provided
comprehensive legal guidance to impacted agency programs The Program also helped to
develop government-wide BABA regulations promulgated in 2023.
• The Program provided expert legal counsel to EPA's regional offices, as well as the Office
of Water (OW), Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), and Office of
Research and Development, to support the Community Project Funding
(CPF)/CDS/Community Grants grant program. Program attorneys assisted OW with the
development and publication of the final implementation guidance for the newly formed
grant program, providing CDS recipients training on federal procurement requirements
under EPA assistance agreements; ensuring EPA's regional offices have the appropriate
delegations of authority in place to be able to approve grant awards; working with regional
staff regarding applicant and recipient questions pertaining to their projects; and resolving
cross-cutting legal issues involving the Davis-Bacon Act, National Environmental Policy
Act, and BAB A/American Iron and Steel compliance.
• In FY 2023, the Program provided critical legal support for 66 external civil rights and
compliance cases and 47 EEO cases. The Program also developed and led 20 equal
protection law trainings for agency leadership and staff in programs including OW, OLEM,
the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and the Office of Air and Radiation,
as well as several regional offices.
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• Program attorneys analyzed the legal intersections between Clean Air Act's Section
110(a)(2)(E)'s requirement for State Implementation Plan submissions to demonstrate a
necessary assurance of compliance with federal laws and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act's
requirement that recipients of federal financial assistance must comply with all federal civil
rights laws. The Program collaborated on various policy deliverables regarding EPA's
Lead and Copper Rule and initiatives associated with lead service line replacements, which
included discussions about Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and due process legal risks that
may arise as well as risk mitigation.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Legal Advice: Environmental
Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$158.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,469.0 / +7.0 FTE) This net program change addresses a need for increased demand
for legal counseling services and support on defensive litigation; increased demand for
advising on FOIA and other information law matters; ensuring the Agency's work on
contracts, grants, and appropriations is handled in accordance with the law; and providing
sufficient legal support for the new OEJECR. This change will provide critical staffing
resources particularly to the Program's ORCs and includes $1.6 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Regulatory/Economic-Management and Analysis
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and
Activities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SI (>.032
SI'.-/ —
SIV. 5 20
S 2.051
Total Budget Authority
$16,032
$17,475
$19,526
$2,051
Total Workyears
71.4
73.7
77.2
3.5
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 0.2 FTE to support Regulatory/Economic, Management, and Analysis working
capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The Regulatory /Economic, Management, and Analysis Program is responsible for reviewing the
Agency's regulations to ensure that they are developed in accordance with the governing statutes,
executive orders, and agency commitments and are based on sound technical, economic, scientific,
and policy assumptions. Further, the Program ensures consistent and appropriate economic
analysis of regulatory actions, conducts analyses of regulatory and non-regulatory approaches, and
considers interactions between regulations across different environmental media. The Program
provides technical support on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) to develop final social
cost of carbon (SC-CO2), social cost of nitrous oxide (SC-N2O), and social cost of methane (SC-
CH4)for use in regulatory and programmatic analysis, consistent with Executive Order (EO)
13990, Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the
Climate Crisis.211 The Program helps to implement EO 14094 Modernizing Regulatory Review212
and EO 14096 Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All213 by
developing appropriate modeling, data, and analysis to inform the consideration of environmental
justice (EJ) concerns in regulatory and non-regulatory actions. The Program ensures the Agency's
regulations comply with statutory and EO requirements, including the Congressional Review
Act,214 the Regulatory Flexibility Act (as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act),215 and EOs 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review216 , 13563, Improving
211 For more information on EO 13990, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/.
212 For more information on EO 14094, please see: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2023/04/l 1/2023-
07760/modemizing-regulatory-review.
213 For more information on EO 14096, please see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2Q23-
08955/revitalizing-our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-justice-for-all.
214 For more information on the Congressional Review Act, please see Subtitle E: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-
1.04pubt 1.21. /pdf/PLAW-1.04publ 1.21. .pdf.
215 For more information on the Regulatory Flexibility act, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-
94/pdf/STATUTE-94-Pg 1.1.64.pdf. and as amended by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act, please see:
littps://www. go vinfo. go v/content/pkg/PL A W -1.04pubt 1.21. /pdf/PLAW -1.04pubt 1.21. .pdf.
216 For more information on EO 12866 Regulatory Planning and Review, please see https://www.archives.gov/files/federal-
register/executive-orders/pdf/1.2 866 .pdf.
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Regulation and Regulatory Review211, and 14094, Modernizing Regulatory Review2^ regarding
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulatory review. The Program manages the
development and deployment of EPA's economy-wide model for analyzing the economic impacts
of environmental regulations and the macroeconomic impacts from climate transition and physical
risks. The Program also includes the Agency's Chief Statistical Official charged with
implementing major elements of the Foundations for Evidence Based Policy Act219
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Strategic Goal 2/Objective 2.2, Embed Environmental
Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and Activities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA
Strategic Plan.
The Program assists the Administrator and other senior agency leaders in implementing regulatory
policy priorities. In FY 2025, EPA requests a total investment of $19.5 million and 77.0 FTE in
the Regulatory/Economic, Management, and Analysis Program. This includes an additional $2.1
million and 3.5 FTE in support of the Administration's goal to tackle the climate crisis. The
Agency will continue its efforts to assess and review the benefits and costs to communities,
businesses, government entities, and the broader economy associated with each economically
significant regulatory action to maximize the net benefits of policies protecting human health and
the environment. EPA will conduct and integrate analysis of EJ concerns in the rulemaking process
to address the Administration's priorities. EPA will collect data and build models to assess
regulatory proposals and their impacts on benefits, economic performance, and EJ. Planned key
program activities in FY 2025 include:
• Conduct analysis, engage the public, stakeholders, and experts, as appropriate, and develop
tools to support the updating and application of the Social Cost of GHGs, including the
SC-CO2, SC-N2O and SC-CH4 to ensure that these costs are based on the best available
economics and science.
• Represent EPA in recommending improvements to modernize the regulatory review
process to promote policies that reflect new developments in scientific and economic
understanding, fully accounts for regulatory benefits that are difficult or impossible to
quantify and does not have harmful anti-regulatory or deregulatory effects. Develop
procedures that consider the distributional consequences of regulations as part of any
quantitative or qualitative analysis of the benefits and costs of regulations, to ensure that
regulatory initiatives appropriately benefit and do not inappropriately burden underserved,
vulnerable, or marginalized communities across all life stages.
• Support EPA's Chief Statistical Official, who will provide technical support for projects
under EPA's Learning Agenda, evaluation plan, and capacity assessment; design
217 For more information on EO 13563 Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, please see:
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-ofFice/201 l/01/18/executive-order-13563-improving-regulation-and-regulatory-
review.
218 For more inFormation, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-actioiis/2023/04/06/executive-
order-oii-iiiodeiiiiziiig-regulatoiY-review/.
219 For more information, please see: https://www.c0ngress.g0v/l 1.S/plaws/pubt43S/PLAW-1. lSpubt43S.pdf".
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statistically sound policy analyses and evaluations; assist in the continued development of
EPA's Learning Agenda; and promote a culture of evidence-based decision making.
• Conduct training for EPA regulatory staff on a broad range of topics, including EPA's
internal Action Development Process, developing EJ analysis for rulemakings, Guidelines
for Preparing Economic Analyses, and Congressional Review Act requirements to help
ensure that rules meet policy goals and address legal and administrative requirements and
are informed by high quality EJ and economic analyses.
• Expand analytic capabilities for conducting EJ analyses for rulemaking through
development of flexible analytic tools and novel datasets.
• Implement EPA's updated Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in
Regulatory Analysis, including training on new additions that address how the EJ analysis
can be used to inform policy options and newer techniques for conducting EJ analyses.
• Provide updates to EPA's Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analyses, revised to
incorporate updated analytic requirements and practices developed under the President's
Memorandum on Modernizing Regulatory Review,220 updates to OMB's Circular A-4, and
the recommendations from the Science Advisory Board's peer review. The guidelines help
ensure that EPA's economic analyses provide a complete accounting of the economic
benefits, costs, and impacts of regulatory actions, including distributional consequences,
and are consistent across EPA programs.
• Continue to deploy both long-run and near-term models of the U.S. economy to assess how
climate change impacts and the risk of extreme weather events affect Americans and the
economy. This includes assessing distributional impacts, costs, and broader
macroeconomic performance of the U.S. economy in the face of physical impact and
transition risks under EO 14030, Climate-Related Financial Risk.221
• Continue to deploy and develop EPA's economy-wide model for analyzing the economic
impacts of environmental regulations.222 EPA will continue to update the model consistent
with recommendations from EPA's Science Advisory Board, deploy the model in
regulatory analyses where appropriate, and advance the development of open-source data
resources to support transparent analyses. This modeling capacity provides critical
evidence-based analyses to inform decision making.
• Continue to manage EPA's response to recently issued EOs, including EO 14094,
particularly with an eye toward identifying regulatory actions that advance human health
and environmental protection for all people. Position EPA to effectively respond to recent
220 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/modemizing-
regulatory-review/.
221 For more information on EO 14030, please see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/05/25/2021-11.168/climate-
related-financial-ilsk.
222 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/environmental-economics/cge-modeling-regulatory-analysis.
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OMB guidance on Broadening Public Participation and Community Engagement in the
Regulatory Process.
• Review economic analyses prepared by EPA to ensure compliance with statutory and other
related requirements. Provide the Administrator and the public with high-quality analyses
of the costs, benefits, and impacts on jobs, businesses, and communities of major regulatory
proposals to better inform decision-making and ensure transparency about the
consequences of regulation.223
• As the economy makes structural shifts to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
this program will use macroeconomic and sectoral models to assess the economic effects
of climate policy, to ensure equitable outcomes, spur well-paying union jobs and economic
growth, and identify regions and subpopulations that need additional assistance as the
economy transitions. Continue development of open-source data and economic models,
including sector-specific cost models, to support these efforts in a manner that maximizes
the transparency of these EPA analyses.
• Continue development of a modeling platform capable of assessing the benefits of national
regulations that affect water quality. This effort will provide important evidence-based data
and analyses, consistent with economic science best practices, to inform decision making.
• Strengthen available data and methods to estimate the monetized benefits of health
outcomes of chemical exposures, water pollution, and air pollution for use in EPA's benefit
cost analyses.
• Lead EPA's support for the U.S. System of National Environmental Accounts in line with
the national strategy.224
• Continue to develop EPA's semiannual unified Regulatory Agenda and manage EPA's
compliance with the Congressional Review Act.225
• Manage EPA's internal Action Development Process and expand and upgrade regulatory
planning and tracking tools to facilitate timely decisions and coordination across programs,
on multimedia regulatory and policy issues such as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
(PFAS), climate, and EJ.
• Review all regulatory actions prior to signature by the EPA Administrator to ensure agency
actions are of consistently high quality and supported with strong analysis.
• Serve as EPA's liaison with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within OMB.
223 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/enviromiiental-economics/guideliiies-preparing-economic-aiialyses.
224 For more information on the National Strategy to Develop Statistics for Environmental-Economic Decisions, please see:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf.
225 For more information on the Congressional Review Act, please see: fattps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLA W-
1.04pubt 1.21. /pdf/PLAW-1.04publ 1.21. .pdf.
479
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• Serve as EPA's liaison with the Office of the Federal Register by reviewing, editing, and
submitting documents for publication, so that the public, states, other agencies, and
Congress are informed about EPA's regulatory activities in a timely manner.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$2,488.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,442.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to supports the
Administration's goal to tackle the climate crisis and ensures consistent and appropriate
economic analysis of regulatory actions including advancements in the ability to model the
economic impacts of climate change for assessing the mitigation benefits and
macroeconomic effects. This investment includes $192.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$1,400.0) This program change will support the Climate-Macro Interagency Technical
Working Group and assessments of the Federal Financial Climate Risk Interagency
Working Group.
• (+$1,001.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase for the National Center for
Environmental Economics and natural capital accounting work, in line with the national
strategy.
• (+$696.0 / +1.5 FTE) This program change is an increase to support cross-agency
coordination, analysis, and review of regulatory activity across statutory programs in which
particular emphasis is to be placed on pending climate regulations. This investment
includes $288.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
480
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Science Advisory Board
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
5>4,219
5>4,155
S4,671
5)516
Total Workyears
19.3
18.7
18.7
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Science Advisory Board Staff Office (SABSO) manages two Federal Advisory
Committees. Congress established the Agency's Science Advisory Board (SAB) in 1978, under
the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Act, to advise the Administrator
on a wide range of highly visible and important scientific matters. The Clean Air Scientific
Advisory Committee (CASAC) was established under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 to
provide independent advice to EPA Administrator on the technical bases for EPA's National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The SAB and the CASAC, both statutorily mandated
chartered Federal Advisory Committees, draw from a balanced range of non-EPA scientists and
technical specialists from academia, states, tribes, independent research institutions, non-
governmental organizations, and industry. The Program provides management and technical
support to these advisory committees. The Committees provide EPA's Administrator independent
advice and objective scientific peer review on the technical aspects of environmental issues as well
as the science used to establish criteria, standards, regulations, and research planning, as
requested.226
Thus far in FY 2024, the SAB has finalized four scientific peer reviews of regulatory actions and
submitted two reports on the science supporting decisions regulatory reviews. As of January 2024,
the SAB also is actively working on three peer reviews and multiple regulatory action reviews.
Thus far in FY 2024, CASAC has been forming a panel to assess the Nitrogen Oxides NAAQS.
SABSO expects these totals to maintain at their current level in FY 2024 and FY 2025 as both
Committees have several current activities on-going that we anticipate completing this fiscal year.
In September 2024, the Program expects to announce new members for both the SAB and CASAC
to serve as expert advisors to EPA. This will include a new Chair of the CASAC. SABSO is
following a thorough and transparent public process and the new members will have scientific and
technical expertise that align with the Agency's strategic priorities. We anticipate the
Administrator will make his final membership selections in August 2024. Since SABSO provides
an in-house resource for EPA peer reviews, the Program costs are low in comparison to external
peer review conducted by groups such as the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
226 For more information, please see: littp://www.epa.gov/sab/ and http://www.epa.gov/castK/.
481
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
Using the best available science and a credible, defensible, and transparent scientific approach,
SAB SO supports EPA's mission by conducting independent, scientific, public, peer reviews of
some of the most challenging regulatory and science-based topics facing EPA and America. In FY
2025, SABSO anticipates SAB and CASAC will complete 16-18 peer reviews, consultations, and
regulatory reviews. In FY 2025, the CASAC is expecting completing reviews of NAAQS for
several critical NAAQS pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone,
and lead. The SAB will conduct peer reviews on Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)
chemical reviews, risk assessment models, climate science reports, economic analyses,
Environmental Justice (EJ) reports, and other similar projects. In addition, SABSO also expects to
conduct four to seven regulatory reviews.
The SAB will directly support EPA Administrator Michael Regan's message "Our Commitment
to Environmental Justice" issued on April 7, 2021,227 in addition to supporting implementation of
Executive Order (EO) 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Supportfor Under served Communities
Through the Federal Government; 228 EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and
Abroad;229 and Strategic Goal 4, Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for all Communities. In FY 2024,
the EJ Science Committee and Climate Science Committee (both standing committees of the SAB)
expect to complete three climate and EJ risk analyses. Included in these reports will be an SAB
self-initiated report on how to best conduct EJ analyses to support rulemaking activities.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$58.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and
changes to benefits costs.
• (+$574.0) This program increase supports the Science Advisory Board in conducting
independent, scientific, public, peer reviews of priority regulatory and science-based
topics, including PFAS and several critical pollutants.
227 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-admiiiistrator-regan-amiouaces-new-initiatives-
support-environmental-iustice-and.
228 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment/.
229 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-
order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
482
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Statutory Authority:
Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA);
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA); and Clean Air Act (CAA).
483
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Science Policy and Biotechnology
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$1,628
$1,811
$1,642
-$169
Total Workyears
5.1
4.6
4.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Science Policy and Biotechnology Program provides scientific and policy expertise supporting
independent, external scientific peer review of matters related to pesticides and toxic substances,
including biotechnology. The Program primarily supports two federal advisory committees: the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP), and
the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) established under the 2016 amendments
to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The FIFRA SAP and the SACC are both statutorily
mandated, chartered Federal Advisory Committees drawing from a balanced range of non-EPA
scientists and technical specialists from, for example, academia, other federal government
agencies, states, non-governmental organizations, and industry. These Committees provide the
EPA's Administrator independent advice and objective scientific peer review on the technical
aspects of pesticide and toxic substance issues as well as the science used to establish guidelines
and regulations, as requested. The scientific peer review conducted under this program promotes
coordination among EPA programs including but not limited to pesticides, toxic substances, air,
water, and research and development, facilitating coherent and consistent scientific policy from a
broad agency perspective.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Science Policy and Biotechnology Program will continue to support the peer
review of the scientific and technical issues associated with pesticide and chemical safety. In
addition, other science policy issues will be supported by the Program when decisions require
expert scientific advice from independent, external scientific peer reviewers (e.g., biotechnology
and new approach methodologies).
484
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FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel
The FIFRA SAP, operating under the rules and regulations of the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, will continue to serve as the primary external independent scientific peer review mechanism
for EPA's pesticide programs. As the Nation's primary pesticide regulatory agency, EPA makes
decisions that require EPA to review scientific data on pesticide risks to wildlife, farmworkers,
pesticide applicators, sensitive and vulnerable populations, ecosystems, and the general public.
The scientific data involved in these decisions are complex. A critical component of EPA's use of
the best available science to address such issues is seeking technical advice and scientific peer
review from the FIFRA SAP.
The FIFRA SAP conducts reviews each year on a variety of scientific topics. Specific topics to be
placed on the FIFRA SAP agenda are usually confirmed in advance of each session and include
difficult, new, or controversial scientific issues identified in the course of EPA's pesticide program
activities. In FY 2024, EPA will address four vacancies that will occur on the FIFRA SAP as a
result of expiring membership terms. Three to six FIFRA SAP meetings are tentatively planned
for FY 2024. Consistent with the FIFRA SAP Charter, EPA anticipates convening approximately
five FIFRA SAP meetings in FY 2025. These meetings will focus on the impact of pesticides on
human health and the environment and include the peer review of scientific data, methodologies,
models, and assessments, as needed.
Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals
The SACC, operating under the rules and regulations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, will
continue to serve as the primary external independent scientific peer review mechanism for EPA's
chemical safety programs. EPA makes decisions that require the Agency to review scientific data
on risks that chemicals pose to a variety of populations including women, children, and other
potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations. The scientific data, assessments,
methodologies, and measures involved in these decisions are complex. Many of EPA's tools and
models for examining exposures to industrial chemicals rely on inputs that are sensitive to climate
data. The SACC provides independent, expert scientific advice and recommendations to EPA on
the scientific basis for risk assessments, methodologies, and pollution prevention measures and
approaches for chemicals regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and is a
critical component of EPA's use of the best available science to protect human health and the
environment.
The SACC conducts reviews each year on a variety of scientific topics. Similarly, to the FIFRA
SAP, specific topics to be placed on the SACC agenda include difficult, new, or controversial
scientific issues identified in the course of EPA's chemicals program activities. In FY 2024, EPA
will address nine vacancies that will occur on the SACC as a result of expiring membership terms.
Two SACC meetings are planned for FY 2024. Consistent with the SACC Charter, EPA
anticipates convening approximately four to six SACC meetings in FY 2025. These meetings will
focus on the impact of industrial chemicals on human health and the environment and include the
peer review of scientific data, methodologies, models, and assessments, as needed.
485
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Planned Committee Meetings
Based on the estimates reflected in the 2022-2024 committee charters,230 EPA anticipates
convening up to a total of nine to eleven meetings in FY 2025. These meetings will focus on the
impact of pesticides and chemicals on human health and the environment and include the peer
review of scientific data, methodologies, models, and assessments, as needed.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$169.0) This program change is a decrease that will reduce support of science advisory
committee oversight and reflects additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics
Act (FFDCA), §408; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA).
230 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sap/fifra-scientific-advisory-panel-cliarter and
https://www.epa. gov/tsca-peer-review/science-advisory-committee-chemicals-charter.
486
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Operations and Administration
487
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Acquisition Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
s.v.nj-i
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$181
$136
-$45
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$22,835
$27,247
$34,172
$6,925
Total Budget Authority
$56,042
$64,679
$76,393
$11,714
Total Workyears
268.9
307.7
355.7
48.0
Program Project Description:
Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) resources in the Acquisition Management
Program support EPA's contract activities, which cover planning, awarding, and administering
contracts for the Agency. Efforts include issuing acquisition policy and interpreting acquisition
regulations; administering training for contracting and program acquisition personnel; providing
advice and oversight to regional procurement offices; and providing information technology (IT)
improvements for acquisition.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $4.8 million and 20.0 FTE for this program. The Agency
will continue to strengthen EPA's capacity to process new, increased, and existing contract award
actions in a timely manner; advance EPA utilization of small and disadvantaged businesses;
support "Made in America" initiatives; and address supply chain risk management activities for
information and communication technology. EPA processes and awards contract actions in line
with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and guidance from the Office of Management and
Budget's (OMB) Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP).
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the implementation of supply chain risk requirements
in Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act and the "Made in America Laws"
referenced in Executive Order 14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of
America's Workers,231 while furthering Category Management. The Agency will develop a Made
in America Acquisition training curriculum to train EPA's acquisition workforce and will develop
a comprehensive EPA Made in America intranet site which includes resources on agency and
231 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/25/executive-order-on-ensuring-the-future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers/.
488
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Federal Market Resources, compliance requirements and process guidance for both procurement
and assistance agreements. EPA also will establish a Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM)
Program Management Office and task force to formally develop a comprehensive architecture for
the Agency's supply chain, as well as mechanisms to identify and mitigate risk.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to identify activities and resources to enhance and modernize its
acquisition process. This will allow the Agency to connect with a more diverse business base to
address inequities in the acquisition process and build domestic markets and capabilities. EPA will
leverage its three-year Acquisition Forecast database and existing spend data to engage in early
market research to ensure adequate time to thoroughly analyze the market for domestic vendors or
seek a waiver if none exist. The Agency will overhaul the Advance Procurement Planning
component of the Agency's requisition dashboard to easily gather data regarding the planning
phase of the procurement process. In FY 2023, EPA launched the Acquisition Lab Toolkits for
Agency Acquisition personnel. Furthermore, EPA will expand the Acquisition Portal to include
an up to date Made in America toolkit, a Contingency Planning toolkit, and a repository for vendor
marketing information.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue working to eliminate barriers to full and equal participation in
agency procurement and contracting opportunities for all communities and will continue serving
as an active member of the Procurement Equity Workgroup. The Agency will promote the
equitable delivery of government benefits and opportunities by making contracting and
procurement opportunities available on an equal basis to all eligible providers of goods and
services. This work aims to increase the percentage of EPA contract spend awarded to small
businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). These businesses
often lack dedicated resources and in-house capacity to capitalize on agency acquisition and
financial assistance opportunities.
EPA remains committed to leveraging Category Management principles and enabling Spend
Under Management (SUM) in each of its programs and purchasing areas to save taxpayer dollars
and improve mission outcomes. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to utilize data provided by OFPP
and the General Services Administration, to implement spend analysis, trend analysis, and data
visualization tools to measure progress toward EPA's Category Management goals.
OMB's SUM initiative focuses on managed total acquisition spend and agency activities which
transition spend to contract vehicles aligned with Category Management principles. Since FY
2023, EPA has elevated its focus on employing Category Management from purely strategic
sourcing to broader monitoring and management of EPA's primary spend categories—Facilities
& Construction, Professional Services, IT, Industrial Products & Services, Office Management,
and Human Capital. Category Liaisons were established to oversee and improve progress with
EPA's development of Category-lev el strategies in the primary spend categories. In FY 2025, EPA
Category Liaisons will partner with Federal and EPA Category Managers to execute established
Category-level strategies to enable greater SUM and improve the Agency's ability to achieve its
Category Management goals.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement SUM principles to leverage pre-vetted agency and
government-wide contracts. Through SUM solutions, acquisition experts will optimize spending
489
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within the government-wide category management framework and increase the transactional data
available for agency-level analysis of buying behaviors. To modernize the acquisition process and
remove barriers to entry for obtaining government contracts, EPA has developed two innovative
tools available agencywide: the EPA Solution Finder, which provides solution and ordering
information for all EPA enterprise-wide contract solutions; and the SUM Opportunity Tool, which
recommends existing solutions to address newly identified agency requirements for commodities
and services and those supported on expiring contracts.
EPA also will elevate its focus on the Category Management approach to improve management
and results of its portfolio of contracts. EPA will continue to maximize considerations for
implementing Strategic Sourcing Initiatives (SSIs), thereby enhancing purchase coordination,
improving price uniformity and knowledge-sharing, and leveraging small business capabilities to
meet acquisition goals. EPA will continue to implement strategic sourcing initiatives first launched
in FY 2023 in the areas of Lab Equipment Maintenance; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and
Accessibility; Organizational Development and Coaching; Business and Financial Services; and
Intellitrak software.
The Category Management Program allows the Agency to research, assess, and award contract
vehicles that will maximize time and resource savings. Long-term implementation of the Category
Management Program is transforming the Agency's acquisition process into a strategically driven
function, ensuring maximum value for every acquisition dollar spent. In FY 2023, EPA realized
approximately $20.3 million in cost avoidance in specific, measurable costs for twelve agencywide
solutions: Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates; print services; cellular services; content and data
subscriptions; shipping; infrastructure services; office supplies; lab supplies; computers; furniture
and furniture management services; COVID-19 testing; and laboratory equipment maintenance.
Since the Category Management Program's inception in 2013, EPA has avoided approximately
$924 million in costs.
In support of the IT Category-level Strategy, EPA will continue to increase transparency and
visibility for IT purchases, including improving the Financial Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act (FITARA) process.232 Since FY 2023, EPA developed a FITARA numbering system
and the FITARA Approval ID custom data field in the EPA Acquisition System (EAS) agency
contract writing system. The Agency can now track IT purchases from FITARA approval to
contract award, which expands the potential to build greater effectiveness in identifying trends in
IT acquisitions, streamlines the applicability of FITARA approvals to classes of contracts, and
enables the Agency to be responsive to audits and inquiries.
For the Professional Services Category, the Agency will continue to build understanding of
mission-critical services and explore opportunities to develop enterprise-wide solutions in mission
support areas nuanced to EPA's specific needs. In FY 2022, EPA established the Office of Air and
Radiation (OAR) Environmental, Analytical, Research, Technical, and Hybrid (EARTH) Support
Services Blanket Purchase Agreement, its first omnibus mission support acquisition solution
available for agencywide use. OAR EARTH has proven integral to the effective execution of EPA
activities funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act
232 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.c0ngress.g0v/l 13/plaws/publ291/PLAW-
1.1. 3publ29 1. ,pdf#page= 1.48%SI).
490
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(IRA). In FY 2025, EPA will expand its mission support solutions to the Office of Land and
Emergency Management and the Office of Water. These enterprise-wide mission support solutions
focus on small business utilization through use of total small business set-asides or support area
"tracks" restricted to small business awards, which furthers EPA's emphasis on small business
utilization and ensures continued alignment of federal category management and equity goals.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Small Minority Business Assistance
Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$700.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$4,134.0 / +20.0 FTE) This program change will strengthen EPA's capacity to process
new, increased, and existing award contract actions in a timely manner; advance EPA
utilization of small and disadvantaged business; support "Made in America" initiatives;
and support supply chain risk management activities for information and communication
technology. This investment includes $3.65 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
491
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Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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SH5.H40
SS'.OW
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$457
$474
$17
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$32,914
$31,338
$30,512
-$826
Total Budget Authority
$119,128
$118,894
$131,581
$12,687
Total Workyears
441.2
472.0
486.7
14.7
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 2.0 FTE funded by TSCA fees.
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 45.7 FTE to support Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance working capital
fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Activities under the Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance Program support the management
of integrated planning, budgeting, financial management, performance and accountability
processes, risk assessments and reporting, and financial systems to ensure effective stewardship of
resources. This includes managing and supporting the Agency's financial management systems.
The Program functions include financial payment and support services for EPA; general and
specialized fiscal and accounting services for many of EPA's programs; strategic planning and
accountability for environmental, fiscal, and managerial results; developing and executing an
Enterprise Risk Management Program to support mission delivery and decision-making; providing
policy, systems, training, reports, and oversight essentials for EPA's financial operations;
managing the agencywide Working Capital Fund (WCF); and managing the Agency's annual
budget process. This program supports agency activities to meet requirements of the Government
Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRMA) of 2010,233 as amended by the
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 ("Evidence Act"), with an emphasis
on Title I of the Act;234 the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act of 2014;235 the
Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) of 2015;236 the Federal
Management Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA);237 the Inspector General Act of 1978.238
233 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.l/plaws/publ352/PLAW-l1. Ipubl352.pdf.
234 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.S/plaws/pubt43S/PLAW~1.15publ435.pdf.
235 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gov/1.1.3/plaws/publ 1.01./FLAW-1.1.3publ 1.01. .pdf.
236 FITARA became law as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Title VIII, Subtitle D),
https://www.congress.gov/113/plaws/publ291/PLAW-l 13publ291.pdf.
237 For more information, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-96/pdf/STATUTE-96-Pg814.pdf.
238 For more information, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title5/pdf/USCODE-2Q12-title5-app-
inspector.pdf.
492
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Program requests an additional $13.5 million and 13.1 FTE. This increase includes
an investment in a solution that would move the Agency forward in assessing enterprise and
programmatic risk, internal control and audit management; expands agency capacity for
conducting evaluations and provides for necessary fixed costs increases. The additional FTE will
support evidence and evaluation work, system enhancements, and agencywide implementation of
EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and Evidence Act data
stewardship and governance requirements. EPA will continue to provide resource stewardship to
ensure that all agency programs operate with fiscal responsibility, management integrity, and
efficient financial services are delivered nationwide. The Program will continue maintaining key
planning, budgeting, performance measurement, and financial management activities.
Additionally, the Program also will implement enhancements to technical training, outreach, and
reporting to assistance programs with the goal of reducing the barriers of managing complex
federal requirements. The Program will ensure secure operations and maintenance of core agency
financial management systems: Compass, PeoplePlus (Time and Attendance), Budget Formulation
System, which includes a Performance Module, and related financial reporting systems.
The Agency continues to modernize its financial systems to gain greater efficiencies through
leveraging the accounting system, providing accessible tools to manage resources and track agency
performance goals. In FY 2025, Robotics Process Automation (RPA) will be incorporated as a
part of the overall strategy to reduce manual work and improve efficiency of the Agency' s financial
management responsibilities. The Program will begin activities for major upgrades to the Agency's
financial management system (Compass) based on an alternatives analysis conducted in FY 2024.
EPA will continue to expand and enhance easy to use financial dashboards for management and
other analysis work. Dashboards are now in place to support payroll and FTE management. The
dashboards support GPRMA performance planning and systematic tracking of supplemental
funding. The Program will continue to modify systems and data flows to meet Justice40 location
reporting needs. This will involve extensive evaluation of systems architecture to streamline and
modernize interconnections and to improve system performance for customer experience.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to standardize and streamline internal business processes. In FY
2023, EPA began processing new interagency agreements within G-invoicing, as per the Treasury
guidelines. This improved process and system implementation will continue to evolve over the
next few years as more agencies come online and start to do business with the Agency in G-
invoicing. EPA will continue to work transferring its entire catalog of interagency agreements to
G-invoicing by the end of FY 2025, however, this transfer is dependent on the trading partners'
ability to move into G-invoicing. In FY 2024, EPA will prepare to initiate the acquisition process
and transition planning for the Agency's Time and Attendance system based on the results of its
FY 2023 alternatives analysis.
In the current climate of cybercrime, data hacking and foreign interference, the Program is focused
on the Agency's ability to adapt network and data systems to meet increased transparency and
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cybersecurity needs. The DATA Act reporting will continue to evolve with more stringent
timelines, certification requirements, data standardization, validation checks, as well as additional
areas of federal financial spending. The Agency plans to be flexible to adapt to the new
transparency requirements and to provide timely and accurate spending information to the public
while ensuring appropriate security controls and data governance are in place.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to support formal evaluations, improve critical data
collections and data sharing in priority areas as directed by the Evidence Act. In alignment with
the Act, EPA has been steadily building the capacity for this important work, and in FY 2022 the
Agency published its first Learning Agenda. The first Learning Agenda helped established the
policy framework for the Agency's evaluation program. In FY 2025, the Agency will continue
implementing the objectives of the Act. In alignment with the Act, EPA is strategically assessing
its capacity to engage in three areas of evidence-building activity - program evaluation, statistics,
and continuous improvement. In FY 2023 and 2024, all organizations will report the activities,
staff expertise, infrastructure, and resources that they have committed to each evidence-building
area, as well as their plans to expand these activities over the next three years. In FY 2025, the
results will be used to identify baseline skills and capabilities, offer resources, training, and tools.
The results will be used to inform the development of the FY 2026 - FY 2030 EPA Strategic Plan,
underscoring the Agency's progress in incorporating evidence into core management deliberations
and decision-making. The Act requires EPA to develop an evidence-building portfolio to support
policy and program implementation decisions by generating evaluation studies to help the Agency
improve, advance, or modify existing programs, policies, projects, or operations. In order to build
a portfolio of evaluation findings and build staff capacity to oversee and implement evaluations,
the Agency is funding evaluations that leverage administrative and other readily available data.
Evaluations will be conducted in FY 2024 and will be expanded in FY 2025 to support evaluation
studies for decision-making and continuous improvement. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to
execute the Agency's Learning Agenda, build evaluation and evidence-building into the planning
for new and enhanced programs, enhance strategic and annual planning, collaborate with external
evaluation experts, and implement EPA's evaluation policy framework. EPA will invest in
evaluation and other evidence-building activities addressing environmental justice (EJ), climate
change, community engagement, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). With
a commitment to reversing decades of underinvestment in small, disadvantaged, and Tribal
communities that are most impacted by environmental hazards, pollution, and climate change. The
Program will offer cooperative agreement awards to help develop tools, strategies, and technical
assistance that will build knowledge and skills in the evidence-building process. The cooperative
agreement awards will enhance communities' evidence-building capacity to generate high-quality
information that supports learning and improvement of outcomes and impacts.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to focus on core responsibilities in the areas of strategic
planning; performance measurement, assessment, and reporting; and enterprise risk management.
As the Agency lead in designing and implementing performance measurement and risk
management strategies that inform agency decision-making and advance mission results, the
Program will focus on driving progress toward the Administrator's priorities by regularly assessing
performance results against targets, monitoring and mitigating risks, and adjusting strategies as
needed. This includes convening Quarterly Performance Reviews (QPRs) to assess progress;
promoting an increased use of data analytics and evidence-based decision-making practices;
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working collaboratively with agency programs to assess and analyze performance and risk data;
and providing technical assistance on agencywide measures of governance to enhance data quality.
EPA also will continue to use the performance data evidence to answer fundamental business
questions and identify opportunities for service improvements.
During FY 2025, EPA will continue to leverage a management system that uses Lean Management
techniques and tools to promote continuous improvement. Lean Management techniques will
continue to complement EPA's performance framework to help the Agency meet the requirements
of the GPRMA. As of December 2023, EPA has improved more than 1,500 processes and
implemented over 11,500 employee ideas. Improvements and innovations have been made in a
variety of administrative areas, such as hiring and DEIA improvements.
EPA has made significant strides in recent years to strengthen programs considered susceptible to
improper payment. However, the Agency continues to be vigilant in reducing fraud, waste, abuse,
and strengthening internal controls over improper payments. In addition, as required by the
Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA) (P.L. 116-117)239 and OMB Memorandum M-
21-19 Appendix C,240 EPA conducts risk assessments of all its payment streams. Other
improvements include the recent implementation of upgraded systems used for payments and
invoice processing through which the Agency anticipates even fewer payment errors moving
forward. To strengthen our processes, the Program is developing risk assessment plans for
significant increases or new funding the Agency receives. These risk assessments will outline
potential areas that may require additional guidance for tracking and reporting, performance
measures, and internal controls to prevent and detect possible improper payment activities.
The Program will continue to conduct internal control program reviews and use the results and
recommendations from the Office of Inspector General to provide evidence of the soundness of
EPA's financial management program and identify areas for further improvement. Annually, the
Agency conducts internal control reviews of multiple programs. The Program will collect key
operational statistics for its financial management program to further evaluate its operations and
for management decision-making. In FY 2023, EPA enhanced their enterprise risk management
and risk assessment processes to help the collection and analysis of the Agency's risks and
mitigating controls. In future years, EPA will be enhancing its controls on payments by re-
evaluating and adjusting its Payment Integrity operations to allow for a broader reviews of
payment transactions.
With increased focused on internal controls, audit management, and enterprise risk assessment, in
FY 2025, the Agency will continue to expand the Program's efforts in this area including
implementing a new internal control tool. The new tool will allow the Agency to easily crosswalk
the anticipated increase in the number of audits for program integrity to the 600+ risks and internal
controls. The tool also will help the Agency to better monitor the effectiveness, impact and testing
of the internal controls set in place.
239 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 16/plaws/publl 17/PLAW-l 1.6publl 17.pdf.
240 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/M-21-19.pdf
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The Program will continue to support FITARA requirements in accordance with EPA's
Implementation Plan.241 The Chief Information Officer will continue to be engaged throughout the
budget planning process to ensure that information technology needs are properly planned and
resourced in accordance with FITARA.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM OP1) Number of operational processes improved.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
25
50
72
500
200
200
200
200
Operational
Processes
Actual
N/A
66
502
507
208
236
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$5,018.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$6,420.0 / +7.2 FTE) This program change supports implementation of the Evidence Act
to continue to support the data, reporting, and evidence-building capacity of EPA grant
recipients. In addition, this funding will boost support for EPA's central evaluation
function, including evaluation policy implementation activities and EPA's program
evaluation capacity. It also will support 3 to 4 comprehensive program evaluations and
allow for a higher degree of planning to better prioritize and integrate evidence-building
and evidence-based decision-making into agency programs. This investment includes $1.3
million for payroll.
• (+$1,570.0 / +3.4 FTE) This investment supports a new management integrity tool to turn
manual data collection and analysis activities into a streamlined, customer-focused and
agencywide tool that meets the agencywide analytical needs supporting enterprise risk
management, internal control, and audit environments. The FTE will support system
configuration, training, on-going administrative functions and expanded agency analysis
activities. This investment includes $630.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$488.0 / +2.5 FTE) This investment supports additional FTE to help the agencywide
implementation process of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic
Plan and Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment
provides $463.0 thousand for payroll.
241 For more information, please see: http://www.epa.gov/open/fitara-implementation-plan-and-chief-iiifoniiation-ofFLcer-
assignment-plan.
496
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Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 2~5.(>N
S2S.tJ.iO
s.tott
S 24.S04
Scionco & Technology
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
Building and Facilities
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$803
$754
$729
-$25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) resources in the Facilities Infrastructure and
Operations Program fund the Agency's rent, utilities, and security. The Program also supports
centralized administrative activities and support services, including health and safety,
environmental compliance and management, facilities maintenance and operations, space
planning, sustainability and energy conservation, property management, mail, and transportation
services. Funding for such services is allocated among the major appropriations for the Agency.
This program also supports the Agency's Protection Services Detail (PSD) that provides physical
protection for the Administrator through security for daily activities and events. The PSD
coordinates all personnel and logistical requirements including scheduling, local support, travel
arrangements, and the management of special equipment. The Program also provides personnel
and support for the Office of Federal Chief Sustainability Officer per Executive Order 14057
Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, Section 501.242243
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
242 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.sustainability.gov/about.html.
243 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/.
498
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In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $24.8 million and 8.8 FTE in the Facilities Infrastructure
and Operations Program to support agencywide climate sustainability and resiliency initiatives,
and EPA facilities' operating costs and projects. Investing in the reconfiguration of EPA's
workspaces enables the Agency to release office space and avoid long-term rent costs, consistent
with the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act.244 Thesejesources are essential to help EPA reduce
the number of occupied leased facilities, consolidate and optimize space within owned facilities,
and reduce square footage. The Agency's space consolidation and energy efficiency efforts result
in cost avoidances due to projected rent and utility increases in out-years. For FY 2025, the Agency
requests $154.22 million for rent, $5.8 million for utilities, and $23.8 million for security in the
EPM appropriation. EPA uses a standard methodology to ensure that rent charging appropriately
reflects planned and enacted resources at the appropriation level.
EPA will continue conducting climate resiliency assessments at EPA-owned facilities to identify
critical upgrades that are necessary to improve facility resiliency against the impacts of climate
change, such as roof stabilization or seawall construction projects. EPA also will continue
incorporating natural hazard and climate vulnerability assessments into their real property risk
management process. In FY 2025, EPA will conduct climate assessments at the Andrew W.
Breidenbach Environmental Research Center, and Center Hill Research Facility in Cincinnati, OH,
and the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. As a result of FY 2022
assessments, EPA initiated two high priority projects in FY 2023: a feasibility study to improve
the resilience of the causeway leading to the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division
campus in Gulf Breeze, FL, and a solar array feasibility study at the research facility in
Narragansett, RI.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce.245 EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting
organizational health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and
Improving Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving
Agency Work Environments. Even if modifications are kept to a minimum, each move requires
initial funding to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. These investments
support sustainable federal infrastructure and the clean energy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
In FY 2025, EPA will implement energy, water, and building infrastructure requirements with
emphasis on environmental programs (e.g., Environmental Management Systems, Environmental
Compliance Programs, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification, alternative
fuel use, fleet reductions, telematics, and sustainability assessments). This funding will support
investments in infrastructure (e.g., architectural and design) and mechanical systems (e.g.,
Optimized Building Managements Systems for heating and cooling with load demand driven
244 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.c0ngress.g0v/bill/l 14th-congress/house-bil1/4465. Federal Assets Sale
and Transfer Act of 2016.
245 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) and EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/).
499
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controls). Further, EPA will direct $4 million to continue transitioning to electric vehicles through
direct purchase (mobile lab vehicles) or lease with the General Services Administration (GSA),
and to build out the necessary charging infrastructure at EPA facilities. In line with federal
sustainability goals, EPA will work to utilize 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity on a net
annual basis by 2030.
EPA also will meet regulatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
obligations determined through audits and assessments and will provide health and safety training
to field staff (e.g., inspections, monitoring, and on-scene coordinators). The Agency will continue
its partnership with GSA to utilize shared services solutions, USAccess, and Enterprise Physical
Access Control System (ePACS) programs. USAccess provides standardized HSPD-12 approved
Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card enrollment and issuance and ePACS provides centralized
access control of EPA facilities, including restricted and secure areas.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CAA) Number of EPA-owned facility climate adaptation assessments completed.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
2
7
11
14
Assessments
Actual
1
7
(PM CRP) Percentage of priority climate resiliency Projects for EPA-owned facilities initiated within 24
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IS
201')
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
100
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
1
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,764.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$10,694.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to adjustments to rent,
utilities, security, and transit subsidy needs.
• (+$5,646.0 / +7.8 FTE) This program change supports implementation of EO 14057:
Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability requirements
that will require EPA to increase facility resiliency against the impact of climate change
and to advance sustainability of EPA operations. EPA will invest in facility climate
assessments and Optimized Building Management Systems; EPA facilities projects to
500
-------
ensure EPA has optimal footprint to support the proposed FTE increase in the FY 2025
Budget request; and EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan. This investment includes $1.6
million for payroll.
• (+$4,000.0) This program change supports the continuing implementation of transitioning
the Agency's Federal motor vehicle fleet to clean and zero emission vehicles, as well as
building out necessary charging infrastructure at EPA facilities.
• (+$1,700.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change provides the Office of the Chief
Sustainability Officer additional FTE and resources necessary to lead implementation of
Executive Order 14057.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
501
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Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
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S.W.I ss
SM '-/>
Hazardous Subslanco Superliind
HSrr
$4,002
$4,660
$658
Total Budget Authority
$33,079
$34,190
$39,405
$5,215
Total Workyears
145.5
156.8
184.5
27.7
Program Project Description:
Environmental Program and Management (EPM) resources in the Financial Assistance Grants and
Interagency Agreement (IA) Management Program support the management of grants and IAs as
well as suspension and debarment activities for assistance and procurement programs. Grants and
IAs historically comprise a significant percentage of EPA's annual appropriations. Resources in
this program ensure EPA manages grants and IAs to meet the highest fiduciary standards and
achieve measurable results for environmental programs and agency priorities, and that the
government's financial resources and business interests are protected from fraud and
mismanagement.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $4.6 million and 23.0 FTE for this program. The Agency
will continue implementing the FY 2021-2025 Grants Management Plan, focusing on efficient
award and management of assistance agreements, enhancing partnerships within the grants
management community, promoting environmental justice (EJ), and ensuring effective grant
oversight and accountability.
EPA will continue to provide technical assistance and outreach to recipients of federal funding;
improve capacity for oversight and tracking of new and increased grant investments; and process
financial assistance agreements in a timely manner. EPA will conduct a robust training program
for EPA staff and grant applicants and recipients that will focus on:
1) Helping applicants find and apply for competitive and non-competitive grant
opportunities.
2) Providing compliance assistance to ensure applicants and recipients are prepared to
receive and administer funding from the annual appropriations as well as the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Congressionally
Directed Spending.
502
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3) Ensuring recipients understand and comply with the federal requirements that apply to
them and primary recipients.
EPA will use and adapt the grant competition and grant-making processes to promote equity and
support for underserved communities. For example, EPA will provide technical assistance to
potential grantees from underserved communities on sound financial management practices to
reduce barriers to competition for EPA grant resources. EPA also will track grant place of
performance to help determine whether underserved communities realize the benefits of EPA grant
programs.
EPA also will continue to ensure compliance with the Build America, Buy America Act and
policies in its financial assistance programs, consistent with Executive Order 14005 and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-24-02.246'247 These efforts include establishing
appropriate terms and conditions, developing information to share with recipients, conducting
market research and industrial engagement, and, where absolutely necessary, providing limited
and targeted waivers consistent with statutory requirements and OMB directive.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to make use of discretionary debarments and suspensions
as well as statutory disqualifications under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to protect the
integrity of federal assistance and procurement programs. Congress and federal courts have long
recognized federal agencies' inherent authority and obligation to exclude non-responsible parties
from eligibility to receive government contracts and federal assistance awards (e.g., grants,
cooperative agreements, loans, and loan guarantees).
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$637.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$3,920.0 / +23.0 FTE) This net program change will support technical assistance and
outreach to first time recipients of federal funding; improve capacity for oversight and
tracking of new and increased grant investments; and the timely processing of financial
assistance agreements. This investment includes $4.2 million for payroll.
246 For more information, please refer to: https://www.federatregister.gov/documents/2021/01/28/2021-02038/ensuring-the-
future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers.
247 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/M-24-02-Buy-America-
Iiiipleiiieiitatioii-Guidance-IJpdate.pdf.
503
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Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act;
Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act § 2455.
504
-------
Human Resources Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linviriinmcnhil Programs A- Mmuigcmcnl
st/.Ks:
S5/..V,/
124
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Hazardous Subslanco Superliind
$7,419
$9,303
$1,884
Total Budget Authority
$59,264
$58,680
$77,427
$18,747
Total Workyears
210.6
254.4
328.7
74.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 1.5 FTE to support Human Resources Management working capital fund (WCF)
services.
Program Project Description:
Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) resources for the Human Resources (HR)
Management Program support human capital management (HCM) activities throughout EPA.
HCM activities include diverse outreach, recruitment, hiring, employee development, performance
management, leadership development, strategic planning (including workforce planning,
succession management, employee acclimation and experience management), data analysis and
labor union engagement. These factors are critical for building, developing, and retaining a diverse
and talented workforce at EPA. Additional HCM activities supported by EPM resources include
personnel and payroll processing through the Human Resources Line of Business. EPM resources
also support overall federal advisory committee management and Chief Human Capital Officer
Council activities under applicable statutes and guidance, including the Agency's Human Capital
Operating Plan.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $18.75 million and 74.3 FTE across EPM and Superfund
resources for the HR Management Program to continue to implement EPA's Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan, establish a centralized EPA intern program,
implement evidence-gathering and application under EPA's Learning Agenda, and strengthen
agencywide capacity to hire and onboard staff in a timely and equitable manner. The activities
supported by EPA's HR Management Program contribute to effective workforce management and
are critical for strengthening the workforce, retaining expertise, and capturing institutional
knowledge. EPA continues developing mechanisms to ensure employees have the right skills to
successfully achieve the Agency's core mission today and in the future.
505
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EPA is committed to advancing equity, in line with President Biden's Executive Orders (EOs)
13985,248 13988,249 14020,250 14035,251 and 14075.252 In FY 2025, in line with EO 14035, EPA
requests an additional $7,826 million to implement the actions identified in the DEIA Strategic Plan
and to assess whether agency recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional development,
performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable accommodations access, and
training policies and practices are equitable. EPA will undertake an evidence-based and data-
driven approach to determine whether, and to what extent, agency practices result in inequitable
employment outcomes, and whether agency actions may help to overcome systemic societal and
organizational barriers. Further, the Agency's Chief Diversity Officer will oversee the assessment
of the status and effects of existing DEIA initiatives or programs and review the institutional
resources available to support human resources activities. For areas where evidence is lacking, the
Agency will propose opportunities to advance DEIA. EPA will continue to involve employees at
all levels of the organization in the assessment of DEIA initiatives and programs.
In FY 2025, EPA will manage and propose an additional $1.36 million investment in its Senior
Executive Service Candidate Development Program. The Program will focus on incorporating
DEIA strategies to ensure future executives reflect the diversity of the American population and
possess the skills necessary to lead a diverse and talented workforce operating in a hybrid work
environment. The Agency will continue to implement a centralized paid internship program and
with the additional funds requested, will expand on existing internship opportunities across the
Agency to strengthen talent and workforce acquisition. This paid internship program focuses on
expanding federal work experience opportunities for underrepresented and underserved
populations which may have experienced barriers to applying or fully participating in existing
opportunities. EPA's program will provide a total of approximately 180 four-month internship
opportunities across EPA Programs and Regional Offices. Additionally, EPA will implement a
plan to convert eligible interns to permanent federal service based on performance and completing
program requirements.
EPA has increased efforts to improve DEIA with virtual outreach events targeting diverse
networks such as veterans, persons with disabilities, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. To recruit
EPA's next generation of employees, EPA will continue outreach to new potential sources for
future employees and use all available hiring authorities including Schedule A and recruitment
incentives. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics-focused institutions and organizations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional
Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers. EPA also will participate in the President's
Management Council Interagency Rotational Program to create leadership development
248 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federa1register.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advanciiig-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment.
249 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-Q1761/preventing-
and-combating-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-gender-identity-or- sexual-orientation.
250 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2021/03/l 1/2021.-051.83/estabtishiiient-
of-the-white-house-gender-policy-council.
251 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2Q21/06/3Q/2021-14127/diversity-
equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce.
252 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2Q22/06/21/2Q22-13391/advancing-
equality-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer-and-intersex-individuals.
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assignments for GS 13-15 level employees. EPA will continue to review applicant flow diversity
data every quarter to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
In FY 2025, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments,253 EPA will continue to implement, and update as necessary, its Work Environment
Plan in a manner that emphasizes meaningful in-person work and advances organizational health
and performance. EPA will continue to assess and implement any necessary investments in
information technology and real property necessary to implement its Work Environment Plan.
EPA also will continue to support front-line supervisor training for managing individuals and
teams working in hybrid environments and effectively delivering results to customers and
stakeholders. EPA will continue to support a data-driven culture which routinely uses performance
measures for measuring, monitoring, and improving organizational health and organizational
performance.
The Agency will continue to build Talent Teams to effectively expand recruitment and hiring to
meet critical agency skill needs, as well as continue to leverage childcare subsidies to support
retention. EPA also will continue to support and invest in evidence-building activities to carry out
a workforce strategy guided by data-driven decisions as part of its implementation of the Evidence
Act through the Workforce Planning learning priority area in EPA's Learning Agenda. This work
also addresses implementing OMB's Statistical Policy No. 15, Standards for the Classification of
Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. This work includes determining Mission Critical
Competencies, enhancement of EPA's competency assessment tool, conducting a skills gap
analysis across the Agency, and implementing knowledge transfer strategies to support Succession
Management.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to operate and maintain the Talent Enterprise Diagnostic (TED)
tool to allow EPA to make data-driven, strategic workforce decisions. TED data will serve a crucial
role in EPA's Workforce Planning and Succession Management activities by identifying potential
competency gaps across the Agency and by increasing management's understanding of where
needed skill sets should reside within EPA. Additionally, EPA will continue to maintain and
operate dashboards related to Mission Critical Occupations, Workforce Demographics, and
Diversity. These dashboards provide data visualizations and easy-to-understand information about
the current workforce, assisting EPA with Succession Management by identifying workforce gaps
due to anticipated retirements and attrition trends. This is critical considering approximately 22
percent of EPA's workforce is retirement eligible and another 15 percent of the current workforce
will become retirement eligible over the next five years.
The Agency will continue to implement Executive Order 14003, Protecting the Federal
Workforce,254 issued on January 22, 2021. EPA reviewed its unions' agreements to identify and
eliminate provisions influenced by four revoked executive orders and will increase the focus on
pre-decisional involvement and interest-based bargaining. In FY 2025, EPA will continue working
to reset and repair relationships and involve unions in a collaborative way, promoting the Agency's
253 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-contentAiploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
254 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-rooni/presidential-actions/2021/01/22/executive-
order-protecting-the-federal-workforce/.
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and the unions' shared goal of the positive and equitable treatment of newly empowered
employees.
Finally, EPA's advisory committees have proven effective in building consensus among the
Agency's diverse external partners and stakeholders. In line with President Biden'sMemorandum
on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based
Policymaking,255 EPA remains committed to ensuring highly qualified external experts serve on
agency committees and members and future nominees of EPA advisory committees reflect the
diversity of America in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and other characteristics.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM DEIA) Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (DEIA) actions completed toward Maturity Level
"Leading and Sustaining" achieved.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
2
4
6
Actions
Actual
2
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,877.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, changes to benefits costs, and changes to workers
compensation and childcare.
• (+$3,104.0 / +45.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to continue to develop and
diversify its new paid internship program to strengthen talent and workforce acquisition
and focus on expanding federal work experience opportunities for underrepresented and
underserved populations. This investment includes $2.6 million for payroll.
• (+$7,257.0 / +5.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support the implementation
of Executive Order 14035 - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in the
Federal Workforce, carry out the actions identified in EPA's DEIA Strategic Plan, and
assess whether agency recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional
development, performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable
accommodations access, and training policies and practices are equitable. This investment
includes $812.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$1,629.0 / +8.5 FTE) This program change strengthens agencywide capacity to quickly
increase staff levels in key offices and programs {i.e., environmental justice, climate,
infrastructure programs, etc.). This investment includes $1.4 million for payroll.
255 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/memorandum-on-restoring-trust-in-government-through-scientific-integrity-and-evidence-based-
policymaking/.
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• (+$1,000.0) This program change is an increase to support the continuation of the Senior
Executive Service Candidate Development Program with a goal that EPA senior leaders
reflect the diversity of the American people and will include a special focus on developing
diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity competencies.
• (+$996.0 / +5.2 FTE) This program change is an increase in support of the Foundations for
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. Resources will be used for Learning Agenda's
evidence-gathering activities. This investment includes $844.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Title 5 of the U.S.C.; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L.
98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
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Regional Science and Technology
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
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Total Workyears
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1.7
16.7
15.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Regional Science and Technology (RS&T) Program provides direct regional support to
multiple Agency programs including implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Clean Water Act (CWA); Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA); Clean Air Act (CAA); and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation
and Liability Act (CERCLA). The RS&T Program supports the Agency's strategic goals by
performing laboratory analysis, and mobile laboratory services to provide credible scientific data
on environmental pollutants and conditions for agency decision-makers. The RS&T Program also
assists state environmental agencies by providing specialized technical assistance including
assistance to vulnerable and highly exposed communities. Additionally, the Program assists tribal
communities to help build tribal capacity for environmental monitoring and assessment.
The RS&T Program provides essential expertise and scientific data for a wide array of
environmental media, including ambient air; surface, drinking, and groundwater; soil and
sediment; solid and hazardous waste; and biological tissue. This work focuses on the immediate
scientific information needed to make short-term local decisions. A strategic strength of the
regional laboratories is their ability to respond to events requiring surge capacity. In the event of
an emergency or project impacting a large area, regional laboratories work together to leverage the
strengths and capacities of individual lab facilities and deploy mobile laboratory services where
needed.
Extreme weather events often disproportionally affect vulnerable and highly exposed populations
including fence line communities most closely adjacent to chemical facilities. As extreme weather
events and related wildfires, flooding, and service interruptions increase in frequency due to
climate change, the public expectation for a rapid and effective response will continue to grow
over time. These events often require assistance from EPA's regional labs for quick turnaround
sample analyses as well as technical support. When extreme weather events occur, local area
laboratories can become overwhelmed. Each year, in response to natural and/or man-made
disasters across the county, the regions mobilize to provide critical support of urgent analytical
results to assist communities whose drinking water is threatened, air quality is impacted, or
properties are inundated. Regional laboratories have a strong record of backing up each other
during incidents when there is a high demand for services, such as 2021 's Winter Storm Uri, where
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Regions 4 and 7 assisted Region 6. Regional laboratories continue to stand ready to assist each
other during increasing wildfire events and other natural disasters.
The RS&T Program provides support for areas such as environmental biology, microbiology,
chemistry, field sampling, enforcement and criminal investigations, and quality assurance, as well
as support for special or non-routine analytical requests that EPA cannot readily obtain from other
sources within required timeframes. Funding for up-to-date scientific equipment and related IT
security investments under this program is essential for maintaining high-level capabilities in EPA
regional laboratories. New and improved technology strengthens science-based decision-making
for regulatory efforts, environmental assessment of contaminants, and the development of critical
and timely environmental data in response to accidents and natural or man-made disasters. As
technology improves, the sensitivity of equipment advances to detect lower levels of contaminants.
Newer, more advanced instrumentation improves environmental data collection, allows tight turn-
around-time frames to be met with more reliable equipment, and enhances laboratory analytical
capability for clients' needs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, resources will continue to support regional implementation of the Agency's statutory
mandates through fixed and mobile laboratory operations for environmental sampling, monitoring,
and enforcement compliance support. Resources improve timely decision-making in regional
program management and implementation of regulatory work across all media and enable the
Agency to address environmental issues specific to geographic areas (e.g., energy extraction,
mining, wood treating operations, specialty manufacturing), natural disasters and extreme climate
events such as flooding, drought and wildfires, and homeland security threats.
In FY 2025, regional laboratories will continue to coordinate within the Regional Laboratory
Network (RLN) to provide needed expert analytical services. The regional laboratories have the
capability to analyze a full suite of contaminants using an array of established methods, including
regulatory or guidance methods such as the RCRA, CWA, and SDWA methods. Laboratories also
utilize new methods and adapt methods based on immediate needs or circumstances. These efforts
help support the underserved communities that benefit from response times for both routine and
enforcement sample analyses related to contaminated sites in urban areas where legacy
contamination persists. As the Agency implements an ambitious agenda on climate change,
Environmental Justice, aging infrastructure, and emerging contaminants, the need for sound
analytical capabilities and capacity increases. Additional state-of-the-science instrumentation is
necessary to address these complex and interconnected challenges.
The RLN is experiencing an expansion of demands due to climate change, novel chemical threats,
and increased impacts on our vulnerable populations. The RLN must adapt to these changes and
be equipped to analyze emerging contaminants often at lower levels of detection. The FY 2025
investment will help the RLN adapt to these changing needs and provide necessary expertise and
services to our partners (e.g., other agency offices, states, and tribal communities).
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In FY 2025, the regional laboratories will continue to work toward the replacement and upgrading
of aging analytical equipment and the modernization of associated critical IT infrastructure. This
will support the risk identification and assessment associated with pesticides, organic chemicals,
and other high-risk chemicals. The Agency's mission to protect human health and the environment
often requires the availability of scientific data at lower detection levels, which requires specialized
equipment. Almost all scientific instrumentation is computer-controlled or interfaced. As
computer technology improves, instrument efficiencies and sensitivity also improve - these
advances in technology leading to lower detection levels of contaminants are essential for some
compounds where health-based risk levels are decreasing (e.g., hexavalent chromium and per- and
polyfluoroalkyl [PFAS] chemicals). When measuring these compounds, the instrument detection
levels need to be as low as technically feasible, requiring laboratories to modify an existing
method, modify existing equipment, or purchase newer instrumentation.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$83.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$5,650.0 / +15.0 FTE) This new investment will be used to replace and upgrade aging
analytical equipment, modernize associated critical IT infrastructure, and provide
additional staff necessary to meet increasing demands for immediate scientific information
needed to make short-term local decisions. This investment includes $2,627 million in
payroll.
Statutory Authorities:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Clean
Water Act (CWA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Clean Air Act (CAA); Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); Pollution Prevention Act
(PPA); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
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Pesticides Licensing
513
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Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Science & Technology
$3,034
$2,894
$5,902
$3,008
Total Budget Authority
$62,774
$65,019
$72,183
$7,164
Total Workyears
398.6
385.6
385.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)256 and the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996
(FQPA) and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5),257 EPA is charged
with protecting people from the health risks that pesticide use can pose. FIFRA requires EPA to
register pesticide products before they are marketed for use in the U.S. Registration is based on
the review of scientific data sufficient to demonstrate that the product can perform its intended
function without unreasonable adverse effects on people or the environment. This program
emphasizes the use of reduced risk methods of pest control, including the use of reduced risk
pesticides and helping growers and other pesticide users learn about new, safer products and
methods of using pesticides.
Under FFDCA, if a pesticide is to be used in a manner that may result in pesticide residues in food
or animal feed, EPA must establish a tolerance, or maximum legal residue level, or an exemption
from the requirement of a tolerance before it can be registered. To establish a tolerance, EPA must
find that the residues are "safe," which, under FFDCA, means that there is a reasonable certainty
of no harm to human health from aggregate exposure to the pesticide residue in food and from all
other exposure except occupational exposure.258 EPA must periodically review the registration and
tolerances that the Agency issues to ensure that public health is adequately protected.
256 For additional information on FIFRA, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regukHons/summary-federal-insecticide-
fungicide-and-rodenHcide-act.
257 On December 29, 2022, Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of2022 (PRIA 5) was signed into law, which
reauthorizes PRIA for 5 years through fiscal year 2027 and updates the fee collection provisions of the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
258 Additional information related to pesticide registration, the setting of tolerance levels, and the pesticide risk assessment
process can be found at the following location: fattps: //www, epa. gov/pesticide-tolerances/setting-tolerances-pesticide-residues-
foods.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Pesticide Review and Registration
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to review and register new pesticides, new uses for existing
pesticides, and other registration requests in accordance with statutory requirements, making sure
exposure to infants and children is reflected in the human health risk assessments supporting these
regulatory determinations. Many assessments also address potential exposure to pregnant women.
In addition, the Agency will evaluate pesticides that are already in the market against current
scientific standards for human health. To advance EPA's work supporting environmental justice
(EJ) and children's health, EPA also will evaluate these registration requests with special
consideration for impacts on members of overburdened communities and sensitive life stages,
especially infants and children. Under the FQPA, EPA is statutorily required to ensure that its
regulatory decisions are protective of children's health and other vulnerable subpopulations. EPA
also will continue to emphasize the registration of reduced risk pesticides, including biopesticides,
to provide farmers and other pesticide users with new, safer alternatives. The Agency, in
collaboration with the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USD A), also will work to ensure that minor
use registrations receive appropriate support and that needs are met for reduced risk pesticides for
minor use crops. EPA also will assist farmers and other pesticide users in learning about new, safer
products and methods of using existing products through workshops, demonstrations, small grants,
and materials on the website and in print.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to review the registrations of existing pesticides with a focus on
assessing and ensuring that pesticides are used safely, without unreasonable adverse effects to
human health and the environment. The goal of the registration review process, as mandated by
statute, is to review pesticide registrations every 15 years to determine whether they continue to
meet the FIFRA standard for registration.259 With the reauthorization of PRIA 5 on December 29,
2022, the deadline to complete the initial registration review of each pesticide or pesticide case
was extended four years to October 1, 2026, and EPA will continue working on registration review
cases in FY 2025. For pesticides registered before October 1, 2007, EPA is required to make
registration review decisions by October 1, 2026. EPA will focus its FY 2025 resources on
completing decisions for cases with the FY 2026 statutory deadline and on cases with 15-year due
dates in FY 2025 and beyond. Regarding the 789 registration review cases due by October 1, 2026,
through FY 2023 Q4, there were 717 cases for which draft risk assessments were completed or not
needed, and 614 final or interim decisions completed, with 72 draft risk assessments and 175 final
or interim decisions remaining to be completed to meet the FY 2026 statutory deadline.
As EPA approaches the October 1, 2026 deadline, many of the remaining cases involve highly
complex scientific and regulatory issues, which have resulted in requests from stakeholders to
extend the comment periods for proposed decisions, lengthening the amount of time needed to
complete the necessary reviews. In addition, EPA continues to await data and/or registrant input
critical to finalizing several registration review decisions. Further ongoing challenges in
259 For additional information please visit the EPA Pesticide Registration Internet site: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration.
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completing actions that are due in October 2026 and beyond include: delayed registrant submittal
of additional data, the need for inter- and intra-agency coordination, and resource constraints.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue the transformation of the pesticide programs information
technology systems. Expanding the capabilities of the existing systems will reduce paperwork
burden and maximize efficiency, in accordance with the President's Management Agenda (PMA),
by converting paper-based processes into electronic processes and corresponding workflows for
the Pesticide Program's regulated entities. In addition, these enhancements will create an
iterative/inclusive, streamlined electronic workflow to support pesticide product registration,
chemical reviews, and assessments, and will be used as a centralized data repository to
electronically store associated data as they relate to regulatory decisions and scientific information.
Overall, the Agency projects that these efforts will improve over 150 existing business process
workflows supporting the implementation of PRIA. This digital transformation will consolidate
over 30 different custom-built systems into a single platform to track registration or re-registration
of a chemical from the moment EPA receives a case to the final regulatory decision. Being able to
track all reviews in a single system will eliminate the need for hundreds of spreadsheets or Access
databases that are currently used to track work at a team, branch, divisional, or office level. This
transformation focuses on improving both the employee's experience and the customer experience.
Reducing Pesticide Risks to People through the Registration of Lower Risk Pesticides
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to promote reduced-risk pesticides by giving registration priority
to pesticides that have lower toxicity to humans and non-target organisms such as birds, fish, and
plants; low potential for contaminating groundwater; lower use rates; low pest resistance potential;
and compatibility with Integrated Pest Management (IPM).260 Several other countries and
international organizations also have instituted programs to facilitate registering reduced-risk
pesticides. EPA works with the international scientific community and the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries to register new reduced-risk
pesticides and to establish related tolerances (maximum residue limits). Through these efforts,
EPA will help reduce risks to Americans from foods imported from other countries. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue to assist pesticide users in learning about new, safer products as well as safer
methods for using existing products. Through its Center for IPM, educational webinars, science-
based publications, informational social media outreach, and collaborations with federal partners,
states, commodity and other non-governmental organizations, the Agency also will encourage the
use of IPM tools, biological pesticides, and biotechnology where they present lower-risk solutions
to pest problems.
Protecting Workers from On-the-Job Pesticide Risks
Millions of America's workers are exposed to pesticides in occupations such as agriculture, lawn
care, food preparation, and landscape maintenance. A very large proportion of these workers are
members of communities with EJ concerns. EPA's work in this area will be guided by Executive
Order (EO) 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through
the Federal Government and, where regulatory action is taken, by the Agency's Guidance on
260For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/overview-risk-
assessment-pesticide-program. Please also see EPA's IPM website: https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-
management-ipm-principles#for_more-information.
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Considering Environmental Justice During the Development of an Action261 and its companion
Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis.262 Protecting
pesticide applicators, handlers and agricultural workers from potential effects of pesticides is an
important role of the Pesticide Program. Pesticide handlers in a number of sectors may be exposed
to pesticides when they prepare pesticides for use, such as by mixing a concentrate with water or
loading and applying the pesticide. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the implementation
of the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS)263 and the Certification of Pesticide
Applicators (CPA)264 rule through regulation development, guidance development, education and
outreach, and grant programs. Efforts to implement the WPS include addressing EJ issues in rural
communities, especially by considering farmworkers and their families. In FY 2025, following the
anticipated FY 2024 publication of a final rule for the WPS's Application Exclusion Zone
provisions, EPA plans to develop and issue guidance and conduct outreach to support its
implementation. Programs include a subaward program that supports community-based projects
for the development of pesticide educational resources and training targeted toward agricultural
workers and pesticide handlers. Efforts include addressing the education needs of the target
audience to ensure trainings are effective and in the appropriate cultural context. PRIA 5 amended
FIFRA to require farmworker training and health care provider training grant programs. In FY
2025, EPA will manage these grants to further support the implementation of the WPS, protect
farmworkers from pesticide exposure, and to support healthcare providers in the recognition and
management of pesticide-related illnesses. The health care provider training grant program will
focus on training health care providers serving the migrant and seasonal farmworker community,
aiming to improve the treatment of agricultural workers and rural communities potentially exposed
to pesticides. Support also will include efforts to improve reporting of occupation-related pesticide
incidents. In addition, EPA will continue to support the development of resources, training, and
educational forums for applicators, including the ongoing development of a virtual pesticide
training for certification of private applicators in Indian Country covered under the EPA-
administered plan to meet the requirements of using restricted use pesticides in agriculture.
Implementation of the CPA rule also includes continued support of state Pesticide Safety
Education Programs, which play a crucial role in training and certifying pesticide handlers in
proper pesticide use, thereby enabling the handlers to protect themselves and other workers, as
well as the public and the environment. Certification plans were amended to comply with the 2017
revisions to the CPA rule and were to be approved by early FY 2024. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to focus on implementation of amended state, tribal, and federal certification programs
based on the 2017 CPA rule. EPA will support that effort by providing technical assistance for
updates to state/tribal applicator training materials including manuals, exams, and other
recertification materials to meet the CPA rule requirements.
PRIA 5 also amended FIFRA to require bilingual labeling on end use pesticide products for those
parts of the label where translation exists in EPA's Spanish Translation Guide and provides a
261 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/enviroimentaljustice/eMdance-consideriiig-enviroiimental-justice-
during-development-action.
262 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice/technical-guidance-assessing-environmental-
justice-regulatory-analysis.
263 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/agricultural-worker-protection-standard-wps.
264 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/revised-certification-standards-
pesticide-applicators.
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schedule for incremental implementation by registrants based on pesticide type and acute toxicity
categories. EPA is directed to work with states on implementation and with stakeholders on ways
to make these labels accessible to farmworkers, and to develop a plan to track adoption of the
bilingual labeling. In FY 2025 EPA will continue the implementation of these bilingual labeling
requirements.
Public Health Antimicrobials and Pandemic Preparedness
In FY 2025, the Pesticide Program will continue to update and modernize EPA's registered
disinfectant lists. There are currently 16 disinfectant lists, lists A-Q, with different target public
health microorganisms. The most viewed list, List N, contains disinfectants that are effective
against SARS-CoV-2. The newest list, list Q, includes products that are effective against emerging
viral pathogens including mpox (formerly monkeypox). Upcoming priorities include the
announcement of enhanced search and sort functions for each of the disinfectant lists to improve
usability and the creation of a new bloodborne pathogens list which will consolidate several
existing lists into one comprehensive resource. OCSPP also is co-leading a PPDC (Pesticide
Program Dialogue Committee) Emerging Pathogens Implementation Committee to develop
implementation strategies for stakeholder recommendations and revisions/proposed additions to
EPA's Emerging Viral Pathogen's guidance. In FY 2025, EPA expects to continue implementing
recommendations from the Workgroup including but not limited to education through webinars
and conferences on proper and effective antimicrobial pesticide use for different stakeholder
groups (e.g., schools, food service, hospitality, etc.)
In FY 2025, the Pesticide Program also is working on policy and method updates that will expand
the range of public health antimicrobial products available. We anticipate finalization of minimum
testing criteria to support chemical air treatment claims for unoccupied spaces and posting for
comment testing criteria for occupied spaces. There are very few registered antimicrobial products
intended to treat the air, an important route of transmission from public health pathogens. In
addition, the Pesticide Program anticipates finalization of a policy to expand virucidal claims to
sanitizer products which were previously not eligible to have these claims. Currently, revisions to
the policy are being considered after the public comment period.
General Pesticide Outreach and Education
In FY 2025, the Pesticide Program will continue environmental education and training efforts for
growers, pesticide applicators, and workers, as well as the public in general. Giving priority to
reduced risk and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) friendly pesticides are two steps toward
protecting human health. Also, the Pesticide Safety Education Program provides education through
training and is a key component to the implementation of applicator certification programs across
the nation, including on tribal lands and along the US-Mexico border, and helps ensure pesticides
are used in a manner to protect human health and the environment. In addition, EPA will continue
to make information easily accessible to the public and pesticide users, update safety information
on pesticides, support the National Pesticide Information Center265 that provides a bilingual hotline
for pesticide information and develop outreach materials for the public and incident reporting.
265 For additional information, please visit: littp://npic.orst. edit/.
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Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC)
The Pesticide Program also will continue to manage the Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC)
cooperative agreement. This national partnership group was formed in 1999 as a forum for tribes
and Alaska Native Villages to work with EPA to address pesticide issues and concerns. The TPPC
also provides a forum for tribes and Alaska Native Villages to provide input in developing policies
that would strengthen their pesticide programs, provide guidance for tribes that do not have such
programs, and provide networking opportunities and support for tribal pesticide regulators. In FY
2025, EPA will continue to work with the TPPC to identify concerns related to EJ and climate
change that EPA can begin to address.
Reducing Animal Testing
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to use its guiding principles on data needs266 to ensure that
it has sufficient information to support strong regulatory decisions to protect human health, while
reducing and, in some cases, eliminating unnecessary animal testing. EPA's Hazard and Science
Policy Council (HASPOC) plays an important role in the implementation of the vision of the 2007
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on toxicity testing in the 21st Century—which
recommended moving toward smarter testing strategies by waiving human health toxicity studies
that do not provide useful information. Since its inception, HASPOC has waived hundreds of
studies resulting in the saving of tens of thousands of animals and tens of millions of dollars
without compromising the integrity of the science supporting EPA's regulatory decision-making
for pesticides. In addition, the Agency will continue to develop and implement 21st Century
toxicology and exposure methods, including additional retrospective analysis of the reproductive
avian study, and the use of computer-modeling and in vitro testing techniques for acute oral
toxicity, skin and eye irritation, and inhalation toxicity. All of these activities advance more
efficient and effective human health risk assessments that support sound, risk-based, regulatory
decision-making.
Performance Measurement
EPA will be tracking metrics related to pesticide safety training of farmworkers funded through a
cooperative grant for the National Farmworker Training Program that runs through March 2026;
metric details will be provided by the grantee and will capture the number of farmworkers trained
and knowledge comprehension based on pre- and post-training assessment.
Performance Measures Targets:
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
20,000
12,000
13,000
13,000
Farmworkers
Actual
12,716
15,155
266 Additional information on reducing animal testing may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/new-epa-guidance-testing-
pesticides-will-reduce-animal-testing.
519
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(PM WPSlb) Percentage of pesticide safety content knowledge demonstrated by farmworker/trainees upon
completion of EPA-supported WPS pesticide training.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
95
95
95
95
Percent
Actual
96
97
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$706.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0. requirements.
• (+$3,450.0) This program change is an increase of resources for the modernization of the
pesticides incident database where the regulated community reports human health and
ecological incidents related to misuse of, or an unexpected adverse event related to
pesticide usage. EPA plans to make this data more accessible to the Public which requires
a rebuild of the database to safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other
sensitive information.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) § 408.
520
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Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S-I.\2I~
S-/.S, -IN
S~.\W>3
.S 2 -,25V
Science & Technology
$2,468
$2,334
$4,239
$1,905
Total Budget Authority
$47,685
$51,038
$80,202
$29,164
Total Workyears
299.4
259.6
282.1
22.5
Program Project Description:
The goal of this program, authorized under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) and the Pesticide
Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5), is to protect the environment from the potential
risks posed by pesticide use. To achieve this goal, EPA must conduct risk assessments before the
initial registration of each pesticide for each use, as well as re-evaluate each pesticide at least every
15 years, as required by FQPA. This periodic review is accomplished through EPA's Pesticide
Registration Review Program.267 In addition to FIFRA responsibilities, the Agency has distinct
obligations under the Endangered Species Act (ESA),268 which include ensuring that pesticide
regulatory decisions will not destroy or adversely modify designated critical habitat or jeopardize
the continued existence of species listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) or the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (jointly, "the Services"). Most
EPA pesticide decisions do not comply with the ESA, creating significant legal vulnerability for
the Agency and frustration uncertainty about the continued availability of pesticides among
stakeholders. For these reasons, complying with the ESA is one of the pesticide program's top
priorities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Protection of Endangered Species
EPA is responsible for complying with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and for ensuring that
federally endangered and threatened species are not harmed from exposure when it registers
pesticides. This presents a great challenge given that there are approximately 1,200 active
267 FIFRA requires EPA to register a pesticide if, among other things, the product "will also not generally cause unreasonable
adverse effects on the environment" when used in accordance with labeling and common practices.
268 For additional information, please visit: littps://www.epa. gov/endangered-species.
521
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ingredients in more than 17,000 pesticide products—many of which have multiple uses.
Endangered species risk assessments are extraordinarily complex, national in scope, and involve
comprehensive evaluations that consider risks to over 1,600 listed endangered species and 800
designated critical habitats in the U.S. with diverse biological attributes, habitat requirements, and
geographic ranges.
Given the complexity of evaluating potential effects to diverse listed species under ESA, EPA has
been subject to numerous successful litigation challenges to registration and registration review
actions. This litigation has impacted EPA's ability to carry out its mission of protecting human
health and the environment, including most recently in December 2023 where the court vacated
EPA's registration of a new use for a currently registered chemical because the Agency did not
meet its ESA obligations. In April 2022, EPA released its first-ever comprehensive workplan
describing priorities for coming into full compliance with ESA across the many types of pesticide
actions it completes each year. In the near term and given its existing resources, EPA prioritized
meeting its ESA obligations for all conventional new active ingredient applications whereby all
new active ingredient registrations will only be registered under conditions that comply with ESA.
EPA also continued to prioritize ESA determinations in response to litigation commitments and
court decisions. The increase that EPA received in the FY 2023 enacted budget serves as initial
funding, which supports a portion of EPA's near-term work in meeting these specific workplan
and court-ordered commitments.
In November 2022, EPA released a Workplan Update describing how it will incorporate additional
mitigations for listed and non-listed species into registration review processes. The update also
describes additional initiatives to expedite progress on some of our ESA goals. In particular, the
update describes multiple programmatic approaches that the Agency is currently developing and
will continue to be conducted and/or implemented in FY 2025 and beyond such as (1) developing
mitigations for listed species that are particularly vulnerable to pesticides and applying them across
pesticides (vulnerable species pilot), and (2) grouping pesticides such as herbicides for ESA
analyses and early mitigations; and developing region-specific strategies such as for Hawai'i.
In FY 2023 and early FY 2024, EPA made significant progress towards developing more efficient,
programmatic approaches. EPA released for public comment a draft: 1) vulnerable species pilot
white paper which proposes mitigations for 27 species that EPA identified as being particularly
vulnerable to pesticide exposure; 2) herbicide strategy that describes a framework to reduce
pesticide exposure to listed plants and listed species that depend on plants; and 3) rodenticide
(pesticides that target pest rodents such as rats and mice) strategy that identifies mitigations to
reduce exposure to listed species with direct consumption or secondary consumption (consumption
of poisoned prey) of rodenticides. The goal of the proposed mitigations in the vulnerable species
pilot and strategies is to minimize exposure to listed species and their designated critical habitat,
and thereby reduce potential population-level effects to listed species. In FY 2024 and 2025, after
considering public comments, EPA plans to finalize all three of these efforts. EPA also is
developing and plans to finalize a Strategy for the approximately 40 percent of the U.S. listed
species that occur in Hawai'i. In FY 2025, EPA will be in the early stages of applying these
frameworks to future pesticide registration and registration review decisions using existing
mechanisms it already uses to register and re-register pesticides. The Agency also will continue to
conduct outreach and develop and disseminate training materials to promote awareness and
522
-------
compliance with these new ESA efforts. EPA also will continue to develop and expand on these
programmatic approaches, which will ultimately reduce the Program's workload for future ESA
environmental assessments and identification of mitigations for listed species for pesticide
registration and registration review actions.269 EPA has already begun developing a strategy for
insecticides that will describe a framework to reduce pesticide exposure to listed insects (and
resulting impacts to species that rely on insects as prey or for pollination services) which EPA
plans to draft and release for public comment in FY 2024, and finalize and begin applying in FY
2025. EPA also continues to meet its court obligations for producing biological evaluations for
specific pesticides. In FY 2025, along with the rodenticide strategy, EPA has committed to
finalizing effects determinations for listed species as documented in biological evaluations for 11
rodenticide active ingredients. In addition to these efforts, EPA also has committed to drafting two
additional draft and final biological evaluations in FY 2025.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $27 million and 20 FTE for the Pesticide Program in order
to continue to support EPA's priority ESA commitments and increase the extent to which EPA
can integrate ESA mandates into the pesticide registration processes as described in the Workplan
and Update. As described above, these resources will enable EPA to make additional progress
towards complying with the ESA for more pesticide registrations and registration review decisions.
This includes resources to ensure EPA can implement the mitigations required in biological
opinions from the Services following completion of consultation and to develop tools to expedite
the incorporation of measures to protect listed species in pesticide decisions. These additional
resources are needed to continue to demonstrate measured progress and increase EPA's ability to
comply with its ESA obligations for all pesticides actions, and particularly to make progress in
meeting its obligations for hundreds of conventional new use pesticide applications.
In FY 2025, the Agency also will assess whether listed endangered or threatened species or their
designated critical habitat may be affected by use of pesticide products in a manner described in
reports to Congress.270 Where effects are identified in a biological evaluation, EPA will continue
to work with the Services in a consultation271 process to ensure these new or existing pesticide
registrations meet the ESA standard.272 As required by the 2018 Farm Bill, EPA will continue to
develop processes to protect listed species earlier in the regulatory and consultation processes, and
work with the Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other agencies to
improve the consultation process and apply appropriate methods and exposure reduction measures
to selected pesticide risk assessments.273 EPA also will continue to work with the Services towards
developing approaches to conduct consultations programmatically, which also will increase
efficiency and reduce needed resources for EPA and the Services.
The Agency will continue to provide technical support for compliance with the requirements of
the ESA. In FY 2025, EPA also will continue the advancement and integration of state-of-the-art
269 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documeiits/2022-l 1/esa-workplan-update.pdf.
270 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/reports-congress-improving-consultation-
process-under-endangered-species-act.
271 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/assessing-pesticides-under-endangered-
species-act.
272 Additional information on how EPA protects endangered species from pesticides can be found at:
https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species.
273 For more information, please see: 1iltps://www.epa.aov/endanaered-species/epas-workp1an-and-progress-lo ward-belter-
protecUons-cndanacred-species.
523
-------
science models, knowledge bases, and analytic processes to increase productivity and better
address the challenge of potential risks of specific pesticides to specific species. Interconnection
of the various databases within the Program also will provide improved support to the risk
assessment process during registration review by allowing risk assessors to analyze complex
scenarios more easily regarding endangered species. EPA also will continue to improve its system
used to implement spatially explicit protections for listed species, Bulletins Live! Two (BLT).274
EPA plans to continue to solicit and receive feedback on the usability of BLT, maintain and
improve the underlying data, and enhance the usability of the system based on feedback as more
bulletins continue to be created and released as part of registration and registration review
decisions.
Assessing the Risks Pesticides Pose to the Environment
To accomplish the goals set out in FIFRA, in FY 2025 EPA will continue to conduct ecological
risk assessments275 to determine what risks are posed by each pesticide to plants, animals, and
ecosystems that are not the targets of the pesticide and whether changes are necessary to protect
these resources.276 In FY 2025, EPA will continue to examine all toxicity and environmental fate
data submitted with each new pesticide registration application to determine what potential risks
the new active ingredient may pose to the environment. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to increase
the number of pesticide registrations that include protections for listed species. When complex
scientific issues arise, the Agency may solicit external review, such as consultation with the FIFRA
Scientific Advisory Panel,277 for independent scientific advice.
Ensuring Proper Pesticide Use through Labeling
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to use pesticide labels to indicate what uses are appropriate and to
ensure that the pesticide is used at the application rates and according to the methods and timing
approved.278
Pesticide Registration Review
In FY 2025, EPA's activities will involve increased efforts on comprehensive risk assessments to
protect the environment. With the reauthorization of PRIA on December 29, 2022, the deadline to
complete the initial Registration Review of each pesticide or pesticide case was extended four
years to October 1, 2026, and EPA will continue working on registration review cases in FY 2025.
For pesticides registered before October 1, 2007, EPA is required to make registration review
decisions by October 1, 2026. EPA will focus its FY 2025 resources on completing decisions for
cases that meet the FY 2026 statutory deadline and on cases with 15-year due dates in FY 2025
and beyond. Regarding the 789 registration review cases due by October 1, 2026, through FY 2023
Q4, there were 717 cases for which draft risk assessments were completed or not needed, and 614
final or interim decisions completed, with 71 draft risk assessments and 175 final or interim
decisions remaining to be completed to meet the FY 2026 statutory deadline.
274 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/bulletins-live-two-blt-tutorial.
275 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/factsheet-
ecological-risk-assessment-pesticides.
276 Additional information may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/overview-risk-
assessment-pesticide-program.
277 For additional information, please visit: littps://www.epa. gov/sap.
278 Under FIFRA, it is illegal to use a registered pesticide in a manner inconsistent with the label instructions and precautions.
524
-------
As EPA approaches the October 1, 2026, deadline, many of the remaining cases involve highly
complex scientific and regulatory issues, which has resulted in requests from stakeholders to
extend the comment periods for proposed decisions, lengthening the amount of time needed to
complete the necessary reviews. In addition, EPA continues to await data and/or registrant input
critical to finalizing several registration review decisions. Further ongoing challenges in meeting
the FY 2026 deadline include delayed registrant submittal of additional data, the need for inter-
and intra-agency coordination, and resource constraints.
Pesticide Registration and Risk Reduction Through the Use of Safer Pesticides and Methods
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to promote biopesticides and reduced-risk conventional pesticides
by giving registration priority to pesticides that have lower toxicity to people and non-target
organisms such as birds, fish, and plants; low potential for contaminating groundwater; lower use
rates; low pest resistance potential; and compatibility with Integrated Pest Management
(IPM).279'280 Several other countries and international organizations also have instituted programs
to facilitate registering reduced-risk pesticides. EPA works with the international scientific
community and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member
countries to register new reduced-risk pesticides and to establish related tolerances (maximum
residue limits). Through these efforts, EPA will help reduce risks to Americans from foods
imported from other countries. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to assist pesticide users in learning
about new, safer products as well as safer methods for using existing products. Through its Center
for IPM, EPA will provide support for educational webinars, science-based publications,
informational outreach, and collaborations with federal partners, states, commodity and other non-
governmental organizations to encourage use of IPM and resistance management tools. The
Agency also will increase its support for advancing biotechnology, where they present lower-risk
solutions to pest problems.
Reducing Animal Testing
In FY 2025, EPA will continue its efforts to promote the use of alternative methods to whole
animal toxicity testing for characterizing the effects of pesticide active ingredients on terrestrial
and aquatic vertebrates. EPA also will continue its partnership with the National Toxicology
Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods
(NICEATM). A focus area will be the evaluation of Collaborative Acute Toxicity Modeling Suite
(CATMoS) estimates of acute oral toxicity to potentially replace mammal testing in ecological
risk assessment. EPA will continue an evaluation of the feasibility of reducing the number of tested
species of fish used to characterize acute effects, based on the published results of a collaboration
with NICEATM. This effort is expected to complement EPA's work with other federal agencies
to collect, describe, and develop performance-based evaluations for a suite of in-silico and in-vitro
methods for estimating acute lethal endpoints in fish. By addressing both the endpoint needs and
the available estimation tools concurrently, EPA expects to increase the efficiency of performance
evaluation and narrow the scope of needed estimation methods for consideration, thereby
279 Attaining risk reduction would be significantly hampered without availability of alternative products to these pesticides for
consumers. Consequently, the Registration Program's work in ensuring the availability of reduced risk pesticides plays a
significant role in meeting the environmental outcome of improved ecosystem protection. For additional information on pesticide
risk, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-and-assessiiig-pesticide-risks/overview-risk-assessment-pesticide-
program.
28° por additional information on IPM, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-
principles.
525
-------
expediting the acceptance process. Additionally, through stakeholder discussions and participation
in intergovernmental working groups, the Agency will work to identify opportunities to reduce the
use of animals in ecological hazard testing. EPA also will reach out to non-governmental
organizations to collaborate on projects (e.g., to retrospectively analyze the results of ecological
hazard testing). Based on the results of those projects, EPA will then develop and disseminate
guidance materials for companies to clarify ecotoxicology testing requirements/needs.
Minimizing Environmental Impacts through Outreach and Education
Through public outreach, the Agency will continue to encourage the use of IPM and other practices
to maximize the benefits pesticides can yield while minimizing their impacts on the environment.
As a continued requirement of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention's National
Program Guidance, regional pesticide offices will initiate specific IPM-related projects that target
disadvantaged communities, or vulnerable populations, such as children attending preschools and
tribal schools. The Agency also will develop and disseminate pesticide safety brochures, videos,
links, and webinars which provide education on potential benefits of IPM and promote outreach
through its Center for IPM on the success of IPM to encourage its use.281 To encourage responsible
pesticide use that does not endanger the environment, EPA also will reach out to the public through
its website and social media accounts, and to workers and professional pesticide applicators
through worker training programs. The Pesticide Safety Education Program282 provides education
to professional pesticide applicators through training and is a key component to the implementation
of applicator certification programs across the nation and helps ensure pesticides are used in a
manner to protect human health and the environment.
Pollinator Protection
Bees and other pollinators play a critical role in ensuring the production of food. USDA is leading
the federal government's effort to understand the causes of declining pollinator health and identify
actions that will improve pollinator health. EPA is part of this effort and is focusing on the potential
role of pesticides while ensuring that the pesticides used represent acceptable risks to pollinators
and that products are available for commercial beekeepers to manage pests that impact pollinator
health.
EPA continues to carefully evaluate potential effects that pesticides may have on bees through the
registration of new active ingredients and registration review, in cooperation with the Government
of Canada and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. EPA is continuing to work with
USDA to identify and address factors associated with declines in pollinator health. EPA also has
been working with a wide range of stakeholders in the government and private sectors, both
domestically and internationally, to develop and implement strategies to address factors associated
with pollinator declines and to ensure that the best available science serves as a foundation for
regulatory decisions. EPA is working on advancing its scientific approaches and data needs for
assessing and mitigating pesticide risks to pollinators.
281 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/iiitegrated-pest-iiiaiiagement-ipm-priiiciples.
282 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/pesticide-safety-education-programs-Q.
526
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In FY 2025, EPA also will continue to apply the best available science and risk management
methods to reduce potential exposures to pollinators from pesticides.283 In addition, some of the
endangered species protection work described previously will protect pollinators. For example, the
herbicide strategy is intended protect several pollinator species and plants that sustain pollinator
species. Similarly, the vulnerable species pilot includes several listed pollinating insects and plants
that depend on pollinators. As described earlier, EPA has already begun work on a similar strategy
for insecticides and potential impacts to listed insects and species that depend on insects, including
pollinators.
Protection of Water Resources
Reduced concentration of pesticides in water sources is an indication of the effectiveness of EPA's
risk assessment, management, mitigation, and communication activities. In FY 2025, the Agency
will continue to evaluate monitoring data as it prepares aquatic exposure assessments and will
continue to apply risk management measures, when appropriate, to reduce pesticide loadings in
water. EPA also will update aquatic benchmarks so that states and other stakeholders can
determine if measured pesticide levels might impact aquatic life. Water quality is a critical
endpoint for measuring exposure and risk to the environment and a key factor in assessing EPA's
ability to reduce exposure from these key pesticides of concern.284
Performance Measurement:
In FY 2025, the Agency will be measuring performance for the registration review cases with 15-
year due dates in FY 2024 and beyond, tracking intermediate stages such as docket openings, draft
risk assessment completion, and final registration review case completions under the 15-year cycle
of pesticide registration review. The Agency expects to improve protections to endangered species
by increasing the percentage of new active ingredient registrations and registration review risk
assessments that incorporate considerations of threatened and endangered species and leverage
those improvements for other related processes in subsequent years (e.g., new uses). EPA is only
registering new conventional and biopesticide active ingredients under conditions that address
potential impacts to endangered species. Increasing the extent to which EPA can incorporate ESA
into its registration review actions also is consistent with the 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill,
which states that "any covered interim registration review decisions shall include, where
applicable, measures to reduce the effects of the applicable pesticides on (A) species listed under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or (B) any designated critical
habitat."
283 Additional actions EPA is taking to protect pollinators from pesticides can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/polliiiator-
protection.
284 The most sensitive aquatic benchmarks for the chemicals are posted on the website: http://www.epa.gov/pesticide-science-
and-assessing-pesticide-risks/aquatic-life-benchmarks-pesticide-registration.
527
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM ESAl) Percentage of risk assessments supporting pesticide registration decisions for new active
ingredients that consider the effects determinations or protections for federally threatened and endangered
species.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
40
80
90
90
Percent
Actual
50
62
100
100
Numerator
8
8
14
12
Risk
Assessments
Denominator
16
13
14
12
(PM ESA2) Percentage ol
effects determinations or
risk assessments supporting pesticide registration review decisions that include
protections of federally threatened and endangered species.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
20
30
20
50
Percent
Actual
:_
79
78
Numerator
:<>
27
7
Risk
Assessments
Denominator
iu:
34
9
(PM FIFRA3a) Number of pesticide registration review cases completed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
15
8
4
5
Actual
16
15
CciSGS
(PM FIFRA3b) Number of pesticide registration review dockets opened for registration review cases.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
25
20
25
28
Actual
35
25
Dockets
(PM FIFRA3c) Number of draft risk assessments completed for pesticide registration review cases.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
9
16
4
4
Draft
Assessments
Actual
25
10
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$1,764.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll changes, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$478.0/ +2.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment also
includes $478 thousand in payroll costs and essential workforce support costs.
528
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• (+$28,545.0 / +20.0 FTE) This program change supports an increase in resources for EPA
to increase its ability to meet its Endangered Species Act (ESA) obligations into pesticide
regulatory decisions beyond those prioritized in the near term. These additional non-pay
resources will allow EPA to continue to train employees across the Program, and develop
the regulatory processes, strategies, and approaches to allow EPA to better meet
requirements of the ESA and begin to close current gaps. This investment also includes
$3,816 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Endangered Species Act (ESA).
529
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Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability
Program Area: Pesticides Licensing
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SSJJfi
V» "9
Science & Technology
$963
$925
$1,040
$115
Total Budget Authority
$6,738
$8,562
$9,356
$794
Total Workyears
30.0
35.8
35.8
0.0
Program Project Description:
This program seeks to realize the value of pesticides that can be used safely to yield many benefits,
such as killing viruses and bacteria in America's hospitals. These benefits also include guarding
the Nation's abundant food supply, protecting the public from disease-carrying pests, and
protecting the environment from the introduction of invasive species from other parts of the world.
In fulfilling its mission, the Program manages the following types of pesticide registrations and
regulatory actions under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):285
• Special Local Needs under FIFRA Section 24(c).
• Federal registrations at the national level under FIFRA Section 3.
• Experimental Use Permit Section 5.
• Emergency, Quarantine, and Crisis Exemption Section 18; and,
• Periodic review of existing chemicals under the Registration Review Program.286
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Meeting Agriculture's Need for Safe. Effective Pest Control Products
With the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), Congress acknowledged the
importance of and need for "reduced-risk pesticides" and supported expedited agency review to
285 The primary federal law that governs how EPA oversees pesticide manufacture, distribution, and use in the United States is the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Originally enacted in 1947, FIFRA has been significantly amended
several times, including by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) and the Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension
Act of 2018 (PRIA). FIFRA requires that EPA register pesticides based on a finding that they will not cause unreasonable adverse
effects to people and the environment, taking into account the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of the use of
any pesticide.
286 Additional information may be found here: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/types-registrations-uiider-fifra.
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help these pesticides reach the market sooner and replace other pesticides of higher risk.287 In FY
2025, EPA will continue to support and develop procedures and guidelines for expedited review
of applications for registration or amendments for reduced risk pesticides. EPA incentivizes this
project area by reducing the review service fee and decision time periods for evaluating these
actions. EPA expects to receive and review approximately 10 reduced risk pesticide applications
in FY 2025.
Registration of Generic Pesticides
FIFRA authorizes EPA to register products that are identical to or substantially similar to already
registered products (also known as "me too products"). Applicants for these products may rely on,
or cite data already submitted by another registrant. The entry of these new products into the
market can cause price reductions resulting from new competition and broader access to products,
benefitting farmers and consumers. The Agency will continue to prioritize and review generic
registrations consistent with the statutory decision-making schedule. Application submissions for
these actions can generally be reviewed in four months. The Agency completed 755 conventional
pesticide, 1,151 antimicrobial pesticide, and 358 biopesticide new products actions and
amendments in FY 2022. The Agency expects to complete a similar volume of registrations in FY
2025.
Outreach and Education
The Pesticide Program is invested in outreach and training efforts for people who use pesticides
and the public in general. In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to encourage Integrated Pest
Management (IPM), which emphasizes minimizing the use of broad-spectrum chemicals and
maximizing the use of sanitation, biological controls, and selective methods of application.
Providing on-the-ground assistance to our partners, EPA's regional offices work with states, tribes,
and territories to implement their pesticide programs and carry out IPM projects that inform
pesticide users about the pest control options, which pesticides to use, how to use them, and how
to maintain the site so pests do not return. In addition, the Pesticide Program and its Center for
IPM will provide outreach through webinars on a range of pest management and pollinator
protection topics, many of which are important in areas with environmental justice (EJ) concerns
and tribal communities.
Review and Registration
During FY 2025, EPA will continue to review and register new pesticides and new uses for existing
pesticides, and act on other registration requests in accordance with FIFRA and Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act standards, as well as Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act
timeframes. Many of these actions will be for reduced-risk conventional pesticides and
biopesticides, which, once registered and used by consumers, will increase societal benefits,
including for infants and children as well as susceptible subpopulations. Working together with
the affected communities, through IPM and related activities, the Agency plans to accelerate the
adoption of lower-risk products.
287 The law defines a reduced risk pesticide as one that "may reasonably be expected to accomplish one or more of the following:
(1) reduces pesticide risks to human health; (2) reduces pesticide risks to non-target organisms; (3) reduces the potential for
contamination of valued, environmental resources, or (4) broadens adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or makes it
more effective."
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During FY 2025, the Agency will continue to make progress on meeting its Endangered Species
Act (ESA) obligations for registration and registration review. Per its policy released in January
2022, EPA will continue to only register new conventional active ingredients under conditions that
are compliant with ESA. Moreover, as detailed in the Agency's April 2022 ESA Workplan and
November 2022 ESA Workplan Update, EPA will continue to improve protections to non-target
species, including federally threatened and endangered (listed) species, earlier in the process
through pesticide registration review and other FIFRA actions. The Agency also will accelerate
protections for listed species impacted by conventional herbicide use and ensure protections across
conventional outdoor pesticides for some of the most vulnerable listed species as it implements its
final herbicide strategy and final vulnerable species pilot into applicable registration and
registration review actions.
The Agency's work to harmonize pesticide tolerance levels with its top trade partners will reduce
international trade barriers. For FY 2025, EPA will undertake regulatory decisions on a number of
new chemicals with food uses. For each of these evaluations, EPA will consider whether there are
existing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) set by trade partners, and whether tolerance
harmonization will be a component of a portion of these decisions. Also, during FY 2025, EPA
will continue rulemaking and implementation efforts to improve its crop group system which
provides the regulatory definitions for crops which are in inter-state and international commerce.
Phase VI of this rulemaking project was completed in September 2022. The next steps for
additional crop group expansion for a new group of crops will be undertaken in 2024 and will
include a focus on harmonizing with Codex crop groups to further facilitate international trade.
Emergency. Quarantine, and Crisis Exemptions
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to prioritize emergency exemptions under FIFRA Section 18,
which authorizes EPA to allow an unregistered use of a pesticide for a limited time in the event of
an emergency, such as a severe pest infestation, public health emergency, or invasive pest species
quarantine. The economic benefit of the Section 18 Program to growers is the avoidance of losses
incurred in the absence of pesticides exempted under FIFRA's emergency exemption provisions.
In addition, exemptions serve as important public health controls to avert pests that may cause
significant risk to human health. In FY 2021, 2022, and 2023 the Agency received 76, 31, and 39
requests for emergency uses respectively; and EPA has received 5 requests for emergency uses in
FY 2024 to date. Although emergency exemption submissions cannot be precisely predicted, EPA
estimates it may receive approximately 45 requests in FY 2025.
Performance Measurement
In FY 2025, the Agency will be measuring performance for the registration review cases with 15-
year due dates in FY 2025 and beyond, tracking intermediate stages such as docket openings, draft
risk assessment completion, and final registration review case completions under the 15-year cycle
of pesticide registration review. The Agency will continue to track metrics on the percentage of
new active ingredient registrations and registration review risk assessments (conventionals,
biopesticides, and antimicrobials) that incorporate considerations of threatened and endangered
species and leverage those improvements for other related processes in subsequent years (e.g., new
uses). Additionally, EPA will be tracking metrics related to pesticide safety training of
farmworkers funded through a cooperative grant for the National Farmworker Training Program
that runs through March 2026.
532
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Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pesticides: Protect the Environment
from Pesticide Risk Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$154.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$525.0) This program change is an increase that supports enhancement of pesticides
registration processes for the program.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (FFDCA) § 408.
533
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
534
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RCRA: Corrective Action
Program Area: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
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$37,176
$40,512
$42,105
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Total Workyears
162.5
174.9
174.4
-0.5
Program Project Description:
To reduce risks from exposure to hazardous wastes, EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program ensures that contaminated facilities subject to RCRA
requirements are cleaned up by the responsible party, returns contaminated property to productive
use, and keeps costs from being transferred to the taxpayer-funded portion of the Superfund
Program. Implementing the Program's 2030 Goals288 and RCRA Corrective Action regulations
and administrative orders, EPA and authorized states will continue to oversee cleanups conducted
by facility owner/operators to ensure that the facilities meet their cleanup obligations and to protect
taxpayers from having to pay the bill. RCRA cleanups contribute many environmental and
economic benefits to their communities. A 2021 EPA analysis of 79 RCRA cleanups showed that
these facilities support 1,028 on-site businesses providing economic benefits including $39 billion
in annual sales revenue, over 82 thousand jobs, and $7.9 billion in estimated annual employment
income.289 A similar economic analysis is planned for FY 2025.
Approximately 118 million Americans live within three miles of a RCRA corrective action facility
(roughly 35 percent of the U.S. population),290 and the total area covered by these corrective action
sites is approximately 18 million acres.291 Additionally, a recent study has found evidence that the
completion of cleanup leads to an average six to seven percent appreciation in the value of homes
near treatment, storage or disposal facilities (TSDFs). A total capitalization of $295 million can be
attributed to the 195 TSDFs that were remediated since the inception of RCRA. The authors
estimate that the completion of cleanup yields an average lower bound, ex post benefit of about
$14,000 per household.292
288 U.S. EPA, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, 2020. RCRA Corrective Action Program Vision/Mission/Goals for
2030. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/documents/rcra corrective action program_vision.pdf.
289 U.S. EPA, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, 2022. Summary of 2021 RCRA Corrective Action Economic
Benefits Study and Research Methodology.
290 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management, 2023. Data collected includes: 1) RCRA CA site information as of the
end of FY 2022; and 2) population data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
291 Compiled RCRAInfo data.
292 Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, May 2023, Hazardous Waste and Home Values:
An Analysis of Treatment and Disposal Sites in the U.S., Dennis Guignet and Christoph Nolte.
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EPA works in close partnership with 44 states and one territory authorized to implement the
Corrective Action Program293 to ensure that cleanups protect human health and the environment.
The Corrective Action Program allows for the return of properties to beneficial use, which benefits
the surrounding communities, reduces liabilities for facilities, and allows facilities to redirect
resources to productive activities. The Agency provides program direction, leadership, and support
to its state partners. This includes specialized technical and program expertise, policy development
for effective program management, national program priority setting, measurement and tracking,
training and technical tools, and data collection/management/documentation. In addition, through
work-sharing, the Agency serves as lead or support for a significant number of complex and
challenging cleanups in both non-authorized and authorized states.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests a total investment of $42.1 million and 174.4 FTE for the RCRA
Corrective Action Program. The Program will focus its resources on continuing cleanup of 3,983
priority contaminated facilities (the Corrective Action Progress Track), which include highly
contaminated and technically challenging sites, and on assessing others to determine whether
cleanups are necessary. As of the end of FY 2023, only 41 percent of these facilities have
completed final and permanent cleanups, leaving approximately 2,300 facilities still requiring
oversight and technical support to reach final facility-wide cleanup objectives. In FY 2023, EPA
approved 117 RCRA corrective action facilities as ready for anticipated use (RAU), bringing the
total number of RCRA RAU facilities to 2,043. In addition, in FY 2023, the Program achieved
remedy construction at 48 facilities, resulting in a total of 2,943 with remedies constructed; and
achieved performance standards attained at 58 facilities, resulting in a total of 1,716 facilities with
standards attained.294 The Program's goals are to control human exposures, control migration of
contaminated groundwater, complete final cleanups for the Corrective Action Progress Track
facilities, and identify, assess, and clean up additional priority facilities.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Continue to make RCRA corrective action sites RAU, ensuring that properties are returned
to productive use and human health and the environment are protected into the future.
• Assess its universe of cleanup facilities, priorities, and measures to ensure that resources
are directed to addressing those facilities that present the greatest risk to human health and
the environment and supporting environmental justice and climate resiliency.
• Provide technical assistance to authorized states in the areas of site characterization,
sampling, remedy selection, reaching final cleanup goals, and long-term stewardship for
293 State implementation of the Corrective Action Program is funded through the STAG Categorical Grant: Hazardous Waste
Financial Assistance and matching state contributions.
294 For more information concerning RCRA 2020 corrective action baseline facilities, please refer to:
https://www.epa. gov/hw/lists-facilities-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act-rcra-2020-corrective-action-baseliiie.
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cleanups with contamination remaining in place in order to support communities at risk
from multiple health stressors and/or climate change impacts.
• Prioritize and focus the Program on completing site investigations to identify the most
significant threats, establishing interim remedies to reduce or eliminate exposure, and
selecting and constructing safe, effective long-term remedies that also maintain the
economic viability of operating facilities.
• For high priority facilities, utilize oversight tools and work-sharing agreements to assist
with facilities that have complex issues or special tasks.295
• Continue to improve cleanup approaches and share best practices and cleanup innovations
to speed up and improve cleanups.296
• Update and maintain RCRAInfo, which is the primary data system that many states rely
upon to manage their RCRA permitting, corrective action, and hazardous waste generator
programs; and which EPA relies upon to track hazardous waste imports and exports.
RCRAInfo receives data from hazardous waste handlers for the National Biennial RCRA
Hazardous Waste Report. The data from the 2021 biennial reporting cycle showed there
were 19,141 generators of over 36 million tons of hazardous waste. RCRAInfo provides
the only national-level RCRA hazardous waste data and statistics to track the
environmental progress of approximately 20,000 hazardous waste units at 6,600 facilities.
• Contribute to efforts ensuring the proper management, disposal, and cleanup of per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CA5RC) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities with final remedies constructed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
98
98
73
55
55
44
44
Facilities
Actual
70
80
64
57
55
48
(PM RSRAU) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities made ready for anticipated use.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
75
91
117
133
114
100
85
70
Facilities
Actual
117
127
169
146
124
117
295 For example, vapor intrusion, wetlands contamination, or extensive groundwater issues.
296 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/hw/toolbox-corrective-action-resource-conservation-and-recoverv-
act-facilities-investigation-remedv.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,101.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes an increase for
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (-$508.0 / -0.5 FTE) This program change reduces FTE support for RCRA Corrective
Action activities including cleanups. This includes a reduction of $92.4 thousand for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
§§ 3004, 3005, 8001.
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RCRA: Waste Management
Program Area: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in T
lousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
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FY 2025 President's
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FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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face also evolve; this requires new direction and changes in the federal hazardous waste program
through updated regulations, guidance, and other tools.
EPA directly implements the RCRA Program in Iowa, Alaska, in some territories, and on tribal
lands. EPA provides leadership, work-sharing, and support to the remaining states and territories
authorized to implement the permitting program. Additionally, the Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) cleanup and disposal program is implemented under the
Waste Management Program to reduce PCB exposure from improper disposal, storage, and spills.
The Program reviews and approves PCB cleanup, storage, and disposal activities. This federal
authority is not delegated to state programs. PCBs were banned in 1979, but legacy use and
contamination still exist, and PCBs can still be released into the environment from poorly
maintained operations and sites that contain them.
Maintaining updated permits and controls ensures that facilities: 1) have consistent and protective
standards to prevent release; 2) have proper standards for waste management to protect human
health and prevent land contamination/degradation; and 3) avoid future cleanups and associated
substantial costs. EPA will work with authorized states to ensure that permit decisions, including
decisions to issue, renew, or deny permits, reflect the latest technology and standards. EPA also
will work with authorized states to ensure that all communities, including those who are
marginalized and overburdened, have an equitable opportunity to engage in the permitting process.
States, tribes, territories, communities, and RCRA facilities are beginning to experience impacts
from climate change, such as extreme weather and wildfires, and these impacts are expected to
increase in the future. EPA is working to implement the EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan;300
increase resilience of Corrective Action, PCB, and RCRA permitted facilities to extreme weather
events and sea level rise; assist municipalities with natural disaster preparedness and debris
management planning; and strengthen the capacity of states, tribes, territories, communities, and
businesses to adapt to climate change.
Where communities adversely impacted by environmental conditions are advocating for more
transparency or involvement in decision-making or where the trust is strained, providing enhanced,
tailored engagement through the Community Engagement and Technical Assistance (CETA)
Program will allow EPA to build a better bridge between the region, state, facility, and
community. The CETA Program serves as the vehicle to deliver risk communications, technical
assistance, and engagement support to fenceline and overburdened communities, ensuring
equitable access and the opportunity to participate in environmental decisions that impact their
health and wellbeing.
There continues to be increased public and congressional attention to issues around post-consumer
materials management, especially plastics, in the environment and EPA's role in addressing them
(e.g., marine litter prevention and reduction, environmental justice concerns in countries to which
the U.S. exports plastics, and the climate impacts of single-use plastics). Marine litter and plastic
pollution is an increasingly prominent global problem that can negatively affect public health, the
3°° por additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/epa-climate-adaptation-plan-
pdf-version.pdf. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-10/bh508-
QLEM%20CAIP August%202022 POST OGCreview 9.12.2022.pdf.
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environment, and the economy. Most marine litter and plastic is from land-based sources and
makes its way into the Nation's waterways and ultimately to the ocean, creating a direct link
between waste management practices and ocean pollution.301 The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act,302
enacted in December 2020, was passed with bipartisan congressional support and provides EPA
with authority to further act on post-consumer materials management.
The Program also plays a central role in establishing and updating standards for analytical test
methods that are used across the country and the world to provide consistent, reliable
determinations as to whether waste is hazardous, as well as the presence and extent of hazardous
waste in the environment. This work provides the foundation that underlies waste management
approaches and ensures that method standards evolve with technology for conducting these
analyses.
In addition to overseeing the management of hazardous waste under RCRA Subtitle C, EPA also
plays a role in solid waste management under Subtitle D. While much of this area is delegated to
the states, EPA is actively working on aspects of coal combustion residuals (CCR) under this area
of the law, including the establishment and refinement of appropriate regulations and, as directed
by the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act), the development
of a new federal permitting program for CCR surface impoundments and landfills. In
implementing regulations for CCR, EPA is taking action to ensure that the concerns of nearby
communities are addressed in a protective manner.
While the majority of the work is focused on domestic issues, the Program also is responsible for
issues related to international movement of wastes. EPA oversees the notification and consent
process for hazardous waste imports and exports. Most of these movements are for recycling and,
thus, are critical to resource conservation. In coordination with other agencies and departments,
EPA represents the U.S. Government in numerous international forums concerned with waste
issues. This type of representation is vital to protecting U.S. interests and furthering U.S. policy
goals.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $15.5 million and 45.5 FTE for the RCRA Waste
Management Recycling Program. The Program will:
• Provide technical assistance, guidance, tools, and support to regions, states, and tribes
regarding the development and implementation of solid waste programs (e.g., the RCRA
hazardous waste generator, transporter, treatment, storage, and disposal regulations and
implementing guidance; the RCRA non-hazardous waste program; the TSCA PCB
disposal and cleanup program; and the hazardous waste import/export program).
301 U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, "Ten Things you
should Know about Marine Debris," https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/111ari11edebris/ten-thi11gs.html.
302 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.c0ngress.g0v/l 16/plaws/publ224/PLAW-1.1.6publ224.pdf.
541
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Enhance risk communications and deliver technical assistance support directly to
communities, particularly fenceline communities, with environmental concerns related to
RCRA facilities.
Provide technical and implementation assistance, oversight, and support to facilities that
generate, treat, store, recycle, and dispose of hazardous waste.
Review and approve PCB cleanup, storage, and disposal activities to reduce exposures,
particularly in sensitive areas like schools and other public spaces. Issuing PCB approvals
is a federal responsibility and is not delegated to states.
Manage and monitor the RCRA permitting program and ensure the issuance of permits
efficiently to achieve program goals. This includes progress towards meeting the Agency's
goal of increasing the percentage of permits kept up to date for the approximately 6,700
hazardous waste units (e.g., incinerators, landfills, and tanks) located at 1,300 permitted
treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.
Implement the EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan and provide technical assistance and
guidance to strengthen the capacity of states, tribes, territories, communities, and facilities
to adapt to climate change.
Continue analysis of existing regulations to ensure protective standards for managing solid
and hazardous waste. In FY 2025, this includes assessment of RCRA regulations to reflect
current standards, policies, and practices.
Manage the hazardous waste import/export notice and consent process in order to make
shipping hazardous waste across borders more efficient. Managing hazardous waste
imports and exports is a federal responsibility, non-delegable to states.
Provide technical hazardous waste management assistance to tribes to encourage
sustainable practices and reduce exposure to toxins from hazardous waste.
Directly implement the RCRA Program in unauthorized states, on tribal lands, and other
unauthorized portions of state RCRA programs. Issue and update permits, including
continuing to improve permitting processes.
Establish and update standards for analytical test methods that are used across the country
and the world to provide consistent, reliable determinations as to whether waste is
hazardous, as well as the presence and extent of hazardous waste in the environment.
Take action to ensure protective management of CCR through the implementation of
existing regulations, promulgation of additional regulations to address legacy surface
impoundments, and the launch of a federal permitting program. The Agency promulgated
regulations specifying improved management and disposal practices to ensure people and
542
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ecosystems are protected. The Agency will continue to work with stakeholders through
technical assistance and guidance as it develops and implements regulations.
• Implement applicable provisions of the WIIN Act, which enables states to submit state
CCR permit programs for EPA approval. The Agency will continue to work closely with
state partners to review and make determinations on state programs. Subject to
appropriations, EPA will implement a permit program for CCR disposal facilities in non-
participating states and on tribal lands.
• As part of an EPA effort to reduce ocean pollution and plastics, the Program will provide
technical expertise and funding to support development and implementation of solid waste
management systems and infrastructure to help ensure that non-hazardous waste items are
appropriately collected, recycled, reused, or properly disposed of to prevent litter from
entering waterways from land.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM IIW5) Number of updated permits issued at hazardous waste facilities.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
64
64
105
100
90
100
105
117
Permits
Actual
109
124
104
130
107
114
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,700.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$6,754.0 / +22.0 FTE) This program change will expand the Community Engagement
and Technical Assistance Program to help protect economically disadvantaged
communities from hazardous substance releases from facilities. This investment includes
$4.2 million for payroll.
• (+$4,598.0 / +21.0 FTE) This program change is to provide sufficient staffing levels to
implement the coal combustion residual federal permitting program. This investment
includes $3.9 million for payroll.
• (+$1,190.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change will help implement the EPA Climate
Adaptation Action Plan, support increased resilience at Treatment, Storage, and Disposal
Facilities and PCB Storage facilities, and strengthen the capacity of states, tribes,
territories, communities, and businesses to adapt to climate change. This investment
includes $190.0 thousand for payroll.
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• (+$300.0 / +1.5 FTE) This program change increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements. This investment includes
approximately $285.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
§§ 3002, 3004, 3005, 3017; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) § 6. Save our Seas 2.0, 2020,
Pub. L. 116-224.
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RCRA: Waste Minimization & Recycling
Program Area: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
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FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$9,375
$10,252
$15,799
$5,547
Total Workyears
39.7
43.4
68.4
25.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Waste Minimization and Recycling
Program supports the sustainable management of resources, including managing materials that
sustainably promote economic growth, reducing environmental impacts, and advancing a circular
economy for all.
The U.S. recycling industry provides approximately 680 thousand jobs and $5.5 billion annually
in tax revenues and there is opportunity for greater contribution to the economy and
environmental protection, as recent data indicate materials worth as much as $9 billion are
thrown away each year.303 Recycling is an important part of a circular economy, which refers to a
system of activities that is restorative to the environment, enables resources to maintain their
highest values, and designs out waste. A circular economy approach provides direct, measurable
reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as natural resource extraction and processing
make up approximately 50 percent of total global GHG emissions.304
Further, living near waste and waste-related facilities can place burdens on communities when
waste is not properly managed, which can lead to higher levels of chronic health issues.
Communities whose residents are predominantly persons of color, Indigenous, or low-income
continue to be disproportionately impacted by high pollution levels, resulting in adverse health
and environmental impacts. It is critical to implement materials management strategies that are
inclusive of communities with environmental justice concerns as well as pursue innovations that
offer the benefits of cleaner processing of materials to all. Recycling is not enough to achieve a
circular economy, but it is an important part of addressing climate change, creating jobs, and
reducing environmental and social impacts.
EPA established a National Recycling Goal to increase the recycling rate from a rate of 32.1
percent in 2018 to 50 percent by 20 3 0,305 and finalized and released the National Recycling
303 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/simii/recycling-economic-infoniiation-rei-report.
304 U.N. Environment International Resource Panel, Global Resources Outlook, 2019, p. 8.
https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook.
305 In 2018, in the United States, approximately 292 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were generated. Of the MSW
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Strategy on November 15, 2021.306 The National Recycling Strategy is part one of a series of
strategies the Agency is developing to build a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective recycling
system and a circular economy for all. Reducing waste helps alleviate burdens on populations that
bear the brunt of poorly run waste management facilities and transfer stations. When applied to
critical minerals, a circular economy approach facilitates end-of-life recycling and the recovery of
critical minerals in order to support a secure supply chain. In 2023, EPA released parts two and
three of the series, the Draft Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, and the Draft National Strategy
for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. Future strategies will focus on critical
minerals and electronics, textiles, and the built environment (e.g., construction and demolition
debris).
Congressional and public interest continues to grow regarding plastics in the environment and
EPA's role in addressing them (e.g., ocean plastics, environmental justice concerns in countries to
whom the U.S. exports plastics, and the climate impacts of single-use plastics). The Save Our Seas
2.0 Act,307 enacted in December 2020, was passed with bipartisan congressional support and
provides EPA with authority to further act on domestic recycling and address plastic waste through
new grant programs, studies, and increased federal coordination. Additionally, the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IDA), as well as STAG annual appropriations, provide funding for
recycling infrastructure grants authorized by section 302(a) of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. IIJA
also provided funding for education and outreach grants focused on improving material recycling,
recovery, and management and established new programs focused on battery recycling and
labeling. EPA also was charged with developing a model recycling program toolkit, increasing
coordination and review of federal procurement guidelines, and providing assistance to the
educational community to incorporate recycling best practices into school curriculum.
The RCRA Waste Minimization and Recycling Program also promotes the efficient management
of food as a resource. Reducing food loss and waste means more food for communities, fewer
GHG emissions and climate impacts, and increased economic growth. EPA works to meet the
national goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent by 2030 by providing national
estimates of food waste generation and management; convening, educating, and supporting
communities seeking to reduce food waste; working collaboratively with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reduce food waste; and providing funding
to demonstrate anaerobic digester applications.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $5.5 million, including 25.0 FTE for the RCRA Waste
Minimization and Recycling Program to manage grants under the new Solid Waste Infrastructure
for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program. This investment also will focus on efforts to strengthen the
generated, approximately 94 million tons were recycled or composted, equivalent to a 32.1 percent recycling and composting
rate, https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/2018_fr_fact sheet dec 2020 fnl_508.pdf.
306 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/sYsteiii/files/docmiieiits/2021.-1. l/final-national-recycling-
strategy.pdf.
307 For more information, please refer to: https://www.congress.gov/1.1.6/plaws/publ224/.PLAW-1.1.6publ224.pdf.
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U.S. recycling system by investing in solid waste management infrastructure and consumer
education and outreach, address the global issue of plastic waste, engage communities, and prevent
and reduce food loss and waste. The Program will conduct the following activities:
• Provide national leadership and direction on approaches to reduce environmental impacts
and increase the safe and effective reuse/recycling of materials, with a special focus on
plastic waste, food waste, and critical minerals and electronics.
• Contribute towards global climate change efforts and demonstrate U.S. leadership
internationally through participation in resource efficiency dialogues.
• Implement the National Recycling Strategy through the SWIFR grant program, the
Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grant program, and other activities.
• Develop, finalize, and/or implement additional strategies in key areas with the greatest
potential to reduce the lifecycle impacts of materials, including plastic waste, food waste,
critical minerals and electronics (e.g., batteries), textiles, and construction and demolition
debris.
• Gather data and provide high-quality scientific information on materials management.
Information on the status of the Nation's solid waste generation and management will
provide evidence for prioritizing programs, grant monies, and policy development. This
information also will illustrate how the U.S. is striving toward the National Recycling Goal
to increase the nation's recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030 and the U.S. 2030 Food Loss
and Waste Reduction Goal to cut food loss and waste in half by the year 2030. To track
progress on these goals, EPA's efforts will focus on gathering data on national waste
management pathways, including recycling participation and food loss and waste
generation rates.
• Continue to administer grants for state, territorial, tribal, and local governments to build
and enhance recycling capacity, infrastructure, and consumer education and outreach
around the country. The grant programs will continue to support state, territorial, and tribal
communities seeking to enhance their capacity to recover and recycle materials by
modernizing local waste management systems and improving education and outreach.
• Provide technical assistance to communities to enhance their capacity to apply for federal
funding opportunities. Announce new funding opportunities for the SWIFR and REO grant
programs that are primarily funded by IIJA.
• Administer and enhance the model recycling program toolkit developed for use in carrying
out the REO grant program funded by IIJA and provide assistance to the educational
community to promote the introduction of recycling principles and best practices into
public school curricula.
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• Continue coordinating with federal agencies to reduce food waste in their facilities,
increase composting, complete food waste prevention pilot projects, and connect
stakeholders with food waste reduction technologies such as anaerobic digestion.
• Enhance the Knowledge Management System for grant programs for recycling
infrastructure and education and outreach to assist in tracking funded project development
through completion and expedite result reporting.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,363.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes an increase for
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$4,184.0 / +25.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to assist EPA with
implementation of the National Recycling Strategy, oversight of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act grants, and challenges on recycling and the circular economy.
This investment includes $4.5 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA);
Save our Seas 2.0 Act, 2020, Pub. L. 116-224; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Pub.
L. 117-58
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Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
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Endocrine Disruptors
Program Area: Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
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$6,010
$7,614
$7,701
$87
Total Workyears
6.9
7.6
7.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) was established in 1996 under authorities
contained in section 408(p) of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) amendments. Envisioned as a two-tiered screening and testing program, the
EDSP was developed to screen chemicals for their potential to disrupt the endocrine system of
humans and wildlife. Section 408(p) also requires EPA to "as appropriate, take action...to ensure
the protection of public health" for "any substance that is found...to have an endocrine effect on
humans." After over two decades of challenges in implementing the EDSP and other aspects of
section 408(p), EPA is now rebuilding the EDSP, especially by obtaining needed endocrine data
and by integrating the FQPA endocrine data and decisions into FIFRA decisions.
In October 2023, EPA issued new policies and scientific explanations to advance these objectives
and engage stakeholders in the process. These new policies will help ensure that EPA is meeting
its section 408(p) FQPA obligations and reducing litigation risk. EPA also will continue to advance
the science on screening and testing chemicals that may disrupt the endocrine system of humans
or wildlife. For example, EPA will continue to transition to using high throughput (HT) screening
and computational toxicology (CompTox)308 tools that can screen thousands of chemicals for
endocrine activity. This will allow EPA to more rapidly and meaningfully prioritize the evaluation
of chemicals for possible endocrine disrupting effects and integrate that information into
registration and registration review decisions, thereby ensuring chemical safety by protecting
human health and the environment from endocrine disrupting chemicals. Implementing EDSP
work into the Agency's risk assessment and risk management functions also supports EPA's
environmental justice (EJ) priorities, both by targeting substances based on effects to sensitive life
stages and deploying rapid methods for assessing disparate chemical exposures to vulnerable
communities.
For over two decades, EPA's progress in implementing the EDSP and other obligations in section
408(p) has been limited for several reasons. One reason is that the Agency did not arrive at clear
3°8 por additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/endocrine-disruption/use-high-throughput-assays-and-
computational-tools-endocrine-disruptor.
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internal decisions on how to address several complex science-policy issues, including what types
of data to require of pesticide registrants. This led to implementation of section 408(p) that was
largely separate from implementation of FIFRA. As part of rebuilding the EDSP, EPA is starting
with two overall approaches to address its historic challenges with the Program. First, EPA intends
to use the FIFRA registration and registration review processes to obtain needed endocrine data to
support the Agency's FIFRA determinations and its FQPA determinations related to endocrine
effects. This approach will allow EPA to efficiently use an existing process (FIFRA) to obtain
endocrine data as part of our FQPA mandates. Second, EPA will integrate FQPA endocrine
decisions into FIFRA decisions. Specifically, when EPA is registering a new pesticide active
ingredient or reevaluating an existing active ingredient as part of registration review, the Agency
will begin to integrate its FQPA endocrine data and decisions into the FIFRA decision. This will
help ensure that EPA is timely identifying endocrine data needs and making FQPA decisions.
On October 27, 2023, EPA published a Federal Register Notice (FRN), EDSP Near-Term
Strategies for Implementation (EPA-HQ-OPP-2023-0474; FRL-11384-Ol-OCSPP), that
describes these overall approaches in further detail and that describes three initial strategies to
support implementation. The strategies include prioritizing potential human endocrine effects
while EPA pursues other strategies to protect wildlife from chemical exposure; using existing
endocrine data to inform FIFRA and FQPA decisions and to inform whether additional endocrine
data are needed for conventional pesticide active ingredients; and through registration review,
phasing in any new data requirements to address potential human estrogen, androgen, and thyroid
effects for registered conventional pesticide active ingredients, starting with priority chemicals. In
conjunction with the FRN, EPA released a list of 30 priority chemicals for public comment and
intends to begin issuing FIFRA data call-ins for needed endocrine data for these chemicals in
spring 2024. In addition to identifying the 30 first priority chemicals, EPA identified 86 chemicals
for which it likely has sufficient estrogen and androgen data for human health, and listed second
priority (126 chemicals) and third priority (161 chemicals) groupings for determining additional
endocrine data needs. Finally, to further support the Near-Term Strategies, EPA released a science
document and an update on data recommendations for List 1 chemicals which had previously gone
through Tier 1 endocrine screening.
Embedded into the EDSP approach is a focus on sensitive life stages during the tiered testing and
assessment processes. As these data are incorporated into conceptual risk assessment models, they
can specifically inform decisions important to EJ and vulnerable subpopulations, including
children's health, women's health, and reproductive health more broadly. To advance endocrine
science, EPA continues to explore enhancements to existing test methods and has run thousands
of chemicals through HT assays, including the estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR)
pathway models and the HT steroidogenesis assay. The Agency continues to engage the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) in the
scientific peer review of endocrine screening methods including HT tools to evaluate their use in
chemical screening and testing. In some cases, these new methods may serve as alternatives to
existing guideline tests. Further, as EDSP prioritizes future chemical assessments, HT tools such
as ToxCast309 and ExpoCast310 may assist in the identification of priority chemical targets with
vulnerable subpopulations and EJ concerns for further investigation.
309 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/toxicity-forecastiiig.
310 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/rapid-chemical-exposure-and-dose-research.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Under the current tiered framework, imposing the EDSP Tier 1 battery for all 10,000+ substances
in the EDSP Universe of Chemicals would cost the regulated community more than $10 billion in
addition to EPA resources for staff to manage the regulatory infrastructure to order and review the
tests.311 Given the current national and international laboratory testing capacity, it would take
many years to complete, and involve the sacrifice of many millions of animals. To address these
issues, in FY 2025, the Agency will:
• Continue implementing a multi-year plan for the EDSP for pesticide active ingredients and
inserts, focusing first on conventional pesticide active ingredients.
• Make chemical-specific decisions on whether the Agency has enough data through Tier 2
testing or other scientifically relevant information to issue FQPA and FIFRA decisions for
potential human endocrine effects such that Tier 1 data are not required, consistent with the
policy that EPA announced in October 2023.
• Continue collaborations with EPA's research programs to optimize available endocrine
screening and testing methods and increase scientific confidence in HT approaches, which will
support a more efficient, refined, and integrated approach to EDSP chemical screening and
assessment.
• In collaboration with EPA's research programs, continue HT screening on pesticide substances
that were not part of the ToxCast chemical sets, considering the priority groupings that were
announced in October 2023.
In FY 2025, consistent with the implementation strategies announced in October 2023, these
efforts will address several key milestones in implementing EDSP evaluations of conventional
pesticide active ingredients to support pesticide registrations and registration review, in line with
Administration priorities on EJ. EPA will ensure that new, conventional pesticide active
ingredients have adequate data to address endocrine effects in humans and will phase any
additional human endocrine data needs for existing chemicals into the registration review process,
starting with 30 high priority active ingredients. The EDSP screening and testing framework
explicitly includes evaluations on vulnerable subpopulations such as differences among life stages
including pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood. Moreover, the EDSP Tier 1 battery is designed
to identify potential effects on reproduction, a key indicator for EJ. In FY 2025, EPA also will
continue research to develop and refine methods to evaluate endocrine effects in wildlife.
The EDSP will continue to collaborate with relevant bodies and international partners, such as the
Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Health
Organization (WHO), and bilateral partners to maximize the efficiency of EPA's resources and
311 https://www.sciencedkect.com/science/article/pii/S02732300110000557via%3DiIiub. https://www.epa.go v/endocrine-
disruption/universe-chemicals-potential-endocrine-disruptor-screening-and-testing &
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/01/19/2023-0094Q/availability-of-new-approach-methodologies-in-the-
endocrine-disruptor-screening-program-notice-of.
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promote adoption of internationally harmonized test methods, particularly high throughput, or
computational approaches, for evaluating the potential endocrine effects of chemicals. EPA
represents the U.S. as either the lead or a participant in OECD and other international projects
involving pesticide regulation and the improvement of assay systems, including the development
of both animal and non-animal screening and testing methods.
Consistent with recommendations in the 2021 OIG report, the October 2023 release of the EDSP
Near-Term Strategies for Implementation represents the new strategic plan for the Program. EPA
is developing performance metrics to track implementation progress and intends to regularly
update the public via the EPA website and other outreach.312
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$101.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$14.0) This is a programmatic decrease for endocrine disruption screening contractual
support.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), § 408(p); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA),
§ 1457.
312 https://www.epa.gov/office-iiispector-general/report-epas-endocrine-disruptor-screeniiig-program-has-iiiade-limited
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Pollution Prevention Program
Program Area: Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Promote Pollution Prevention
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
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FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$12,568
$12,987
$29,193
$16,206
Total Workyears
47.9
51.2
69.2
18.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Pollution Prevention (P2) Program is one of the Agency's primary tools for advancing
environmental stewardship and sustainability for federal, state, and tribal governments as well as
for businesses, communities, and individuals. The Program is the primary implementation
mechanism for the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990. The P2 Program seeks to alleviate
environmental problems by helping businesses and others with developing and implementing
source reduction practices before pollution is created. As a result of these approaches, the P2
Program protects the environment by conserving and protecting natural resources while
strengthening economic growth through cost reductions and increased market opportunities. P2
approaches include, but are not limited to, reducing or eliminating hazardous releases to air, water,
and land; use of hazardous materials; generation of greenhouse gases; and/or use of water. The
Program's efforts advance EPA's priorities to pursue sustainability; to act on climate change; to
make a visible difference in communities, including advancing environmental justice (EJ) in
disadvantaged communities; and to ensure chemical safety. The Program includes a counterpart
P2 Categorical Grants Program in the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) account.313
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.2, Promote Pollution Prevention in the
FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. FY 2025 funding will continue to support the following P2
programs:
P2 Technical Assistance
The P2 technical assistance program supports businesses, states, tribes, and other partners to
promote and facilitate the adoption of source reduction approaches that make good business sense
and to improve multimedia environmental conditions and climate impacts through reductions in
the release of hazardous materials and pollutants such as greenhouse gases. EPA invests in
analyses, tool development, training, outreach, and partnerships to provide the information and
tools needed to bring awareness to industries of P2 approaches and benefits and to enable their
313 For additional information about the EPA P2 Program, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/p2/.
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widespread implementation to prevent or reduce pollution. The P2 Program leverages the success
of EPA grantees and client businesses by amplifying and replicating environmental stewardship
and sustainability successes for similar businesses in other locales.314 Such economies of scale for
P2 are central to maximizing the effectiveness of the program.
To further advance EJ in FY 2025, EPA will use analyses of toxic chemical releases from the
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and other chemical release data to identify facilities and industries
near communities with EJ concerns. These analyses will be combined with sector-specific case
studies, best practices, and outreach and training efforts to facilitate adoption of P2 practices in
such communities. In FY 2025, EPA also will continue efforts to work with stakeholders to
identify technically and economically feasible opportunities for small businesses to adopt safer
alternatives for uses of TSCAHigh Priority Substances undergoing risk evaluation.
P2 reporting under the TRI Program collects information on facility-level P2 practices associated
with reductions in use and release of toxic chemicals. With requested funding for a grant program
to facilitate small business transitions to use of safer chemicals in FY 2025, EPA will evaluate and
integrate P2 case studies and best practices relevant to TSCA risk management efforts by small
businesses, clarify technical and economic factors associated with such transitions, and develop
and deploy pilot programs to leverage training and ongoing support for small businesses expected
to make P2 transitions in response to TSCA risk management.
Safer Choice Program
Safer Choice is a voluntary program that certifies safer products so consumers, businesses, and
purchasers can find products that work well and contain ingredients safer for human health and
the environment, including helping reduce exposure to carcinogens in products. EPA certifies and
allows use of the Safer Choice label315 on products containing ingredients that meet stringent
health and environmental criteria and undergo annual audits to confirm the products are
manufactured in conformance with the Safer Choice Standard's rigorous health and environmental
requirements. Under the same stringent criteria, EPA certifies disinfectant products registered
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) using the Design for the
Environment logo.
With hundreds of partner companies and about 1,800 certified products in the marketplace,
companies have invested heavily in this EPA partnership. Consumer, retailer, and industry interest
in Safer Choice and safer chemical products continues to grow across chemical product value
chains. Through a stakeholder engagement process started in August 2023, the Safer Choice
Program will expand into additional product categories and implement pollution prevention
approaches in seeking to increase consumer and commercial recognition of Safer Choice products,
including certifying products in categories that currently contain PFAS ingredients (and which
would have to avoid PFAS ingredients to gain Safer Choice certification). In 2023, EPA also
solicited comment on technical updates to the Safer Choice Standard to reflect the latest science
and will finalize these updates in 2024. In FY 2025, EPA will continue its Partner of the Year
314 For additional information, please see the Pollution Prevention Program narrative under the STAG account/appropriation.
315 For additional information about the Safer Choice Program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice.
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Awards Program,316 which recognizes organizations and companies for their leadership in
formulating products made with safer ingredients and making them available to communities.
In FY 2025, Safer Choice will integrate and address EJ concerns through outreach and partnership
activities. Efforts to make Safer Choice-certified products more accessible to communities with
EJ concerns will expand with particular focus on low-income, tribal, and indigenous populations
and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical
conditions. Safer Choice will work with retailers and product manufacturers to help them develop
even more products containing safer chemical ingredients that are easy to identify and purchase.
Safer Choice will work to empower custodial staff and house cleaning companies and enable
facilities through education to gain access to Safer Choice-certified products to improve indoor air
quality and reduce exposure-related asthma.317
To enhance transparency and to facilitate expansion and use of safer chemicals and products, EPA
has included on the Program's website a list of non-confidential chemicals that meet the Safer
Choice Program criteria and that are allowed in the Program's labeled products. In FY 2023, the
Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL) contained 1,071 safer chemicals, and EPA will continue
to update this list in future years as the Program evaluates additional chemical ingredients and
chemical categories (including finalizing removal of PFAS from SCIL) and approves products for
the use of the Safer Choice label.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (EPP)
The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program318 implements direction provided to
EPA in the Pollution Prevention Act, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act,319
Federal Acquisition Regulations, and Executive Orders that mandate and set goals for sustainable
federal procurement. The EPP Program assists all federal agencies in meeting these various
requirements and goals including through development and use of private sector sustainability
standards and ecolabels. In FY 2015 the EPP Program issued the EPA Recommendations of
Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations) per direction
from E.O. 13693. The Recommendations help federal purchasers determine which private sector
standards and ecolabels are appropriate and effective in meeting various sustainability goals such
as net-zero emissions procurement, identification of products that do not contain or use substances
of concern such as PFAS reduction of single-use plastics, circularity, embodied carbon,
environmental justice and more. The Recommendations have been updated and maintained
through all subsequent fiscal years and now include over 40 private sector standards and ecolabels
covering over 30 product and service categories. Per the latest Executive Order 14057 and the
Federal Sustainability Plan, federal purchasers are required to use the Recommendations to the
"maximum extent practicable". In addition, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is in the
process of being updated to align with the latest E.O. directives (FAR Case 2022-006).
316 For additional information on the Partner of the Year Awards program, please visit: fattps: //www, epa. go v/saferchoice/safer-
choice-partiier-vear-awards.
317 For additional information, please see:
https://ioumals.lww.com/ioem/Fulltext/2003/05000/Cleaniiig_Products and_Work_Related Asthma. 1.7.aspx.
318 For additional information on the EPP Program, please visit:http://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/buying-green-federal-
purchasers.
319 For additional information on the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act, please visit:
https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/iiatioiial-tecliiiology-transfer-and-advancement-act-1995.
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In FY 2023, the EPP Program began the process to expand and update the Recommendations to
continue to support the Biden-Harris Administration's federal sustainable procurement goals and
mandates. The Program received applications to assess over 80 standards/ecolabels from 42
organizations for potential inclusion in the Recommendations for federal purchasing. Based on
available resources, the Program moved forward with assessing standards and ecolabels in the
following five categories: Food service ware, laboratories, healthcare, professional services, and
uniforms/clothing. Any standards/ecolabels that pass the assessment process will be added to the
Recommendations in FY 2024 following a notice and comment period and input from an
Interagency Advisory Group. The Program will continue to expand into additional product and
service categories as time and resources allow.
The EPP Program also is working with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), General
Services Administration (GSA) and Office of Management and Budget's Office of Federal
Procurement Policy (OMB OFPP) to complete a review of all Best in Class (BIC) contracts
through our Sustainability Check program. The Sustainability Check initiative will ensure that
language in the federal government's largest contracts align with federal sustainable purchasing
requirements. This work is ensuring effective integration of, and compliance with, the applicable
sustainable procurement requirements, which will further help to shift the market to offering more
sustainable products and services.
The EPP Program has generated significant cost savings and environmental benefits to the federal
government. For example, for electronics products, the federal government purchased nearly 9
million Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered products in 2022,
resulting in a cost savings to the federal government of about $291 million and reduction of about
1.5 billion kilograms of C02 equivalents. EPEAT is just one of the over 40 private sector
sustainability standards and ecolabels included in the Recommendations that help federal
purchasers identify and procure environmentally preferable products and services.320
The EPP Program also coordinates closely with the General Services Administration, and other
federal agencies to implement the Recommendations and all other applicable sustainable
purchasing requirements into key federal procurement tools and contracts.
In FY 2023 and FY 2024, as a first step toward helping federal purchasers avoid the purchase of
products that contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the EPP Program published a
new webpage that describes whether and how the private sector standards/ecolabels included in
the Recommendations either restrict or eliminate PFAS in products. Additionally, EPA hosted a
webinar with the standard/ecolabel organizations included in the Recommendations to facilitate
the sharing of best practices to address PFAS through standards and encouraged the organizations
to update or develop new criteria to address PFAS.
In FY 2025, the EPP Program will continue to protect human health and the environment via
sustainable products and procurement through the following activities:
320 For additional information on Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing, please
visit: https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/recommendations-specifications-standards-and-ecolabels-federal-purcliasiiig.
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• Continue to assess and recommend additional private sector ecolabels and standards in key
federal purchase categories that support the various sustainability goals including PFAS use
reduction321, climate impact mitigation, plastics use reduction, advancing circularity, EJ, and
more.
• Continue to build, implement, maintain, and update tools for integrating EPA
recommendations into federal e-procurement systems and initiate identification and
monitoring of relevant government contracts for sustainable purchasing requirements. Initiate
and engage in private sector standards development activities in partnership with EPA's Office
of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) that will result in the significant reduction
of single use plastics.
Green Chemistry
The Green Chemistry Challenge Award Program322 encourages and recognizes the sustainable
design of chemical products and processes. This program serves a critical role in raising the profile,
importance, and credibility of innovative and market-ready green and sustainable chemistry
technologies. During the Program's more than 25 years of progress, EPA has received more than
1,800 nominations and presented awards to 133 technologies, demonstrating the interest among
stakeholders to be recognized at the national level for developing market-ready and/or market-
mature green chemistry solutions. The contribution of greener chemistries to addressing climate
change is clear. Winning technologies are estimated to eliminate 7.8 billion pounds of carbon
dioxide equivalents released to air—the equivalent of taking 770,000 cars off the road each year.323
In FY 2025 EPA will develop training materials to help state, tribal, local, and industry
stakeholders acquire information and understanding of the benefits from these innovations.324
In FY 2025 the Green Chemistry Program will continue to work with awardees and nominees to
pursue the goal of market-oriented environmental and economic progress through increased
adoption of these innovations. EPA will support and lead portions of EPA's responsibilities for
implementation of the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2020.
Climate Adaptation
An additional $1.6 million and 1.0 FTE will fund the implementation of activities to fulfill the P2-
related Long-Term Performance Goals of EPA's Strategic Plan (Objective 1.2), meet
commitments in the EPA Climate Adaptation Action Plan, support increased resilience of EPA's
programs, strengthen the adaptive capacity of states, tribes, territories, communities, and
businesses, and increase the resilience of the nation, with a particular focus on advancing
environmental justice. Resources will be used to oversee the integration of climate adaptation
planning into these programs, policies, rules, and operations (including ensuring EPA facilities
and supply chains are resilient to climate impacts).
321 For additional information, please visit:: https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/how-epas-recommended-standards-and-
ecolabels-address-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances.
322 For additional information on the Green Chemistry Program, please visit: https://www. epa. go v/greenchemistrv.
323 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/iiifoniiation-about-green-chemistry-cliallenge.
324 P2 Training materials are available to the public on various EPA websites including but not limited to: 1)
https://www.epa.gov/p2/grant-programs-pollution-prevention (Grant Programs for P2); 2) https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-grant-
pro gram-resources-applicants (Resources for grant applicants [FAQs, application checklist, P2-EJ Facility Mapping Tool and a
recorded webinar]); 3) https://www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-tools-and-calculators (P2 Tools and calculators); and 4)
https://www.epa.gov/p2/p2-resources-business (P2 resources for business).
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Providing needed resources for the P2 technical assistance program is an important part of the
Agency's efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, and to support identification and
adoption of P2 practices that promote transitions to safer chemistry by small businesses, thereby
complementing and amplifying EPA's work under TSCA through a targeted grant program. The
environmental results of the P2 technical assistance program are numerous and varied. EPA's
strategic plan focuses on the impacts on the reduction of metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MMTCChe) released attributed to EPA P2 grants. MMTCChe is calculated by using an online
tool to convert standard metrics for electricity, green energy, fuel use, chemical substitutions, water
management, and materials management into MMTCChe. In FY 2022, there was a reduction of
0.98 MMTCChe325. Providing needed resources for the P2 technical assistance program is an
important part of the Agency's efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM P2mtc) Reduction in million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02e) released per year
attributed to EPA pollution prevention grants.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
No Target
Established
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
MMTC02e
Actual
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.1
1.0
Data
Avail
10/2024
(PM P2sc) Number of products certified by EPA's Safer Choice program.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
1,950
2,000
1,792
1,795
Products
Actual
1,958
1,989
1,929
1,892
1,835
1,788
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$544.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$7,830.0 / +9.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to the grant program supporting
small businesses with transitioning to TSCA compliant practices and with mitigation of
economic impacts. This includes $1,757 million in associated payroll and essential
workforce support costs.
• (+$6,180.0/ +8.0 FTE) This program change is an increase supporting analyses, tool
development, training, outreach, and partnerships to provide the information and tools
needed to bring awareness to industries of P2 approaches and benefits and to enable their
325 Source https://www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-tools-and-calculators.
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widespread implementation to prevent or reduce pollution. This includes $1,562 million in
associated payroll and essential workforce support costs.
• (+$1,652.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to implement the EPA Climate
Adaptation Action Plan, support increased resilience of EPA's programs, and strengthen
the capacity of states, tribes, territories, communities, and businesses to adapt to climate
change. This includes $195 thousand in associated payroll and essential workforce support
costs.
Statutory Authority:
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
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Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Review and Reduction
Program Area: Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S VI.216
.S S2.X22
SIM.<)<>()
S-IV.OS
Total Budget Authority
$91,216
$82,822
$131,900
$49,078
Total Workyears
297.3
360.8
534.8
174.0
Total program workyears in FY 2025 includes 83.0 FTE funded by TSCA fees. TSCA Service Fees and associated
FTE are not included in the budget formulation nor in the explanations of change. TSCA fee collections are dependent
on full funding of the program.
Program Project Description:
EPA has significant responsibilities under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for ensuring
the safety of chemicals in or entering commerce and addressing unreasonable risks to human health
and the environment. These responsibilities are executed by EPA as part of its Chemical Risk
Review and Reduction (CRRR) Program.
The CRRR Program plays an important role in achieving the Administration's goals to enhance
environmental justice (EJ) and to tackle the climate crisis. Examples include engaging underserved
and vulnerable communities, including tribes, in identifying exposure pathways; issuing proposed
risk management regulations to ensure needed low-global warming potential chemicals are
available to manufacture refrigerants as the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act
is implemented; incorporating into TSCA chemical risk evaluations the assessment of risks to
communities potentially facing disproportionate impacts from chemical exposure because they are
located near industrial activity; adhering to EPA's Guidance on Considering Environmental Justice
During the Development of Regulatory Actions and TSCA's statutory requirement to consider
risks to potentially exposed and susceptible subpopulations;326 ensuring that TSCA chemical
safety data analytical tools are made publicly available in ways that are accessible to vulnerable
communities; and informing decision making that advances the introduction of more
environmentally sustainable chemicals into commerce.
Under TSCA, EPA works to ensure the safety of:
• Existing chemicals,327 by collecting chemical data, prioritizing chemicals for risk evaluation,
conducting risk evaluations, and developing and issuing risk management rules to prevent any
326 For more information, please see EPA's Guidance on Considering Environmental Justice During the Development of an
Action.
327 "Existing Chemicals" are those already in use when TSCA was first enacted in 1976 and those which have since gone through
review by the TSCA New Chemicals Program. These include certain prevalent, high-risk chemicals known generally as "legacy
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unreasonable risk posed by their manufacture, processing, use, distribution in commerce,
and/or disposal; and
• New chemicals, by reviewing new chemical submissions from manufacturers and processors
and taking action to mitigate unreasonable risks to health or the environment before those
chemicals enter the marketplace.
Many elements of EPA's implementation of TSCA, including new chemicals, existing chemicals,
and the information technology supporting those programs, contribute to the Biden-Harris
Administration's Cancer Moonshot. While not all chemicals cause cancer, when information about
a chemical designated for TSCA evaluation indicates that cancer risk may be a concern, EPA
evaluates the risk of an individual getting cancer during their lifetime from exposure to the
chemical. If the Agency finds that the risk is unreasonable, EPA establishes requirements and
regulations to eliminate the unreasonable risk.
TSCA authorizes EPA to collect fees from chemical manufacturers and processors to defray up to
25 percent of the costs for administering certain sections328 of TSCA.329 Fee levels are set by
regulation and may be adjusted on a three-year basis for inflation and to ensure that fees defray
approximately 25 percent of relevant costs. The first TSCA Fees rule became effective on October
1, 20 1 8.330 TSCA program fees collected in FY 2019-21 under this rule equated to approximately
14 percent of estimated program costs. EPA proposed revisions to the rule in January 2022, and in
light of public comments supplemented the proposal in November 2022.331 EPA expects to
publish a final rule in the second quarter of FY 2024.
The final rulemaking is intended to establish TSCA fees that would defray up to 25 percent of
relevant costs, as statutorily allowed,332 and consistent with direction by Congress that the Agency
should properly consider full costs in its rulemaking as intended by the Lautenberg Act.333
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety, in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
chemicals" (e.g., PCBs, mercury), which were previously covered in a separate Chemical Risk Management (CRM) budget
justification. The CRM program area was combined with Chemical Risk Review and Reduction effective FY 2015.
328 The costs of implementing TSCA Sections 4-6 are defrayable up to the statutory caps, as are the costs of collecting, processing,
reviewing, and providing access to and protecting from disclosure, as appropriate, chemical information under Section 14.
329 The authority to assess fees is conditioned on appropriations for the CRRR Program, excluding fees, being held at least equal
to the amount appropriated for FY 2014.
330 The statute authorizes EPA to collect fees from chemical manufacturers (including importers) and, in limited instances,
processors who: are required to submit information (Section 4); submit notification of or information related to intent to
manufacture a new chemical or significant new use of a chemical (Section 5); manufacture (including import) a chemical substance
that is subject to an EPA-initiated risk evaluation (Section 6); or request that EPA conduct a risk evaluation on an existing chemical
(Section 6), subject to the Agency's approval of the request.
331 For more information on 87 FR 68647, please see https://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/proposed-revisions-tsca-fees-rule.
332 This rule is expected to go into effect in FY 2024. https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2022/l 1/16/2022-24137/fees-
for-the-administration-of-the-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca
333 Joint Explanatory Statement from the Flouse and Division G - Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2022.
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In FY 2025, EPA will continue to emphasize the integrity of scientific products, adherence to
statutory intent and requirements, and timelines applicable to pre-market review of new chemicals,
chemical risk evaluation and management, data development and information collection, the
review of Confidential Business Information (CBI) claims, and other statutory requirements. The
FY 2025 budget includes an additional $49 million for the Program above FY 2024 annualized
continuing resolution level. These additional resources are essential for EPA to address its
substantial workload, including:
• Maintaining at least 20 EPA-initiated existing chemical risk evaluations in development at all
times and completing EPA-initiated existing chemical risk evaluations within the statutory
timeframe.
• Having up to 10 existing chemical risk evaluations requested by manufacturers in
development.
• Issuing protective regulations in accordance with statutory timelines addressing unreasonable
risks identified in each risk evaluation.
• Establishing a pipeline of chemicals to be prioritized for future risk evaluation.
• Using test orders and a new strategy for tiered data collection, requiring development of data
critical to existing chemical risk evaluation and risk management activities, and systematically
collecting, reviewing, and synthesizing data for risk assessments in a transparent manner as
mandated by the 2016 TSCA Amendments.
• Conducting risk assessments for approximately 500 new chemical notices and exemption
submissions and managing the identified risks associated with the chemicals.
• Maintaining the statutorily required TSCA Inventory under Section 8(b) which includes over
86,000 chemicals manufactured or processed, including imports, in the United States for uses
under TSC A.
• Continuing to support the implementation of a collaborative research program focused on
developing new scientific approaches for increasing the scientific defensibility and timeliness
of risk assessments for new chemical substances.
• Reviewing and making determinations on CBI claims contained in TSCA submissions; making
certain non-CBI information available to stakeholders; and publishing identifiers for each
chemical substance for which a confidentiality claim for specific chemical identity is approved.
• Stabilizing and modernizing the information technology (IT) environment that supports all
aspects of EPA's TSCA program.
• Carrying out other required TSCA CRRR activities as described below.
Primary TSCA Implementation Activities
Section 4: Testing of Chemical Substances and Mixtures. In FY 2025, the resources requested will
support agency review of test protocols; review of test data submitted voluntarily or in response to
Test Orders, Test Rules, and Enforceable Consent Agreements (ECAs); initial implementation of
additional phases of the National Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Testing Strategy;
and issuance of additional Test Orders. In January 2021, the Agency issued Test Orders for nine
additional chemicals undergoing TSCA risk evaluation and issued additional Test Orders for eight
of these chemicals in March 2022. EPA will continue to support remaining testing requirements
in these Test Orders as recipients complete the required testing. Additionally, EPA anticipates it
will issue Test Orders to support data needs for additional chemicals undergoing TSCA risk
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evaluation. In addition, EPA will continue to implement and refine the National PFAS Testing
Strategy in FY 2025. EPA issued the first Test Orders for PFAS starting in June 2022. EPA will
issue additional Test Orders for PFAS chemicals in FY 2025. In parallel with the Test Order
approach, EPA has requested voluntary submission of PFAS test data. In FY 2025, EPA intends
to refine the initial structural categories developed by EPA's Office of Research and Development
(ORD) to incorporate additional substances as appropriate, to consider physical-chemical
properties and potential exposure.
Section 5: New Chemicals. The New Chemicals Program is critical for ensuring the safety of new
chemicals before they enter commerce. The 2016 TSCA amendments significantly changed the
way EPA implemented the New Chemicals Program. Under the prior law, EPA issued formal
written unreasonable risk determinations for about 20 percent of new chemical submissions. Under
the amended law, EPA is required to issue determinations for 100 percent of new chemical
submissions (a five-fold increase). In FY 2025, the Agency expects to conduct risk assessments
for approximately 500 new chemical notices and exemption submissions;334 make affirmative
determinations on whether unreasonable risks are posed under those chemicals' conditions of use;
manage identified risks associated with the chemicals through the issuance of Orders and
Significant New Use Rules (SNURs); and require development of additional data where
information is insufficient to conduct a reasoned evaluation and then evaluate such data
received.335 The Agency also will conduct a similar effort on notices received in previous years
that are not yet complete.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement innovative approaches to add consistency and
efficiency to new chemical submission reviews for categories such as has been done for, mixed
metal oxides, photo acid generators, and PFAS and to develop new streamlined approaches.
Additionally, the Agency will continue to support outreach to submitters on how to provide the
most complete submissions to enable timely reviews. EPA also intends to continue its commitment
to transparency by making information generated in the review of notices available to the public
via the ChemView database336 and on EPA websites, including TSCA Sections 5 and 8(e) data,
CDR 2024 data, TSCA section 5 communications from submitters received via CDX, Notice of
Commencement (NOC) data, and TSCA section 4 data.
In FY 2025, EPA expects to complete finalization of three SNURs associated with approximately
150 consent orders previously issued for PFAS. Issuance of the SNURs will ensure that companies
planning a significant new use beyond those allowed for these PFAS must notify EPA. Following
its Framework for Addressing New PFAS and New Uses of PFAS, EPA will then have the
opportunity to conduct a risk assessment of the new use and impose any needed restrictions before
it is allowed into commerce. Additionally, EPA will continue to implement a performance metric
to measure compliance with past TSCA regulatory actions, including consent orders and SNURs
334 New chemical submissions may include Pre-Manufacture Notices (PMNs), significant new use notifications (SNUNs),
microbial commercial activity notices (MCANs), low volume exemptions (LVEs), low releases and low exposures exemptions
(LoREX), test marketing exemption (TME), TSCA experimental release application (TERA), and Tier 1 and 2 exemptions.
335 For PMNs, MCANs, and SNUNs, as required by law, the Agency must generally complete the review, determination, and
associated risk management activities within 90 days of receiving the submission, subject to extensions or suspension under certain
circumstances.
336 To access ChemView, please visit: https://chemview.epa.gov/clieniview.
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issued for PFAS. Through this measure, the Agency is tracking its success in managing the risks
presented by new chemicals.
EPA will continue to implement its Framework for Addressing New PFAS and New Uses of
PFAS, which outlines EPA's planned approach when reviewing new PFAS and new uses of
existing PFAS to ensure that, if allowed to enter commerce, they will not be harmful to human
health and the environment.337
The New Chemicals Program also will continue implementation of its PFAS Low Volume
Exemption (LVE) Stewardship Program to encourage industry to voluntarily withdraw LVEs for
PFAS already granted under the exemption. EPA anticipates finalization of a rulemaking
amending TSCA section 5 procedural regulations to better align with the 2016 Lautenberg
Amendments in FY 2025. If the rulemaking is finalized in FY 2025, EPA will begin
implementation of the rule. Among other provisions, this rule would codify EPA's current policy
of generally denying LVEs submitted for PFAS and also would make certain persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals ineligible for LVEs (88 FR 34100). EPA also will continue
to make strides in its efforts to review and revise hundreds of critical high-priority standard
operating procedures (SOPs) and science policies to increase consistency and ensure protection of
human health and the environment when conducting new chemical reviews.
The New Chemicals Program has developed and implemented new strategies that will standardize
new chemical review and risk management approaches to support the Administration's climate
adaptation goals. Under the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Protection's Climate
Adaptation Plan, goals and priorities have been established to take actions that directly support
climate adaptation related to new chemistries and innovative technologies or other related
processes. Additionally, the New Chemicals Program is complementing the office's work related
to the Climate Adaptation Plan with improvements in information technology systems and models
under Section 60115 of the Inflation Reduction Act to increase efficiency in reviews of new
chemicals in sectors that support climate adaptation.
In addition, EPA continues to implement the standardized risk assessment and risk management
approach for mixed metal oxides (MMOs), which include new and modified cathode active
materials (CAMs), which are a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
MMOs also have applications in semi-conductors and renewable energy generation and storage,
such as solar cells and wind power turbines. Both efforts support the Biden-Harris
Administration's agenda to tackle the climate crisis and will complement resources provided to
EPA from legislative enactments such as clean energy initiatives under the Inflation Reduction
Act, tax credits for electric vehicles, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Section 6: Existing Chemicals. TSCA requires a continuing process of prioritizing existing
chemicals for evaluation to identify unreasonable risks and, where unreasonable risks for existing
chemicals are found, the Agency also must commence risk management action under TSCA to
address those risks. The resources requested in FY 2025 are critical for the Agency to continue
337 Please see https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-mder-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/framework-addressing-
new-pfas-and.
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implementing these additional requirements to prioritize, evaluate, and address the risks of existing
chemicals, including:
• Prioritization. The initial step in the process of evaluating existing chemicals under TSCA,
prioritization, is codified in a final Chemical Prioritization Process rule.338 The purpose of
prioritization is to designate a chemical substance as either High-Priority for further risk
evaluation or Low-Priority for which risk evaluation is not warranted at the time.339'340 TSCA
requires that upon completion of a risk evaluation for a High-Priority Substance (HPS), EPA
designate at least one additional HPS to take its place, ensuring that at least 20 EPA-initiated
risk evaluations are constantly underway. In December 2023, EPA initiated the prioritization
process for five additional chemical substances. In FY 2025 EPA will continue working to
identify, initiate, and designate additional HPS for which sufficient data are available to
conduct scientifically sound risk evaluations. EPA plans to do this by obtaining, validating,
and analyzing reasonably available hazard and exposure information on different HPS
candidates, to build a more manageable and sustainable chemical evaluation pipeline, EPA
intends to prioritize chemicals in smaller groups on an annual basis, consistent with the
completion of risk evaluations currently in process.
Risk Evaluation. EPA initiated risk evaluations for the first 10 chemicals in December 2016. EPA
missed the statutory deadline for completing TSCA risk evaluations for nine of the chemicals, and
work on many of those chemical risk evaluations has continued.341 In FY 2021 and FY 2022, EPA
developed approaches for the consideration of exposure pathways (i.e., air, water, disposal) that
were originally omitted from the scopes of the HPS and Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluations
(MRREs) and to consider risks from environmental releases, often to exposed vulnerable and
underserved populations adjacent to the perimeter of manufacturing facilities, for seven of the first
10 chemical risk evaluations. This work added to the challenge of completing additional risk
evaluations.342 EPA issued the final scope document for "Asbestos Part 2: Supplemental
Evaluation Including Legacy Uses and Associated Disposals of Asbestos" in June 2022, issued for
public comment and peer review White Paper: Quantitative Human Health Approach to be
Applied in the Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2 in August 2023 which concluded in December
338 For additional information, please visit: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0636-0074.
339 TSCA required that EPA designate by December 2019 at least 20 chemical substances as High-Priority for risk evaluation and
also at least 20 chemical substances as Low-Priority. On December 20,2019, EPA finalized the designation of 20 chemical
substances as High-Priority for upcoming risk evaluations. For additional information, please visit:
https://www.epa. gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/chemical-substances-undergoing-prioritization-high.
340 On February 20, 2020, EPA finalized the designation of 20 chemical substances as Low-Priority. For additional information,
please visit: https://www.epa.gov/assessiiig-and-iiiaiiagiiig-chemicals-under-tsca/low-priority-substances-under-tsca.
341 EPA revised its risk determinations for eight of the first 10 chemicals to reflect EPA's unreasonable risk finding on the
chemical substance as a whole, rather than on individual conditions of use; in addition, the revised risk determinations do not
assume that workers always and appropriately wear personal protective equipment (consideration of PPE will be part of risk
management). EPA also re-examined the risk evaluations of seven of those chemicals to address overlooked and/or inadequately
assessed exposure pathways (including those affecting fenceline, underserved, or disproportionately burdened communities), is
developing a supplemental risk evaluation for one chemical due to omission of exposure pathways, in part as a result of litigation
against the Agency, and is conducting a second risk evaluation for asbestos to include types and uses that were excluded from the
first one.
342 In January 2022, EPA released for public comment and peer review version 1.0 of a screening methodology that will be used
to further examine whether the policy decision to exclude air and water exposure pathways from the risk evaluations will lead to
a failure to identify and protect fenceline communities. Review of the screening level methodology will include review by the
Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). See. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-screening-
methodology-evaluate-chemical-exposures-and-risks-fenceline.
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2023. EPA will issue the draft and final Part 2 risk evaluations before the court-mandated deadline
of December 1, 2024.343 In July 2023, EPA also issued a draft supplement to the 1,4-dioxane risk
evaluation and a draft revised risk determination that considers air and water exposure pathways
excluded from the earlier risk evaluation and exposure to 1,4-dioxane generated as a byproduct.
Revisions are ongoing based on peer review and public comment which concluded respectively in
September and November 2023. In FY 2024-2025, EPA expects to issue a final supplement and
risk determination for 1,4-dioxane and commence risk management for any identified
unreasonable risks.
EPA initiated risk evaluations for the first set of 20 HPS in December 20 1 9.344 On September 4,
2020, EPA released final scoping documents for these chemicals.345 Because of resource
constraints and policy shifts, EPA did not meet the December 2022 statutory deadline for
completing these risk evaluations. In addition, manufacturers may submit requests to EPA to
evaluate specific additional chemicals. The first two Manufacturer Requested Risk Evaluations
(MRREs) began in FY 2020. A third was started in FY 2021, and a fourth request is currently
being considered. Those initial MRREs will continue throughout FY 2024 and are for chemicals
on the 2014 TSCA Work Plan.346 To support a sustainable flow of HPS risk evaluations, EPA will
finalize a subset of these 20 HPS risk evaluations and three MRREs each year and then designate
a corresponding number to replace them. Before the end of December 2024, EPA will issue at least
nine draft risk evaluations and complete its risk evaluations for five: a flame retardant (tris[2-
chloroethyl] phosphate (TCEP), the draft risk evaluation for which was released in December
2023), formaldehyde, a chlorinated solvent (1,1-dichloroethane), and two MRRE phthalates
(DIDP and DINP). Before the end of December 2025, EPA will complete its risk evaluations for
at least seven additional chemicals. Before the end of December 2026, EPA will complete its risk
evaluations for the remaining HPS and MRRE chemicals. In December 2023, EPA initiated the
prioritization process for five chemical substances in anticipation of completion of pending risk
evaluations. EPA continues to look for efficiencies to meet statutory deadlines including fit-for-
purpose analyses, systematic review, and peer review.
In October 2023, the Agency proposed and took comment on revisions to the 2017 risk evaluation
procedures rule to better align with statutory language, court decisions, and executive orders; build
on the Agency's experience with its first 10 risk evaluations; and increase program clarity,
transparency, sustainability, and flexibility. The Agency expects to finalize this rule in FY 2024.
The Agency is expanding the focus of the risk evaluations to ensure that exposure pathways
affecting the general public (e.g., through ambient air and drinking water) and overburdened
communities are evaluated in accordance with the law. Specifically, it is expected that the
Agency's consideration of potentially exposed and susceptible subpopulations (a term defined in
the statute) will include environmental justice considerations and reflect engagement with
overburdened communities through mechanisms including the National Tribal Operations
343 The Asbestos Part 2 risk evaluation is in response to the ruling in Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families v. U.S. EPA, 943 F.3d
397 (9th Cir. 2019) as well as the subject of the abeyance in ADAO etal. v. U.S. EPA etal., 9th Cir. No. 21-70160 and under
consent decree fromADAO etal. v. U.S. EPA etal., N.D. Cal. No. 21-cv-3716.
344 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/chemical-
substances-undergoing-prioritization-high.
345 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/chemicals-under-tsca/epa-releases-final-scope-documents-and-
list-businesses-subject-fees-next-20.
346 See, https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/tsca-work-plan-chemicals.
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Committee (NTOC) and the National Tribal Toxics Council (NTTC). In addition, in Febmary
2023, EPA released for public comment and peer review a set of principles for evaluating
cumulative risks under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and a proposed approach for
applying those principles to the evaluation of the cumulative risk posed by certain phthalate
chemicals undergoing TSCA section 6 risk evaluation/47
The resources requested for FY 2025 will support efforts to meet statutory mandates and other
requirements related to the evaluation of existing chemicals while maintaining EPA's commitment
to evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data.
• Risk Management. When unreasonable risks are identified in the final risk evaluation, EPA must
promulgate risk management actions under TSCA Section 6(a) to address the unreasonable risks.
EPA commenced development of risk management actions in FY 2020 and 2021 to address
unreasonable risks identified for the first 10 chemicals evaluated under TSCA Section 6. EPA
expects to finalize nine of these actions by or in FY 2025 and will engage in implementation
activities associated with these final actions, including development of compliance guides and
outreach to impacted entities. EPA will continue in FY 2025 to develop up to seven proposed risk
management actions for chemicals with risk evaluations anticipated to be drafted or finalized in
FY 2024. This work will adhere to EPA's Guidance on Considering Environmental Justice During
the Development of an Action and its companion Technical Guidance for Assessing
Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis.348
TSCA also mandates that EPA promulgate Section 6 risk management rules for certain Persistent,
Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) chemicals on the 2014 TSCA Work Plan without undertaking
further risk evaluation.349 EPA issued five final rules for PBTs in January 2021. EPA requested
and received comments on the January 2021 PBT rules and in September 2021 announced its intent
to initiate a new rulemaking to further reduce exposures, promote environmental justice, and better
protect human health and the environment, as well as implementation changes that may need to be
made to current exclusions. In November 2023, EPA proposed revised rules for two PBTs
(decaBDE and PIP (3:1)), with finalization of those anticipated in FY 2024.
In addition, risk management actions for existing chemicals under TSCA Section 5 are ongoing.
EPA expects to propose SNURs in FY 2024 for discontinued uses of the 20 high-priority
substances (HPS) undergoing risk evaluation (e.g., SNURs for three flame retardants were
proposed in June 2023). When final, these rules will ensure that any phased-out uses of the 20 HPS
cannot resume without EPA review and action, as necessary, to protect health and the environment
from potential unreasonable risks. In January 2023, EPA issued a proposed SNUR for inactive
PFAS to ensure these uses cannot restart without prior EPA risk assessment and action, as
necessary, under section 5. EPA finalized this SNUR in January 2024.
Section 14: Confidential Business Information. EPA is required under TSCA Section 14 to review
and make determinations on CBI claims contained in TSCA submissions; to process requests from
347 Please see https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-iiraiiaging-chemicals-under-tsca/cumulative-risk-assessment-under-toxic-
substances.
348 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice/technical-guidance-assessing-
eiiYiroiiniental-justice-regulatoiy-analysis.
349 TSCA, as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, Section 6(h) (1) and (2).
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TSCA submitters and to make certain CBI information available to states, tribes, health, and
medical professionals, and first responders under defined circumstances; and to assign and publish
unique identifiers for each chemical substance for which a confidentiality claim for a specific
chemical identity is approved. In FY 2025, EPA will assign unique identifiers to chemicals where
CBI claims for chemical identity are approved and expects to complete CBI claim reviews for
more than 1,500 new cases and approximately 1,500 chemical identity claims made in existing
Notice of Activity reports under the 2017 TSCA Inventory Notification (Active-Inactive)
Requirements rule.
These reviews are expected to be conducted in accordance with new and updated procedures and
with reporting and communications tools developed in the new CBI procedures rule, which was
finalized on June 1, 20 23.350 The rule provides the regulatory infrastructure necessary to develop
further internal procedures and reporting tools to support the review of expiring CBI claims,
beginning in FY 2026.
TSCA Information Technology (IT) and Data Tools Infrastructure. IT systems development and
maintenance will continue in FY 2025 with the goal of minimizing reporting burdens on industry
and streamlining data management by EPA, including the following activities:
• Continuing enhancement of the TSCA Chemical Information System to reduce manual
handling of data, to increase internal EPA access to data relevant to chemical assessments, and
to expedite review of chemicals.
• Initiating development of new tools for hazard and exposure identification, assessment, and
characterization while improving existing tools to better assess chemical risks.
• Maintaining the functionality of ChemView,351 continuing to increase transparency, and
expanding the information ChemView makes available to the public, including newly
completed chemical assessments, worker protection information, and other new data reported
to EPA under TSCA.
• Continuing TSCA CBI LAN network, Central Data Exchange (CDX), and Chemical
Information System stabilization and modernization efforts.
• Putting in place systems and IT capabilities to begin implementation of the TSCA CBI Sunset
Program starting in June 2026.
Implementing TSCA depends on the collection and availability of information on chemicals from
a wide variety of public and confidential sources. EPA's data currently resides in multiple formats
including paper files, microfiche, and numerous old electronic file formats. A critical need for
improving EPA's performance on TSCA implementation is modernizing the IT systems necessary
for chemical data collation, storage, and curation and making the data received under TSCA
available in structured and consistent formats. The funding requested will support the following
activities: advancing modernization of the existing TSCA IT infrastructure including regulatory
community-facing reporting applications in CDX; enhancing the New Chemical Review (NCR)
system; initiating steps toward automating publication of New Chemical Consent Orders and
SNURs; continuing efforts regarding remaining TSCA CBI review workflow enhancements
350 Please see https://www.epa.gov/tsca-cbi/fiiial-rule-requirements-confidential-busiiiess-infoniiation-claims-under-tsca.
351 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/introduction-
clieniview.
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including enhancement of workflows to support the sunsetting of CBI claims; analyzing and
updating TSCA records data to identify and organize records for publication; making progress
toward the development of a framework for enabling CIS to automatically assign unique identifiers
(UIDs) as CBI claims are approved; making progress in the effort to digitize the remaining legacy
8(e)s and publish them in ChemView; and initiating digitization of legacy documents.
Chemical Data Management Modernization. The international regulatory community has been
moving toward using the International Uniform Chemical Information Database (IUCLID) to
capture, store, maintain, and exchange data on intrinsic and hazardous properties of chemical
substances. Data in IUCLID is centered around standardized reporting templates consistent with
internationally accepted test guidelines and has CBI protection built in. EPA has initiated the
process to incorporate IUCLID template structures and related OECD Harmonized Templates into
OPPT's CBI LAN. With the promulgation of the CBI Procedural Rule, submission of these
templates is required, but resource constraints have limited EPA's implementation and adoption
of IUCLID. With increased resources in FY 2025, the TSCA Program will continue to collaborate
with ORD to implement a IUCLID instance in its CBI LAN to capture, store, and maintain data
on intrinsic and hazard properties of chemicals. The Agency also will work with international
partners to modify software applications to ensure EPA's unique needs and federal IT requirements
are incorporated. Along with integration and consolidation of other legacy data systems, this
initiative will modernize EPA's chemical data management infrastructure and deliver more
efficient searching, collating, managing, and integrating of data on chemicals, resulting in
significant time and cost savings.
Collaborative Research Program to Support New Chemical Reviews.352 In FY 2025 EPA will
continue to develop and implement a multi-year collaborative research program in partnership with
ORD and other federal agencies. This collaboration is focused on developing new science
approaches for performing risk assessments on new chemical substances under TSCA. The effort
is expected to bring innovative science to new chemical reviews; modernize the approaches used;
increase the transparency of the human health and ecological risk assessment process; and expand
utilization of current information technology tools and databases. The resources requested for FY
2025 will allow EPA to accelerate implementation of the collaborative research program, including
new approach methodologies (NAMs), and the new chemicals program in accordance with
statutory mandates and to address the backlog of older submissions. These resources also are
critical to ensuring that the Agency can conduct robust risk assessments using best available
science and data within the statutory timelines.
Other TSCA Sections, Mandates, and Activities
Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) & Tiered Data Reporting (TDR) Rule,353 In FY 2024, EPA plans
to propose a rule that expands reporting requirements for chemicals that are candidates for or
selected as high-priority substances. The purpose is to acquire the most relevant and applicable
352 See, https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-amounces-collaborative-research-program-support-new-chemical-reviews.
353 Section 8(a) of TSCA requires manufacturers (including importers) to provide EPA with information on the production and
use of chemicals in commerce. In March 2020, EPA amended the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule to reduce burden for
certain CDR reporters, improve data quality, and align reporting requirements with amended TSCA. The Calendar Year 2020
CDR Reporting Cycle, which occurs every four years and covers CY 2016-2019, commenced on June 1, 2020, and concluded on
January 29, 2021.
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data that will support risk evaluation. EPA plans to finalize the Rule in FY 2025, after responding
to comments on the proposed Rule and modifying certain CDR requirements. Additionally, in FY
2025, EPA will review data submitted (including CBI claims) and publish the non-CBI CDR data
collected for the 2024 CDR reporting cycle.
Other Section 8 Activities. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement and issue new data
gathering requirements to obtain data needed for chemicals undergoing Section 6 prioritization
and risk evaluations or other chemicals of concern as well as analyze information submitted by
industry. Data gathering actions to implement and/or issue in FY25 include the 8(a)(7) PFAS Data
Reporting rule finalized in 2023, a section 8(d) rule to require submission of copies and lists of
unpublished health and safety studies of identified chemical substances, and section 8(c) call-ins
for adverse effect records of identified chemical substances. EPA continues to develop and test the
reporting tools and internal database infrastructure for each of these actions ahead of their
respective data submission periods and will analyze received data following the associated
submission periods. Information analysis includes review of information submissions from these
previously described section 8 actions as well as 300 Substantial Risk (Section 8(e)) Notifications
submitted by industry.
PFAS Roadmap Support. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries
globally since the 1940s, and they are still being used today. Work in FY 2025 will include
continuing to implement the PFAS national testing strategy; ensuring a robust review process for
new PFAS using the "Framework for Addressing New PFAS and New Uses of PFAS"; reviewing
previous decisions on PFAS; implementing actions to close the door on abandoned PFAS and uses;
implementing a new PFAS reporting rule; and leading the development of a voluntary PFAS
Stewardship Program. The final rule for the inactive PFAS was signed in January 2024. The
funding requested in FY 2025 will allow EPA to improve the Agency data submission process for
test data and ensure early engagement with Test Order recipients and, where there is interest
expressed, with other key stakeholders to facilitate robust data collection. The requested funding
also will allow EPA to review study plans required to be submitted as a result of Test Orders and
data submitted pursuant to the first round of Test Orders issued under TSCA for human health
effects; to integrate submitted data into systematic review databases; and to analyze existing data
in preparation for issuing additional orders to require additional testing for chemicals already
subject to testing.
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs are a nationwide problem and found in every region.
TSCA requires essential work in evaluating a site for PCB exposures and reducing risks at that
site. EPA Regions do this by making site-specific PCB "use" determinations, evaluating
exposures, and providing recommendations and specialized technical support to address the risks
associated with PCBs legally and illegally "in use." EPA's Regional offices will work with
building owners to implement practical interim measures; to develop outreach and technical
assistance materials to prevent or reduce exposure to PCBs; and to conduct risk evaluation of PCB
exposure at local sites.
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Mercury. In FY 2025 EPA will maintain the Mercury Electronic Reporting Application354 and
conduct outreach to stakeholders on reporting requirements. EPA also will continue work under
the Mercury Export Ban Act and amendments related to prohibiting export of certain mercury
compounds and to supporting compliance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury to which
the United States is a party. EPA will collect and prepare information for publication in the CY
2024 update to the national mercury inventory and consider recommending actions to further
reduce mercury use.
TSCA Citizen Petitions. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to meet the requirements of section 21 of
TSCA, which authorizes citizen petitions for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of certain actions
(rules and orders) promulgated under specific components of TSCA sections 4, 5, 6, and 8. The
Agency must grant or deny a section 21 petition within 90 days. If EPA grants a petition, the
requested action must be initiated in a timely fashion. EPA has received a total of 32 TSCA section
21 petitions since September 2007. 13 of those petitions have been submitted since enactment of
the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.355
Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products. In FY 2025, EPA will continue
implementing regulations under the TSCA Title VI Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood
Products Act (Public Law 111-199), which established national emission standards for
formaldehyde in new composite wood products.356 Beginning on March 22, 2024, laminated
product producers must meet the formaldehyde emission standards for hardwood plywood and
will be responsible for formaldehyde emissions testing and third-party certification unless
exempted by using no-added formaldehyde or lower emitting phenol formaldehyde resins. EPA
provided laminated product producers seven years to transition to no-added formaldehyde or
phenol formaldehyde resins to avoid being subject to formaldehyde testing and third-party
certification.
TSCA User Fees. TSCA section 26 authorizes EPA to collect user fees to offset 25 percent of the
Agency's full costs for implementing TSCA sections 4, 5, 6, and 14.357 In FY 2021 EPA collected
$28.6 million: $3.3 million from Section 5, $24.05 million from 19 of the 20 Section 6 EPA-
Initiated Risk Evaluations, and $1.25 million from one Section 6 MRRE for a TSCA Work Plan
chemical.358 EPA's FY 2021 collections were as follows:
Amount Collected
TSCA Section
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
Section 4 Test Orders
$0.88 million
$0.09 million
Section 5 Submissions
$3.3 million
$3.47 million
$3.42 million
Section 6 EPA-Initiated Risk
Evaluations
$24.05 million
$1.48 million
354 The Mercury Electronic Reporting application is an electronic reporting interface and database within the Central Data Exchange
(CDX).
355 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/assessiiig-and-iiiaiiagiiig-chemicals-under-tsca/tsca-section-21.
356 For additional information, please visit: http://www2.epa.gov/formaldehvde/formaldehvde-emission-standards-composite-
wood-products.
357 TSCA, as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, Section 26(b) (1) and (4).
358 The Agency invoiced $88.2 thousand for Section 4 Test Orders in FY 2020 and FY 2021 but did not start receiving
submissions until FY 2022.
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Section 6 MRREs
$1.25 million
Total
$28.6 million
$5.04 million
$3.51 million
Based on its current workplan, EPA is projected to collect $35.45 million in FY 2024359 and $30.83
in FY 2025.360 EPA proposed revisions to its 2018 fee rule in January 2021. Based on public
comments received on the proposed rule, as well as stakeholder engagement and EPA's continued
experience in implementing the 2018 Rule, the Agency issued a supplemental notice of proposed
rulemaking in November 2022 that added to and modified the 2021 proposal. EPA expects the
final rule to be published in early 2024.
Aggregate Exposure and Cumulative Risk Methodologies. EPA is developing aggregate exposure
and cumulative risk approaches to characterizing chemical exposure and risk in risk evaluations
under TSCA. In FY 2025, the following foundational activities will be conducted to support
statutory deadlines:
• Apply approaches to determine when aggregating chemical exposure across conditions of use
is applicable in risk evaluations.
• Develop approaches to identify co-exposure to chemicals to inform prioritization and to
determine when cumulative assessments should be considered for relevant chemicals.
• Continue to apply, where appropriate and feasible, approaches for conducting aggregate
exposure and cumulative risk assessments.
• Apply, where relevant and feasible, the using biomonitoring data in risk evaluations.
• To begin integrating cumulative assessment into the TSCA Program. In May 2023, EPA
released for public comment and SACC peer review, a cumulative risk assessment framework
and an approach for the phthalates undergoing risk evaluation. In FY 2025, EPA will release
the individual draft risk evaluations and the draft cumulative risk assessment for the phthalates,
incorporating the public comments and peer review from FY 2023.
Continuous Improvement of TSCA Implementation. In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to
monitor and evaluate its progress related to core responsibilities under TSCA, such as completing
all EPA-initiated risk evaluations and associated risk management actions for existing chemicals
within statutory timelines. In addition, EPA will continue to reduce the backlog and work towards
meeting the applicable review period of 90 days for Section 5 new chemicals submissions (such
as PMNs, MCANs, and SNUNs). EPA also will undertake other forms of assessment and data
gathering in FY 2025. Based on experience and chemical-specific information EPA will continue
to apply fit-for-purpose application of systematic review to support TSCA risk evaluations.
359 Estimated $10.2 million in Section 5 submissions, $125 thousand from section 4 Test Order invoices, and an additional
amount from one TSCA Section 6 Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluation at $1.497M if the MRRE request is granted.
360 Estimated $10.2 million in Section 5 submissions, $25.4 million from the next round of Section 6 EPA-initiated chemical risk
evaluations, $125 thousand from section 4 Test Order invoices, and an additional amount from one TSCA Section 6
Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluation at $1.497M if the MRRE request is granted.
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM TSCA4) Number of HPS TSCA risk evaluations completed within statutory timelines.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IS
201')
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
0
0
1
6
Evaluations
Actual
1
0
0
0
(PM TSCA5) Percentage of existing chemical TSCA risk management actions initiated within 45 days of the
completion of a final existing chemical risk evaluation.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IS
201')
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
100
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
N/A
100
Numerator
6
Actions
Denominator
6
(PM TSCA6a) Percentage of past TSCA new chemical substances decisions with risk management actions
reviewed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
5
25
30
90
Percent
Actual
N/A
16
Numerator
40
Decisions
Denominator
258
(PM TSCA6b) Percentage of TSCA new chemical substances with risk management actions reported to the
2020 CDR reviewed for adherence/non-adherence with TSCA Section 5 risk management actions that are
determined to adhere to those requirements.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
N/A
25
30
90
Percent
Actual
N/A
70
Numerator
28
Substances
Denominator
40
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$5,483.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agencywide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$43,595.0 / +112.5 FTE) This increase provides critical support for EPA to implement
the revised and expanded TSCA, which gives EPA substantial new responsibilities and
workload to ensure chemical safety. This increase enables EPA to develop and review data
critical to existing chemical risk evaluation and risk management activities; update and
develop 21st century information technology and data tools to meet increasing demands;
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and begin to transform New Chemicals review into an efficient and sustainable process to
complete cases in keeping with the statutory requirements. This program change also will
support an agencywide multi-year collaborative research program for new chemicals that
are focused on modernizing the process and incorporating scientific advances in new
chemical evaluations under TSCA. This investment also includes $21,258 million in
payroll costs and essential workforce support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
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Toxic Substances: Lead Risk Reduction Program
Program Area: Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$11,777
$14,359
$14,597
$238
Total Workyears
58.6
62.9
62.9
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Lead Risk Reduction Program contributes to the goal of reducing lead exposure and works
toward addressing historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities of certain communities.361
This program thereby plays an important role in achieving the Administration's goals to enhance
environmental justice (EJ) and equity by:
• Implementing standards governing lead paint hazard identification and abatement practices.
• Identifying and providing access to a national pool of certified firms and individuals trained to
carry out lead paint hazard identification and abatement practices and/or renovation, repair,
and painting projects while adhering to the lead-safe work practice standards and minimizing
lead dust hazards created in such projects; and
• Providing information and outreach to housing occupants and the public so they can make
informed decisions and take actions about lead paint hazards in their homes.
Lead is highly toxic, especially to young children. Exposure to lead is associated with decreased
intelligence, impaired neurobehavioral development, decreased stature and growth, and impaired
hearing acuity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no safe blood
lead level in children has been identified, and effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected.362'363
Reducing exposure to lead-based paint (LBP) in old housing continues to offer the potential to
significantly decrease blood lead levels in the largest number of children. Housing units
constructed before 1950 are most likely to contain LBP. The most recent national survey estimated
that 34.6 million homes in the United States have LBP and that 29 million homes have significant
LBP hazards.364 Children living at or below the poverty line who live in older housing are at
361 Childhood blood lead levels (BLL) have declined substantially since the 1970s, due largely to the phasing out of lead in
gasoline and to the reduction in the number of homes with lead-based paint hazards. The median concentration of lead in the
blood of children aged 1 to 5 years dropped from 15 micrograms per deciliter in 1976-1980 to 0.7 micrograms per deciliter in
2013-2014, a decrease of 95%. See. America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at:
https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenvironment.
362 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Blood Lead Levels in Children, found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/blood-lead-levels.htm.
363 America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at: littps: //www,epa.gov/aniericaschildrenenvironment.
364 See. American Healthy Homes Survey II Lead Findings (HUD, 2021), found at:
https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/AHHS_II_Lead_Findings Report_Final_29oct21.pdf.
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greatest risk. Additionally, some racial and ethnic groups and those living in older housing are
disproportionately affected by LBP.365
Because of historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities of certain racial, low-income, and
overburdened and underserved communities, the Lead Risk Reduction Program has the potential
to create significant EJ gains and provides strategic opportunities to advance EPA's work in
support of the Administration's goals to enhance EJ and equity as seen in the Strategy to Reduce
Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities.366
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA's Strategic Plan includes a measure that tracks the percentage of expiring lead-based paint
firm certifications renewed before the expiration date. Federal law requires all Renovation, Repair,
and Painting (RRP) firms working in housing, or facilities where children are routinely present,
built before 1978, to be certified to perform renovations or dust sampling. EPA helps the public
find certified repair and renovation firms through a directory. Funding for this program helps
ensure that people can access firms qualified to mitigate or eliminate the risks posed by residential
lead exposure.
Renovation. Repair and Painting Program
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the RRP Rule to address lead hazards created by
renovation, repair, and painting activities in homes and child-occupied facilities367 and to advance
EPA's EJ goals. Fifteen states and one tribe have been authorized to administer this program and
rule. In the remaining non-authorized states, tribes, and territories, EPA will continue to accredit
training providers, track training class notifications, and certify renovation firms. EPA also will
assist in the development and review of state and tribal applications for authorization to administer
training and certification programs, provide information to renovators and homeowners, provide
oversight and guidance to all authorized programs, and disseminate model training courses for
lead-safe work practices. As of September 2023, there were 285 accredited RRP training providers
and almost 58,000 certified renovation firms. Through September of FY 2023, about 30 percent
of renovation firms with expiring certifications were recertified before their certifications expired.
DLHS. Definition of LBP. DLCL. and Public and Commercial Buildings (P&CBs)
As a result of a May 2021 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, EPA is
revising the dust-lead hazard standards (DLHS), the dust-lead clearance levels (DLCL), the
365 Among children ages 1 to 5 years in families with incomes below poverty level, the 95th percentile BLL was 3.0 |ig/dL, and
among those in families at or above the poverty level, it was 2.1 |ig/dL, a difference that was statistically significant. The 95th
percentile BLL among all children ages 1 to 5 years was 2.5 |ig/dL. The 95th percentile BLL in Black non-Hispanic children ages
1 to 5 years was 3.0 |ig/dL, compared with 2.4 (ig/dL for White non-Hispanic children, 1.8 (ig/dL for Mexican-American children,
and 2.7 (ig/dL for children of "All Other Races/Ethnicities." The differences in 95th percentile BLL between race/ethnicity groups
were all statistically significant, after accounting for differences by age, sex, and income. See America's Children and the
Environment (EPA, 2019), found at: https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenviromiient.
366 Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities (EPA, 2022) found at
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documentsQ022-ll/Lead%20Strategy_l.pdf.
367 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-renovation-repair-and-painting-program.
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definition of LBP, and the soil-lead hazard standard (SLHS) regulations.368 The DLHS defines
hazardous levels of lead in residential paint, dust, and soil, and post abatement clearance levels for
lead in interior house dust. In August 2023, EPA proposed updating the DLHS and DLCL. If
finalized as proposed, the DLHS for floors and windowsills would be any reportable level greater
than zero, as analyzed by any laboratory recognized by EPA's National Lead Laboratory
Accreditation Program. The new DLCL would be three micrograms per square foot ((J-g/ft2) for
floors, 20 (J,g/ft2 for windowsills, and 25 j_ig/ft2 for window troughs. EPA expects to finalize the
DLHS and DLCL rule early in FY 2025.
FY 2025 funding will enable EPA to conduct activities necessary to revisit the definition of LBP
and SLHS. In addition, EPA must continue work to evaluate whether hazards are created from
renovations of P&CBs. Reconsideration and development of these rulemakings will help ensure
the most protective approaches are taken to reduce lead exposure in homes and child-occupied
facilities, with benefits for overburdened and underserved communities where disproportionate
impacts occur from LBP in support of the Administration's goals to enhance EJ and equity.
As resources allow, EPA will conduct technical analyses and rulemaking efforts to address issues
related to preventing childhood lead poisoning; revising the soil-lead hazard standards (SLHS);
and continuing work to identify and subsequently address LBP hazards identified in public and
commercial buildings. The definition of lead-based paint is incorporated throughout the lead-based
paint regulations, and application of this definition is central to how the lead-based paint program
functions. In collaboration with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), EPA
will revisit the definition of LBP and, as appropriate, revise the definition to make it more
protective.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to evaluate risk from renovations of public and commercial
buildings pursuant to TSCA §402(c)(3), which directs EPA to promulgate regulations for
renovations in target housing, public buildings built before 1978, and commercial buildings that
create lead-based paint hazards. EPA will determine whether such renovations create LBP hazards
and, if they do, EPA will address those hazards by promulgating work practice, training, and
certification requirements for public and commercial buildings. Because low-income, minority
children are disproportionally vulnerable to lead exposure, these efforts, as well as others that focus
on reducing environmental lead levels, have the potential to create significant EJ gains.
Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Activities
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the LBP Activities (Abatement, Risk Assessment,
and Inspection) Rule by administering the federal program to review and certify firms and
individuals and to accredit training providers. Ensuring that those who undertake LBP Activities
are properly trained and certified is a critical aspect of federal efforts to reduce lead exposure and
to work toward addressing the historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities of certain
racial, low-income, and overburdened and underserved communities. Additionally, the Agency
will continue to review and process requests by states, territories, and tribes for authorization to
administer the lead abatement program in lieu of the federal program. Thirty-nine states, four
tribes, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have been authorized to run the LBP abatement
program.
368 For additional information, please visit: https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2021/05/14/19-71.930.pdf.
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Education and Outreach
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to provide education and outreach to the public on the
hazards of LBP, emphasizing compliance assistance and outreach to support implementation of
the RRP rule and to increase public awareness about preventing childhood lead exposure and lead
poisoning. The Agency will further its work in reaching contractors and the public in underserved
communities through the "Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach"
initiative, by increasing the number of RRP certified contractors and by providing community
leaders a means to educate their own communities about lead hazards, reducing and preventing
potential exposure to lead, and the importance of hiring certified lead professionals. This initiative,
in combination with other regional outreach, is designed to reduce harm to children from exposure
to lead in underrepresented and underserved communities disproportionately affected by lead
exposure, including a focus on low income, overburdened, underserved, and tribal communities.
The Agency will continue to provide multimedia outreach for the National Lead Poisoning
Prevention Week, a collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and HUD. Actions
include formal announcements, social media, web revisions, and other outreach. Finally, EPA will
continue to provide support to the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) to disseminate
information to the public.369
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM RRP30) Percentage of lead-based paint RRP firms whose certifications are scheduled to expire that are
recertified before the expiration date.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
32
33
34
34
Percent
Actual
17
19
40
36
31
31
Numerator
1,134
1,185
9,006
6,524
2,874
2,308
RRP Firms
Denominator
6,855
6,091
22,384
18,158
9,423
7,529
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$568.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential
workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for critical
agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (-$330.0) This program change is an offset to contracts for the increase in payroll fixed
costs.
Statutory Authority:
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. 2601 etseq. - Sections 401-412.
369 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/lead/forms/lead-hotline-iiatioiial-lead-iiifoniiation-center.
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Underground Storage Tanks (LUST/UST)
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LUST / UST
Program Area: Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 11.03-/
S 12.021
S 14.U04
S2.5.S3
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$8,426
$9,991
$14,776
$4,785
Total Budget Authority
$19,460
$22,012
$29,380
$7,368
Total Workyears
84.5
97.9
108.6
10.7
Program Project Description:
Environmental Program Management (EPM) resources fund EPA's work in the Leaking
Underground Storage Tank (LUST)/UST Program to help prevent releases of petroleum through
activities such as inspection and compliance assistance support. The EPM LUST/UST Program
provides states370 and tribes with technical assistance and guidance and directly funds projects that
assist states and tribes in their program implementation, such as the Tribal Underground Storage
Tanks Database (TrUSTD). EPA is the primary implementer of the UST Program in Indian
Country. With few exceptions, tribes do not have independent UST program resources. EPA will
provide facility-specific compliance assistance for UST facility owners and operators in
communities with environmental justice concerns in Indian Country.
This program supports the Administration's priority of mitigating the negative environmental
impacts to communities that are historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by
persistent poverty and inequality, as articulated in Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,371 As of July
2021, approximately 71 million people lived within a quarter mile of an active UST facility,
representing 21 percent of the total U.S population. These communities tend to be more minority,
low income, linguistically isolated, and less likely to have a high school education than the U.S.
population as a whole.372
In 2005, Congress passed the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) which, along with other release
prevention measures, requires states to inspect facilities at least once every three years. EPA has
370 States as referenced here also include the District of Columbia and five territories as described in the definition of state in the
Solid Waste Disposal Act.
371 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
372 U. S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2021. Data collected includes: 1) Underground Storage Tank/Leaking
Underground Storage Tank information from states as of 2018-2019 and from Tribal lands and U.S. territories as of2020-2021
from Office of Research Development & Office of Underground Storage Tanks, UST Finder
https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b03763d3£275446Iadf86fl21345d7bci and 2) population data
from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey.
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been supporting states in these efforts. Between fiscal years 2008 and 2023, the number of annual
confirmed releases has decreased by 41 percent (from 7,364 to 4,3 54).373
An EPA study suggests that increased UST compliance is a result of increasing inspection
frequency. EPA's statistical analysis, using UST data from the states of Louisiana and Arkansas,
showed a positive and statistically significant effect of increased inspection frequency on facility
compliance.374 This evidence supports the data trends the Agency witnessed: compliance rates rose
notably after fully implementing the three-year inspection requirement.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA estimates that only two percent of the Nation's 125,000 retail fuel locations have the
appropriate equipment to store higher blends of ethanol, which means that the remaining UST
systems will need some level of upgrade before they can safely and legally store ethanol blend
E15. This could pose a greater risk of an accidental fuel release in nearby communities. To help
address this, EPA requests an additional $1.8 million and 5.5 FTE to increase activities to improve
the compatibility of UST systems with El 5 in fenceline communities where El 5 is more
prevalently used. Requested resources will be used to:
• Conduct outreach and education to UST owners to ensure they both understand the
regulatory requirements to store El5 and the technical process they can use to determine
their compatibility in complying with those requirements so they can safely store El5; and
• Hire staff to support state inspection programs and to conduct direct El5 compliance
inspections in Indian Country.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to engage in the following core activities:
• Support enhanced inspections and evaluations for UST owners/operators to ensure that
UST systems meet current regulations. This will include expanded development and use
of a facility specific compliance assistance application for use in Indian Country. A portion
of EPM funding is used for EPA's Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program staff
to help conduct inspections to assist states that do not have sufficient inspection capacity
in house. Constrained resources in recent years have made it increasingly challenging to
meet the Agency's Energy Policy Act requirements of inspecting every UST at least once
every three years.
373 For more information, please refer to https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documeiits/2023-l l/fy-23-eoy-fuial-report-ll-21-
2023.pdf.
374 Sullivan, K. A.; Kafle, A (2020). The Energy Policy Act of2005: Increased Inspection Frequency and Compliance at
Underground Storage Tank Facilities. OCPA Working Paper No. 2020-01, https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
10/docmiients/ust_ocpa orkliigpaper_august2020.pdf.
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• Develop tools and resources to assist states in adapting to the impacts of climate change
and extreme weather events. This includes developing tools and resources to assist states
in identifying facilities that are more prone to flooding or wildfires and helping these
facilities prepare for these events before they occur.
• Provide oversight for state LUST prevention grants and provide compatibility compliance
assistance for tribal facilities.
• Continue research studies that identify the compatibility of new fuel formulations with
current tank systems.
• Continue to coordinate with state UST prevention programs.
• Provide technical assistance, compliance help, and expert consultation to states, tribes, and
stakeholders on both policy and technical matters. This support strives to strengthen the
network of federal, state, tribal, and local partners (specifically communities and people
living and working near UST sites) and assists implementation of the UST regulations.
• Provide guidance, training, and assistance to the regulated community to improve
understanding and compliance.
• Continue to work with industry, states, and tribes to identify causes and potential solutions
for corrosion in diesel tanks. Work in this area is important given the significant findings
regarding the increasing prevalence of corrosion of UST system equipment containing
ethanol or diesel fuels.375
EPA will continue to collect data regarding both the compliance rate and the number of new
releases for UST systems in Indian Country. The compliance rate will help determine progress
toward meeting EPA's revised regulations and help identify any areas that need specific attention.
In addition, EPA will continue its work to evaluate the effectiveness of its 2015 regulations, which
are designed to ensure existing UST equipment continues to function properly.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the LUST Prevention Program under the
LUST appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$328.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support for
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
375 For more information, please refer to: www.epa.gOv/ust/eiiiergiiig-fuels-aiid-uiidergromid-storage-taiik.s-usts#tab-3
583
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electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$2,255.0 / +5.5 FTE) This program change requests additional FTE to conduct direct
El5 compliance inspections in Indian Country. Resources also will be used for the
development and coordination of outreach materials to the regulated community. This
investment includes $1.0 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act §§ 8001, 9001-9011.
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Water Ecosystems
585
-------
National Estuary Program / Coastal Waterways
Program Area: Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
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S-t 0,000
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Total Budget Authority
$38,790
$40,000
$32,611
-$7,389
Total Workyears
34.8
36.9
36.9
0.0
Program Project Description:
The National Estuary Program (NEP)/Coastal Waterways Programs work to restore the physical,
chemical, and biological integrity of estuaries of national significance and coastal watersheds by
protecting and restoring water quality, habitat, and living resources.376
The Nation's coasts are facing devastating ecological and societal stress, and communities with
environmental justice concerns, especially people of color, low-income, and indigenous
communities, are experiencing disproportionate climate impacts. Sea level rise and shoreline loss,
dead zones, harmful algal blooms, coral bleaching, coastal acidification, wetland and habitat loss,
shifts in species composition and habitat, frequent flooding, degraded water quality, saltwater
intrusion, and storms that result in billion-dollar damages are becoming routine. The water quality
and ecological integrity of estuarine and coastal areas is critical to the economic vitality of the U.S.
While the estuarine regions of the U.S. comprise just 12.6 percent of U.S. land area, they contain
40 percent of the U.S. population and provide 47 percent of all U.S. economic output.377 The
economic value of coastal recreation in the U.S. for beachgoing, fishing, bird watching, and
snorkeling/diving has been conservatively estimated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to be in the order of $20 billion to $60 billion annually.378
Wetlands and healthy ecosystems protect coastal property, providing a buffer against storms,
floods, and high waves. They stabilize shorelines, prevent land from eroding, and provide carbon
sequestration. The storm damage mitigation services provided by wetlands are valued at over $23
billion dollars annually. The NEP has collectively protected and restored just over 2.8 million acres
of habitat, including wetlands, within 28 estuaries of national significance since 2000, providing
the benefits described above to coastal watersheds and their communities stretching across 39
percent of U.S. shoreline miles and containing 40 percent379 of the U.S. population. The NEP
achieves these successes by the 28 locations working collaboratively and proactively with local
376 For more information, please visit https://www.epa.gov/nep.
377 For more information, please visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-coiiservation/estuary-habitat.
378 For more information, please visit https://www.fisheries.iioaa.gov/natioiial/habitat-coiiservatioii/coastal-wetlands-too-
valuable-lose.
379 For more information, please visit: https://estuaries.Org/wp-content/uploads/2022/l 1/202 l-Final-Report.pdf
586
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governments and other partners through broad networks and leveraging other sources of funding.
On average, the designated NEPs leverage more than $ 16 for every dollar provided by EPA and,
since 2006, the NEP has exceeded $7.4 billion primary leveraged dollars.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Provide $19.6 million in Clean Water Act Section 320 grants for the 28 NEPs ($700
thousand per NEP). This is a highly leveraged program with projects that address coastal,
estuarine, and inland freshwater ecosystem needs. On average, the NEPs leverage more
than $ 16 for every dollar provided by EPA. Funding for this program will strengthen
EPA's staff and internal resource capacity to support and manage core programmatic
activities, including the implementation of each NEP's Comprehensive Conservation and
Management Plan, conducting and addressing findings from regular program evaluations
of individual NEPs, collecting and analyzing annual data from the NEPs, oversight of the
day-to-day operations of the NEPs, and management of Clean Water Act Section 320 grant
funds;
• Provide capacity to support NEP programs that address priority issues such as nutrient
management, habitat protection and restoration, water quality, green infrastructure, and
marine litter reduction. Throughout the NEPs' work, the program seeks to prioritize climate
adaptation and resiliency and greenhouse gas mitigation co-benefits while equitably
distributing federal investments and their benefits, including to disadvantaged
communities. They engage and educate stakeholders and students and implement
collaborative projects with regional, state, tribal, and local partners. These projects include
restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation and blue carbon measures, nutrient and
harmful algal bloom reduction, and development and implementation of climate adaptation
and resiliency strategies;
• Support the Clean Water Act Section 319 Program to manage nonpoint source pollution in
coastal waterways;
• Support the NEPs in developing the skills and capacity to integrate environmental and
climate justice into their guiding documents, daily operations, and project selection. These
activities will benefit disadvantaged communities and help achieve the goals of the
Administration's Justice40 initiative;
• Conduct regular Program Evaluations to assess how the NEPs are making progress in
achieving programmatic and environmental results through implementation of their
Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans. The evaluation process has proven
to be an effective, interactive management process that ensures national program
accountability and transparency, while incorporating local priorities and considerations. It
587
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also demonstrates the value of federal investment in estuarine and coastal watershed
restoration and protection at the local and regional levels;
• Support the Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) Program380 and other important coastal
program activities, including restoration and protection of coastal wetlands (e.g., avoiding
and removing tidal restrictions) and addressing marine litter. CRE develops resources and
provides technical support to the NEPs and other coastal community leaders and advises
on coastal climate resiliency nationally. EPA will continue to work with other federal
agencies, states, and tribes to assess challenges such as increasing temperatures, sea level
rise, and ocean and coastal acidification and identify opportunities to implement actions to
mitigate the effects of climate change on the Nation's coastal waters and shorelines; and,
• The FY 2025 request includes $2.5 million for the NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant
Program.
EPA continues to work with states, tribes, trust territories, the NEPs, and federal agencies to
implement the National Aquatic Resource Survey (NARS) in coastal/estuarine waters. In FY 2023,
the NARS coastal survey completed analysis and interpretation of the sample results and shared
them with state and tribal partners. The web-report and results dashboard for the 2020 National
Coastal Condition Assessment will be released in FY 2024. In FY 2025, EPA will initiate planning
activities with our partners for the 2025 National Coastal Condition Assessment.
EPA, as the federal chair of the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force, will work with other Task Force member
federal agencies and twelve member states to continue implementation of the 2008 Gulf Hypoxia
Action Plan. This activity complements other coordination and implementation resources in the
Geographic Program: Gulf of Mexico and Surface Water Protection Program. A key goal of the
Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan is to improve water quality in the Mississippi River Basin and reduce
the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico by implementing existing and innovative
approaches to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Basin and the Gulf.
EPA will continue to work with states, territories, tribes, and other partners to identify impaired
waters in coastal watersheds, as required by CWA Section 303(d), and on developing and
implementing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for listed impaired waterbodies. TMDLs focus
on clearly defined environmental goals and establish a pollutant budget, which is then
implemented through local, state, and federal watershed plans and programs to restore waters.
EPA will work with and provide support to states, territories, and tribes to ensure that TMDLs for
coastal waters are effective and ready for implementation. EPA also will support states, territories,
and tribes develop other restoration approaches and plans for the protection of unimpaired or high-
quality waters in coastal watersheds. In addition, EPA will continue to support development and
application of tools and applications (e.g., the Watershed Academy, How's My Waterway, and
Restoration and Protection Screening (RPS)) that educate the public and help states and territories
efficiently prioritize coastal waters for restoration and protection.
380 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/cre.
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,167.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (-$8,556.0) This program change reduces the resources available for this program. Significant
additional funding for these activities is available in FY 2025 through the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act.
Statutory Authority:
2021 Protect and Restore America's Estuaries Act; 1990 Great Lakes Critical Programs Act of the
Clean Water Act; Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of 2008; Clean Water Act; Estuaries
and Clean Waters Act of 2000; Protection and Restoration Act of 1990; North American Wetlands
Conservation Act; Water Resources Development Act; 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement; 1987 Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances; 1909 Boundary Waters
Treaty; Marine Debris Research, Prevention and Reduction Act of 2006; Marine Plastic Pollution
Research and Control Act of 1987, Save our Seas 2.0 Act, and the Harmful Algal Bloom and
Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 note).
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Wetlands
Program Area: Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$19,656
$21,754
$26,995
$5,241
Total Workyears
117.9
118.4
138.0
19.6
Program Project Description:
EPA's Wetlands Protection Program has two primary components: 1) the Clean Water Act (CWA)
Section 404 regulatory program and 2) the state and tribal wetland development program. Major
activities of the Wetlands Protection Program include timely and efficient review of CWA Section
404 permit applications submitted to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) or
authorized states; engaging and partnering with USACE, states, and other stakeholders to develop
stream and wetland assessment tools, and improve compensatory mitigation effectiveness and
availability of credits; assisting in building capacity and the development of state and tribal
wetlands and other aquatic resource protection and restoration programs under CWA, including
404 program assumption and Section 401 water quality certification; and providing technical
assistance to the public on wetland management and legal requirements.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Working with federal, state, tribal, and local partners, EPA will strive to ensure an effective,
consistent approach to wetlands and other aquatic resource protection, restoration, and permitting.
To achieve this goal, the Agency will continue its collaborative relationship with USACE in the
CWA Section 404 permitting program. In addition, EPA will continue its work with states and
tribes to build their wetlands programs to monitor, protect, and restore wetlands to achieve multiple
societal benefits, including adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
CWA Section 404
Section 404 of the CWA is an established program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill
material into waters of the United States, including wetlands. USACE is responsible for managing
590
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the day-to-day permit processes nationwide under CWA Section 404.381 EPA engages in the CWA
404 permit process to ensure compliance with the CWA Section 404(b)(1) guidelines as the
permitting authority formulates their proposed permits. EPA will perform its CWA responsibilities
to support new infrastructure projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
of 2021. In 2008, EPA and USACE issued a final rule governing compensatory mitigation for
activities authorized by the CWA 404 and associated losses of aquatic resources. The regulation
prescribes a review and approval process for the establishment and management of mitigation
banks and in-lieu of fees program. EPA and USACE will continue to work together to evaluate
the effectiveness of the Program, provide training to regulators and the public, and consider further
enhancements to the rule and program.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the development of stream and wetland assessment
methods, trainings for regulators, and regional crediting protocols for compensatory mitigation to
improve the efficiency and environmental outcomes of federal and state agency review. In
addition, EPA will continue to build internal capacity through trainings and improve efficiencies
in federal CWA Section 404 permitting to help with reducing potential costs and delays; increasing
consistency and predictability; improving protection of public health and the environment,
including assessing climate impacts and impacts to disadvantaged communities; and ensuring
permit decisions are legally defensible.
EPA also will continue carrying out its responsibilities as a member of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem
Restoration Council authorized under the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourist
Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) Act, and as a Natural
Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill under the Oil
Pollution Act (OP A). Under CWA Section 404, the RESTORE Act, and OP A, EPA's
responsibilities include timely, environmentally sound, and compliant implementation of National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and associated permitting. Under NRDA, EPA is a
cooperating or lead federal agency for NEPA on all Deepwater Horizon Trustee Implementation
Group restoration plans and ensures the appropriate level of NEPA analysis is integrated into those
referenced restoration plans. EPA's RESTORE responsibilities include NEPA analysis for proj ects
that the Council assigns to EPA. As a NRDA Trustee, EPA undertakes mandatory independent
third-party financial audits every three years to ensure accountability regarding the use of funds
provided under a 2016 consent decree.382 The first independent third-party financial audit was
initiated in FY 2018 and concluded in FY 2020 with no negative findings. The second audit was
initiated in FY 2021 and concluded in FY 2022 with no significant findings. EPA anticipates
initiating its third audit in FY 2024.
Building State and Tribal Aquatic Resource Programs
EPA will continue to work with states and tribes to target Wetlands Protection Program funds to
core statutory requirements while providing states and tribes flexibility to best address their
priorities. This includes providing assistance to states and tribes interested in assuming the
381 Currently, three states, Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida, have assumed the CWA Section 404 permit program. CWA
Section 404(g) gives states and tribes the option of assuming, or taking over, the permitting responsibility and administration of
the CWA Section 404 permit program for certain waters.
382 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/deepwaterhorizon.
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administration of the CWA Section 404(g) program. EPA intends to finalize a regulation in FY
2024 to update the existing state and Tribal program regulations on CWA Section 404(g) program
assumption. EPA also will continue to administer Wetland Program Development Grants, which
is a Justice40 covered program, in support of state and tribal wetland programs. The Agency will
focus on working more efficiently with states and tribes to achieve specific program development
outcomes including protecting and restoring wetlands and other aquatic resources to address water
quality and climate impacts, provide benefits to disadvantaged communities, support state and
tribal assumption of the CWA Section 404 program, and support states and tribes with
implementing CWA Section 401.383
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$123.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$5,364.0 / +19.6 FTE) This increase of resources and FTE supports the implementation
of the Clean Water Act to protect and restore wetlands and other aquatic resources. This
investment also includes $3,431 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
CWA § 404, § 104(b)(3).
383 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/wetlands.
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Ensure Safe Water
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Beach / Fish Programs
Program Area: Ensure Safe Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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Total Budget Authority
$1,673
$2,246
$2,391
$145
Total Workyears
1.7
2.7
3.8
1.1
Program Project Description:
The Beach/Fish Program provides up-to-date science, guidance, technical assistance, and
nationwide information to state, tribal, and federal agencies to protect human health of beachgoers
from contaminated recreation waters, as well as recreational and subsistence fishers (e.g., tribal
communities and other underserved populations) from consumption of contaminated fish.
The Agency implements the following activities under this Program:
• Develop and disseminate methodologies and guidance that states and tribes use to sample,
analyze, and assess fish tissue in support of waterbody specific or regional consumption
advisories.
• Develop and disseminate guidance that states and tribes can use to conduct local fish
consumption surveys.
• Develop and disseminate guidance that states and tribes can use to communicate the risks
of consuming chemically contaminated fish.
• Gather, analyze, and disseminate information to the public and health professionals that
informs decisions on when and where to fish, and how to prepare fish caught by
recreational and subsistence fishers.
• Provide best practices on public notification of beach closures and advisories.
• Develop tools such as the sanitary survey app, predictive modeling, and improved
analytical methods.
• Maintain the E-Beaches IT system to collect data required by the Beaches Environmental
Assessment and Coastal Help (BEACH) Act.
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In addition to providing technical support to states and tribes on beach monitoring and data
reporting, these programs are part of EPA's ongoing effort to increase public awareness of the
risks to human health associated with contact with recreational water contaminated with pathogens
or harmful algal blooms, and with eating locally caught fish that contain pollutants such as
mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at
levels of concern. These efforts are directly linked to the Agency's mission to protect human
health.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to:
• Update science and public policy to assess and manage the risks and benefits of fish
consumption.
• Provide analytical tools and collect data associated with beach monitoring.
• Provide technical support to states in the operation of their fish consumption advisories and
beach monitoring programs.
• Build program capacity, particularly in areas related to environmental justice, water
infrastructure support and oversight, climate change resilience, and regulatory reviews.
• Complete National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) National Lakes Assessment analysis
of fish tissue for contaminants including PFAS;
• Per the Agency's PFAS Roadmap, complete reporting for the first time of PFAS levels in
fish collected from lakes nationwide;
• Conduct monitoring of PFAS and other contaminants in fish collected from the Great Lakes
and (for the first time) coastal estuaries as part of the NARS National Coastal Condition
Assessment; and
• Implement the Justice 40 initiative in the BEACH Act Program.
In FY 2025, EPA also will make investments in providing up-to-date science, guidance, and
technical assistance so states and tribes have equitable and effective beach and fish advisory
programs. This information allows the public, including underserved communities, to make
informed choices about recreational activities in local waters and eating locally caught fish. EPA
will maintain the E-Beaches IT system and make updates if needed.
595
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
~ (+$78.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$67.0 / +1.1 FTE) This program change in resources and FTE builds program capacity,
particularly in areas related to environmental justice, water infrastructure support and
oversight, climate change resilience, and regulatory reviews.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, § 101, 104, and 303.
596
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Drinking Water Programs
Program Area: Ensure Safe Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SWV.V58
S121.Mr
SI-13. KM
S 22.2'V
Science & Technology
$5,474
$5,098
$7,043
$1,945
Total Budget Authority
$115,432
$126,705
$150,929
$24,224
Total Workyears
471.0
539.4
554.5
15.1
Program Project Description:
Safe drinking water is critical for protecting human health and the economic vitality of the Nation.
Approximately 320 million Americans rely on public water systems to deliver safe tap water that
complies with national drinking water standards.384 EPA's Drinking Water Program is based on a
multiple-barrier and source-to-tap approach to protect public health from contaminants in drinking
water.385 EPA protects public health through:
• Source water assessment and protection;
• Promulgation of new or revised National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs);
• Training, technical assistance, and financial assistance programs to enhance public water
system capacity to comply with regulations and provide safe drinking water;
• Underground Injection Control (UIC) programs;
• Support for implementation of NPDWRs by state and tribal drinking water programs
through regulatory, non-regulatory, and voluntary programs and policies; and
• Funding, assistance, and resources for states and tribes to support the financing of water
infrastructure improvements nationwide that will improve compliance, address drinking
water contaminants such as lead, and ensure water systems are more resilient to threats,
like cyber-attacks and natural hazards such as climate change.386
Current events, including the detection of lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in
drinking water, highlight the importance of drinking water protection programs that safeguard
public health. It also is important to protect the sources of drinking water. Moreover, incidents of
drinking water contamination with lead and PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and GenX chemicals, exemplify the increased demand for risk
384 For more information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS/FED),
please see: http://water.epa.gov/scitech/datait/databases/drink/sdwisfed/index.cfm.
385 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-
10/documents/guide swppocket 2002 updated.pdf.
386 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water.
597
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communication and other resources that can help communities protect public health and address
these chemicals.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the program will continue to support the Agency's national drinking water priorities,
including:
• Addressing lead and emerging contaminants such as PFAS and
• Improving resilience in drinking water systems to address natural hazards, including
climate change, and human threats by enhancing cybersecurity; and, improving drinking
water access and water quality across the Nation, especially in rural, small, underserved,
and disadvantaged communities across the country.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work to integrate climate adaptation planning into water
programs, policies, and rulemaking processes, and consult and partner with states, tribes,
territories, local governments, environmental justice organizations, community groups,
businesses, and other federal agencies to strengthen the adaptive capacity and increase the
resilience of the Nation. The Agency also is requesting resources to support regulatory analysis,
development and training, and technical assistance for state, tribal, and local communities to
address drinking water contaminants (including lead and emerging contaminants like PFAS) in
their efforts to ensure safe and affordable drinking water.
The Agency will continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of its programs for states
and tribes, including work to ensure EPA water programs and resources reach communities that
too often have been overburdened, including rural and tribal communities. In FY 2023, over 2,100
tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities were provided with technical, managerial, or
financial assistance to improve operations of their drinking water or wastewater systems. The
Drinking Water Program supports this effort by providing training and assistance to state drinking
water programs, tribal drinking water officials, drinking water systems, and technical assistance
providers. The training includes:
• Achieving and maintaining compliance at drinking water systems;
• Developing and amplifying best practices and providing technical assistance;
• Protecting sources of drinking water, including through the UIC program;
• Strengthening state and tribal program capacity; and
• Certifying drinking water operators and maintaining an essential workforce.
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EPA oversees state drinking water programs by completing the annual public water system
supervision (PWSS) program review for each primacy agency as required under the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA). Information gained during the Program reviews, which occur throughout the
year, includes an analysis of the completion of sanitary surveys by primacy agencies and an
evaluation of whether each primacy agency is implementing its programs in accordance with
SDWA. The annual program reviews directly support the work of the states and the Agency to
reduce the number of community water systems in noncompliance with health-based standards.
As of September 30, 2023, 3,042 of the 3,508 systems with health-based violations on September
30, 2017, have been returned to compliance {i.e., 466 systems are still in violation). EPA
recognizes that many of the remaining systems have complex compliance issues or may require
capital infrastructure improvements to help address noncompliance. While Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and State Revolving Fund (SRF) funding will support these
systems, infrastructure projects can take many years to complete. In FY 2025, EPA will continue
to provide technical assistance and work with states towards long-term remediation of systems
with health-based violations.
The Agency is continuing to work with states on completing the development of the Drinking
Water State-Federal-Tribal Information Exchange System (DW-SFTIES) as the long-term
replacement for the Safe Drinking Water Information System for states (SDWIS-State) by early
2026. As of FY 2023, 42 states use SDWIS-State for day-to-day information management for
implementing state drinking water programs. In FY 2025, EPA continues to support and prepare
states in their transition planning activities to DW-SFTIES. The information gained from the
PWSS reviews, and the database modernization efforts will continue to support evidence-building
activities as part of EPA's implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking
Act of 2018 (Evidence Act).
The Agency also continues to provide training and collaborate with states on:
• Helping underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities with SDWA compliance and
providing households access to drinking water services and household water quality
testing, including testing for unregulated contaminants;
• Maintaining the states' capacity development programs and providing resources, tools, and
technical assistance to help water systems with SDWA compliance;
• Effectively implementing PWSS programs; and
• Providing operator certification programs to support the water sector workforce.
Water Infrastructure
The Nation's aging infrastructure poses a significant challenge for the drinking water and
wastewater sectors to protect public health and the environment. These challenges are particularly
pressing in small, rural, overburdened, and underserved communities. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue to support improvements to the Nation's drinking water infrastructure, including
identification of infrastructure needs and assistance for underserved and tribal communities. The
Agency also will support activities to leverage and encourage public and private collaborative
599
-------
efforts and investments. This Program also supports the Agency' s efforts in implementing the IIJA.
EPA will continue to provide direct technical assistance to water systems and collaborate with the
states to help small and underserved communities access the funding provided by IIJA.
Every four years, EPA is required to conduct the Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey
Assessment (D WINS A) by working with states and community water systems to estimate the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) eligible needs of systems by state over the next
20 years. EPA uses this information as part of the formula for state allocations of the DWSRF.
The 2021 or the 7th DWINSA effort concluded and the new allotment formula was announced and
used starting in FY 2023. EPA submitted the 2021 DWINSA Report to Congress in FY 2023.
Findings included capital investment needs and also estimates on lead service line prevalence and
replacement costs, current concerns for a sustainable certified operator workforce, and an
assessment of the uses of iron and steel products. In late FY 2023 to early FY 2024, EPA conducted
a one-time update of the service line material information for the seventh DWINSA. This
additional information will update the Lead Service Line Replacement funding allotments for the
DWSRF programs and be used starting in FY 2024. In addition, planning activities will begin for
the 8th DWINSA. EPA plans to reach out to state partners to discuss 'Lessons Learned' with the
previous DWINSA efforts and identify ways to improve the next survey. In FY 2024 through FY
2025, EPA expects to develop the survey instrument, conduct trainings, and begin data collection
for the 8th DWINSA. The FY 2025 request includes up to $1.5 million set aside from the DWSRF
to ensure there are consistent and reliable resources to fund this important work.
In addition to the DWSRF Program, in FY 2025, EPA will continue to support drinking water
infrastructure programs by implementing the following statutes:
• Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2022 and 2023 (EPA Community Grants) and any
future Community Grant appropriations;
• Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) within IIJA;
• Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act of 2021 within IIJA;
• America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA);
• Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016 (WIIN); and
• Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA).
Collectively, these laws strengthened existing programs and created new ones to tackle significant
public health concerns and environmental needs. The programs created in these laws are vital to
protecting public health, continuing to grow the United States' economy, and ensuring that rural
and urban communities from coast-to-coast can thrive. EPA will continue to provide WIIN,
AWIA, and IIJA grant funding to support projects focusing on reducing lead and addressing
emerging contaminants in drinking water and to enhance water system resiliency to natural hazards
such as climate change and man-made threats such as cyber-attacks, with a focus on small and
disadvantaged communities. Funding for these projects also will bolster the U.S. economy through
domestic preference requirements for federally funded infrastructure projects.
Funding for infrastructure supports EPA's goal to increase the cumulative amount of non-federal
dollars leveraged by water infrastructure finance programs by $9.5 billion in FY 2025. These water
infrastructure finance programs include the DWSRF, CWSRF, and the WIFIA program. In FY
600
-------
2023, $11.4 billion was leveraged by these programs, increasing the funds available to improve,
repair, and modernize the Nation's water infrastructure.
Drinking Water Program Implementation
In FY 2025, the Agency is requesting additional resources to support continued work with states
to implement requirements for all NPDWRs to ensure that systems install, operate, and maintain
appropriate levels of treatment and effectively manage their drinking water plants and distribution
systems. The Program activities are designed to improve drinking water and water quality across
the Nation, especially in tribal and underserved and vulnerable communities. Activities include:
• Working with states to provide training, direct technical assistance, and resources to
conduct lead service line inventories, replace lead service lines, and optimize corrosion
control treatment, develop other strategies to minimize exposure to lead, and maintain
simultaneous compliance;
• Developing guidance manuals, tools, and trainings for states to support water systems and
primacy agencies in implementing the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) and
its revision;
• Developing guidance, tools, and trainings to support water systems and primacy agencies
in implementing the PFAS Rule;
• Implementing regulations to improve the clarity, readability, and accuracy of information
in Consumer Confidence Reports;
• Implementing SDWA Section 1414 requirements allowing states to mandate water system
restructuring assessments;
• Focusing on the reduction of the number of community water systems with health-based
violations, especially small systems, tribal systems, and systems in underserved
communities;
• Coordinating with the Indian Health Service and other federal partners to provide financial
and technical assistance to tribal communities;
• In preparation of the PFAS NPDWR, supporting the development of the draft Small
System Compliance Guidance Document; and,
EPA will continue to complete the development of DW-SFTIES and support state migration to
DW-SFTIES and to the Compliance Monitoring Data Portal, which enables drinking water utilities
and laboratories to report drinking water data electronically. In addition, EPA will continue the
development of efficient program data management and reporting tools focusing on drinking water
regulation, system technical, managerial, and financial capacity, and activities that inform status
of SDWA compliance and decisions to support human health protection.
601
-------
In FY 2025, EPA will conduct the following activities to facilitate compliance with drinking water
rules:
• Overseeing the national PWSS Program by administering grants to states and measuring
program results based on state reporting of health-based rule violations at public water
systems for over 90 drinking water contaminants;
• Offering training and technical assistance opportunities to states, tribes, and public water
systems, especially those in underserved and disadvantaged communities, with a priority
on addressing significant noncompliance with the NPDWRs;
• Bolstering its strong partnership with the states to provide direct small system technical
assistance, especially in disadvantaged communities, with a focus on compliance with
rules, operational efficiencies, and system sustainability and resiliency to ensure public
health protection;
• Directly implementing the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule, designed to protect millions of
people who travel on approximately 5,700 aircraft in the United States annually; and
• Directly implementing the Drinking Water Program where states and tribes do not have
primacy (e.g., Wyoming, the District of Columbia, and tribal lands other than the Navajo
Nation).
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the Evidence Act and make evidence-based decisions
guided by the best available science and data. EPA will continue to help develop statistical
evidence where it is lacking and improve EPA's capacity to generate and share science and data,
and use it in policy, budget, operational, regulatory, and management processes and decisions.
Specifically, the Agency will be conducting evidence-building activities and gathering information
from SDWIS that inform the data quality of the Agency's drinking water compliance information.
Through these efforts, EPA has identified a need for access to states' compliance monitoring data
and is developing the regulatory authority and tools necessary to fill this gap. Furthermore, EPA
expects to identify additional data needs, potential sources of additional information, and
mechanisms to fill data gaps. EPA also will identify system characteristics that support compliance
and those that cause compliance challenges. EPA will use these findings to inform and develop
policy instruments.
Drinking Water Standards
To assure the American people that their water is safe to drink, EPA's drinking water regulatory
program monitors for a broad array of contaminants, evaluates whether contaminants are a public
health concern, and regulates contaminants when there is a meaningful opportunity for health risk
reduction for persons served by public water systems. In FY 2025, the Agency also will address
drinking water risks with the following actions:
• Continuing to develop the new NPDWR, LCRI. In FY 2021, EPA issued the Lead and
Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and subsequently reviewed those revisions in accordance
602
-------
with Executive Order 13 9 90.387 Through this review, the Agency concluded that there are
significant opportunities to improve the LCRR to support the overarching goal of
proactively removing lead service lines and more equitably protecting public health (86 FR
71574). EPA announced the proposed LCRI on November 30,2023 and intends to finalize
by October 16, 2024.
• Conducting human health effects assessments for water contaminants to support SDWA
actions, including the derivation of maximum contaminant level goals, drinking water
health advisories, and human health benchmarks. Consideration of those potentially most
at risk - especially sensitive subpopulations and critical life stages (e.g., infants and
children) - is key in development of health effects assessments for contaminants in water.
• Continuing to develop guidance materials and webinar content to assist stakeholders with
preparing for their responsibilities under the final NPDWR for PFAS in drinking water.
• Continuing the development of the SDWA-mandated draft Regulatory Determinations
(Reg Det) for the Fifth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 5) and preparing to publish the
final Reg Det for CCL 5 in FY 2026.
• Developing and publishing the draft Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) in FY
20 25.388
• Continuing to participate in interagency actions and support cross-agency efforts to address
PFAS; establishing better understanding of the health impacts and extent of their
occurrence in the environment and resulting human exposures; and supporting priorities
identified by the EPA's PFAS Council and in EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap.
• Developing drinking water health advisories for PFAS with final toxicity values.
• Continuing to develop risk communication and other tools to support states, tribes, and
localities in managing PFAS and other emerging contaminants in their communities.
• Continuing to support state and tribal efforts to manage cyanotoxins in drinking water,
including providing technical assistance.
• Proposing revisions to the existing Microbial and Disinfection Byproducts Rules based on
evaluations of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council (NDWAC)
recommendations and working towards a final rule by FY 2027.
• Providing support to drinking water systems and laboratories as they collect and analyze
samples during implementation of the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule.
Conclude monitoring for PFAS and lithium under UCMR 5 in FY 2025. Continuing to
387 For additional information, please see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01765/protectiiig-public-
health-aiid-the-enYiromiient-aiid-restoriiig-science-to-tackle-the-cliiiiate-cilsis.
388 por additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/ccl/draft-contamiiiant-candidate-list-6-ccl-6.
603
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publish data summaries and detailed results and conduct occurrence data analyses.
Continuing the development of UCMR 6 towards the publication of the proposal in FY
2025.
• Collecting and analyzing Community Water System Survey data to capture changes and
update information related to the conditions of public water systems.
Source Water Protection
SDWA requires drinking water utilities that meet the definition of a public water system to meet
requirements for source water protection set by EPA and state primacy agencies. Protecting source
water from contamination helps reduce treatment costs and may avoid or defer the need for
complex treatment. EPA will continue to partner with states, federal counterparts, drinking water
utilities, and other stakeholders to identify and address current and potential threats to sources of
drinking water. In FY 2025, the Agency will be:
• Continuing to develop data-layers and decision support tools to assist source water
assessment, planning, and emergency preparation, including updates to the Drinking Water
Mapping Application for Protecting Source Waters (DWMAPS) on EPA's web-based
geospatial platform, GeoPlatform;389
• Working with state, federal, utility, and local stakeholders to leverage resources, support
efforts to assist communities in source water protection activities and projects, and promote
ongoing efforts, including funding opportunities through the Funding Integration Tool for
Source water (FITS), to protect drinking water sources;
• Continuing to partner with the Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Natural Resources
Conservation Service and Forest Service and state partners to support implementation of
the source water protection provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018
Farm Bill) and provide support in the development and implementation of the subsequent
Farm Bill. Additionally, exchanging spatial data, resources, and funding information across
multiple federal and state partners to facilitate achievement of shared goals. This presents
an opportunity to forge stronger connections between EPA and USD A to address
agriculture-related impacts to drinking water sources;
• Continuing to provide support for workshops that promote source water protection at the
local level and support the integration of source water protection into related programs at
the state and federal levels, focusing on reducing nutrient pollution impacts on drinking
water sources;
• Providing support to states and tribes in identifying and planning for the use of IIJA and
IRA funding available from federal agencies to address source water protection priorities,
especially as it relates to addressing emerging drinking water contaminants; and
389 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sourcewaterprotection/dwmaps.
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• Building partnerships and developing source water protection planning resources and
communications materials related to source water protection priorities as part of EPA's
membership in the National Source Water Collaborative.
Underground Injection Control
Roughly one-third of the United States' population is served by public water systems that receive
water from groundwater. To safeguard current and future underground sources of drinking water
from contamination, the UIC Program regulates the use of injection wells that place fluids
underground for storage, disposal, enhanced recovery of oil and gas, and minerals recovery.
Protecting groundwater requires proper permitting, construction, operation, and closure of
injection wells. In FY 2025, planned activities in the UIC Program include:
• Supporting implementation of DWWIA to support comprehensive carbon dioxide
infrastructure in the United States by working with applicants on Class VI permits for
secure geologic storage of carbon dioxide and with state UIC programs seeking to obtain
primacy for the Class VI program;
• Supporting the implementation of the UIC STAG and IIJA funded Class VI programs,
including a grant program that assists states and tribes in obtaining primacy;
• Supporting efforts to advance environmental justice in UIC programs;
• Supporting states and tribes in applying for primary enforcement responsibility and
implementing UIC Program revisions;
• Continuing to provide technical assistance, tools, and strategies to states to improve
implementation of UIC programs, including development of e-learning material, and to
support permitting in direction implementation;
• Using national UIC data to assist with promoting consistent approaches to program
oversight of state and EPA's UIC programs; and
• Streamlining EPA's UIC direct implementation permitting process and reducing the permit
application backlog.
Water Reuse
To assure a safe and reliable source of water that is resilient to drought, flooding, and population
growth, EPA is working to advance water reuse nationwide. This work is being done in
collaboration with a broad group of stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations,
states, tribes, and local governments. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the National Water
Reuse Action Plan and the Federal Water Reuse Interagency Working Group. The Agency will
develop and pursue actions that prioritize advancing technical and scientific knowledge on water
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reuse to ensure its safety across a range of uses and applications. EPA also will pursue actions that
provide technical and financial tools for stakeholders to ensure the accessibility of water reuse.390
One Water/One Community
In FY 2025, EPA will coordinate CWA and SDWA resources toward historically underserved and
overburdened communities that are facing greater climate and water equity challenges to achieve
greater resilience, access to clean and safe water, and an improved quality of life. This program
will provide holistic support to communities as they respond to the climate crisis by increasing
funding for planning and implementation actions across the country. Additionally, EPA will work
with federal partners and tribes to meet the unique water infrastructure challenges and other needs
in tribal nations.
Permitting Related to Infrastructure
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting additional resources to help process the increase in permits across
the country driven by this Administration's historic investment in infrastructure. These additional
FTE are necessary to handle the influx in a variety of different permit types that require EPA
approval.
This program also includes resources to support the increasing and new costs associated with
mandatory Agency support services provided through the Working Capital Fund (WCF), support
delegated responsibilities for Mission Support functions across the Agency, and support Agency-
wide implementation of OMB Cybersecurity mandates.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM DW-02) Number of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-based standards since
March 31,2021.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
875
640
450
425
400
CWSs
Actual
1,718
1,128
1,048
654
537
466
(PM DW-07) Number of drinking water and wastewater systems, tribal and state officials, and water sector
partners provided with security, emergency preparedness, and climate resilience training and technical
assistance.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2,000
3,500
4,500
4,500
Systems
and
Partners
Actual
3,939
3,895
390 For more information, please see fattps://www.epa.gov/wateiTeuse.
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(PM DWT-02) Number of community water systems in Indian Country still in noncompliance with health-
based standards since March 31,2021.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
55
35
30
CWSs
Actual
74
54
(PM INFRA-06) Number of tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities provided with technical,
managerial, or financial assistance to improve system operations.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
339
542
1,100
1,300
Communities
Actual
IX"
l,o68
Data
Avail
4/2024
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
~ (+$8,970.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs. It also includes support
for critical Agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
~ (+$407.0 / +2.2 FTE) This program change is an increase to resources and FTE to support
Agency wide implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Strategic Plan and Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements and other
Evidence Act activities.
• (+$1,285.0 / +1.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support implementation of
EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan. This increase will support priority commitments,
such as actions to integrate climate adaptation into EPA programs, policies, and processes,
efforts to address climate adaptation science and data needs, and efforts to consult and
partner with outside stakeholders This investment includes $185.0 thousand in payroll.
• (+$11,617.0 / +7.9 FTE) This program change is an increase in resources and FTE that
supports regulatory analysis, development, training, permit review, and technical
assistance for state, tribal, and local communities to address drinking water contaminants
(including Lead and PFAS) in their efforts to ensure safe and affordable drinking water.
This increase also supports development of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements and
the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. This investment also includes $1,459
million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA; CWA.
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Preparation for Water Emergencies
Program Area: Ensure Clean Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
SO
S 0
S.WJIOO
SMI.DDD
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$30,000
$30,000
Total Workyears
0.0
0.0
30.0
30.0
Program Project Description:
Fulfilling EPA's emergency response obligations during a water crisis is a top priority for the
Agency and the Administration and an imperative for communities experiencing such
emergencies. Responding quickly to drinking water and wastewater emergencies often requires
action beyond what is considered the traditional role of EPA's water, enforcement, or emergency
response programs. The new Water Emergencies Program would enable EPA to respond to water
and wastewater emergencies where EPA has determined that water quality poses a risk to public
health, and the affected community lacks access to safe and clean water in a timely or effective
manner. The Agency presently lacks resources to respond to, and sustain, water and wastewater
emergency response operations. This new program and the resources requested to implement this
proposal is an important towards filling this gap.
EPA will assume a lead role in assisting communities in the response to and recovery from a water
incident, particularly environmental justice communities which may be more vulnerable to water
and wastewater emergencies. EPA has taken a lead role during water crises, through various EPA
programs, within the past few years, including water systems with elevated water lead levels in
Clarksburg, WV, and Benton Harbor, Michigan; the leakage of stored jet fuel into a drinking water
source in Oahu, HI; arsenic contamination of a public well in Coachella Valley, CA; and the crisis
in Jackson, MS.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
It is incumbent on the EPA, under Presidential Policy Directive (PPD)-44 (Enhancing Domestic
Incident Response), to develop capacity and capabilities in the event that the President designates
EPA as the Lead Federal Agency (LFA) for a water emergency. As LFA, the Agency is expected
to perform multiple complex and time critical duties, including the following key actions:
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Enhance federal government unity of effort;
Develop strategic objectives, priorities and planning for the incident;
Identify gaps that response efforts should address;
Coordinate the federal incident response strategy with senior federal, state, local, tribal and
territorial officials, as well as the private sector and nongovernmental entities;
Communicate with senior U.S. Government officials to raise and resolve issues;
Facilitate appropriate incident information reporting;
Serve as or designate a principal spokesperson to lead communication efforts with affected
parties and the public;
Establish unified coordination through a Unified Coordination Group (UCG) or similar
construct and supporting organizational structure;
Identify federal, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial (SLTT), private sector, and non-
governmental organization (NGO) stakeholders with roles in responding to the incident
and working with stakeholders to:
o Develop strategic objectives, priorities, and planning efforts necessary for the
response.
o Assess the nature of the incident, including identifying and mitigating operational
and policy gaps to effectively respond to the incident,
o Establish roles, responsibilities, and clear expectations across the UCG.
o Clearly identify reporting relationships internally and externally,
o Establish an operational tempo and meeting schedule.
Establish an entity responsible for engagement and outreach to each stakeholder or set of
stakeholders, to ensure stakeholders needs are integrated with incident planning and
operations;
Initiate operational planning to develop appropriate response tactics and facilitate the
effective application of resources to meet incident objectives including:
o Set common incident objectives corresponding to the identified operational issues
and gaps.
o In coordination with stakeholders, develop and communicate performance
indicators for each incident objective that can be used to track progress against the
objective.
o Identify resources (authorities, capabilities, grants, programs, personnel) within
federal, SLTT, private sector, NGO, and other appropriate sectors, that could close
identified gaps.
o Identify gaps in the response that require operational planning to solve and establish
planning initiatives with cross-agency and cross-jurisdictional representation for
each operational gap or incident objective,
o Ensure appropriate agency subject matter experts are available to provide strategic
and operational input,
o Establish a common picture of cost accounting and expenditures by LFA and
Support Federal Agency (SFA).
Communicate with senior federal officials to raise and resolve issues related to the response
and recovery outcomes, including addressing national-level resource and strategic policy
issues through the National Security Council interagency policy process; and
Identify possible thresholds for completion of incident objectives that will allow the unified
coordination structure to stand-down.
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Accordingly, and to be better prepared to accomplish this critically important work, EPA is
requesting $30 million and 30 FTE in FY 2025 to establish a new program that would expand the
Agency's water emergency response capabilities across the following two components:
• Ensuring the availability of trained personnel and resources at EPA Headquarters and in
the Regions
o EPA water, enforcement, and other program staff currently perform emergency
response activities, with their emergency response role considered ancillary to their
primary duties of implementing programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act and
Clean Water Act. EPA will need additional staff and resources in order to
effectively act in a water or wastewater emergency.
o $10 million would provide the resources necessary for EPA to serve as the LFA
upon possible designation by the President of the United States in the event of an
emergency compromising the ability of a water system to provide safe and clean
water. To support EPA's designation as a LFA and associated primary duties across
the Agency, additional staff and funding are needed to fully implement, and address
emergency response responsibilities.
• Establishing a Water Emergency Fund
o If a significant water or wastewater emergency requiring direct EPA action arises
or EPA is designated by the President as an LFA under PPD-44, EPA will not have
access to emergency response funds under CERCLA or the Stafford Act, but
nonetheless will have the responsibility to provide staffing and material support to
restore drinking water and wastewater services. EPA can only achieve this essential
mission with a no-year fund dedicated to emergency response actions for water
incidents.
o $20 million is included to provide direct assistance to affected communities which
could be in the form of bottled water, filters, obtaining assistance from other federal
agencies under the Economy Act, reimbursing the water system or state for mutual
aid assistance, providing trained personnel to operate or manage drinking water and
wastewater services, among other tasks.
EPA is requesting new appropriations language that will provide no-year funding, broaden the
authorization to include both publicly and privately owned drinking water and wastewater systems,
and provide more inclusive language for using SDWA 1442(b) authorities for technical assistance,
grants, and contract support regardless of whether the Administrator determines that such actions
would not be taken without such emergency assistance for this work. Additionally, the
appropriations language requested will allow EPA to respond faster to emergencies.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program at this time.
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+30,000.0 / +30.0 FTE) This increase provides funding for a new program to support the
implementation and priorities to better prepare the Federal government, states, and
communities for potential water emergency situations in direct support of the EPA's
mission to protect human health. This investment includes $5.4 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA 1442(b) and 1431, CWA
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Ensure Clean Water
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Marine Pollution
Program Area: Ensure Clean Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
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FY 2025
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$8,081
$10,187
$12,724
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Total Workyears
26.8
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5.2
Program Project Description:
EPA's Marine Pollution Program aims to: 1) protect human health and the marine environment
from pollution through implementation of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA) permitting, site designation, and site management and monitoring program; 2) address
incidental discharges, including sewage, under the Clean Water Act Section 312; and 3) reduce
marine litter in the Nation's waterways and oceans, improve trash capture and source reduction
activities across the country, and support the Trash Free Waters Program.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
MPRSA Program
The MPRSA regulates the transportation and disposition of any material in the ocean unless
expressly excluded under MPRSA. In the United States, MPRSA implements the requirements of
the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter of
1972, known as the London Convention treaty, one of the first international agreements for the
protection of the marine environment from human activities. The United States has signed but not
ratified the London Protocol, a free-standing treaty intended to modernize and eventually replace
the London Convention. Among other things, Contracting Parties to the London Convention and
London Protocol have taken steps to address potential harm to the marine environment from the
evaluation of new experimental technologies designed to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
or mitigate its adverse effects (e.g., marine geoengineering).
In FY 2025, EPA will evaluate MPRSA permitting inquiries and requests for the transportation
and disposition of all materials except dredged materials and, as appropriate, issue MPRSA
emergency, research, general, and special permits for all materials other than dredged material.
This will include addressing MPRSA permitting requests for climate mitigation approaches,
including ocean-based carbon dioxide removal activities or ocean-based solar radiation
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management activities, and investigating any needed regulatory updates. EPA will administer
MPRSA general permits (some of which require consultation, for example, to ensure applicability
or to identify an appropriate disposal location at sea) for the burial at sea of cremated or non-
cremated human remains, the transport and disposal of vessels at sea, the transport of target vessels
for ocean disposal by the U.S. Navy for the Sink Exercise Program (SINKEX), the ocean disposal
of man-made ice piers by National Science Foundation in Antarctica, and the ocean disposal of
marine mammal carcasses.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses EPA's ocean-dumping criteria when evaluating requests
for MPRSA permits and MPRSA federal project authorizations for the ocean dumping of dredged
material (e.g., to support the expansion of ports and harbors or maintenance of navigation channels
including to support the transport of offshore wind infrastructure built on land for installation
offshore). All dredged material MPRSA permits and federal project authorizations are subject to
EPA review and written concurrence, and EPA will continue to work expeditiously consistent with
the Permitting Action Plan. In FY 2025, EPA will manage approximately one hundred EPA-
designated MPRSA ocean sites, conduct oceanographic surveys at approximately four to six EPA-
designated MPRSA ocean sites to ensure that ocean dumping will not unreasonably degrade or
endanger human health or the environment, to verify that unanticipated adverse effects are not
occurring from past or continued use of the site, and to ensure that terms of the MPRSA
permit/federal project authorization are met. EPA will evaluate lessons learned from sites and
evaluate lessons learned from each survey and review and update, as necessary, MPRSA-required
site management and monitoring plans established for each EPA-designated site. EPA will
evaluate requests to designate new MPRSA sites and/or modify (i.e., expand the capacity of)
existing EPA-designated MPRSA sites (through rulemaking) for the disposal of dredged material
(sediment) removed from the bottoms of the navigable waters to maintain the navigation channels
and coastal ports of the U.S. marine transportation system.
EPA will perform its MPRSA responsibilities to support new port and navigation infrastructure
projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. EPA will work to
maintain national program capacity by training EPA staff and developing technical/regulatory
tools to improve MPRSA permitting, site designation, and site management and monitoring. EPA
will provide training for new Chief Scientist candidates and existing Chief Scientists responsible
for designing and implementing ocean monitoring surveys to meet MPRSA requirements.
In FY 2025, EPA will serve as the Head of the United States Delegation for the annual London
Convention (LC) and London Protocol (LP) Scientific Groups Meetings, serve as Alternate Head
of the United States Delegation for the annual Consultative Meeting of the LC and LP Parties, and
represent the United States at the annual LP Compliance Group Meeting. An EPA representative
will chair the annual LC/LP Consultative Meeting. With the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EPA
will submit the annual United States permit and ocean monitoring report to the International
Maritime Organization to meet LC treaty obligations.
Vessels Program
EPA is responsible for developing regulations under the Clean Water Act to address vessel
discharges. The vessel regulations help protect the environment from harmful pollutants such as
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sewage, metals, and aquatic nuisance species. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with the
states on the designation of vessel sewage no-discharge zones as needed. EPA also will continue
to work with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on implementation of Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
(VIDA) regulations including but not limited to discharge standards, no-discharge zones, and
emergency orders. Additionally, in FY 2025, EPA will continue working on the development of
ballast water discharge regulations for vessels of the Armed Forces. EPA will work to maintain
national program capacity by training EPA staff and developing technical/regulatory support tools
to improve implementation. EPA also will continue to provide support to the USCG in their role
as the head of delegation at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO is a
specialized agency of the United Nations with the responsibility to develop and maintain a
comprehensive regulatory framework for worldwide shipping. Lastly, in FY 2025, EPA will
continue to conduct extensive research on the management of ballast water in the Great Lakes.
Trash Free Waters Program
The FY 2025 request includes resources and Full Time Equivalents (FTE) to support trash capture
and prevention programs across the United States which are tied to water quality and waste
management goals, as well as to implement activities under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. This
program provides education and outreach and technical support to Tribes, states, municipalities
and non-governmental organizations across the country, including communities in coastal regions
and on major river systems, with a special focus on lower-income areas with environmental justice
concerns.
FY 2025 funding will allow the Program to:
• Support the installation of trash capture systems in stormwater conveyance systems and in
waterways using technologies that are cost-effective and that have high trash-removal
efficiencies;
• Provide assistance on integrating trash prevention provisions into municipal stormwater
management permits and practices, as well as broader watershed plans;
• Aid targeted source reduction efforts;
• Promote appropriate protocols for trash monitoring efforts;
• Research and address microplastics (including microfibers) in waterways;
• Engage in targeted outreach and education efforts in support of place-based trash capture
and reduction; and
• Validate and replicate the most effective tools, projects, metrics, and partnerships across
the Nation for subsequent application in locations within the United States and in countries
with the greatest need.
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The Trash Free Waters Program has been able to increase the number of place-based projects year
by year through active engagement with partners. Since 2013, well over two hundred aquatic trash
related projects have been undertaken with EPA's assistance, including projects addressing public
education and outreach, research, the development and implementation of regional strategies, and
more. EPA will continue to work with its partners to advance this initiative in FY 2025 and
evaluate progress by reviewing best practices and challenges and applying lessons learned to future
projects.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$304.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$2,233.0 / +5.2 FTE) This increase of resources and FTE builds program capacity,
particularly in areas related to environmental justice, navigation and other water
infrastructure support and oversight, climate change mitigation, and permitting. This
investment also includes $1,013 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Ocean Dumping Act); Clean Water Act;
Marine Debris Research, Prevention and Reduction Act of 2006; Marine Plastic Pollution
Research and Control Act of 1987; Save Our Seas 2.0 Act.
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Surface Water Protection
Program Area: Ensure Clean Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
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$213,320
$224,492
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938.1
1,010.3
1,056.4
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Program Project Description:
The Surface Water Protection Program, under the Clean Water Act (CWA), directly supports
efforts to protect, improve, and restore the quality of the Nation's coastal waters, rivers, lakes,
wetlands, and streams. EPA works with states and tribes to make continued progress toward clean
water goals.
EPA uses a suite of regulatory and non-regulatory programs to protect and improve water quality
and ecosystem health in the Nation's watersheds. In partnership with other federal agencies, tribes,
states, territories, local governments, and non-governmental partners, EPA works collaboratively
with public and private sector stakeholders nationally and locally to establish innovative, broad-
scale, and location-appropriate programs to achieve the Agency's goals.
This Program also supports implementation of water quality standards, effluent guidelines,
impaired waters listing, water quality monitoring and assessment, water quality certification,
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, and management and
oversight of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with states and tribes to target funds to core requirements
while providing states and tribes with flexibility to best address their priorities for surface water
protection. The FY 2025 request provides an increase of $22.4 million and 22.8 FTE above FY
2024 annualized CR levels that will allow EPA to focus on the advancement of clean water
infrastructure programs, with an emphasis on building climate change resilience, conducting CWA
regulatory reviews, and advancing environmental justice through technical assistance and
stakeholder engagement. The FY 2025 request also provides an increase of $14.1 million and 22
FTE above FY 2024 annualized CR levels that will focus on investing in programs to put in place
the national regulatory requirements needed to identify and control discharge of per- and
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polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nutrients and bacteria in surface waters and publicly owned
treatment works (POTWs).
Program Implementation
Water Quality Criteria and Standards. Water quality criteria and standards provide the scientific
and regulatory foundation for water quality protection programs under the CWA. EPA will provide
new and revised national recommended ambient water quality criteria as required by CWA Section
304. EPA also will be supporting states and tribes with the adoption and implementation of water
quality standards in accordance with 40 CFR part 131. In FY 2025, the Agency will place special
emphasis on engaging with underserved communities in the review and setting of state water
quality standards. The Agency also will place special emphasis on improving the water quality
standards in tribal waters on reserved lands and in waterways where tribes retain treaty rights to
better ensure that tribes' health and natural resources are protected.
Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs). As required under the CWA, EPA will continue to
annually review industrial sources of pollution. In FY 2025, EPA will seek to finalize 1) a
rulemaking to establish more protective nutrient limits on wastewater discharges from meat and
poultry product facilities and 2) a rulemaking to establish PFAS limits for the organic chemical
manufacturing industry. As EPA finalizes detailed studies on the textile industry for PFAS
discharges and the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) industry for nutrient
discharges, the Agency will consider the data and conclusions of these detailed studies in the ELG
plan. Additionally, EPA will collect a national dataset on additional industrial discharges of PFAS
to surface waters and influent to POTWs and conduct rulemakings on one or more additional
categories of industrial dischargers of PFAS as the Agency determines necessary.
Clean Water Act Analytical Methods Program. EPA will continue developing and updating
analytical methods (test procedures) that are used by industries and municipalities to analyze the
chemical, physical, and biological components of wastewater and other environmental samples.
EPA periodically updates existing analytical methods to reflect advances in analytical
instrumentation and to foster innovation and improvement in the analytical chemistry community.
In addition, as novel pollutants are identified for regulation under CWA programs, EPA develops
and promulgates new analytical methods that can then be incorporated into NPDES and other
permits. During FY 2025, EPA intends to finalize analytical methods that were multi-lab validated
in previous years for determining PFAS in industrial wastewater to support ongoing PFAS
industrial category rulemakings and NPDES permits, as well as investing in updating existing
analytical methods for pollutants such as pesticides/herbicides, microbial contaminants,
radiological contaminants, and nutrients in wastewater.
Biosolids. EPA will continue to implement the Biosolids (sewage sludge) Program as required
under CWA Section 405, including reviewing the biosolids regulations at least every two years to
identify additional toxic pollutants and promulgate regulations for such pollutants consistent with
the CWA. EPA also will continue to develop tools to conduct risk assessments for chemicals and
pathogens found in biosolids. EPA will focus resources on obtaining and using the latest scientific
knowledge to identify resource recovery and reuse alternatives, understanding, and managing the
biosolids lifecycle, engaging partners — particularly those communities most affected — and
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conducting research. Investment in the biosolids program is critical to addressing near term risks
from chemicals known to be in domestic sewage sludge that is currently applied to land.
Impaired Waters Listings and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). EPA will work with states,
territories, tribes, and other partners to identify impaired waters, as required by CWA Section
303(d), and on developing and implementing TMDLs for listed impaired waterbodies. TMDLs
focus on clearly defined environmental goals and establish a pollutant budget, which is then
implemented through local, state, and federal watershed plans and programs to restore waters. EPA
will work with and provide support to states, territories, and tribes to ensure that TMDLs are
effective and implementation ready. EPA also will support states, territories, and tribes develop
other restoration approaches and plans for the protection of unimpaired or high-quality waters.
The TMDL Program is at an important inflection point as EPA began implementing the new "2022
- 2032 Vision for the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) Program" and continues to build on the work
done throughout the first 10-year 303(d) Vision. As part of the 2022 - 2032 Vision, EPA provided
four themes to consider in the CWA Section 303(d) program implementation - 1) Environmental
Justice, 2) Climate Change, 3) Tribal Water Quality and Program Development, and 4) Program
Capacity Building.
Monitoring and National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS). EPA will continue working with
states and tribes to support the NARS statistically representative monitoring of the condition of
the Nation's waters and fish which supports CWA Section 305(b). EPA will explore opportunities
to leverage NARS data analysis to gain insight on disparities in water quality and the impacts of
climate change. EPA will leverage NARS training programs to support workforce development in
water quality monitoring and build tribal capacity for monitoring and assessment. EPA will
continue working with states and tribes to support base water quality monitoring programs and
priority enhancements that serve state and tribal CWA programs in a cost-efficient and effective
manner. The FY 2025 request would support EPA's assistance for states and tribes to expand
monitoring and reporting for PFAS and other priority water quality concerns. In addition, the
request will support continued monitoring and reporting of contaminants (including PFAS)
nationwide in fish. EPA will continue supporting state and tribal water quality data exchange and
tools to maximize the use of data from multiple organizations to support water quality management
decisions and continue supporting applications like How's My Waterway to make water quality
information readily accessible to the public and water quality managers.
Managing Nonpoint Sources of Pollution. EPA will continue to use staff and extramural resources
to administer the Section 319 nonpoint source management grant program and continue efforts to
reduce nonpoint sources of pollution. EPA will continue to emphasize and provide technical
support to state, territory, and tribal Nonpoint Source programs to develop and implement
watershed-based plans, which is central to achieving NPS load reductions contained in TMDLs to
achieve water quality standards. Watershed-based plans enable states, territories, tribes, and local
communities to track progress and make changes over time to meet their water quality goals. EPA
will continue to forge and strengthen strategic partnerships with other EPA and federal agency
programs to reduce nonpoint source pollution, promote the implementation of green infrastructure,
and to build capacity in natural hazard mitigation planning and residence co-benefits.
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Waters of the United States. EPA and the Department of the Army published the final revised
definition for the "Waters of the United States" rule in January 2023. Considering the May 2023
U.S. Supreme Court decision in Sackett, the agencies finalized a new conforming rule to amend
the 2023 "Waters of the United States" rule on August 29.391 EPA also will continue to support
the development of tools and resources with state and federal partners to facilitate implementation,
such as the Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods.
Water Quality Certification. In accordance with Executive Order 13990, EPA completed a review
of the 2020 CWA Section 401 certification rule and proposed a new rule on June 9, 2022, which
was finalized in September 2023 and took effect on November 27, 2023. EPA will continue to
support the development of tools and resources with the federal licensing and permitting agencies
as well as the certifying states, territories, and tribes. Section 401 of the CWA gives states and
authorized tribes the authority to address potential adverse water quality impacts of discharges
from federally permitted or licensed projects that may affect the "Waters of the United States."
Water Quality Programs. The NPDES Program protects human health, safety, and the
environment by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States.
In an average year, over 10 thousand permits are issued to address discharges from among the
approximately 15 thousand wastewater treatment facilities, nearly 60 categories of industries, and
almost 300 thousand stormwater facilities. EPA authorizes the NPDES permit program to state,
tribal, and territorial governments, and currently 47 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have
authorized programs.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the NPDES program that helps control point source
discharges through permitting and pretreatment programs. The permitting process is a vital tool
for protecting waterways, particularly in underserved communities that may suffer from a
combination of economic, health, and environmental burdens, by setting effluent limits,
monitoring, and reporting requirements, and other provisions. As climate change increases the
stress on waterways, these permits allow EPA and the states to set appropriate requirements for
wastewater and stormwater discharges to protect water quality and public health.
In addition, as required under the CWA and Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and
Review,392 EPA will continue to support cost-benefit analysis for CWA regulatory actions. EPA
will work with states, tribes, territories, and local communities to safeguard human health;
maintain, restore, and improve water quality; and make America's water systems sustainable and
secure, supporting new technology and innovation wherever possible.
Nutrient and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Reductions. The FY 2025 budget includes resources
and FTE to support efforts to reduce nutrient pollution and HABs, which remain the most
significant widespread water quality challenge across the country, despite decades of efforts to
391 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/wotus/amendments-2023-rule.
392 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-executive-order-12866-regulatory-
planning-and-review.
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achieve reductions.393 Climate change is exacerbating HABs. The sources and impacts of nutrient
pollution and HABs vary depending on geographic location, and span urban, rural, and coastal
landscapes. EPA has been working with its partners to address these challenges. Since 2022, over
13 thousand square miles of watersheds with waters identified as impaired by nutrients are now
attaining standards. The FY 2025 request will allow EPA to assist states, territories, and authorized
tribes in the development of numeric nutrient criteria through the Nutrient Scientific Technical
Exchange Partnership & Support (N-STEPS) Program, establishment of numeric targets to apply
narrative water quality standards (WQS), perform assessments and identify impaired waters,
develop TMDLs, and support science research related to HABs.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The FY 2025 request directs resources toward
addressing PFAS in surface waters through the development of national recommended ambient
water quality criteria for PFAS; biosolids risk assessments for PFOA and PFOS; methods for
detecting PFAS in wastewater; national collection of information on discharges of PFAS from
industrial point source categories to determine if revisions to ELGs are warranted; revising existing
ELGs for metal finishing operations, organic chemical manufacturers, and landfills to include
numeric effluent limits on PFAS discharges; incorporating PFAS monitoring requirements in
NPDES permits; recommending inclusion of PFAS in state and tribal fish tissue monitoring and
fish advisory programs. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the four-year PFAS Strategic
Roadmap which contains a comprehensive set of actions that guide the Agency's efforts on PFAS.
Water Reuse. To assure that communities have safe, reliable sources of water that are resilient to
drought, flooding, and population growth, EPA is working to advance water reuse nationwide.
This work is being done in collaboration with a broad group of stakeholders including non-
governmental organizations, states, tribes, and local governments. In FY 2025, EPA will continue
to support the National Water Reuse Action Plan and the Federal Water Reuse Interagency
Working Group. The Agency will develop and pursue actions that prioritize advancing technical
and scientific knowledge on water reuse to ensure its safety across a range of uses and applications.
EPA also will pursue actions that provide technical and financial tools to stakeholders to ensure
the accessibility of water reuse.394
WaterSense. The WaterSense Program is a key component of the Agency's efforts to ensure long-
term sustainable water infrastructure and help communities respond to water shortages that can be
caused by drought, growth, or aging infrastructure. WaterSense provides consumers with a simple
label to identify and select water-efficient products and homes to help them save water and money
and provides resources and tools to help water utilities carry out efforts to manage water demand
and wastewater flows. Products and homes may only bear the WaterSense label after being
independently certified to ensure that they meet WaterSense criteria for efficiency and
performance. As of December 2023, the Program has labeled close to 45 thousand models of
plumbing and irrigation products, and more than 10 thousand homes have earned the WaterSense
label. Through 2022, the Program helped save more than 7.5 trillion gallons of water and 337
metric tons of greenhouse gases.395 In FY 2025, the Program will finalize or implement new
393 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution.
394 For more information, please see https://www.epa.gov/waterreuse.
395 WaterSense Accomplishment Reports (updated annually). For more information visit:
https://www.epa.gov/watersense/accomplishments-and-history.
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specifications for point-of-use reverse osmosis water treatment systems and irrigation spray
sprinkler nozzles, issue a revised specification for tank-type toilets, release proposals to label or
provide guidance on other product categories, and carry out consumer campaigns that encourage
consumers to switch to WaterSense-labeled products and adopt water-efficient behaviors.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program (UWFP). The Urban Waters Federal Partnership
Program (UWFP)396 reconnects urban communities with their waterways, particularly
communities that are overburdened and underserved. The Program supports local urban water
champions (Ambassadors) who work with diverse local stakeholder groups to collaborate on
community-led revitalization efforts to improve the Nation's waters and promote their economic,
environmental, and social well-being. At the national level, EPA leads a coalition of over 15
federal agencies that support 21 designated UWFP partnership locations. In FY 2025, through its
Urban Waters Learning Network (UWLN)397, the UWFP will continue to share resources, best
practices, tools, trainings, mentoring, and financial assistance to support locations and other
communities as they collaborate, develop solutions, and elevate new approaches on how to
effectively integrate equity into climate resilience.398 In FY 2025, UWFP will implement metrics
to estimate the environmental and programmatic impact of the program and evaluate the health of
the partnership in the 21 locations.399
One Water/One Community. EPA will coordinate CWA and Safe Drinking Water Act resources
toward historically underserved and overburdened communities that are facing greater climate and
water equity challenges to achieve greater resilience, access to clean and safe water, and an
improved quality of life. This program will provide holistic support to communities as they
respond to the climate crisis by increasing funding for planning and implementation actions across
the country. Additionally, EPA will work with tribes to meet the unique needs of their
communities.
Infrastructure
EPA will continue its support of the Nation's infrastructure, focusing on efforts to leverage and
encourage public and private collaborative efforts and investments in improving the Nation's water
infrastructure. This program supports the policy and fiduciary oversight of the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program, which provides low-interest loans and additional
subsidization to help finance wastewater treatment facilities and other water quality projects.400
Federal capitalization to the SRFs is significantly leveraged; since 1988, the CWSRF Program has
made over 48 thousand assistance agreements, funding approximately $172 billion in wastewater
infrastructure and other water quality projects.
396 For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters.
397 For more information, please see: https://urbanwatersleamingnetwork.org/.
398 For more information, please see https://urbanwatersleamingnetwork.org/equitable-climate-resilience-2/.
399 Pending approval by Office of Management and Budget of an UWFP Information Collection Request.
400 For more information, please see https://www. epa. gov/cwsrf.
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The FY 2025 request:
• Supports funding for the Environmental Finance Centers Program which will help
communities across the country improve their wastewater and stormwater systems,
particularly through innovative financing.
• Drives progress on water infrastructure by increasing non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA
water infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund,
and Water Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act). EPA leveraged $11.4 billion in non-
federal dollars in FY 2023 and expects to leverage another $9.5 billion in FY 2025.
• Supports decentralized systems (septic or onsite) that provide communities and
homeowners with a safe, affordable wastewater treatment option by implementing the 2020
Decentralized Wastewater Management Memorandum of Understanding and by improving
access to CWSRF financing for communities who rely on decentralized systems.
• Supports the Wastewater Technology Center that provides accurate and obj ective resources
on innovative and alternative wastewater technologies with a focus on small, mid-sized,
and underserved communities.
• Supports the Wastewater Technology Clearinghouse, a searchable database that will
provide reliable, objective information on proven innovative and alternative technologies
for decentralized and centralized alternative wastewater treatment, such as water reuse,
small system technologies used by lagoons, resource recovery, and nutrients.
• Supports the Sustainable Utility Management programs, implemented in partnership with
industry associations and designed to protect and improve infrastructure investments
through the Effective Utility Management Program, the Water Workforce Initiative, and
tools such as augmented alternatives analysis that help communities leverage investments
to achieve water protection goals and other community economic and societal goals; and
• Supports the Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center in assisting local leaders
in identifying financial approaches for their drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater
infrastructure needs.
Program Oversight/Accountability
The Assessment TMDL Tracking Implementation System (ATTAINS). ATTAINS is an online
system for accessing information about the conditions in the Nation's surface waters. ATTAINS
provides key information to the Agency, as well as states, territories, and tribes, who play a critical
role in implementing the CWA. The Agency will continue to support states, tribes, and territories
in electronically reporting CWA Section 303(d) and Section 305(b) assessment conclusions
through ATTAINS to track improvements in impaired waters. This tool allows states and EPA to
track and report progress in meeting water quality standards.
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In FY 2023, over 15 thousand square miles of state waters were covered by priority TMDLs, other
restoration approaches, or protection plans. EPA will continue to track progress of state waters
covered by priority plans. However, beginning in FY 2025, EPA will transition to tracking a new
universe for this work consistent with the new 2022-2032 Vision.
EPA continues to support streamlining efforts to allow states to reduce the time they spend on
administrative reporting. EPA will work on improved reporting of the Agency's metric to reduce
the number of square miles of watershed with surface water not meeting standards. Since FY 2022,
over 27 thousand square miles of watersheds that contained previously impaired waters attained
compliance with water quality standards.
NPDES Oversight. The National Program continues to work with the federal and state permitting
authorities to provide oversight, technical assistance, and training to permit writers to support
program implementation and pursue comprehensive protection of water quality on a watershed
basis. EPA's oversight includes the National Pretreatment Program, which is a cooperative effort
of federal, state, and local governments that perform permitting and enforcement tasks for
discharges to publicly owned treatment works.
EPA continues to collaborate with the federal and state permitting authorities to identify
opportunities to enhance the integrity and timely issuance of NPDES permits and permitting
backlogs. After program improvements, between March 2018 and the end of FY 2023, the backlog
of EPA-issued new and existing NPDES permits decreased from 106 to 12 and 547 to 194,
respectively.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to hostNPDES-related workshops and provide technical assistance
to build permit writer capacity on a range of topics including permit writing, pretreatment, whole
effluent toxicity, stormwater, and nutrients. EPA also will issue general permits where appropriate
to address the timeliness of permit issuance and continue to reduce the backlog of permits.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with the federal and state permitting authorities to address
PFAS in NPDES permitting. In FY 2023, EPA published a memorandum titled, AddressingPFAS
Discharges in NPDES Permits and Through the Pretreatment Program and Monitoring Programs,
which provides detailed instructions regarding how permitting authorities can address PFAS
discharges in NPDES permits. EPA encourages permitting authorities to include monitoring
requirements at facilities where PFAS are expected or suspected to be present in wastewater and
stormwater discharges, utilizing EPA's recently published analytical method 1633, which
addresses 40 unique PFAS. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to utilize the NPDES Program to
monitor, report, and control discharges of PFAS and build upon the existing guidance by compiling
best practices from state permitting authorities to address PFAS in NPDES permits, conducting
training, and sharing the latest research and practices to prevent these contaminants from reaching
surface waters.
EPA will address permits and litigation related to the County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund
Supreme Court decision that held that discharges from point sources through groundwater that
eventually reach a water of the United States require an NPDES permit if they are the "functional
equivalent" of a direct discharge to a water of the United States. In FY 2025, EPA will continue
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to provide technical assistance and guidance to permit writers to implement this decision
effectively in permits.
Integrated Planning. Clean water infrastructure investment needs are documented to be several
hundred billion dollars, with wet weather improvements (combined sewer overflows [CSOs],
sanitary sewer overflows [SSOs], bypasses, and stormwater discharges) comprising a significant
portion of this total. Investment needs of this magnitude affect utility rates and disproportionately
impact underserved communities. Integrated planning, utilizing green infrastructure, and other
tools allow communities to synchronize infrastructure investments with broader community
development goals. An integrated approach creates opportunities for affordable, multi-benefit
investments that protect public health and enhance resiliency. As an effort to promote
the adoption of green infrastructure as an effective solution to advance climate resilience and
enhance the resilience of gray infrastructure, EPA has reinvigorated the Green Infrastructure
Federal Collaborative.4"1 This cooperative effort fosters engagement and cooperation between
agencies that actively work to promote the implementation of green infrastructure. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue to implement integrated planning and green infrastructure practices to address
wet weather challenges and increase infrastructure resiliency.
Combined Sewer Overflows: Combined sewers have been a large focus for over two decades and
EPA recognizes the tremendous investments that communities have made to significantly reduce
combined sewer overflows and the substantial environmental progress that has been made. EPA's
latest data indicate that there are more than 740 CSO communities (down from over 900) located
in over 30 states and the District of Columbia. Even as communities have made progress in
reducing both the number of overflows and the amount of untreated sewage discharged, remaining
CSO discharges may be a concern for water quality and public health even following the
completion of the projects in communities' long-term control plans. In FY 2025, EPA will
continue developing guidance, seeking public comment on new draft guidance, and working to
finalize the guidance for CSO communities. The guidance will clarify the permitting flexibilities
and best implementation practices available as communities work toward water quality goals under
the CWA. It will emphasize available integrated planning tools and permitting approaches that
support equitable, resilient, and community-driven infrastructure decision-making.
Building Coalitions to Advance the Permitting Program. EPA continues to work with stakeholders
and industry to identify challenges in implementation and best management practices. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue to lead the Animal Agriculture Discussion Group (AADG), which consists of
animal agriculture representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the animal feeding
industry, and the states. AADG provides a forum for industry to engage with permitting authorities,
resulting in a shared understanding of how to enhance agricultural practices that lead to greater
water quality protection.
In FY 2023, EPA initiated the development of an NPDES general permit that the U.S. Forest
Service intends to seek coverage under to address point source discharges to waters of the United
States from the aerial application of fire retardants in geographic areas where EPA is the permitting
authority. EPA estimates that approximately 30 months are needed to develop and issue a general
permit and will continue to work on this permit development in FY 2025. In the interim, EPA
401 For more information please visit: fattps://www.epa.gov/greeii-iiTfrastructure/greeii-iiTrrastructure-federal-collaborative.
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entered into a federal facility compliance agreement with the Forest Service that will allow the
Forest Service to continue the use aerially delivered fire retardant in accordance with direction
outlined in the agreement.
Improving National Aquatic Resource Survey (NARS) Data. Another process improvement effort
is focused on streamlining the flow of NARS data from EPA labs to state partners and data
analysts. The Agency will continue to implement these process improvements and monitor the
impact of data delivery on timeliness of analysis and reporting.
401(a)(2) Notifications. In FY 2025, EPA intends to use a tracking system for all 401(a)(2)
notifications and actions. EPA will track whether a "may affect" determination has been made and
to who (state or tribe) and then note the follow-up coordination, as applicable, including whether
a state or tribe objects to the issuance of a license or permit, potential public hearings, and EPA
recommendations. The notifications will mostly come from the Army Corps of Engineers but can
come from any federal licensing or permitting agency. This information will be used for future
Information Collection Requests and to inform future implementation efforts to ensure a consistent
and streamlined section 401(a)(2) process (e.g., development of templates and standard operating
procedures for evaluating notifications and objections).
Permitting Related to Infrastructure. EPA is requesting additional resources to help process the
increase in permits across the country driven by the Administration's historical investment in
infrastructure. These additional FTE are necessary to handle the influx in a variety of different
permit types that require EPA approval or review, including Section 401 certification.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PMINFRA-06) Number of tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities provided with technical,
managerial, or financial assistance to improve system operations. i
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
339
542
1,100
1,300
Communities
Actual
187
1,668
Data
Avail
4/2024
(PM NPDES-03) Number of existing EPA-issued NPDES individual permits in backlog.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
360
280
230
250
210
200
210
Permits
Actual
456
373
333
284
229
194
(PM SWP-01) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with surface water meeting standards that
previously did not meet standards.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8,000
8,000
17,100
7,900
Square
Miles
Actual
20,511
7,121
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(PM SWP-02) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with previously impaired surface waters due to
nutrients that now meet standards for nutrients.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2,100
1,400
1,400
650
Square
Miles
Actual
12,833
904
(PM TMDL-03) Square miles of priority areas covered by TMDLs, other restoration plans, or protection
approaches.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
"',940
19,280
TBD
Square
Miles
Actual
15,432
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$9,352.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs. This change also
includes support for critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028
cybersecurity requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and
implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$14,107.0 / +22.0 FTE) This program change, increases FTE and resources to accelerate
progress on EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap, to enable EPA to move more quickly on
policy, regulatory, and enforcement actions across multiple statutory authorities, and to
support states and tribes in taking action on PFAS. This investment also includes $4,107
million in payroll.
• (+$243.0 / +1.3 FTE) This program change, increases FTE to support agencywide
implementation of EPA's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan and
Evidence Act data stewardship and governance requirements.
• (+$22,379.0 / +22.8 FTE) This increase of resources and FTE supports the advancement
of clean water infrastructure programs, with an emphasis on building climate change
resilience, conducting Clean Water Act regulatory and permit reviews, and advancing
environmental justice. This investment includes $4.3 million in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act; Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; Marine Debris Research,
Prevention and Reduction Act of 2006; Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of
1987; Save Our Seas 2.0 Act.
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Congressional Priorities
628
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Congressional Priorities
Program Area: Clean and Safe Water Technical Assistance Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
linvironmenlul Pru'^rums A- Muiui'^cmcnl
S 25. '00
S.i«. '00
SO
-SJO. "00
Science & Technology
$23,283
$30,751
$0
-$30,751
Total Budget Authority
$48,983
$61,451
$0
-$61,451
Project Description:
The purpose of the Water Quality Research and Support Grants Program is to provide training and
technical assistance for small public water systems, to help such systems achieve and maintain
compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and to provide training and technical
assistance for small publicly owned wastewater systems, communities served by onsite /
decentralized wastewater systems, and private well owners improving water quality under the
Clean Water Act (CWA).
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Resources are proposed for elimination for this program in FY 2025 States have the ability to
develop technical assistance plans for their water systems using Public Water System Supervision
Program grant funds and set asides from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$30,700.0) This program change proposes to eliminate the Water Quality Competitive
Grant Program. Resources are available through other existing programs and states are best
positioned to develop technical assistance plans for their water systems.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA § 1442(e); Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; Food Quality Protection Act;
Endangered Species Act; CWA § 104(b)(3).
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Inspector General
Resource Summary Table 631
Program Projects in IG 631
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations 632
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations 633
630
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Inspector General
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
President's Budget
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Inspector General
Budget Authority
$41,521
$44,030
$65,257
$21,227
Total Workyears
202.4
227.5
284.5
57.0
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
Bill Language: Office of Inspector General
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General in carrying out the provisions of the
Inspector General Act of1978, $65,257,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026.
Program Projects in IG
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
$41,521
$44,030
$65,257
$21,227
TOTALIG
$41,521
$44,030
$65,257
$21,227
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
631
-------
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
632
-------
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Program Area: Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Inspector < icncral
S -11.521
S-/-1.030
S21.22'
Hazardous Subslanco Superliind
$13,244
$11,800
$13,979
$2,179
Total Budget Authority
$54,765
$55,830
$79,236
$23,406
Total Workyears
246.6
270.0
333.5
63.5
Program Project Description:
Created pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office within the Agency.
The mission of the OIG is to promote economy and efficiency in, and detect fraud, waste, and
abuse related to, programs and operations of EPA and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board (CSB), as well as to help ensure ethical conduct and program integrity. To this
end, the OIG is responsible for conducting, supervising, and coordinating audits and investigations
relating to EPA's and CSB's programs. One of the OIG's top responsibilities is the requirement to
keep agency heads, Congress, and the American people fully and currently informed about
problems and deficiencies in Agency or Board programs and operations.
In support of the OIG's independence, Congress provides the OIG with, among other things, a
separate appropriation within the Agency's budget. Appropriated resources allow the OIG to not
only complete its mandated oversight work but also to identify and execute discretionary oversight
of key areas, such as water infrastructure, climate change, environmental justice, and toxic
chemicals. Investing in EPA's OIG is a sound monetary investment. In FY 2023, for example, the
OIG identified over $176 million in potential fraud, waste, or abuse; in other words, for every
dollar Congress invested in the OIG, the OIG returned at least three dollars in identified or avoided
fraud, waste, and abuse. However, quantifying and monetizing the human health or environmental
benefits from the OIG's work is not always straight forward. For example, a recent evaluation of
the effectiveness of EPA's Accountability Framework for overseeing Chesapeake Bay Total
Maximum Daily Load pollution-reduction goals resulted in renewed commitments from EPA's
Chesapeake Bay Program partners. Although there were no identified monetary benefits, the
significance of this evaluation is illustrated through partner action and press coverage, which
included front-page coverage in one of the partner's major newspapers.
Audits
The Office of Audit (OA) is responsible for conducting financial and performance audits of EPA's
and CSB's programs and operations. Utilizing a cadre of auditors with specialized training and
experience in environmental, financial, and cyber programs, the OA generally conducts its projects
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in compliance with the generally accepted government auditing standards, as applicable based
upon the work performed. Specifically, the OA conducts performance audits to assess the
economy, efficiency, and effectiveness, internal control, and compliance of EPA programs and
EPA business operations. In addition, the OA conducts approximately 16 mandated audits each
year, including financial audits of EPA's and CSB's financial statements as required by the Chief
Financial Officers Act of 1990 and audits of EPA's and the CSB's information security practices
as required by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014.
Impact is measured both in terms of recommendations and in potential monetary benefit. In FY
2023, the OA issued over a dozen reports leading to over 30 recommendations for program
improvements. For example, in August 2023, the OA issued a management alert identifying
erroneous guidance to states that they do not have to review single audits of nonfederal entities
that borrow money from state revolving funds. Because of this erroneous guidance, the Mississippi
State Department of Health did not review single audit reports which identified Drinking Water
State Revolving Fund (DW SRF) and financial statement deficiencies for the City of Jackson. Once
alerted, EPA promptly revised this guidance for state revolving funds. The OA also has identified
over $77 million in potential monetary benefits. For example, in an audit of DWSRF loan subsidies
for disadvantaged communities, the OA found that if one state increased its set-aside award to the
national average, it would have an estimated $30.7 million for federal FY 2023 through FY 2026
that it could put to better use by assisting disadvantaged communities in qualifying for loans.
Finally, the OA has begun reviewing the regulatorily required financial and compliance audits
from each of the clean water and drinking water state revolving funds. These audits, and the OIG's
review of these audits, is an important control in ensuring that the billions of dollars invested in
water and wastewater infrastructure is used effectively and appropriately.
Investigations
The OIG Office of Investigations (OI) is the oversight component responsible for investigating
allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse related to EPA and CSB programs and operations including
EPA's Superfund Program. Consisting of criminal investigators with statutory authority under the
IG Act to carry firearms, make arrests, execute search and seizure warrants, and perform other law
enforcement duties, the OI's special agents are authorized to conduct criminal, civil, and
administrative investigations. With a geographical area of responsibility spanning from Saipan to
Maine and Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the OI prioritizes work related to the critical sectors
of water and wastewater, including those involving cybercrime or relating to national security, as
well as crimes affecting the integrity of EPA and the CSB. Within these priorities, the OI leverages
a data- and intelligence-driven framework to identify high-impact investigations.
One of the tools that the IG Act provides the OIG is to request assistance from any federal, state,
or local governmental agency, allowing the OI to coordinate with such agencies regarding the
prevention and detection of fraud, waste, and abuse. To this end, the OI's criminal and civil
investigations are often done in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and with various
law enforcement task forces. In FY 2023, the OI recovered more than $5 million from more than
a dozen criminal indictments and convictions or civil judgments. And through the OI's work, EPA
was able to avoid awarding over $12 million in a potential grant fraud scheme. In addition, the OI
works with EPA's Suspension and Debarment Program, "whose actions protect the government
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from doing business with entities that pose a business risk to the government." In FY 2023, the 01
initiated over 140 OIG investigations on fraud, waste, and abuse; these investigations were
conducted in response to information obtained through intelligence-gathering or from witness
reports. Finally, the 01 has published three "lessons learned" Management Implication Reports,
identifying potential measures to reduce the Agency's vulnerability to criminal activity.
Evaluations
The OIG Office of Special Review and Evaluation (OSRE) is responsible for evaluating the
effectiveness of EPA's and the CSB's programs. Its oversight projects focus on the efficiency of
program operations, such as program performance from implementation to outcome. It does so by
leveraging a cadre of engineers, scientists, social scientists, and other environmental and public
health professionals, who generally conduct projects in compliance with the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency's Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation.
The evaluative reach of the OSRE spans every EPA program office and includes assessments of
implementation efforts by EPA's ten regional offices and the Agency's state, local, and tribal
partners, as well as EPA Superfund programs, and activities that support clean air, clean water,
safer chemicals, cleaner communities, scientific research and integrity, and effective oversight and
enforcement.
Past OIG evaluations have resulted in EPA policy changes, improvements to agency guidance
documents and other written materials, increased transparency on regulatory and other decision-
making, and process changes to eliminate barriers and improve program outcomes. These
evaluations also have provided EPA and Congress with information that is useful in policymaking.
For example, in FY 2023, the OSRE found that EPA's residential wood heater program put human
health and the environment at risk for exposure to dangerous fine-particulate-matter pollution by
allowing sales of wood heaters that may not meet emission standards. It also found that EPA had
distributed approximately $82 million in grants for residential wood heater changeout programs,
which would be wasted if the replacement models do not meet emission standards. Because of this
report, Congress is requiring EPA to use FY 2024 funding for the program to increase its staffing
and other required efforts, and to provide a briefing to Congress regarding improvements it plans
to make to the program. Additionally, ten state attorneys general cited our report in litigation
against EPA to update wood stove emissions standards. The OSRE also engages in nimble
evaluations to quickly pivot planned work toward emerging public health concerns. For example,
shortly after a fuel spill at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility contaminated Honolulu's
drinking water, the OSRE undertook an evaluation of EPA's oversight of relevant authorized state
programs' response to contamination at Red Hill, ultimately making recommendations regarding
plans to defuel and close the fuel storage facility.
Administrative Investigations
The Administrative Investigations Directorate (AID), located in the Office of Special Review and
Evaluation, conducts civil and administrative investigations into allegations of misconduct by
senior employees and complaints of whistleblower reprisal by Agency or Board employees,
contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, or personal services contractors. It also
performs special reviews of significant events and emergent issues of concern that involve a
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suspected or alleged violation of law, regulation, or policy, as well as allegations of serious
mismanagement. Additionally, along with select evaluation staff, this directorate regularly meets
with EPA's scientific integrity official, updates coordination procedures between the OIG and
EPA's Scientific Integrity Office, and reviews documents to make EPA aware of all identified
allegations of violations of its Scientific Integrity Policy.
Since its creation in 2021, the AID has made an immediate impact in helping promote ethical
conduct in EPA and the CSB, particularly in the areas of senior employee misconduct and scientific
misconduct. Despite consisting of only five investigative attorneys and civil investigators, the AID
carries a docket consists of over a dozen civil and administrative investigations. It also has issued
significant reports related to ethical misconduct and whistleblower protection, among other
matters. For example, the AID recently issued a report of investigation substantiating allegations
that the former chair of the CSB improperly spent nearly $100 thousand in Board funds for travel,
training, and office refurbishment.
The AID also manages the OIG Hotline, triaging each complaint, tracking its referrals, monitoring
the progress of its referrals, and communicating with complainants. As the principal method for
reporting suspected fraud, waste, and abuse to the OIG, the OIG Hotline is an invaluable tool for
gathering intelligence related to EPA and CSB programs and operations and for identifying further
oversight work. Recent examples of projects arising out of hotline complaints include The EPA's
January 2021PFBS Toxicity Assessment Did Not Uphold the Agency's Commitments to Scientific
Integrity and Information Quality, Report No. 23-E-0013 and The EPA Lacks Complete Guidance
for the New Chemicals Program to Ensure Consistency and Transparency in Decisions, Report
No. 23-P-0026.1 In FY 2023, the OIG Hotline received 7,635 contacts through the OIG website,
email account, and telephone number. Furthermore, the OIG employs authorities under 5 U.S.C.
§ 4512 to incentivize the disclosure of fraud, waste, or mismanagement through cash awards.
Data Analytics
The Data Analytics Directorate (DAD) supports OIG wide oversight planning and execution by
leveraging advance analytics to identify and highlight key risk areas to EPA or CSB program
integrity. Specifically, the DAD uses programming languages and database software to automate
the acquisition, transformation, and analysis of large and disparate data sets that supports audits,
evaluations, and investigations. It also provides statistical sampling and survey creation support
for audits and evaluations. The DAD's oversight products, created by a team of data analysts and
data scientists, allow the OIG and the public to visualize the extent of EPA programs and
operations.
Unlike other data analytics operations, the OIG uses its DAD to increase public awareness of
EPA's programs and operations. For example, in FY 2023, the DAD published a new version of a
geographical dashboard on the OIG website, allowing anyone to see where EPA is spending
supplemental appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or the IIJA. This
geographical dashboard allows the public to filter the spending data by such fields as congressional
1 For more information on Report No. 23-E-0013, please see https://www.epa.go v/office-inspec tor-general/report-epas-ianuary-
2021-pfbs-toxicity-assessment-did-not-uphold-agencys and for more information on No. 23-P-0026, please see
https://wvyw.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2023-08/_epaoig_20230802-23-P-0026.pdf.
636
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districts and Justice40 Initiative overlays. The OIG also uses the DAD to create internal dashboards
and other analytical tools to monitor OIG productivity and improve OIG operations. Just recently,
the DAD developed a dashboard to monitor EPA's progress in completing corrective actions in
response to audit or evaluation recommendations.
OIG Support
The Office of Inspector General and its oversight programs are supported by the Office of Counsel,
the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, the Office of Information Technology, the Office
of Mission Support, and the Office of Strategic Analysis and Results. These support offices
provide legal, professional, and technical support to the oversight programs, as well as support the
recruitment, retention, and training of the OIG's employees. These support offices also manage
the OIG's public outreach efforts through, among other things, congressional and public
engagements and by, among other things, engaging traditional and social media and the Internet.
In FY 2023, the OIG expanded its social media outreach by becoming the first federal OIG on
Instagram. The OIG also improved public outreach by acquiring a new domain, epaoig.gov, and
developing a new website focused on facilitating the dissemination of the OIG's oversight products
and the reporting of potential fraud, waste, and abuse related to EPA's or the CSB's programs and
operations.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
The OIG takes a rigorous approach to the planning and execution of its oversight work, starting
with the statutory mandate to prepare an annual statement summarizing "the most serious
management and performance challenges facing the agency" and to briefly assess the Agency's
progress in addressing those challenges. To identify these top management challenges, the OIG
reviews the work of the OIG and the U.S. Government Accountability Office, solicits input from
senior EPA leadership and program offices, and considers the public statements of EPA,
administration, and congressional leaders, as well as EPA planning documents, such as the FY
2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The OIG then plans specific audits and evaluations for the next
fiscal year that will address these top management challenges, as well as the goals and objectives
of the EPA OIG's strategic plan. This discretionary oversight is, of course, constrained by the
OIG's statutory or regulatory mandates, such as the oversight of the financial and operation audits
of the over 100 state revolving funds, as well as work requested by Congress or resulting from an
OIG Hotline contact.
In FY 2025, the OIG will continue to target initiatives addressing EPA's and CSB's top
management challenges and stated priorities. To execute these initiatives, the OIG will increase its
agility to assess emerging environmental threats; increase its use of data analytics, business
analytics, and business intelligence to better target resources to address high-risk, high-
vulnerability areas of interest; employ best practices to improve efficiency, effectiveness,
accountability, and monetary benefits; focus on measurable impacts; and increase its return on
investment to the American public. The OIG also will continue to expand upon its oversight of
637
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EPA's implementation of the IIJA to assess whether the approximately $60 billion in IIJA funding
provided to EPA is effectively and properly spent.
Audits
The Office of Audit (OA) is responsible for nearly all of the OIG's mandates, which comprised
over 34 percent of the office's oversight work in FY 2023. Furthermore, the OIG will need to
continue its oversight of other requirements, such as single audits. For example, although EPA is
the cognizant agency for audit under the Single Audit Act, the OIG is, under the IG Act,
responsible for providing policy direction for audits relating to EPA's programs and operations.
To this end, the OA will conduct quality control reviews of the single audits submitted to EPA.
Finally, the Office of Audit will conduct oversight work in response to congressional requests or
hotline contacts. In FY 2023, this comprised over 11 percent of the OA's work. Based on OIG
funding trends, the OIG estimates that by FY 2025 more than half of the OA's work will be non-
discretionary work. At the heart of the independence protections enshrined in the IG Act is the
ability to conduct discretionary oversight of EPA's core programs; however, without additional
resources to complete mandatory, requested, and discretionary oversight projects, the OA's ability
to conduct discretionary oversight in FY 2025 will be significantly constrained.
Investigations
The Office of Investigations will prioritize investigations based on its Annual Investigative
Priorities and the OIG's strategic plan, giving consideration to the U.S. Department of Justice's
prosecutorial priorities and the U.S. Attorney Offices' prosecutorial guidelines. With a vast
geographic jurisdiction spanning Saipan to Maine and Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Office
of Investigations maximizes its reach by using technology, engaging stakeholders, and sharing
information with and working alongside other federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and law
enforcement agencies. An enduring investigative priority will be work related to the critical sectors
of water and wastewater, including those investigations involving cybercrime and national
security-related matters. This remit requires the office to have a cadre of special agents and civilian
employees expressly trained in investigating and countering network attacks, intrusions, and cyber
fraud; and specialists trained in obtaining evidence through digital forensics. Further, this cadre
must be supported by ongoing training to maintain proficiency and currency on ongoing industry
and technological advances as well as the ability to procure, sustain, and deploy specialized cyber
investigation and forensic tools. As the OIG has faced stagnant or decreasing budgets over the last
decade, the Office's ability to effectively investigate cyber-based threats to the critical sectors of
water and wastewater has been constrained.
Evaluations
Like the Office of Audit, the Office of Special Review and Evaluation will continue to conduct
oversight projects in response to congressionally requested work, emerging environmental
emergencies, and hotline contacts. Its discretionary oversight will continue to focus on program
performance, state and federal program capacity, and federal oversight of state delegated air and
water programs, among other things.
638
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Administrative Investigations
The Administrative Investigations Directorate (AID) generally initiates investigations in response
to allegations of misconduct and special reviews in reaction to unique circumstances. However,
over the last two years, the number of investigations on the AID's docket has significantly
outnumbered the AID's ability to complete those investigations in a timely fashion. Many of these
matters, particularly those involving allegations of scientific misconduct, are particularly complex,
requiring rigorous and highly technical investigations. Additional resources in FY 2025 will allow
the AID to take on more investigations and to complete those investigations sooner.
The OIG Hotline has recently seen a notable increase in contacts, going from less than 3,000 in
FY 2022 to approximately 7,000 in FY 2023. As EPA expands its programs because of increased
appropriations and expends more funds because of an unprecedented $100 billion in supplemental
appropriations, the AID expects to see a significant increase in the number of hotline contacts in
FY 2025. With this expected increase in contacts will come an accompanying increase in
allegations of ethical misconduct, scientific misconduct, and whistleblower retaliation that will
need to be investigated.
Data Analytics
The Data Analytics Directorate (DAD) supports the OIG's oversight by obtaining agency data and
conducting data or statistical analysis. The result is often a dashboard or other visualization of
structured and unstructured data, providing easy identification of complex problems or otherwise
hidden relationships. The DAD's efforts to automate data acquisition and analysis processes has
created time and cost efficiencies for audits, investigations, and evaluations. But the DAD also
provides oversight products to the public through the OIG website, including a geographical
dashboard showing EPA IIJA spending by program, region, and district. Sustaining this work will
require continued investment in both personnel and analytic tools, such as computer hardware and
database software. In FY 2025, the DAD will continue to help oversight the challenges facing
EPA's contract and grant data management because of missing, incomplete, or unstructured data.
Expanding the DAD's work will, therefore, require additional resources. Expanded DAD work
will mean better analytic support for our audits, investigations, and evaluations and better oversight
products for the public.
OIG Support
In FY 2022, the OIG reported that an agency employee was improperly granted access to the
Whistleblower Protection Coordinator's email box, potentially revealing confidential
whistleblower information outside of the OIG. Accordingly, the OIG requests additional funding
to upgrade its IT capabilities to ensure that it can begin obtaining technological independence from
the Agency. The OIG must use EPA IT resources, including for its two most sensitive systems,
the hotline and the whistleblower protection services. Vulnerabilities were discovered in these IT
capabilities that gave EPA access to these sensitive systems. This initial effort towards IT
independence allows the OIG to establish separate email and other systems from EPA.
639
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Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,841.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTEs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$13,056.0 / +50.0 FTE) This program change provides resources and FTE to expand the
oversight arm of audits, evaluations, and investigations, including administrative
investigations into allegations of misconduct by senior agency employees and complaints
of whistleblowers and the corresponding support offices; advanced data analytics; and
business intelligence tools to address high-risk, high-vulnerability areas related to program
integrity. This investment includes $9.5 million for payroll.
• (+$5,330.0 / +7.0 FTE) This program investment provides initial resources to oversee the
establishment of a separate OIG tenancy. This investment includes $1.3 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, 5 U.S.C. §§ 401-424.
Budget Requests:
Since 2010, the OIG's budget has only increased by $1 million, which, when inflation is accounted
for, represents a decrease of nearly $13 million in real terms; put differently, the OIG's authorized
full-time equivalent has decreased from 361 in 2010 to 270 or less in 2023. Exacerbating the OIG's
diminished resources is the increasing assessments from the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency. While the OIG's budget has declined by nearly 21 percent when inflation
is accounted for, the CIGIE's assessment has increased from 16 basis points in FY 2016 to 40 basis
points in FY 2025, representing a 250 percent increase in funding for CIGIE. This will require the
OIG to pay $316.9 thousand for increased CIGIE operations. For these reasons, the OIG requests
the following, provided pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 406(g):
• The aggregate budget request from the inspector general for the operations of the OIG is
$79.2 million ($65.3 million OIG; $13.9 million Superfund Transfer)
• The aggregate President's Budget for the operations of the OIG is $79.2 million ($65.3
million OIG; $13.9 million Superfund Transfer)
• The portion of the aggregate President's Budget needed for training is $1.0 million ($820.0
thousand OIG; $180.0 thousand Superfund Transfer)
• The portion of the aggregate President's Budget needed to support the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is $316.9 thousand ($259.9 thousand OIG;
$57.0 thousand Superfund Transfer).
640
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"I certify as the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency that the amount I have
requested for training satisfies all OIG training needs for FY 2025."
641
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Buildings and Facilities
Resource Summary Table 643
Program Projects in B&F 643
Homeland Security 644
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure 645
Operations and Administration 647
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 648
642
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Building and Facilities
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
President's Budget
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Building and Facilities
Budget Authority
$21,446
$48,752
$105,569
$56,817
Total Workyears
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Bill Language: Buildings and Facilities
For construction, repair, improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase offixed equipment or
facilities of, or for use by, the Environmental Protection Agency, $105,569,000, to remain available
until expended.
Program Projects in B&F
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Homeland Security
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel
and Infrastructure
$3,944
$6,676
$6,676
$0
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
TOTAL B&F
$21,446
$48,752
$105,569
$56,817
643
-------
Homeland Security
644
-------
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$6,059
$5,188
$5,158
-$30
Science & Technology
$625
$625
$501
-$124
linil,liiiX tmil i'aciHtics
S3.V-I-I
Sfi.fi'fi
Sfi.fi'fi
SO
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,167
$1,029
$1,530
$501
Total Budget Authority
$11,795
$13,518
$13,865
$347
Total Workyears
12.3
13.3
13.3
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 13.3 FTE to support Homeland Security Working Capital Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
EPA's Buildings and Facilities resources, in the Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel
and Infrastructure Program, support the protection of federal employees, contractors, grantees, and
private citizens who work within or visit EPA facilities. EPA's buildings include headquarters and
regional offices, program and research laboratories, and warehouses. These facilities are either
owned or leased by EPA or the General Services Administration (GSA). This funding ensures
federal mandates related to physical security and local emergency preparedness are met for EPA
facilities. These funds support the physical security protection equipment and mechanisms
required to protect occupants, facility relocation (e.g., moves, new leases, consolidations, etc.),
physical equipment upgrades/modernization, and corrective actions required to address security
vulnerabilities identified during physical security assessments.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to partner with GSA on implementing Enterprise Physical Access
Control Systems (ePACS). ePACS modernizes EPA's security infrastructure in compliance with
Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12)1 and ensures that the Agency is
enhancing safety, security, and efficiency with more effective controlled access to EPA physical
space and networks.
In FY 2025, EPA will complete security projects to ensure protection of occupants and compliance
with federal mandates and Interagency Security Committee (ISC) standards, including:
1 For additional information, please see: https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-presidential-directive-12
645
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• Migrating to ePACS at the Research Triangle Park, NC Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, FL
Laboratory, the Newport, OR Environmental Laboratory, the Washington, DC EPA
Headquarters facilities, the Edison, NJ Region 2 Laboratory, and the New York City, NY
Region 2 Headquarters.
• Upgrading closed-circuit television and physical security in response to vulnerabilities
identified in physical security assessments.
The Agency will continue to utilize GSA's Managed Service Office program, USAccess, for
Personal Identity Verification card enrollment and issuance. USAccess is a GSA managed, shared
services solution that provides EPA with the ability to produce and maintain secure and reliable
forms of identification, for all EPA employees and contractors as required by HSPD-12.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; Homeland Security Act of 2002;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
646
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Operations and Administration
647
-------
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Science &. Technology
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
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Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$803
$754
$729
-$25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
EPA's Buildings and Facilities (B&F) appropriation supports the design, construction, repair, and
improvement of EPA's federally owned and leased land and structures. B&F funds construction,
renovation, and alteration projects costing more than $300 thousand per statute. B&F resources
ensure that the Agency complies with requirements, including the Energy Policy Act of 2005; the
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA); the Energy Act of 2020; and regulatory
mandates associated with soil and water pesticides testing.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency proposes an investment of an additional $56.8 million in the Facilities
and Operations Program. This funding supports critical space consolidation, construction, and the
repair and improvement (R&I) of EPA's aging facility and laboratory real estate inventory,
including to help reduce over $100 million in backlogged R&I projects. This funding includes $6
million to reconfigure and modernize the EPA-owned lab space at the Andrew W. Breidenbach
Environmental Research Center (AWBERC) in Cincinnati, Ohio to improve the Agency's per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research. Currently this work is conducted across several
isolated PFAS analytical laboratories in the AWBERC facility, resulting in inefficient processes
that limit the timeliness and number of analyses. This reconfiguration would create one contiguous
laboratory dedicated to PFAS research with an investment in state-of-the-art equipment to advance
PFAS analyses. This also includes investing $5 million to support the modernization and
648
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enhancement of the National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) and National Forensics
Center in Denver, Colorado to keep up with the evolving laboratory and forensics needs.
In accordance with the Memorandum on Implementation of agencywide Real Property Capital
Planning (M-20-03) and the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act (FASTA),2'3 the Agency will
continue to review its space needs. B&F resources are essential to help EPA reduce the number of
occupied leased facilities, consolidate and optimize space within owned facilities, and reduce
square footage. Good stewardship practices demand that the physical conditions, functionality,
safety and health, security, and research capabilities of the Agency's facilities are properly
maintained to ensure successful completion of EPA's mission requirements and goals.
In FY 2025, EPA proposes an administrative provision to raise the B&F per project threshold from
$300 thousand in FY 2024 to $350 thousand. The purpose of this proposed increase is to regularly
adjust the threshold to keep it in line with construction and labor costs for smaller-scale
construction and R&I projects. Economic conditions have created long lead times for services and
materials, and higher construction costs are making projects more difficult to fund due budget
constraints. The current $300 thousand project threshold was set in FY 2023 after 10 years at $150
thousand. Additional information is found in the Proposed FY 2025 Administrative Provisions
section.
In accordance with the Memorandum on Advancing Climate Resilience through Climate-Smart
Infrastructure Investments and Implementation Guidance for the Disaster Resiliency Planning Act
(M-24-03), this program supports EPA's efforts to increase facility resiliency and sustainability to
combat the effects of climate change while adapting EPA space to a growing workforce.4 EPA
will continue incorporating natural hazard and climate vulnerability assessments into their real
property risk management process. In FY 2025, EPA will continue conducting climate resiliency
assessments at EPA-owned facilities and prioritize additional opportunities to reduce climate-
related fiscal risks. Assessments will identify potential projects that the Agency can undertake to
increase facility resiliency against the impacts of climate change, such as roof stability or seawall
construction projects. EPA will initiate all high-priority projects within 24 months of a climate
assessment.
Through master planning and nationwide efforts to use space more efficiently, EPA identifies B&F
projects which support the long-term conditions and efficiency of EPA facilities. Further, B&F
resources are necessary for EPA to comply with GSA leasing practices requiring agencies to fund
construction initiatives, including sustainable features as tenant improvements (TI) or up front and
ongoing project costs.5 These requirements significantly increase TI costs for new leases, pulling
2 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-contentAiploads/2019/l l/M-20-03.pdf.
3 For additional information, please refer to: Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016,
https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ287/PLAW-l 14publ287.pdf.
4 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean Energy
Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energv-industries-and-jobs-through-federal-sustainability/)
5 Many of these features are required by the Energy Independence and Security Act of2007 or executive orders.
5 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-content/uploads/2023/l l/M-24-03-Advancing-Climat6-
Resilience-through-Climate-Smart-Infrastructure-Investments.pdf.
649
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critical funding from ongoing efforts to consolidate space and reduce the Agency's footprint in
accordance with FASTA.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enable EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce. EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting organizational
health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments,6 and requests an additional $5 million for this effort. EPA will work to optimize its
space footprint to ensure that its facilities remain a critical place to collaborate, maintain
connections, including engagement with local stakeholders and the public, and perform specialized
work, while also adapting to the hybrid work model to reduce long-term rent costs.
The FY 2025 request will support the initiation of, and ongoing projects that provide critical
maintenance for aging laboratory facilities and are key to ensuring that the Agency has access to
preeminent laboratory science. To accomplish this, EPA must invest in infrastructure (e.g.,
architectural and design) and mechanical systems (e.g., electrical, water/steam, HVAC). These
investments maintain a safe workplace and provide for high quality science that advance the
Agency's mission. EPA will focus on critical facility repairs and infrastructure upgrades to
maintain an acceptable Facility Condition Index (FCI), which measures the current state of EPA
owned facilities.7 Delaying essential repairs results in the deterioration of EPA's facilities, which
increases long-term repair costs and enhances safety risks.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue the following space optimization projects with the potential
for the greatest long-term cost and energy savings:
• Co-Locating in the Ada, Oklahoma, laboratory. EPA will continue its work, which
began in 2020, to consolidate employees currently in leased laboratory space into owned
space. The Agency is co-locating operations for the regional laboratory in Houston, Texas,
with the EPA-owned laboratory in Ada, Oklahoma. EPA is currently in the process of
awarding contracts for phase two and phase three of the overall eight phase consolidation
plan. Phase two entails library consolidation and renovations for a Glassware Prep room,
and phase three will convert the Main Building's basement into R6 laboratories. In FY
2025, EPA will complete building infrastructure, electrical and mechanical upgrades.
• Optimizing space at the Athens, Georgia, laboratory. In FY 2025, EPA will continue
construction in the Region 4 Main Lab Building to combine the facility with Office of
Research and Development - Athens, as both of these facilities have not been fully utilized.
This consolidation effort will save the Agency several million per year in rent, utilities,
operation and maintenance, IT, and support services costs. The Athens space consolidation
project started construction in 2020 and consists of six phases, EPA plans on awarding
phase four in FY 2025.
6 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-contentAiploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
6 For additional information on the Synthesis Report of the U.S. EPA Laboratory Enterprise Evaluation, please refer to:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/synthesisreportoflheusepalaboratoryenterprise.pdf.
650
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• Co-Locating in the Corvallis, Oregon, laboratory. The Agency is co-locating operations
for the Region 9 laboratory in Richmond, California, with the EPA-owned laboratory in
Corvallis, Oregon. In FY 2025, the Agency will finalize construction of the Region 9
Facilities Support Services Center, which is designed for Region 9 laboratory support, and
will continue renovations to accommodate Region 9 laboratory storage and office space in
Corvallis, Oregon. In addition, EPA will perform upgrades to the central utility plant for
the main lab building in FY 2025.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CAA) Number of EPA-owned facility climate adaptation assessments completed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2
7
11
14
Assessments
Actual
1
7
(PM CRP) Perce
months of a com
ntage of priority climate resiliency Projects for EPA-owned facilities initiated within 24
pleted facility climate assessment and Pro ject prioritization.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
100
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
1
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$39,817.0) This program change supports implementation of EO 14057: Catalyzing
Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability requirements that will
require EPA to increase facility resiliency against the impact of climate change and to
advance sustainability of EPA operations.
• (+$6,000.0) This program change supports OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring,
Monitoring, and Improving Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the
Context of Evolving Agency Work Environments. This investment will modernize and
enable EPA facilities to support meaningful in-person work and advance organizational
health.
• (+$6,000.0) This program change will reconfigure lab space and invest in state-of-the-art
equipment at the Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center in Cincinnati,
Ohio. This investment will enable EPA to advance and improve the Agency's PFAS
research.
• (+$5,000.0) This program change is an increase to improve and make repairs at the
National Enforcement Investigations Center and upgrade National Forensics Center in
Denver, Colorado. This investment will enable EPA to keep up with the evolving
laboratory and forensics needs.
651
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Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
652
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Superfund
Resource Summary Table 655
Program Projects in Superfund 655
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations 658
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations 659
Compliance 667
Compliance Monitoring 668
Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education 670
Exchange Network 671
Enforcement 674
Criminal Enforcement 675
Forensics Support 678
Superfund: Enforcement 681
Superfund: Federal Facilities Enforcement 685
Environmental Justice 688
Environmental Justice 689
Homeland Security 692
Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 693
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure 697
Indoor Air and Radiation 699
Radiation: Protection 700
IT/ Data Management/ Security 702
Information Security 703
IT / Data Management 709
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review 713
Alternative Dispute Resolution 714
Legal Advice: Environmental Program 717
Operations and Administration 720
Acquisition Management 721
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance 724
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 728
653
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Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management 731
Human Resources Management 734
Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability 739
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment 740
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability 745
Research: Sustainable Communities 749
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities 750
Superfund Cleanup 755
Superfund: Emergency Response and Removal 756
Superfund: EPA Emergency Preparedness 759
Superfund: Remedial 761
Superfund: Federal Facilities 766
Superfund Special Accounts 770
Superfund Special Accounts 771
Superfund Tax Receipts 776
Superfund Tax Receipts 777
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Hazardous Substance Superfund
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
President's Budget
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Hazardous Substance Superfund
Budget Authority
$1,348,774
$1,282,700
$661,167
-$621,533
Total Workyears
2,585.0
2,678.0
2,732.7
54.7
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
Hazardous Substance Superfund
For necessary expenses to carry out the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of1980 (CERCLA), including sections 111(c)(3), (c)(5), (c)(6), and (e)(4) (42 U.S.C.
9611), and hire, maintenance, and operation of aircraft, $661,167,000, to remain available until
expended, consisting of such sums as are available in the Trust Fund on September 30, 2024, and
not otherwise appropriatedfrom the Trust Fund, as authorized by section 517(a) of the Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act of1986 (SARA) andupto $661,167,000 as a payment from
general revenues to the Flazardous Substance Superfund for purposes as authorized by section
517(b) of SARA: Provided, That funds appropriated under this heading may be allocated to other
Federal agencies in accordance with section 111(a) of CERCLA: Provided further, That of the
funds appropriated under this heading, $13,979,000 shall be paid to the "Office of Inspector
General" appropriation to remain available until September 30, 2026, and $32,120,000 shall
be paid to the "Science and Technology" appropriation to remain available until September 30,
2026.
Program Projects in Superfund
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
$13,244
$11,800
$13,979
$2,179
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
$1,377
$1,017
$1,036
$19
Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Exchange Network
$1,018
$1,328
$1,328
$0
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Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
$15
$0
$0
$0
Criminal Enforcement
$6,766
$7,999
$8,876
$877
Forensics Support
$1,597
$1,240
$1,720
$480
Superfiind: Enforcement
$173,076
$171,347
$0
-$171,347
Superfiind: Federal Facilities Enforcement
$7,725
$8,192
$10,481
$2,289
Subtotal, Enforcement
$189,178
$188,778
$21,077
-$167,701
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
$890
$5,876
$5,901
$25
Flomeland Security
Flomeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery
$36,249
$34,661
$57,358
$22,697
Flomeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel
and Infrastructure
$1,167
$1,029
$1,530
$501
Subtotal, Flomeland Security
$37,415
$35,690
$58,888
$23,198
Indoor Air and Radiation
Radiation: Protection
$2,081
$2,472
$3,144
$672
IT / Data Management / Security
Information Security
$1,494
$1,062
$6,012
$4,950
IT / Data Management
$22,040
$19,764
$19,645
-$119
Subtotal, IT / Data Management / Security
$23,535
$20,826
$25,657
$4,831
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Alternative Dispute Resolution
$758
$791
$1,841
$1,050
Legal Advice: Environmental Program
$844
$599
$482
-$117
Subtotal, Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic
Review
$1,602
$1,390
$2,323
$933
Operations and Administration
Acquisition Management
$22,835
$27,247
$34,172
$6,925
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
$32,914
$31,338
$30,512
-$826
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
$4,855
$4,002
$4,660
$658
Human Resources Management
$7,382
$7,419
$9,303
$1,884
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
$142,100
$135,640
$150,996
$15,356
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Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
$9,225
$4,901
$5,040
$139
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
$5,476
$8,060
$8,060
$0
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
$14,701
$12,961
$13,100
$139
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$18,525
$16,937
$17,517
$580
Superfund Cleanup
Superfund: Emergency Response and Removal
$256,354
$195,000
$0
-$195,000
Superfund: EPA Emergency Preparedness
$7,696
$8,056
$8,541
$485
Superfund: Federal Facilities
$26,167
$26,189
$37,680
$11,491
Superfund: Remedial
$612,890
$618,740
$300,000
-$318,740
Subtotal, Superfund Cleanup
$903,107
$847,985
$346,221
-$501,764
TOTAL Superfund
$1,348,774
$1,282,700
$661,167
-$621,533
*For ease of comparison, Superfund transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfund
account.
657
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Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
658
-------
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Program Area: Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Inspector General
$41,521
$44,030
$65,257
$21,227
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
SI 3.2-1-1
SI I.SOO
S U.V'V
sr. / "v
Total Budget Authority
$54,765
$55,830
$79,236
$23,406
Total Workyears
246.6
270.0
333.5
63.5
Program Project Description:
Created pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (OIG) is an independent office within the Agency.
The mission of the OIG is to promote economy and efficiency in, and detect fraud, waste, and
abuse related to, programs and operations of EPA and the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigation Board (CSB), as well as to help ensure ethical conduct and program integrity. To this
end, the OIG is responsible for conducting, supervising, and coordinating audits and investigations
relating to EPA's and CSB's programs. One of the OIG's top responsibilities is the requirement to
keep agency heads, Congress, and the American people fully and currently informed about
problems and deficiencies in Agency or Board programs and operations.
In support of the OIG's independence, Congress provides the OIG with, among other things, a
separate appropriation within the Agency's budget. Appropriated resources allow the OIG to not
only complete its mandated oversight work but also to identify and execute discretionary oversight
of key areas, such as water infrastructure, climate change, environmental justice, and toxic
chemicals. In FY 2023the OIG identified over $176 million in potential fraud, waste, or abuse
across nearly all of its oversight offices and directorates, namely, the Office of Audit, the Office
of Investigations, the Office of Special Review and Evaluation, the Administrative Investigations
Directorate, and the Data Analytics Directorate. In other words, for every dollar Congress invested
in the OIG, the OIG returned at least three dollars in identified or avoided fraud, waste, and abuse.
Audits
The Office of Audit (OA) is responsible for conducting financial and performance audits of EPA's
and CSB's programs and operations. Utilizing a cadre of auditors with specialized training and
experience in environmental programs, the OA generally conducts its projects in compliance with
the generally accepted government auditing standards, as applicable based upon the work
performed. Specifically, the OA conducts performance audits to assess the economy, efficiency,
and effectiveness, internal control, and compliance of EPA Superfund programs and EPA
Superfund business operations. In addition, the OA conducts approximately 16 mandated audits
each year, including financial audits of EPA's and CSB's financial statements as required by the
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Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 and audits of EPA's and the CSB's information security
practices as required by the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014.
Impact is measured both in terms of recommendations and in potential monetary benefit. In FY
2023, the OA issued over a dozen reports leading to over 30 recommendations for program
improvements. These reports have focused on, among other things, numerous barriers to
implementing effective resource management and program improvements in EPA's Superfund
Program. An example of this work is an August 2023 audit report on actions the EPA has taken to
identify and address any disproportionate health effects to disadvantaged communities located on
or near the 35th Avenue Superfund site in North Birmingham, Alabama. The OA found that
without policies, guidance, and performance measures, EPA programs may not be addressing
cumulative impacts and disproportionate health effects on overburdened communities. Such
policies, guidance, and performance measures are critical to advancing EPA's environmental
justice and equity goals. The OA also has identified over $77 million in potential monetary
benefits. Finally, the OA has begun reviewing the regulatorily required financial and compliance
audits from each of the clean water and drinking water state revolving funds. These audits, and the
OIG's review of these audits, is an important control in ensuring that the billions of dollars invested
in water and wastewater infrastructure is used effectively and appropriately.
Investigations
The OIG Office of Investigations (OI) is the oversight component responsible for investigating
allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse related to EPA and CSB programs and operations including
EPA's Superfund Program. Consisting of criminal investigators with statutory authority under the
IG Act to carry firearms, make arrests, execute search and seizure warrants, and perform other law
enforcement duties, the OI's special agents are authorized to conduct criminal, civil, and
administrative investigations. With a geographical area of responsibility spanning from Saipan to
Maine and Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the OI prioritizes work related to the critical sectors
of water and wastewater, including those involving cybercrime or relating to national security, as
well as crimes affecting the integrity of EPA and the CSB. Within these priorities, the OI leverages
a data- and intelligence-driven framework to identify high-impact investigations that relate to
fraudulent practices in awarding, performing, and paying Superfund contracts, grants, or other
assistance agreements, among other crimes.
One of the tools that the IG Act provides the OIG is to request assistance from any federal, state,
or local governmental agency, allowing the OI to coordinate with such agencies regarding the
prevention and detection of fraud, waste, and abuse. To this end, the OI's criminal and civil
investigations are often done in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and with various
law enforcement task forces. In FY 2023, the OI recovered more than $5 million from more than
a dozen criminal indictments and convictions or civil judgments. For example, in June 2023, a
project manager was sentenced in federal court for misleading federal authorities about lead
contamination in a city park after he was hired to remediate it. The project manager's employer
agreed to pay more than $2 million in a civil settlement agreement related to violations of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, and a separate
settlement agreement related to violations of the False Claims Act. Through the OI's work, EPA
also was able to avoid awarding over $12 million in a potential grant fraud scheme. In addition,
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the 01 works with EPA's Suspension and Debarment Program, "whose actions protect the
government from doing business with entities that pose a business risk to the government." In FY
2023, the 01 initiated over 140 OIG investigations on fraud, waste, and abuse; these investigations
were conducted in response to information obtained through intelligence-gathering or from witness
reports. Finally, the 01 has published three "lessons learned" Management Implication Reports,
identifying potential measures to reduce the Agency's vulnerability to criminal activity.
Evaluations
The OIG Office of Special Review and Evaluation (OSRE) is responsible for evaluating the
effectiveness of EPA's and the CSB's programs. Its oversight projects focus on the efficiency of
program operations, such as program performance from implementation to outcome. It does so by
leveraging a cadre of engineers, scientists, social scientists, and other environmental and public
health professionals, who generally conduct projects in compliance with the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency' s Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation.
The evaluative reach of the OSRE spans every EPA program office and includes assessments of
implementation efforts by EPA's ten regional offices and the Agency's state, local, and tribal
partners, as well as EPA Superfund programs and activities that support clean air, clean water,
safer chemicals, cleaner communities, scientific research and integrity, and effective oversight and
enforcement. An example of the OSRE's Superfund-related work is a current evaluation of the
EPA's actions on the community health concerns near a Superfund site in St. Charles, Missouri.
Past OIG evaluations have resulted in EPA policy changes, improvements to agency guidance
documents and other written materials, increased transparency on regulatory and other decision-
making, and process changes to eliminate barriers and improve program outcomes. These
evaluations also have provided EPA and Congress with information that is useful in policymaking.
Administrative Investigations
The Administrative Investigations Directorate (AID), located in the Office of Special Review and
Evaluation, conducts civil and administrative investigations into allegations of misconduct by
senior employees and complaints of whistleblower reprisal by agency or Board employees,
contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, or personal services contractors. It also
performs special reviews of significant events and emergent issues of concern that involve a
suspected or alleged violation of law, regulation, or policy, as well as allegations of serious
mismanagement. Additionally, along with select evaluation staff, this directorate regularly meets
with EPA's scientific integrity official, updates coordination procedures between the OIG and
EPA's Scientific Integrity Office, and reviews documents to make EPA aware of all identified
allegations of violations of its Scientific Integrity Policy.
Since its creation in 2021, the AID has made an immediate impact in helping promote ethical
conduct in EPA and the CSB, particularly in the areas of senior employee misconduct and scientific
misconduct. Despite consisting of only five investigative attorneys and civil investigators, the AID
carries a docket consists of over a dozen civil and administrative investigations. It also has issued
significant reports related to ethical misconduct and whistleblower protection, among other
matters. For example, the AID recently issued a report of investigation substantiating allegations
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that the former chair of the CSB improperly spent nearly $100 thousand in Board funds for travel,
training, and office refurbishment.
The AID also manages the OIG Hotline, triaging each complaint, tracking its referrals, monitoring
the progress of its referrals, and communicating with complainants. As the principal method for
reporting suspected fraud, waste, and abuse to the OIG, the OIG Hotline is an invaluable tool for
gathering intelligence related to EPA and CSB programs and operations and for identifying further
oversight work. In FY 2023, the OIG Hotline received 7,635 contacts through the OIG website,
email account, and telephone number. Furthermore, the OIG employs authorities under 5 U.S.C.
§ 4512 to incentivize the disclosure of fraud, waste, or mismanagement through cash awards.
Data Analytics
The Data Analytics Directorate (DAD) supports OIG wide oversight planning and execution by
leveraging advance analytics to identify and highlight key risk areas to EPA or CSB program
integrity. Specifically, the DAD uses programming languages and database software to automate
the acquisition, transformation, and analysis of large and disparate data sets that supports audits,
evaluations, and investigations. It also provides statistical sampling and survey creation support
for audits and evaluations. The DAD's oversight products, created by a team of data analysts and
data scientists, allow the OIG and the public to visualize the extent of EPA programs and
operations.
Unlike other data analytics operations, the OIG uses its DAD to increase public awareness of
EPA's programs and operations. For example, in FY 2023, the DAD published a new version of a
geographical dashboard on the OIG website, allowing anyone to see where the EPA is spending
supplemental appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This geographical
dashboard allows the public to filter the spending data by such fields as congressional districts and
Justice40 Initiative overlays. The OIG also uses the DAD to create internal dashboards and other
analytical tools to monitor OIG productivity and improve OIG operations. Just recently, the DAD
developed a dashboard to monitor the EPA's progress in completing corrective actions in response
to audit or evaluation recommendations.
OIG Support
The Office of Inspector General and its oversight programs are supported by the Office of Counsel,
the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, the Office of Information Technology, the Office
of Mission Support, and the Office of Strategic Analysis and Results. These support offices
provide legal, professional, and technical support to the oversight programs, as well as support the
recruitment, retention, and training of the OIG's employees. These support offices also manage
the OIG's public outreach efforts through, among other things, congressional and public
engagements and by, among other things, engaging traditional and social media and the Internet.
In FY 2023, the OIG expanded its social media outreach by becoming the first federal OIG on
Instagram. The OIG also improved public outreach by acquiring a new domain, epaoig.gov, and
developing a new website focused on facilitating the dissemination of the OIG's oversight products
and the reporting of potential fraud, waste, and abuse related to EPA's or the CSB's programs and
operations.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
The OIG takes a rigorous approach to the planning and execution of its oversight work, starting
with the statutory mandate to prepare an annual statement summarizing "the most serious
management and performance challenges facing the agency" and to briefly assess the Agency's
progress in addressing those challenges. To identify these top management challenges, the OIG
reviews the work of the OIG and the U.S. Government Accountability Office, solicits input from
senior EPA leadership and program offices, and considers the public statements of EPA,
administration, and congressional leaders, as well as EPA planning documents, such as the FY
2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The OIG then plans specific audits and evaluations for the next
fiscal year that will address these top management challenges, as well as the goals and objectives
of the EPA OIG's strategic plan. This discretionary oversight is, of course, constrained by the
OIG's statutory or regulatory mandates, such as the oversight of the financial and operation audits
of the over 100 state revolving funds, as well as work requested by Congress or resulting from an
OIG Hotline contact.
In FY 2025, the OIG will continue to target initiatives addressing EPA's and CSB's top
management challenges and stated priorities, including enduring challenges related to land
cleanup. To execute these initiatives, the OIG will increase its agility to assess emerging
environmental threats; increase its use of data analytics, business analytics, and business
intelligence to better target resources to address high-risk, high-vulnerability areas of interest;
employ best practices to improve efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and monetary benefits;
focus on measurable impacts; and increase its return on investment to the American public. The
OIG also will continue to expand upon its oversight of EPA's implementation of the Infrastructure
and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) to assess whether the approximately $60 billion in IIJA funding
provided to EPA is effectively and properly spent.
Audits
The Office of Audit (OA) is responsible for nearly all of the OIG's mandates, which comprises
over 34 percent of the office's oversight work in FY 2023. Furthermore, the OIG will need to
continue its oversight of other requirements, such as single audits. For example, although EPA is
the cognizant agency for audit under the Single Audit Act, the OIG is, under the IG Act,
responsible for providing policy direction for audits relating to the EPA's programs and operations.
To this end, the OA will conduct quality control reviews of the single audits submitted to the EPA.
Finally, the OA will conduct oversight work in response to congressional requests or hotline
contacts. In FY 2023, this comprised over 11 percent of the OA's work. Based on OIG funding
trends, the OIG estimates that by FY 2025 more than half of the OA's work will be non-
discretionary work. At the heart of the independence protections enshrined in the IG Act is the
ability to conduct discretionary oversight of EPA's core programs; however, without additional
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resources to complete mandatory, requested, and discretionary oversight projects, the OA's ability
to conduct discretionary oversight in FY 2025 will be significantly constrained.
Investigations
The Office of Investigations will prioritize investigations based on its Annual Investigative
Priorities and the OIG's strategic plan, giving consideration to the U.S. Department of Justice's
prosecutorial priorities and the U.S. Attorney Offices' prosecutorial guidelines. With a vast
geographic jurisdiction spanning Saipan to Maine and Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Office
of Investigations maximizes its reach by using technology, engaging stakeholders, and sharing
information with and working alongside other federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and law
enforcement agencies. Two enduring investigative priorities will be work related to the integrity
of EPA's Superfund Program and to the critical sectors of water and wastewater, including those
investigations involving cybercrime and national security-related matters. This remit requires the
office to have a cadre of special agents and civilian employees expressly trained in investigating
and countering network attacks, intrusions, and cyber fraud; and specialists trained in obtaining
evidence through digital forensics. Further, this cadre must be supported by ongoing training to
maintain proficiency and currency on ongoing industry and technological advances as well as the
ability to procure, sustain, and deploy specialized cyber investigation and forensic tools. As the
OIG has faced stagnant or decreasing budgets over the last decade, the Office's ability to
effectively investigate cyber-based threats to the critical sectors of water and wastewater has been
constrained.
Evaluations
Like the Office of Audit, the Office of Special Review and Evaluation will continue to conduct
oversight projects in response to congressionally requested work, emerging environmental
emergencies, and hotline contacts. Its discretionary oversight will continue to focus on program
performance, state and federal program capacity, and federal oversight of state delegated
hazardous waste programs, among other things.
Administrative Investigations and Special Reviews
The Administrative Investigations Directorate (AID) generally initiates investigations in response
to allegations of misconduct and special reviews in reaction to unique circumstances. However,
over the last two years, the number of investigations on the AID's docket has significantly
outnumbered the AID's ability to complete those investigations in a timely fashion. Many of these
matters, particularly those involving allegations of scientific misconduct, are particularly complex,
requiring rigorous and highly technical investigations. Additional resources in FY 2025 will allow
the AID to take on more investigations and to complete those investigations sooner.
The OIG Hotline has recently seen a notable increase in contacts, going from less than 3,000 in
FY 2022 to approximately 7,000 in FY 2023. As EPA expands its programs because of increased
appropriations and expends more funds because of an unprecedented $100 billion in supplemental
appropriations, the AID expects to see a significant increase in the number of hotline contacts in
FY 2025. With this expected increase in contacts will come an accompanying increase in
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allegations of ethical misconduct, scientific misconduct, and whistleblower retaliation that will
need to be investigated.
Data Analytics
The Data Analytics Directorate (DAD) supports the OIG's oversight by obtaining agency data and
conducting data or statistical analysis. The result is often a dashboard or other visualization of
structured and unstructured data, providing easy identification of complex problems or otherwise
hidden relationships. The DAD's efforts to automate data acquisition and analysis processes has
created time and cost efficiencies for audits, investigations, and evaluations. But the DAD also
provides oversight products to the public through the OIG website, including a geographical
dashboard showing EPA IIJA spending by program, region, and district. Sustaining this work will
require continued investment in both personnel and analytic tools, such as computer hardware and
database software. In FY 2025, the DAD will continue to help oversight the challenges facing
EPA's contract and grant data management because of missing, incomplete, or unstructured data.
Expanding the DAD's work will, therefore, require additional resources. Expanded DAD work
will mean better analytic support for our audits, investigations, and evaluations and better oversight
products for the public.
OIG Support
In FY 2022, the OIG reported that an agency employee was improperly granted access to the
Whistleblower Protection Coordinator's email box, potentially revealing confidential
whistleblower information outside of the OIG. Accordingly, the OIG requests additional funding
to upgrade its IT capabilities to ensure that it can begin obtaining technological independence from
the Agency. The OIG must use EPA IT resources, including for its two most sensitive systems,
the hotline, and the whistleblower protection email. Vulnerabilities were discovered in these IT
capabilities that gave EPA access to these sensitive systems. This initial effort towards IT
independence allows the OIG to establish separate email and other systems from EPA.
Performance Measure Targets:
The EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific
to this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$91.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTEs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,170.0 / +3.5 FTE) This program investment provides initial resources to oversee the
establishment of a separate OIG tenancy. This investment includes $0.7 million for payroll.
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• (+$918.0 / +3.0 FTE) This program change provides resources and FTEs to expand the
oversight of the Agency's Superfund Program. This investment includes $0.6 million for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, 5 U.S.C. §§ 401-424.
Budget Requests:
Since 2010, the OIG's budget has only increased by $1 million, which, when inflation is accounted
for, represents a decrease of nearly $13 million in real terms; put differently, the OIG's authorized
full-time equivalent has decreased from 361 in 2010 to 270 or less in 2023. Exacerbating the OIG's
diminished resources is the increasing assessments from the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency. While the OIG's budget has declined by nearly 21 percent when inflation
is accounted for, the CIGIE's assessment has increased from 16 basis points in FY 2016 to 40 basis
points in FY 2025, representing a 250 percent increase in funding for CIGIE. This will require the
OIG to pay $316.9 thousand for increased CIGIE operations. For these reasons, the OIG requests
the following, provided pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 406(g):
• The aggregate budget request from the inspector general for the operations of the OIG is
$79.2 million ($65.3 million Office of Inspector General; $13.9 million Superfund
Transfer).
• The aggregate President's Budget for the operations of the OIG is $79.2 million
($65.3 million Office of Inspector General; $13.9 million Superfund Transfer).
• The portion of the aggregate President's Budget needed for training is $1.0 million
($820.0 thousand Office of Inspector General; $180.0 thousand Superfund Transfer).
• The portion of the aggregate President's Budget needed to support the Council of the
Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is $316.9 thousand ($259.9 thousand OIG;
$57.0 thousand Superfund Transfer).
"I certify as the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency that the amount I have
requested for training satisfies all OIG training needs for FY 2025."
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Compliance
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Compliance Monitoring
Program Area: Compliance
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$104,593
$112,730
$168,474
$55,744
Inland Oil Spill Programs
-$5
$649
$2,154
$1,505
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Total Budget Authority
$105,966
$114,396
$171,664
$57,268
Total Workyears
441.1
478.9
544.6
65.7
Program Project Description:
The Superfund Compliance Monitoring Program supports enforcement of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or "Superfund" law. EPA
tracks Superfund-related enforcement activities in its national enforcement and compliance data
systems, the Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) and Enforcement Compliance
History Online (ECHO). ICIS is EPA's largest mission-focused data system and is a critical
infrastructure tool used by the Agency, state, tribal, local, and territorial governments as well as
the regulated community to track compliance and enforcement of environmental statutes. ICIS
data is available to the public via the internet-accessible ECHO system as well as the companion
data change notification tool ECHO Notify. Electronic tracking of Superfund enforcement work
allows EPA to ensure that its enforcement resources are allocated to address the most significant
concerns and facilitates public transparency.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency will implement its comprehensive action plan for integrating
Environmental Justice (EJ) and climate change considerations throughout all aspects of the
Compliance Monitoring Program. EPA will track their EJ work through its performance measure
focused on the percentage of inspections affecting communities with potential EJ concerns.
In FY 2025, EPA will focus on timely enforcement in communities with potential EJ concerns.
The Program will continue to support tracking of CERCLA compliance and enforcement activities
in ICIS and ECHO.
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 409) Number of federal on-site compliance monitoring inspections and evaluations and off-site
compliance monitoring activities.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
Inspections
&
Evaluations
Actual
10,600
10,300
8,500
10,800
13,900
13,100
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$19.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also will support the
ongoing operating and maintenance costs for ICIS.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA);
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.).
669
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Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
670
-------
Exchange Network
Program Area: Cross-Agency Coordination, Outreach, and Education
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$12,165
$14,995
$14,769
-$226
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SIJ2H
S1J2H
SO
Total Budget Authority
$13,183
$16,323
$16,097
-$226
Total Workyears
23.2
30.2
30.2
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) is a standards-based, secure approach
for EPA and its state, tribal, and territorial partners to exchange and share environmental data over
the internet. Capitalizing on advanced technology, data standards, open-source software, shared
services for EPA's Digital Strategy (EEDS), and reusable tools and applications, the EN offers its
partners tremendous capabilities for managing and analyzing environmental data more effectively
and efficiently, leading to improved decision-making.
The Central Data Exchange (CDX) is the largest component of the EN Program and serves as the
point of entry on the EN for environmental data transactions with the Agency.1 CDX provides a
set of core shared services that promote a leaner and more cost-effective service framework for the
Agency by avoiding the creation of duplicative applications. It enables faster and more efficient
transactions for internal and external EPA clients, resulting in reduced burden.
Working in concert with CDX is EPA's System of Registries, which is a system of shared data
services designed to enhance efficiency, reduce burden on the regulated community, and improve
environmental outcomes, including environmental justice (EJ). EPA and EN partners routinely
reference these shared data registries, from commonly regulated facilities and substances to the
current list of federally recognized tribes. They identify the standard or official names for these
assets, which, when integrated into EPA and partner applications, foster data consistency and data
quality as well as enable data integration.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support core functions for the EN information technology (IT)
systems. The EN Program will continue to be a pivotal component of EPA's Digital Strategy that
1 For more information on the Central Data Exchange, please see: https://cdx.epa.gov/.
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supports business process change agencywide. Under this strategy and the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act,2 the Agency is streamlining business processes and systems to reduce
reporting burden on states and regulated facilities and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency
of environmental programs for EPA, states, and tribes. EPA also is responsible for managing EN
technical governance groups and administering the pre- and post-award phases of the EN grants
to states, tribes, and territories. These efforts support a standards-based, secure approach for EPA
and its state, tribal, and territorial partners to efficiently exchange and share environmental data
electronically. The Agency also administers and implements the Cross-Media Electronic
Reporting Regulation (CROMERR) that removes regulatory obstacles for e-reporting to EPA
programs under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
EPA aims to reduce burden and avoid costs while improving IT. With CDX's migration to the
cloud, the Agency will continue to carry out baseline support for data exchange services leveraged
by states and tribal partners. This also includes providing a technology framework - shared
CROMERR services - which reduces the burden on programs and external reporters by providing
CROMERR compliant solutions. For example, the shared electronic identity proofing and
signature services for CROMERR supports 31 partner regulatory reporting programs to date. EPA
estimates that partners adopting shared CROMERR services save $120 thousand in development
and at least $30 thousand in operations each year, which results in a cost avoidance of greater than
$2.5 million for EN partners.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to improve the functionality and use of the System of Registries.3
In addition to streamlining the Registries, EPA will continue to implement a broader effort across
the enterprise to engage organizations and facilitate the adoption of these data services through
cloud technology and Representational State Transfer (REST or RESTful) application
programming interfaces (API). Registries are shared data services in which common data are
managed centrally but shared broadly. They improve data quality in EPA systems, enable
integration and interoperability of data across program silos, and facilitate discovery of EPA
information. An example of the Agency's effort to promote the adoption of data services is the
integration of the tribal identification services (TRIBES) across EPA systems.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementing a solution related to shared facility identification
information. Centralized facility management also is fundamental to better environmental
management by bringing together EPA data across programmatic silos. Like facility data,
substance information also is regulated across EPA programs, with many EPA programs relying
on the Substance Registry Service (SRS) to improve data quality and reduce burden.
EPA tracks a wide range of data for each registry to measure customer usage and engagement. The
Agency also tracks web service hits to measure the number of users leveraging publicly available
APIs. For example, the SRS website has approximately 90 thousand pageviews per month; many
of these pageviews are users visiting the SRS web area to understand regulatory information about
chemicals. SRS also receives between 20 and 140 thousand web service hits per month (depending
on reporting cycles), mostly by EPA systems that have incorporated the web services into their
2 For more information on the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, please refer to:
https://wvyw.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ336/PLAW-l 15publ336.pdf.
3 For more information, please see: https://ofmpub.epa.gov/sor_jiiteniet/registiy/sysofreg/about/about.jsp.
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online reporting forms. FY 2025 priorities for EPA registries include continually improving
registry technologies by migrating the registries to a cloud-based environment open-source
platform to make them easier to locate, access, and utilize.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to expand the number of EPA and partner systems that integrate
registry services into their online reports and systems, reducing burden and improving data quality.
This includes updating EPA's dataset registry to allow EPA scientists, external partners, and others
to share information and make information easier to find in the cloud.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) to maintain, utilize, and improve systems to facilitate the import and
export of legitimate goods and leverage big data and artificial intelligence tools to identify and
prevent or stop illegal goods from entering or leaving the United States. EPA supports over 16
data exchange types within EPA and with CBP to automate and streamline over 8 million annual
import and export filings. This automation is essential for managing a significantly increasing
number of imports and exports (due to e-Commerce) and allows coordinators/officers to focus on
compliance monitoring and key high value targeting activities for non-compliant imports and
exports, and to better coordinate with CBP.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA); Clean Air Act (CAA); Clean Water Act
(CWA); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA).
673
-------
Enforcement
674
-------
Criminal Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$57,374
$62,704
$67,829
$5,125
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$6,766
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$8,876
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Total Budget Authority
$64,140
$70,703
$76,705
$6,002
Total Workyears
252.7
269.3
299.4
30.1
Program Project Description:
The Criminal Enforcement Program investigates and works with the U.S. Department of Justice
(DOJ) to prosecute criminal violations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and associated violations of Title 18 of the United
States Code such as fraud, conspiracy, false statements, and obstruction of justice. EPA's criminal
investigators (Special Agents) do this through investigation of criminal conduct, committed by
individual and corporate defendants, that threatens public health and the environment.
The Criminal Enforcement Program is strengthened by an ongoing collaboration with the
Environmental Justice (EJ) Program, other EPA program offices, and Department of Justice (DOJ)
to ensure Superfund enforcement work addresses the impacts of illegal environmental pollution
activities nationwide and especially on overburdened communities.
Within the Criminal Enforcement Program, forensic scientists, attorneys, technicians, engineers,
and other program experts support Special Agents in their investigations. EPA's criminal
enforcement attorneys provide legal and policy support for all program's responsibilities,
including forensics and expert witness preparation, to ensure that program activities are carried
out in accordance with legal requirements and agency policies. The Agency's National
Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) provides field investigation, laboratory analysis,
toxicology, chemistry, engineering, and regulatory support to the Criminal Enforcement Program.
These efforts support successful environmental crimes prosecutions primarily by the United States
Attorneys and DOJ's Environmental Crimes Section. In FY 2023, the Criminal Enforcement
Program opened 199 new cases. The conviction rate for criminal defendants charged in EPA
criminal enforcement investigations in FY 2023 is 100 percent, with sentences totaling 106 years
of incarceration.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
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In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $166 thousand and 0.7 FTE to investigate
environmental crimes related to the National Enforcement Compliance Initiatives (NECIs).4 EPA
will continue efforts to devote resources toward, and effectively focus on, those areas and
communities that are disproportionally affected by pollution and environmental crime.
EPA will continue to address Superfund-related issues within criminal enforcement, including in
overburdened communities. The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) works with partners at
DO J to jointly prosecute wrongdoing and reduce the impact pollution has on these areas through
investigation, judicial actions, and settlements. The Environmental Justice Criminal Initiative
focuses prioritization of investigative resources to overburdened and vulnerable communities,
while maintaining case initiation standards and reducing the impact of pollution. In FY 2025, EPA
will continue to prioritize criminal enforcement resources for investigations which involve
vulnerable communities or those that have historically been overburdened by pollution. This effort
has been focused as a Criminal Enforcement Program Initiative with an emphasis on addressing
environmental crimes and crime victims in these areas. EPA program goals and priorities include
the following:
• In FY 2025, EPA's Environmental Crime Victim Witness Assistance Program will continue
to closely align its implementation of the Criminal Victims' Rights Act and the Victims' Rights
and Restitution Act with EPA's EJ work.5 Activities will include data mining and mapping to
identify locations of vulnerable communities, environmental crime victims, and public health
impacts overlap. This strategy will aid the Program in identifying sources of pollution
impacting these communities to better focus criminal enforcement resources where
overburdened and vulnerable populations need it most. Where appropriate, EPA will use
environmental crime victim program resources and emergency funds to assist individuals in
such communities. EPA conducts outreach to environmental crime victims and overburdened
communities using the social media platform Nextdoor, sharing information relating to EJ,
sources of pollution, and links to EPA's Report a Violation webpage directly to households in
overburdened communities.
• In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $741 thousand and 0.7 FTE to support efforts
to interdict the illegal import, manufacture, and use of certain HFC products, pursuant to the
American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act. The Criminal Enforcement Program,
working with the Office of Air and Radiation, the Air Enforcement Division, and the
Department of Homeland Security, will continue implementing its responsibilities as a part of
the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Enforcement Task Force, whose permanent mission is to ensure
U.S. compliance with the AIM Act. The Task Force will continue to identify, intercept, and
interdict illegal HFC imports, share data to support allowances, train customs officers and
enforcement personnel, and address common HFC import experiences with other countries.
EPA will continue to collaborate with Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DOJ, and other
federal partners to successfully enforce federal laws related to HFCs. Critically important to
success in this program are dedicated analysts, which the Program is currently in the process
4 For additional information, please see: fattps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01. -1.2/pdf/2023-00500.pdf.
5 For more information, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao/resources/crime-victims-rights-ombudsman/victims-rights-act.
676
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of hiring, to research, assess, and coordinate with federal partners, private industry, and task
force members.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$30.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and
changes to benefits costs.
• (+$166.0 / +0.7 FTE) This program increase will enhance investigations for environmental
crimes related to the NECIs, especially in areas and communities that are disproportionally
affected by pollution. This includes $158.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$741.0 / +0.7 FTE) This program investment will ensure EPA has the capacity and
technical expertise to investigate, analyze, sample, test, transport, and store HFCs. The
increase in FTE will allow analysts to research, assess, and coordinate with federal
partners, private industry, and task force members. This investment includes $158.0
thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Title 18 of the U.S.C.; 18 U.S.C. § 3063; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as
amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute);
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); American
Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
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Forensics Support
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$14,152
SI 5.532
$19,337
$3,805
Utizurthms Substance Snpi'r/nii
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, NEIC will support the President's directive to deliver Environmental Justice (EJ) to
communities across America and to hold polluters accountable for their actions.7 To achieve these
goals, the Agency will employ NEIC's environmental forensics expertise to investigate violations
of environmental statutes, to prosecute environmental crimes in communities that are
disproportionally affected by pollution and environmental crime, and to target those areas more
effectively. NEIC supports EJ concerns by targeting critical industry inspections in overburdened
or vulnerable communities and utilizes the data to work with EPA regional offices to take
enforcement actions that could ultimately improve air and water quality in such communities.
NEIC also will continue to further develop and deploy the Agency's Geospatial Measurement of
Air Pollution (GMAP) van, a mobile tool to help identify Clean Air Act noncompliance throughout
the United States.
In FY 2025, the NEIC will continue to streamline its forensics work and identify enhancements to
the Agency's sampling and analytical methods, using existing and emerging technology. The
NEIC is continuing to expand and modernize field and laboratory capabilities to support
enforcement programs' investigations in support of the National Enforcement and Compliance
Initiatives, including PFAS and drinking water. The NEIC will continue to build on its previous
progress to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, produce timely and high-
quality civil inspection reports, improve procurement processes, and continue to identify and
implement further efficiencies in laboratory operations. NEIC will continue to enhance the work
completed in FY 2021 and FY 2022 to support criminal and civil program efforts to combat climate
change.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$76.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, changes to benefits costs, and changes to lab utilities
and security costs.
• (+$39.0 / +0.2 FTE) This program change will support civil investigations related to the
National Enforcement Compliance Initiatives. This increase includes $37.0 thousand for
payroll.
7 For more information please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-Q1765/protectiiig-public-
health-aiid-the-enYiromiient-aiid-restoriiig-science-to-tackle-the-cliiiiate-cilsis or https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-
room/presidential-actions/2021 :ecutive-order-on-tackling-the-c1imate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
679
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• (+$109.0 / +0.2 FTE) This program investment will ensure EPA has the capacity and
technical expertise to investigate, analyze, sample, test, transport, and store PFAS and
drinking water samples. This investment includes $37.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$256.0) This program net increase will be used to support the Agency's forensics
laboratory at the National Enforcement Investigations Center.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); American Innovation Manufacturing Act.
680
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Superfund: Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
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Total Budget Authority
$173,076
$171,347
$0
-$171,347
Total Workyears
732.2
771.3
771.8
0.5
In FY 2025, the Budget proposes to transition the Superfund Enforcement FTE from the annual Superfund
appropriation to the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable FTE. These FTE are built into the Agency's FTE ceiling.
Program Project Description:
The Superfund Enforcement Program protects communities by ensuring prompt site cleanup using
an "enforcement first" approach that maximizes the participation of liable and viable parties in
performing and paying for cleanups which preserves federal dollars for sites where there are no
liable or viable parties. The Superfund Enforcement Program obtains potentially responsible
parties' (PRPs) commitments to perform or pay for cleanups through judicial and administrative
enforcement actions. The Superfund Enforcement Program works closely with the Superfund
Remedial, Superfund Emergency Response and Removal Programs, and the U.S. Department of
Justice (DOJ) to combine legal and technical skills to bring enforcement actions and address
emerging issues. Superfund enforcement efforts ensure that Superfund sites with responsible
parties or interested third parties are cleaned up in a timely manner and result in more site cleanups
than would be possible using only government funds, which in turn supports reuse.
The Superfund Enforcement Program:
• Obtains cleanup commitments from responsible parties and third parties, thereby providing
long term human health and environmental protections and making contaminated
properties available for reuse.
• Takes enforcement actions, including negotiating site cleanup agreements to require
cleanup and recover costs from responsible parties, thereby preserving federal taxpayer
dollars for sites where there are no viable contributing parties.
• Develops cleanup enforcement policies and model documents.
• Issues guidance and utilizes tools to clarify potential cleanup liability to support the
cleanup, reuse, and revitalization of contaminated properties.
In FY 2023, the Superfund Enforcement Program secured commitments for cleanup and cost
recovery and billed parties for oversight costs, all totaling approximately $1.2 billion. The use of
Superfund enforcement tools contributed to the cleanup and redevelopment by private parties of
127 private party sites in FY 2023.
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EPA may deposit payments received pursuant to settlement agreements with potentially
responsible parties for EPA's past response costs, as well as cash-out payments received from
parties for future site cleanup, into site-specific special accounts established for use consistent with
a settlement agreement for a specific site. Site specific special accounts provide needed cleanup
dollars at many sites that otherwise may not have received funding. In FY 2023, EPA collected
$185.3 million from potentially responsible parties to deposit into special accounts and disbursed
or obligated approximately $365.0 million from special accounts to perform cleanup actions at
sites (excluding reclassifications).
The Superfund Enforcement Program obtains expeditious and protective cleanups of sites by PRPs
through enforcement instruments that maximize program efficiencies by obtaining responsible
party funding and performance of cleanups. The Superfund Enforcement Program also seeks to
promote the redevelopment and reuse of sites by encouraging PRPs to invest in cleanups that
facilitate reuse outcomes. In addition, the Superfund Enforcement Program supports the cleanup
and reuse of sites by third parties through the development of guidance and other tools to address
potential liability concerns that may pose a barrier to third-party investment. EPA also works to ensure
that legally enforceable institutional controls and financial assurance requirements are in place at
Superfund sites to ensure the long-term protectiveness of Superfund cleanup remedies.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the President's Budget proposes to transition the Superfund Enforcement Program,
including associated FTE costs, from the annual Superfund appropriated resources to the
Superfund tax receipts.8 The Program will continue to encourage and facilitate PRP's prompt site
cleanup and investment by third parties in FY 2025 to preserve more tax dollars for cleanups where
there are no viable parties. Superfund tax receipts from FY 2023, on top of annual appropriations,
have bolstered the Program and will continue strengthening enforcement in future fiscal years,
where granted.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to strengthen EPA's Superfund Enforcement Program,
complement work in the Superfund Remedial and Superfund Emergency Response and Removal
Programs, provide financial support for DOJ to pursue judicial actions to compel PRP cleanup,
and support possible actions in response to lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
releases. EPA will continue its work to achieve prompt site cleanup, maximize the work
participation by PRPs, and secure third-party funding of cleanups. In addition, the Agency will
prioritize its efforts on the most significant sites in terms of human health and environmental
impact. To support the Agency's focus on Environmental Justice (EJ) and climate change, the
Superfund Enforcement Program intends to:
• Require responsible parties to take early cleanup actions,
• Ensure prompt cleanup actions by responsible parties,
8 Please refer to the Superfund Tax Policy Paper in the Appendix that continues to raise EPA's concerns regarding the timing and
uncertainty of tax collections.
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• Develop robust enforcement instruments that address impacts on communities and
climate change vulnerabilities,
• Increase oversight of enforcement instruments,
• Build trust and capacity through increased community engagement, and
• Integrate sustainability principles into enforcement tools, policies, and guidance used for
the cleanup and reuse of contaminated sites.
The Agency will continue its efforts to establish site-specific special accounts to facilitate cleanup.
As special account funds may only be used for sites and uses specified in the settlement agreement,
special account resources, annually appropriated resources, and Superfund tax receipts are critical
to the Superfund Program to clean up Superfund sites. In addition, the Agency continues to work
under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
to address lead and PFAS contamination by gathering information and developing cases to support
possible actions under multiple statutory authorities in response to lead and PFAS releases. In
anticipation of PFAS being potentially designated as CERCLA hazardous substances and the
continued focus and updates on lead exposure levels that pose a threat to human health and the
environment, the Agency expects the Superfund enforcement workload to increase significantly.
In addition, the Superfund Enforcement Program will continue its efforts to address contamination
at historically impacted communities, focusing on community engagement and facilitating cleanup
at such sites.
DOJ's participation in CERCLA cases is statutorily mandated for settlements related to remedial
action cleanups and most cost recovery settlements and is required for all judicial enforcement
matters. DOJ's support will be prioritized to maximize PRP performance of cleanup, particularly
protection of human health at sites located in historically impacted communities. EPA provides
financial support to DOJ for these activities. In FY 2025, similar to the Superfund Enforcement
Program, DOJ's support is proposed to be transitioned to the Superfund tax receipts through an
interagency agreement. DOJ also will continue to support EPA on both the Superfund lead and
PFAS cleanup work.
Cost Recovery Support
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to standardize the financial management processes for the
financial management aspects of Superfund cost recovery and the collection of debt to the federal
government. EPA's financial, programmatic, and legal offices will continue to maintain the
accounting and billing of Superfund oversight costs attributable to responsible parties and third.
These costs represent EPA's cost of overseeing Superfund site cleanup efforts by responsible and
third parties as stipulated in the terms of settlement agreements. In FY 2023, the Agency collected
$238.4 million in cost recoveries, of which $65.8 million were returned to the Superfund Trust
Fund and $ 185.3 million were deposited in site-specific, interest-bearing special accounts.
The Agency will continue to pursue an "enforcement first" approach that maximizes PRP
participation at Superfund sites by performing enforcement activities such as conducting PRP
searches, negotiating site-specific settlements, pursuing insurance and bankruptcy recoveries, and
recovering costs through appropriate cash-out settlements. These activities ensure that responsible
parties conduct or pay for cleanups and preserve federal dollars for sites where there are no viable
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contributing parties. The Agency will continue to work to increase opportunities for community
engagement at Superfund sites.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$171,347.0 / -771.3 FTE) In FY 2025, the Agency proposes to transition the Superfund
Enforcement Program from the annual Superfund appropriation to the Superfund tax
receipts. This includes an estimated $154.0 million for payroll. In FY 2024, the U.S.
Treasury forecasts collecting a total of $2.17 billion in Superfund taxes which will be
available for use in FY 2025 across EPA Superfund programs. As the Superfund Taxes
were recently passed, there is much uncertainty regarding the tax collections. The Agency
anticipates maintaining the pace of Superfund enforcement work with the Superfund tax
receipts.
• (+771.8 FTE) In FY 2025, the Agency proposes to transition 771.8 Superfund Enforcement
FTE from the annual Superfund appropriation to the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable
FTE.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
684
-------
Superfund: Federal Facilities Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
N '25
S X./V2
sin.-is I
s2.2xv
Total Budget Authority
$7,725
$8,192
$10,481
$2,289
Total Workyears
35.8
40.9
45.2
4.3
Program Project Description:
EPA's Superfund Federal Facilities Enforcement Program monitors compliance and pursues
enforcement primarily at sites where there is federal ownership or a federal operator, whether full
or partial, and the federal owner conducts or is involved in cleanup under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA" or "Superfund"). After
years of service and operation, many federal facilities are contaminated with hazardous substances,
pollutants, per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), solvents, munitions, and radioactive
wastes. Enforcement actions can facilitate timely and protective cleanup and potential
redevelopment of these sites.
Pursuant to CERCLA Section 120, EPA must enter into Interagency Agreements, commonly
referred to as Federal Facility Agreements (FFAs), with responsible federal agencies to ensure
their cleanups at National Priorities List (NPL) sites are protective of public health and the
environment, and to provide EPA with enforceable oversight of the investigation and cleanup
processes. These FFAs govern cleanups at 175 federal facility Superfund sites, including many of
the Nation's largest and most complex cleanup projects. While only 10 percent of the NPL sites
are federal facility sites, over 41 percent of the total operable units in the Superfund Program are
at federal facilities.9
In the Federal Facilities Enforcement Program, EPA assesses the compliance of federal facilities
with environmental statutes and regulations, and works in partnership with federal, state, tribal,
and local agencies, where appropriate, to encourage compliance, compel regulated entities to
correct and/or mitigate violations, and assess appropriate penalties for violations. Pollution from
approximately 30,000 federal facilities can impact surrounding communities, federal employees,
service members, and their children, potentially by contaminating drinking water, polluting the air,
and lead-based paint hazards. By partnering with other federal agencies and departments, and using
enforcement tools where needed, the Federal Facility Enforcement Program ensures that the
9 Operable units often comprise discrete areas of a cleanup site, depending on the complexity of the problems associated with the
site. These operable units may address geographic areas of a site, specific site problems, or areas where a specific action is required.
An example of a typical operable unit could include removal of drums and tanks from the surface of a site.
685
-------
federal government sets a positive example by meeting its obligations under applicable
environmental laws.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to support possible actions in response to significant
contamination from federal facilities, including a request for an increase of approximately $2.0
million and 4.3 FTE to address PFAS releases. Such actions include sampling private drinking
water wells for PFAS in communities with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns where such
contamination has migrated from a military installation. The Agency seeks both to identify
drinking water with significant PFAS contamination and to evaluate historic Department of
Defense sampling results where no interim remedial actions to address PFAS contamination have
occurred. EPA will continue to focus its enforcement resources on the highest priority sites,
particularly those that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment, have human
exposure not yet under control, have an impact on overburdened or vulnerable communities with
EJ concerns, or have the potential for beneficial redevelopment. EPA also will negotiate and
amend, as appropriate, FFAs for federal facility sites on the NPL, and continue to monitor FFAs
for compliance. EPA will expedite cleanup and redevelopment of federal facility sites, particularly
those located in communities with EJ concerns, and will use dispute resolution processes and other
approaches to timely resolve formal and informal cleanup disputes. The Agency will continue to
seek ways to improve its engagement with other federal agencies, and state, tribal, local
governments, and their partners, emphasizing protective, timely cleanups that address
communities' needs. EPA will work with its federal partners to encourage greater community
outreach and transparency.
In FY 2025, the Agency will work to address PFAS contamination by developing information and,
where needed, initiating investigations, to support possible actions under multiple statutory
authorities, consistent with the PFAS National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative. Federal
facilities (e.g., Department of Defense military installations and Department of Energy sites) are
starting to address PFAS contamination at their NPL sites. As federal agencies conduct this work
at their federal facility NPL sites, CERCLA requires EPA to oversee the work. An increased
investment for EPA's Superfund Federal Facilities Enforcement Program will support EPA's
efforts to monitor the increasing number of initiated PFAS remedial investigations projected to
occur at federal facilities in the coming years. In FY 2025, the Program will pursue enforcement
actions, where needed, to ensure compliance with CERCLA and other federal environmental laws
to protect public health.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
686
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$264.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs. This change includes critical agencywide
infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements, electronic
discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$2,025.0 / +4.3 FTE) This program increase will be used to address PFAS contamination
by overseeing the increasing number of initiated remedial investigations projected to occur
at federal facilities. This investment includes $802.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) § 120.
687
-------
Environmental Justice
688
-------
Environmental Justice
Program Area: Environmental Justice
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and
Activities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$109,347
$102,159
$317,712
$215,553
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
S.VJO
S.\H
SJi
Total Budget Authority
$110,237
$108,035
$323,613
$215,578
Total Workyears
116.4
223.6
264.6
41.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Environmental Justice (EJ) Program coordinates the Agency's efforts to address the needs
of overburdened and vulnerable communities by decreasing environmental burdens, increasing
environmental benefits, and building collaborative partnerships with all stakeholders to build
healthy, sustainable communities based on residents' needs and desires. EPA's EJ Program
focuses on collaboration as a central principle and method of advancing justice. The Program's
core philosophy is that EJ challenges need strong collaborative partnerships that include federal,
state, local, and tribal governments along with the private sector, academia, and philanthropy to
support communities in addressing multifaceted problems and positively changing conditions on
the ground. The Program provides technical assistance and expert consultative support to
communities, partners at all levels of government, and other stakeholders such as business and
industry, to achieve protection from environmental and public health hazards for people of color,
low-income communities, and indigenous communities at or near Superfund sites.
Work in this program directly supports Administrator Michael Regan's message in the memo titled
"Our Commitment to Environmental Justice" issued on April 7, 2021.10 In addition, this work
supports implementation of Executive Order (EO) 14096: Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment
to Environmental Justice for All,11 EO 14091: Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Under served Communities Through the Federal Government,12 EO 13985: Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,13 and EO
10 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/fLles/2021-04/documents/regan-
messageoncommitmenttoenvironmentaljustice-april072021.pdf.
11 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/26/2023-Q8955/revitalizing-
our-nations-commitment-to-environmental-iustice-for-all.
12 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-Q3779/further-
advancing-racial-equitv-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal.
13 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021.101125/2021.-01.753/advancing-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment.
689
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14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.14 In accordance with the America's
Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 (P.L. 115-270), every EPA regional office employs a
dedicated EJ coordinator, and the Agency maintains a list of these persons on EPA's website.15
The Superfund portion of this program has focused on issues that affect people of color, low
income, and Indigenous communities at or near Superfund sites. The EJ Program complements
the Agency's community outreach and other work accomplished under the Superfund Program at
affected sites.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.2, Embed Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and Activities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan.
EPA will advance implementation of EJ activities in support of the Superfund Program. The EJ
Program will elevate and expand the use of coordinated and collaborative community-driven
partnerships to address community priorities by promoting the active engagement of community-
based organizations, other federal agencies, and tribal, state, and local governments. This will
advance environmental protection and public health for overburdened communities at or near
Superfund sites. The EJ Program will guide EPA's efforts to empower communities to identify
and develop solutions to address environmental harms, working to utilize nationally consistent
data that combines environmental and demographic indicators in mapping and prioritizing
communities with EJ concerns at or near Superfund sites. These efforts help build healthy and
sustainable communities through technical assistance, enabling overburdened and vulnerable
communities to revitalize their local economies while also better facilitating EPA efforts to further
focus federal resources and program design to benefit communities with EJ concerns and those
most at risk of climate change impacts at or near Superfund sites.
The EJ Program will continue to partner with and support other agency programs in their efforts
to fully integrate EJ considerations into all of EPA's policies, programs, and activities while also
developing nationally consistent data that combines environmental and demographic indicators in
mapping and prioritizing communities with EJ concerns at or near Superfund sites.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Environmental Justice Program
under the EPM appropriation.
14 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackliiig-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
15 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/enviroiimentaljustice/forms/contact-us-about-enviroiimental-
justice.
690
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$25.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); and Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
691
-------
Homeland Security
692
-------
Homeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$26,376
$25,347
$40.802
$15,455
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
$36,249
S3-l.fi/il
S"..W
sS 22,69'
Total Budget Authority
$62,624
$60,008
$98,160
$38,152
Total Workyears
116.1
124.1
145.3
21.2
Program Project Description:
EPA leads or supports many critical aspects of preparing for and responding to a nationally
significant incident involving possible chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN)
agents. The Homeland Security Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Program implements a
broad range of activities that cover multifaceted federal efforts, including:
• National trainings and exercises;
• Participation in national interagency exercises and field studies with federal and state
partners;
• Support for headquarters and regional Emergency Operations Centers;
• Enhancements for national information technology systems;
• Developing guidance and standard operating procedures for responding to CBRN
incidents;
• Secured warehouse space for homeland security operations and storage; and
• Laboratory analyses of environmental samples and site decontamination projects.
EPA's homeland security program develops these responsibilities through research and
maintaining a level of expertise, training, and preparedness specifically focused on threats
associated with CBRN. This work is consistent with the Department of Homeland Security's
(DHS') National Response Framework (NRF).
EPA assists with multi-media training and exercise development and implementation for
responders, which establishes and sustains coordination with states, local communities, tribes, and
other federal agencies (OF As). The Agency also provides technical assistance to OF As, including
DHS, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Justice (DO J), and the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), in the areas of environmental characterization,
decontamination, and waste disposal methods. In addition, the program operates a national
environmental laboratory for chemical warfare agents and implements EPA's National Approach
to Response.
693
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Homeland Security Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Program will:
• Initiate a multi-year plan for carrying out the White House's National Biodefense Strategy
(NBS) and associated Implementation Plan. For FY 2025, EPA is requesting additional
resources and FTE to: 1) acquire and sustain rapid and mobile analysis capabilities to
characterize the extent of biological contamination at the incident location. This capability
will inform immediate response actions and can continue to be leveraged through the
remediation phases; 2) enhance planning and capacity of waste management in response
to a biological incident through the procurement of commercial services and subject matter
expertise; and 3) advance science to evaluate risk-based clearance goals to biological
agents and procedures to determine re-occupancy through acquisition and subject matter
expertise.
• Utilize the Airborne Spectral Photometric Environmental Collection Technology
(ASPECT) aircraft. ASPECT aids first responders by providing aerial surveillance
screening for wide-area chemical, radiological, and nuclear detection, as well as infrared
and advanced imagery products with real-time data delivery.
• Perform a multi-year strategic modernization of the ASPECT airborne screening capability
to the Chemical Incident and Radiological Reconnaissance on Unmanned Systems
(CIRRUS) program. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting an increase of resources and FTE to
support CIRRUS needed to expedite emergency response. EPA will transition this
capability to remotely piloted platforms to more effectively and efficiently support
emergency response, climate crisis, and environmental justice missions. This system will
simultaneously reduce response time to a broader geographic area, enhance response
redundancy, capitalize on potential cost-efficiencies of remotely piloted vehicles, and
significantly reduce the hazards associated with crewed flight operations at extremely low
altitudes.
• Operate, enhance, and significantly overhaul the aging Portable High-Throughput
Integrated Identification System (PHILIS) capability. PHILIS units provide the Nation
with mobile analytical "all hazards" confirmatory labs (qualitative and quantitative) with
unique capability to analyze chemical warfare threat agents. PHILIS provides on-scene,
high-throughput analyses of air, soil, and water samples in areas that have experienced a
significant incident. PHILIS can support risk mitigation of contaminated sites which face
climate change impacts and affect communities with environmental justice concerns by
mobilizing laboratory capabilities to areas of need. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting
additional resources to replace outdated PHILIS platforms and equipment, establish new
analytical capabilities to support emergency response actions, and enable the program to
be able to support more than one deployment at a time. The platform replacements will
provide greatly improved long-distance mobility, reliability, maintenance and operating
694
-------
costs, and operational uniformity. The FY 2025 equipment investment will procure state-
of-the-art systems to increase overall automation, throughput, and sensitivity of the PHILIS
assets as well as bring parity in capabilities between the two ("East" and "West") PHILIS
labs. The goal of the program is to allow for deployment of the laboratories to more than
one emergency response at a time and for long-term sustainment of deployments lasting
over one month, such as the Red Hill drinking water emergency in 2021/2022 and the East
Palestine Train Derailment in 2023.
• Participate in trainings and exercises on CBRN preparedness and response topics with key
federal response partners (e.g., DHS, DOD, and DOJ) on select inter-agency workgroups.
• Target exercises to improve preparedness for communities with environmental justice
concerns and increase incorporation of environmental justice into preparedness activities.
• Support the ERT, which provides nationwide assistance and consultation for emergency
response actions, including unusual or complex incidents. In such cases, the ERT supplies
subject matter experts, with special equipment and technical or logistical assistance.
• Provide expertise on detection, environmental characterization, decontamination, and
waste disposal methods following the release of a CBRN agent.
• Maintain operational support for the Emergency Management Portal and WebEOC
response systems.
• Conduct research, through the Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP), to enhance
response capabilities by developing methods, tools, and information for site
characterization, decontamination, waste management, and clearance for priority chemical,
biological, and radiological threats all while reducing time and cost and ensuring safety.
This research includes testing commercially available technologies to support response and
site cleanup capabilities.
• HSRP, in collaboration with Program and Regional Office partners and other federal, state,
local, territorial, and tribal stakeholders, will conduct research to generate resources, tools,
and training for risk communication outreach, building relationships, and community
engagement to empower under-resourced communities and populations with
environmental justice concerns.
• HSRP will proceed with the development of sample collection protocols and analysis
methods for inclusion in EPA's Environmental Sampling and Analytical Methods
(ESAM)16 on-line tool. EPA's ESAM detection, sampling, and analysis tool helps local,
state, territorial, tribal, and federal emergency response field personnel and their supporting
laboratories more effectively and efficiently respond to incidents, enabling smooth
transitions of samples and data from the field to the laboratory to decision makers.
16 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/esam.
695
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• Maintain a highly skilled, well-trained, and well-equipped response workforce that has the
capacity to respond to simultaneous incidents as well as threats involving CBRN
substances. This includes training On-Scene Coordinators, volunteers of the Response
Support Corps (RSC), and members of Incident Management Teams. RSC volunteers
provide critical support to headquarters and regional Emergency Operations Centers and
assist with operations in the field. To ensure technical proficiency, this cadre of response
personnel requires initial training and routine refresher training.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program directly supports performance results in the Superfund: EPA Emergency
Preparedness program under the Superfund appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$574.0 / +3.0 FTE) This program change is to plan to develop rapid, mobile, analytical
capabilities to characterize the extent of biological contamination and to enhance planning
and waste management capacity in response to a biological incident. This includes $560.0
thousand in payroll.
• (+$12,433.0 / +1.8 FTE) This program change is an increase in resources and FTE to
support Chemical Incident and Radiological Reconnaissance on Unmanned Systems
(CIRRUS) needed to expedite emergency response and provide additional assistance to
EPA partners. These efforts improve preparedness for communities with environmental
justice concerns, such as fenceline communities. This includes $337.0 thousand in payroll
costs and additional changes to fixed support costs.
• (+$9,704.0) This program change is an increase in resources to replace outdated PHILIS
equipment. These funds will allow the program to complete a PHILIS equipment upgrade,
update all mobile lab technology, and replace vehicle platforms. These efforts will assist
in improving preparedness for communities with environmental justice concerns, such as
fenceline communities.
• (-$164.0) This program change decreases non-payroll resources in order to support
additional FTE costs for site characterization and decontamination research.
• (+$150.0 / +1.2 FTE) This net program change is an increase in resources and FTE for
research to enhance response capabilities by developing methods, tools, and information
for site characterization and decontamination. This includes $190.0 thousand in payroll
costs and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, §§ 104, 105, and 106;
Homeland Security Act of 2002.
696
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Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure
Program Area: Homeland Security
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$6,059
$5,188
$5,158
-$30
Science & Technology
$625
$625
$501
-$124
Building and Facilities
$3,944
$6,676
$6,676
$0
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
s i.ur
S 1.02 V
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Total Budget Authority
$11,795
$13,518
$13,865
$347
Total Workyears
12.3
13.3
13.3
0.0
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 13.3 FTE to support Homeland Security Working Capital Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The federal government develops and maintains Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans and
procedures that provide for the continued performance of its essential functions. The Homeland
Security COOP Program works with other government and non-government organizations to
ensure that Mission Essential Functions (MEFs) and Primary Mission Essential Functions
(PMEFs) continue to be performed during emergency situations. The Department of Homeland
Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Federal Continuity Directive-1
(FCD-1) requires EPA to develop a continuity plan that ensures its ability to accomplish its MEFs
from an alternate site, during a national disaster, continues and that the Agency will be able to
continue operations successfully with limited staffing and without access to resources available
during normal activities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will:
• Expand efforts, under FEMA's Federal Mission Resiliency (FMR) directives, including
assessment of the FMR strategy, building upon existing National Continuity Policy,
updating training and exercise materials to incorporate FMR constructs, and developing
assessment tools to measure progress.
• Conduct selected annual reviews of regional COOP plans, PMEFs and MEFs, and make
updates as needed.
697
-------
• Monitor the continuity programs across the Agency, focusing on testing, training, and
exercises as related to general COOP awareness and procedures.
• Undergo a monthly evaluation of the headquarters' COOP Program, including program
plans and procedures, risk management, budgeting, and essential functions. Further,
FEMA will perform an in-person biannual review of EPA's COOP Program and provide
the results to the Administrator and to the Executive Office of the President.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$501.0) This program change is an increase in resources to support EPA's COOP
implementation and training.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act §§ 104, 105, 106;
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004; Homeland Security Act of 2002;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
698
-------
Indoor Air and Radiation
699
-------
Radiation: Protection
Program Area: Indoor Air and Radiation
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$8,390
$9,088
$11,748
$2,660
Science & Technology
$2,321
$1,683
$2,416
$733
Hazardous Substance Sn/>i'r/niitl
S2MI
S2.-l'2
V» '2
Total Budget Authority
$12,792
$13,243
$17,308
$4,065
Total Workyears
57.3
54.8
67.2
12.4
Program Project Description:
This program addresses potential radiation risks that may be found at Superfund and hazardous
waste sites. Through this program, EPA ensures that Superfund site cleanup activities reduce
and/or mitigate the health and environmental risks of radiation by including support of removal
actions, as needed.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Work in this program directly supports protecting communities from hazardous waste and
environmental damage, thereby protecting human health and the environment, and contributing to
the well-being of disadvantaged communities that may be disproportionately impacted by
radioactive releases. In FY 2025, EPA's National Analytical Radiation Environmental Laboratory
(NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama, and National Center for Radiation Field Operations
(NCRFO) in Las Vegas, Nevada, will continue to provide analytical and field support to manage
and mitigate radioactive releases and exposures. These two organizations provide analytical and
technical support for the characterization and cleanup of Superfund and hazardous waste sites.
NAREL and NCRFO provide data evaluation and assessment, document review, and field support
through ongoing fixed and mobile analytical capability. Thousands of radiochemical analyses are
performed annually at NAREL on a variety of samples from contaminated sites. NAREL is EPA's
only radiological laboratory with in-house radiochemical analytical capability. NCRFO provides
field-based technical support for screening and identifying radiological contaminants at Superfund
and non-Superfund sites across the country, including air sampling equipment and expert
personnel.
700
-------
More specifically, these organizations focus on providing technical support and high-quality data
to support agency decisions at sites across the country. They also develop guidance for cleaning
up Superfund and other sites that are contaminated with radioactive materials.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to this
program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$119.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of lab
utilities.
• (+$553.0 / +2.4 FTE) This program change reflects an increase in program capacity for
activities such as analytical and field support to assess, manage, and mitigate radioactive
releases and exposures at contaminated sites. This investment includes $423.0 thousand
for payroll and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).
701
-------
IT/ Data Management/ Security
702
-------
Information Security
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$8,188
$9,142
$23,937
$14,795
l/tiz.tinlons Substance Siiperjuml
N/.-W
S I.IK,2
N (,.012
S 4.V50
Total Budget Authority
$9,682
$10,204
$29,949
$19,745
Total Workyears
10.3
14.1
17.1
3.0
Program Project Description:
Digital information is a valuable national resource and a strategic asset that enables EPA to fulfill
its mission to protect human health and the environment. The Information Security Program's
mission is to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of EPA's information assets. The
information protection strategy includes, but is not limited to, risk management, oversight, and
training; network management and protection; and incident management.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $5.0 million to support enhancements to protect the
Agency's information technology (IT) portfolio. This investment will improve EPA's IT resiliency
and limit vulnerabilities in the event of a malicious attack. EPA will continue to work toward full
compliance with high priority directives (Adoption of Multifactor Authentication, Encryption of
Data At Rest, Encryption of Data In Transit, Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management, Zero
Trust Architecture, and Event Logging) in Executive Order (EO) 14028: Improving the Nation's
Cybersecurity.17
17 Work in this program takes direction for IT implementation practices and priorities from the following:
• EO 14028: Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/05/12/executive-order-on-improvim-the-nations-cvbersecuritv/).
• OMB Memo M-19-26: Update to the Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) Initiative (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2019/09/M-l 9-26.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-21-30: Protecting Critical Software Through Enhanced Security Measures (https://whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uplouds/2021/08ZM~2 l-30.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-21-31: Improving the Federal Government's Investigative and Remediation Capabilities Related to
Cybersecurity Incidents (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-contentZuploads/2021/08/M-21-31-lmproving-the-Federal-
Governments-lnvestigative-and-Remediation-Capabilities-Related-to-C.ybersecurity-Incidents.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-22-01: Improving Detection of Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities and Incidents on Federal Government
Systems through Endpoint Detection and Response (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10ZM.-22-
Ol.pdfi.
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Improving the Defense and Resilience of Government Networks
Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)
A key priority for EPA's information security will be implementing zero trust capabilities
addressing gaps identified by the Agency to enable the development of networks which can resist
malevolent actions regardless of their origin. ZTA will grant authorized users full access to the
tools and resources needed to perform their jobs but limit access to unnecessary areas. Proper
permissions for a given user's needs are a critical component of ZTA, and coding for more granular
control over the network environment is an information security priority. The Agency also will
focus addressing the need to ensure all devices in EPA's environment are compliant with
information security requirements prior to accessing network resources. EPA will continue efforts
to elevate awareness of and harden isolated environments with enhanced security measures by
integrating those environments with continuous monitoring capabilities to improve visibility and
reduce risk.
EPA will continue to improve defense and resilience of government networks in accordance with
ZTA security principles, which focus on virtual identity management capabilities. These
improvements ensure agency staff can access necessary software applications while providing
resistance to malicious phishing campaigns and sophisticated online attacks. For those system
environments not integrated into the larger enterprise system {i.e., those that may not be compatible
with the enterprise-wide identity management capabilities), EPA will continue efforts to harden
those systems with continuous monitoring capabilities to reduce risk.
The Agency will continue to implement cybersecurity enhancements necessary to support a larger
remote workforce, which includes strengthening cloud security monitoring and access to sensitive
data, cyber incident response, and cloud platform management services. These enhancements
allow agency staff to securely use systems and services in the cloud while also improving
application performance associated with Trusted Internet Connections (TIC). The Agency also
will pilot enterprise web application control tools to protect web applications by preventing
malicious traffic from accessing the web application or agency data. The Agency will continue to
build its Insider Threat Program for the unclassified network to monitor Privileged Users and
Systems Administrators activity, as recommended by several cybersecurity assessments,18 and to
monitor and report on EPA networks and systems.
• OMB Memo M-22-09: Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles
(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/M-22-Q9.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-22-16: Administration Cybersecurity Priorities for the FY 2024 Budget (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2022/07/M-22-16.'pdf).
• OMB Memo M-23-03: Fiscal Year 2023 Guidance on Federal Information Security and Privacy Management
Requirements (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/M-23-03-FY23-FISMA-Guidance-2.pdf).
• OMB Memo M-23-18: Administration Cybersecurity Priorities for the FY 2025 Budget
(https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/M-23-18-Administration-Cvbersecurity-Priorities-for-the-FY-
2025-Budget-s.pdf).
• NIST 800-53 (https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.80Q-53r5.pdf).
18 These assessments include Annual Assessments and Classified briefings with the Department of Homeland Security and EPA's
Office of Homeland Security, as well as a 2017 OIG Report, available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-
1.0/docunients/_epaoig_201.71.030-1.8-P-0031. .pdf.
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IT Modernization for Federal Cyber security by Design
EPA will continue to strengthen IT assets and develop resiliency against potential cybersecurity
threats. This work includes enhancing Multifactor Authentication to strengthen access controls to
data and evaluating areas which still may require implementation of encryption for Data at Rest
and Data in Transit to protect data. EPA has prioritized investments to protect the most sensitive
systems and information. Additionally, EPA will work with the Department of Homeland Security
and the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program to ensure up-to-date technologies
are implemented.
Cyberattacks are rapidly increasing in volume and sophistication, impacting both IT and
operational technology systems. EPA's Agency IT Security and Privacy (AITSP) Program enables
agency wide implementation, management, and oversight of the Chief Information Officer's (CIO)
Information Security and Privacy Programs through continuous monitoring functions; one
objective includes the maturation of the Continuous Authorization to Operate (ATO). These
capabilities serve to identify and address security vulnerabilities and incidents quickly, ensuring
that EPA's information environment remains safe.
EPA will continue to support the ongoing implementation of capabilities for data labeling and data
loss prevention, which will improve security information and event management by collecting,
synthesizing, managing, and reporting cybersecurity events for systems across the Agency.
The Information Security Program supports EPA's Enterprise Security Operations Center (SOC),
which manages the Computer Security Incident Response Capability (CSIRC) processes to support
identification, response, alerting, and reporting of suspicious activity. EPA will continue maturing
the system logging capabilities in Event Logging (EL) Level 3 for Advanced Logging
requirements at all criticality levels, leveraging Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response
tools to streamline threat and vulnerability management, incident response, and security operations
automation. Additionally, EL 3 will utilize User Behavior Monitoring analytics to enable early
detection of malicious behavior. Through CSIRC, EPA will continue to collaborate with other
federal agencies and law enforcement entities, as needed, to support the Agency's mission.
The Agency's Security Operations Center will continue maturing End Point Detection and
Response capabilities with the CDM Program to support proactive detection of cybersecurity
incidents, active cyber threat hunting, containment and remediation, and incident response. EPA
will continue modernizing its network and system logging capabilities (on-premises systems and
connections hosted by third parties, such as Cloud Service Providers) for both investigation and
remediation purposes.
EPA leverages CDM capabilities to address the Agency's cybersecurity security gaps and
efficiently identify and respond to government-wide cybersecurity threats and incidents. In FY
2025, as part of the work with the Department of Homeland Security to support implementation
of current and future Phase CDM requirements, the CDM Program will continue closing remaining
gaps in asset management. Privileged access to EPA's network will continue to provide critical
security controls for the Agency's cloud applications. The CDM Program also will review interior
EPA network boundary protection from interconnections to external networks and expand
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endpoint detection and response capabilities. EPA also will continue to mature and promote
utilization of the CDM dashboard to rapidly identify and respond to potential threats in the
information technology environment. EPA will continue collaborating with DHS on enhancing
threat hunting capabilities. In line with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and DHS
direction, the CDM Program will implement priority capabilities as they are identified. In FY 2025,
EPA estimates a $15 million budget for the CDM Program.
Strengthening the Foundations of our Digitally-Enabled Future
Securing Infrastructure Investments
The Agency collects Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) metrics and
evaluates related processes, tools, and personnel to identify gaps and opportunities for
improvement.19 EPA's CIO, who also is the Senior Agency Official for Privacy (SAOP), in
coordination with the Chief Information Security Officer, will continue to monitor and report on
these metrics. EPA will:
• Modernize and automate the methodology and workflow for collecting Federal
Information Registry data supporting the System of Record Notice Management process.
• Continue implementing Ground Truth Testing to validate security and find weaknesses
through manual and automated penetration testing and red team exercises.
The Agency continues to work on refinements to improve the ability to track and report on critical
software used by the Agency in compliance with Federal Information System Reporting and OMB
direction. EPA includes cybersecurity and privacy components in senior leadership program
reviews. These reviews enhance CIO oversight by enabling better risk area determination and
targeted improvement to system and mission program managers. While EPA program and regional
offices maintain responsibility for improving their performance in specific cybersecurity
measures, EPA's senior leadership routinely reviews performance results and potential challenges
for achieving continuous improvement.
The Agency will be making investments in securing mission activities from risks posed by leading
edge technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation
(RPA) and Quantum Computing.20 These investments will help to ensure that agency personnel
can perform their business mission activities efficiently and securely with the implementation of
the necessary controls to allow use of leading-edge technologies within the environment and
prevent malicious actors from leveraging these technologies to disrupt business operations.
Human Capital
EPA will further enhance agency-specific role-based training to ensure personnel in key
cybersecurity roles have a comprehensive understanding of modern, secure IT and cybersecurity
19 Including those found in Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 and Federal Information Security
Cybersecurity Act of 2015.
20 OMB Memo 23-02: Migrating to Post-Quantum Cryptography: https://www.whitehouse.gOv/wp-content/uploads/2022/l 1/M-
23-02--M-Memo-on-Migrating-to-Post-Ouantum-Cryptography.pdf.
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requirements, with the skills, knowledge, and capabilities to effectively support EPA's
cybersecurity posture.
Technology Ecosystems
EPA will build on efforts to fully implement the Agency's Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk
Management Controls to comply with the Government Accountability Office findings.21 This
work includes coordinating across the Agency with personnel from Information Technology,
Information Security, and Procurement to update the policy and obtain the necessary tools to
address these critical security requirements. EPA will continue to implement standards,
procedures, and criteria to harden and secure software development environments, and investigate
the addition of automated tools to secure the development environment.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM ALR) Implementation of advanced event logging requirements (EL3) across EPA networks.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
ELI
EL3
EL3
EL3
Tier
Actual
EL0
EL0
(PM PAR) Percentage of EPA data at rest in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IS
201')
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
90
95
100
Percent
Actual
93
Numerator
110
Systems
Penominator
118
(PM PIT) Percentage of EPA data in transit in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
90
98
100
Percent
Actual
98
Numerator
116
Systems
Penominator
118
(PM MFA) Percentage of
EPA systems in compliance with multifactor authentication requirements.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
75
85
100
100
Percent
Actual
48
79
Numerator
223
321
Applications
Penominator
463
406
21 Government Accountability Office Report on information and communications technology (ICT) Supply Chain: GAO-21-
164SU.
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(PM ZTA) Percentage of "Zero Trust Architecture" pro
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
50
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
2
ects completed on time
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$4,950.0) This program change supports enhancements to protect the Agency's
information technology infrastructure portfolio and advance the implementation of EO
14028: Improving the Nation's Cyber security. This investment will increase EPA's
information technology resiliency and limit vulnerabilities in the event of a malicious
attack.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Cybersecurity Act of 2015; Federal Information
Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA);
Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA).
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IT / Data Management
Program Area: IT / Data Management / Security
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$95,631
$91,821
$108,601
$16,780
Science &. Technology
S3.4X9
S3.197
S3.346
SI 49
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
S 22.040
N/'A ~(>4
S IV.045
-SI IV
Total Budget Authority
$121,160
$114,782
$131,592
$16,810
Total Workyears
457.5
490.9
510.9
20.0
Total work years in FY 2025 include 175.0 FTE to support IT/Data Management working capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
This program supports the maintenance of EPA's Information Technology (IT) and Information
Management (IT/IM) services that enable citizens, regulated facilities, states, and other entities to
interact with EPA electronically to access, analyze and understand, and share environmental data
on-demand. The Information Technology/Data Management (IT/DM) Program also provides
support to other IT development projects and essential technology to EPA staff, enabling them to
conduct their work effectively and efficiently in the context of federal IT requirements, including
the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA); Technology Business
Management (TBM); Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC); and the Open, Public,
Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, in accordance with Executive Order 1411022 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy
Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, EPA will encourage the use of AI in the federal
space, and do so with transparency, responsibility, safety, and ethical standards. The Agency will
maintain EPA's current AI Inventory and develop a compliance plan, strategy, and AI governance
committee. EPA forecasts that workforce demand for AI tools and training will increase and is
addressing this need through the development of training and pilot programs. Security and privacy
risks are of utmost importance and governance channels already exist which are constantly
evaluating risks associated with AI. EPA will be working to integrate AI into these existing
governance channels.
22 For more information, please see: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2023/l 1/01/2023-24283/safe-secure-and-
trustworthy-development-and-use-of-artificial-intelligence.
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In FY 2025, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments, EPA will make investments in IT infrastructure to support meaningful, in-person
work across the Agency. Investments include modernizing and enhancing available tools to ensure
the workforce has the proper technology to operate as effectively as possible in a modern capacity
to implement the Agency's mission. Additionally, resources will be utilized to provide a high-
quality service delivery experience for the public.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementation of its agencywide Digitization Strategy, which
includes the operation of two EPA digitization centers and the operation of the Agency Records
Management System (ARMS), which is necessary to meet the requirements of Memoranda M-19-
21 Transition to Electronic Records issued by the Office of Management and Budget and the
National Archives and Records Administration.23 In FY 2025, EPA will digitize, validate, and
upload electronic files into the ARMS. Additionally, EPA will leverage artificial intelligence and
machine learning to assist staff with appropriately scheduling electronic records that are saved to
ARMS. The Agency will operate the Paper Asset Tracking Tool (PATT) to track paper records as
they are submitted and processed through the digitization centers.
The Agency also will continue implementing the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act
(P.L. 115-336), which includes modernization of internal and public-facing websites and digital
services, as well as digitization of paper forms and non-digital services. EPA will continue
digitizing the Agency's public-facing paper forms in compliance with the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act and based on the completed inventory of the Agency's forms.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to maintain and manage its core IT/DM services, including
Information Collection Requests, the National Library Network, the Agency's Docket Center, and
EPA's Section 508 Program, which directly supports the requirements under Executive Order (EO)
14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce 24
Key initiatives include:
• Further strengthening the Agency's IT acquisition and portfolio review process as part of
the implementation of FITARA. In the most recent FITARA scorecard, released in
September 2023,25 EPA scored an overall B. EPA will continue to use the results of the
FITARA scorecard to drive agency priorities and investments.
• Continuing work to convert internal administrative paper or analog workflows into modern
digital workflows to speed up routine administrative tasks, reduce burdensome paperwork
for EPA employees and managers, improve internal data collection and reporting, and
improve cross-agency data interoperability and delivery to the public. In FY 2025,
application development work will continue to automate processes identified in the Agency
high priority list.
23 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/M-19-21-new-2.pdf.
24 For more information, please refer to Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/.
25 For additional information, please refer to: https://fitara.nieritalk.com/.
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• Continuing to implement EPA's Controlled Unclassified Information Program to
standardize, simplify, and improve information management and IT practices to facilitate
the sharing of important sensitive data within the Agency, with key stakeholders outside of
the Agency, and with the public, meeting federal standards as required by Executive Order
13556: Controlled Unclassified Information.26
• Increasing the use of registries, continue migration to a cloud infrastructure, and improve
registry quality by modernizing from custom built solutions to commercial off-the-shelf
tools with expanded capabilities. Registries are shared data services in which common data
are managed centrally but shared broadly; they improve data quality in EPA systems,
enable integration and interoperability of data across program silos, and facilitate discovery
of EPA information publicly and internally.
EPA's Customer Experience (CX) Program will focus on improving the mission support
experience of EPA staff to improve their ability to serve the public, in line with the guidance in
Executive Order 14058.27 The Program focuses on collaborations such as the Hiring and
Onboarding process, which collects feedback from IT professionals, hiring managers, regions,
programs, and other stakeholders to improve the experience for hiring authorities and new
employees at EPA. The CX Program collects customer feedback, conducts data analytics, assesses
priorities within a governing community of practice, and presents recommendations to senior
leaders to allocate resources to improve CX initiatives.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to support the essential capabilities of GeoPlatform, a shared
technology enterprise for geospatial information and analysis. By implementing geospatial data,
applications, and services such as the Facility Registry System, the Agency can integrate, interpret,
and visualize multiple data sets and information sources to support environmental decisions. The
Agency will continue developing and increasing capabilities of EPA's Data Management and
Analytics Platform, which has both internal and public facing elements, such as Envirofacts. EPA
will partner with other agencies, states, tribes, and academic institutions to propose innovative
ways to use, analyze, and visualize data through EPA's Data Management and Analytics Platform.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue implementation of a governance framework for enterprise data life
cycle approach for managing regulated facility data.
In FY 2025, Web Infrastructure Management will continue to modernize EPA's web presence to
support internal and external users with information on EPA business, support employees with
internal information, and provide a clearinghouse for the Agency to communicate initiatives and
successes. EPA also will continue to upgrade its web infrastructure to ensure that it meets current
statutory and evolving security requirements.
The EPA Chief Data Officer (CDO), with support from the Agency's Data Governance Council
(DGC) will continue to develop enterprise scale data governance, including data policies,
procedures, and standards to ensure all priority data assets are fully available. Additionally, they
will promote data management that emphasizes equitability and FAIR (Findable, Accessible,
26 For more information, please refer to Executive Order: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2010/l 1/09/2010-
28360/controlled-unclassified-iiifoniiation.
27 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/16/2021.-27380/transformiiig-
federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-iii-goveinment.
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Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. EPA's enterprise data governance implementation
plans depend on coordination across the Agency's program offices and regions. Currently, EPA
relies on a network of data managers and stewards across the Agency to implement governance.
To facilitate effective communication between the DGC and responsible parties, as well as to
ensure development and implementation of the most effective data policies, procedures, and
standards, EPA has established a data officer position in each EPA program office and region.
These data officers fulfill essential communication and coordination functions and serve as
anchors for building a stronger culture of utilizing data to build evidence and support decision
making across EPA.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Information Technology/Data
Management Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$119.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Information Technology Acquisition
Reform Act; Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA); Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA); Government Management Reform Act (GMRA); Clinger-
Cohen Act (CCA); Rehabilitation Act of 1973 § 508; Foundations for Evidence-Based Policy
Making Act of 2018; Geospatial Data Act of 2018.
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Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
713
-------
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$845
$972
S2.820
SI.848
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
$758
s -vi
SI.8-/I
S 1,050
Total Budget Authority
$1,602
$1,763
$4,661
$2,898
Total Workyears
4.7
5.9
14.0
8.1
Program Project Description:
EPA's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Program offers cost-effective processes for
preventing and resolving conflicts on Superfund Program matters as an alternative to litigation and
to support collaboration. The Program provides facilitation, mediation, public involvement,
training, and consensus building advice and support for the entire Agency. The Program's ADR
services support the Superfund Program's work with communities, Potentially Responsible
Parties, and other stakeholders, and in particular assist the Superfund Program in meeting their
legal requirements to engage meaningfully with communities by helping to develop collaborative
and effective partnerships.
Significantly, the ADR Program provides conflict resolution and community engagement support
for the Superfund Program to assist with contentious situations at some of the most challenging
sites. In FY 2023, the ADR Program provided ongoing facilitation support for community
engagement in East Palestine, OH following the Norfolk Southern freight train derailment. In
addition to the conflict prevention and resolution support that the ADR Program provides at several
Superfund sites across the country, the ADR Program also supports the Superfund Program's
needs for training in negotiation, public involvement, and other similar topics. In FY 2023, the
ADR Program delivered conflict resolution training for the Community Involvement Training
Program, the National Association of Remedial Project Managers Training Program, and the On-
Scene Coordinators Readiness Training Program. The Program expects to do so again in FY 2025.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $1.05 million and 2.4 FTE to build its ADR program to
meet the requests in the areas of environmental justice and Title VI civil rights cases. EPA will
continue to provide conflict prevention and ADR services on an increasing number of Superfund
Program matters. This program also supports implementation of Executive Order (EO) 13985:
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Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government 2%
Specifically, the ADR Program will:
• Administer its five-year Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Services
(ECCRS) contract, which will be awarded in Spring 2024 and is expected to have a $70 million
capacity. The ADR Program provides most of its conflict prevention and resolution services
to the Agency through this contract. The contract supports more than 50 Superfund projects by
providing facilitators and mediators to resolve conflicts at Superfund sites and is expected to
take on an additional 20 to 30 projects in FY 2025, for an expected total of 70-80 Superfund
projects supported through the ECCRS contract in FY 2025. The ADR Program has
experienced an increase in requests for contract services to support community involvement at
Superfund sites in FY 2023 and the trend is expected to continue. Contract support contributes
to more productive engagement between the Superfund Program and affected communities,
especially underserved and overburdened communities.
• Provide the services described above through the four conflict resolution specialists on staff
and Regional Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (ECCR) Specialists, who
perform environmental ADR work as collateral duty with support from the ADR Program. The
ADR Program expects to provide support through conflict resolution specialists and ECCR
Specialists for agency programs and stakeholders by providing facilitation of public meetings,
mediation, or other consensus building support on six to ten Superfund projects in FY 2025,
which is an increase in direct services (provided by staff) from two to four in FY 2023. As with
contract support, direct staff support promotes greater collaboration and the inclusion of
underserved and overburdened communities at Superfund sites experiencing conflict.
• Provide training to EPA staff in conflict resolution concepts and skills. The ADR Program
offers this training through eight interactively designed courses to all national program offices
and regional offices. The ADR Program delivered three trainings to agencywide Superfund
audiences in FY 2023, including conflict resolution training for the Superfund Community
Involvement biannual training program and negotiation training for the National Association
for Remedial Project Managers' annual conference. The ADR Program expects to increase
routine training for Superfund Community Involvement Coordinators in FY 2025. Trainings
include the building of critical skills for Superfund personnel, such as working across cultural
divides and supporting productive dialogue. These skills help Superfund Program staff better
engage with communities.
• Help to achieve the goals of President Biden's Justice40 initiative by tracking the number of
ADR projects in which services are provided to underserved and overburdened communities.
From January to December 2023, the ADR Program initiated 22 new projects that provide
conflict prevention or ADR services to benefit underserved and overburdened communities,
and the Program expects to increase services in FY 2025.
28 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-
advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
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The following are examples of FY 2023 accomplishments supporting the Superfund Program:
• Provided facilitation and mediation assistance for more than 50 agency supported Superfund
projects, an increase of 18 percent over FY 2022, including multiple sites with challenging
community engagement issues.
• Assisted with process design and facilitated a town hall meeting with Rep. Debbie Dingell to
address community concerns related to the Norfolk Southern freight train derailment. EPA
Region 5 Regional Administrator Debra Shore participated in the meeting, which was held in
Belleville, MI, along with representatives from the Michigan Department of Environment,
Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Norfolk Southern, Republic Services, and other state and
local officials. Over 150 people attended the town hall, and nearly 50 engaged with the
panelists.
• Provided facilitation support for the Meeker Avenue Plume Superfund Site in Region 2 as part
of the Superfund Pilot Workshop Series. The workshops are a form of conflict prevention and
are designed to build early relationships with communities affected by Superfund sites; the
workshop for the Meeker Avenue Site drew over 100 participants, who learned about the site
and engaged with EPA in an informational setting.
• Provided training support for Superfund audiences, including negotiation and other courses for
Community Involvement Coordinators, Remedial Project Managers, and others working on
Superfund sites.
Performance Measures Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$14.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,036.0 / +2.4 FTE) This program change is an increase for the use of alternative dispute
resolution processes, such as mediation and facilitation, to promote equity by including
underserved communities in negotiations. This investment includes $497.0 thousand for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA) of 1996; Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1996;
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
716
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Legal Advice: Environmental Program
Program Area: Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$60,207
$60,061
$86,615
$26,554
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Total Budget Authority
$61,051
$60,660
$87,097
$26,437
Total Workyears
258.8
273.3
352.5
79.2
Total Workyears in FY 2025 include 8.3 FTE funded by TSCA fees and 22.0 FTE to support Legal Advice working
capital fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
The Legal Advice: Environmental Program provides legal representation, legal counseling, and
legal support for environmental activities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) through the Office of General Counsel's (OGC) Solid
Waste and Emergency Response Law Office (SWERLO). Funding supports legal counseling
activities necessary for the Superfund Program's extensive work to clean up contaminated sites,
which advances environmental justice (EJ) for neighboring communities, and supports EPA's
state, tribal, and local partners. For example, the Program provides legal analysis and advice to
help inform EPA's decisions regarding the assessment of certain contaminants at a given
Superfund site under federal law and a party's potential liability under CERCLA.
The Program supports EPA's Superfund work at thousands of sites and spans a wide array of
Superfund legal issues regarding removal and remedial cleanups costing billions of dollars. The
Program is essential to providing the high-quality legal work to help ensure defensibility of EPA's
decisions to protect human health and the environment.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will prioritize legal support for the Superfund Program to assist with the
Administration's priorities including: tackling the climate crisis, advancing EJ, and supporting
state, tribal, and local partners. The Program's increasing work to support CERCLA activities and
these priorities includes but is not limited to counseling on how to address EJ and climate resiliency
in EPA's remedy decisions at Superfund sites, counseling on authorities to address emergencies
and disasters, counseling on the defensibility of agency actions, drafting significant portions of
agency actions, and participating in litigation in defense of agency actions.
717
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In particular, the Program expects a continued significant increase in work to provide key legal
advice and support related to cleanups, enforcement, rulemakings, guidance, and litigation
concerning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Program provides critical legal
advice on actions that are part of the EPA's PbAS Strategic Roadmap29, an Administration priority
which takes a whole-of-agency approach to address PFAS. For example, the Program will provide
significant counsel on EPA's proposal to designate PFAS as a CERCLA hazardous substance, an
action that, if finalized, could significantly advance EJ goals for communities across the country
impacted by PFAS. Similarly, the Program provides legal counsel on other agency actions,
including an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on various PFAS and guidance related to the
destruction and disposal of PFAS. Legal support is critical to the Superfund Program at many
points throughout the cleanup process. This program also provides legal advice and counseling for
final rules adding Superfund sites to the National Priorities List (NPL), an important step in
advancing cleanup at the Nation's most contaminated sites. This benefits states, tribes, and local
communities, who may not have adequate resources to address these sites on their own. The
Program also provides legal advice on the statutory and regulatory requirements governing the
remedy selection process (such as the consideration of state and tribal standards). This work also
benefits states, tribes, and local communities to allow for state/tribal and public engagement on
cleanups in their communities.
The following are examples of FY 2023 accomplishments, which illustrate the Program's
important role in implementing the Agency's core priorities and mission:
• The Program served as the lead on several noteworthy litigation matters. For example:
o The Program led EPA's efforts to develop the Agency's position on a legal issue
of first impression related to CERCLA's statute of limitations for contribution
actions. Program attorneys drafted EPA's letter to the Solicitor General and
advocated to ensure EPA's interests will be reflected in the United States brief in
Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products v. International Paper Company, No. 22-465
(U.S.) to be filed soon.
o Program attorneys, with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), successfully
obtained from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit a favorable opinion
affirming a district court's dismissal of a landowner's claims seeking injunctive
relief to expedite a CERCLA response action. Resort Center Association v. Regan,
No. 21-4150 (10th Cir., May 26, 2023).
o Program attorneys, with DOJ, successfully obtained from the U. S. Court of Appeals
for the Ninth Circuit a favorable opinion in U.S. v. Shell USA, No. 21-55320 (9th
Cir., Nov. 7, 2022). The court held that the United States rightfully sought cost
recovery under CERCLA section 107, and rejected a claim that the United States
was required to seek contribution under CERCLA section 113. The court ultimately
upheld the appellant's liability for approximately $50 million at the McColl
Superfund Site in Fullerton, California.
29 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-2024
718
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• The Program provided critical legal counseling on Superfund PFAS issues and the
Program's legal advice has been central to advancing EPA's efforts on a top Administration
priority to address PFAS contamination. For example, program attorneys:
o Provided essential legal guidance on EPA's proposed rule to designate
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)/Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as CERCLA
hazardous substances;
o Provided further counsel to EPA on the use of CERCLA authority to compel
potentially responsible parties to investigate and address PFAS, the use of
enforcement discretion, and on the impacts of proposed legislation on EPA's
authorities; and
o Played a lead role in advocating for EPA's work protecting human health and the
environment during interagency discussions on how the federal government
approaches PFAS investigation and cleanup, including at military bases.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$117.0) This net change is a decrease due to a slight reduction to the program. It is offset
by an increase to fixed and other costs due to the recalculation of base workforce costs for
existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits
costs. The Program will continue to provide legal representation, counsel, and support for
the Agency's CERCLA activities.
Statutory Authority
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
719
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Operations and Administration
720
-------
Acquisition Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$33,034
$37,251
$42,085
$4,834
Leaking I "ndorground Storage Tanks
SI 73
$181
$136
-$45
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
S 22.835
S 2-.2-I-
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$6,925
Total Budget Authority
$56,042
$64,679
$76,393
$11,714
Total Workyears
268.9
307.7
355.7
48.0
Program Project Description:
Superfund resources in the Acquisition Management Program support EPA's contract activities,
which cover planning, awarding, and administering contracts for the Agency. Efforts include
issuing acquisition policy and interpreting acquisition regulations; administering training for
contracting and program acquisition personnel; providing advice and oversight to regional
procurement offices; and providing information technology (IT) improvements for acquisition.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $6.9 million and 28.0 FTE for this program. The Agency
will continue to strengthen EPA's capacity to process new, increased, and existing contract award
actions in a timely manner; advance EPA utilization of small and disadvantaged businesses;
support "Made in America" initiatives; and address supply chain risk management activities for
information and communication technology. EPA processes and awards contract actions in line
with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and guidance from the Office of Management and
Budget's (OMB) Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP).
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the implementation of supply chain risk requirements
in Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act and the "Made in America Laws"
referenced in Executive Order 14005, Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of
America's Workers,30 while furthering Category Management. The Agency has developed a Made
in America Acquisition training curriculum to train EPA's acquisition workforce and has
developed a comprehensive EPA Made in America intranet site which includes resources on
Agency and Federal Market Resources, compliance requirements and process guidance for both
30 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/25/executive-order-on-ensuring-the-future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers/.
721
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procurement and assistance agreements. EPA also has established a Supply Chain Risk
Management (SCRM) Program Management Office and task force to formally develop a
comprehensive architecture for the Agency's supply chain, as well as mechanisms to identify and
mitigate risk.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue working to eliminate barriers to full and equal participation in
agency procurement and contracting opportunities for all communities and will continue serving
as an active member of the Procurement Equity Workgroup. The Agency will promote the
equitable delivery of government benefits and opportunities by making contracting and
procurement opportunities available on an equal basis to all eligible providers of goods and
services. This work aims to increase the percentage of EPA contract spend awarded to small
businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). These businesses
often lack dedicated resources and in-house capacity to capitalize on agency acquisition and
financial assistance opportunities.
In FY 2025, in support of Administration climate sustainability initiatives, EPA will work with
applicable program offices to identify and prioritize procurement plans that spur innovation,
commercialization, and deployment of clean energy technologies.
EPA remains committed to leveraging Category Management principles and enabling Spend
Under Management (SUM) in each of its programs and purchasing areas to save taxpayer dollars
and improve mission outcomes. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to utilize data provided by OFPP
and the General Services Administration, to implement spend analysis, trend analysis, and data
visualization tools to measure progress toward EPA's Category Management goals.
OMB's SUM initiative focuses on managed total acquisition spend and agency activities which
transition spend to contract vehicles aligned with Category Management principles. Since FY
2023, EPA has elevated its focus on employing Category Management from purely strategic
sourcing to broader monitoring and management of EPA's primary spend categories—Facilities
& Construction, Professional Services, IT, Industrial Products & Services, Office Management,
and Human Capital. Category Liaisons were established to oversee and improve progress with
EPA's development of Category-lev el strategies in the primary spend categories. In FY 2025, EPA
Category Liaisons will partner with Federal and EPA Category Managers to execute established
Category-level strategies to enable greater SUM and improve the Agency's ability to achieve its
Category Management goals.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement SUM principles to leverage pre-vetted agency and
government-wide contracts. Through SUM solutions, acquisition experts will optimize spending
within the government-wide category management framework and increase the transactional data
available for agency-level analysis of buying behaviors. To modernize the acquisition process and
remove barriers to entry for obtaining government contracts, EPA has developed two innovative
tools available agencywide: the EPA Solution Finder, which provides solution and ordering
information for all EPA enterprise-wide contract solutions; and the SUM Opportunity Tool, which
recommends existing solutions to address newly identified agency requirements for commodities
and services and those supported on expiring contracts.
722
-------
EPA also will elevate its focus on the Category Management approach to improve management
and results of its portfolio of contracts. EPA will continue to maximize considerations for
implementing Strategic Sourcing Initiatives (SSIs), thereby enhancing purchase coordination,
improving price uniformity and knowledge-sharing, and leveraging small business capabilities to
meet acquisition goals. EPA will continue to implement strategic sourcing initiatives first launched
in FY 2023 in the areas of Lab Equipment Maintenance; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and
Accessibility; Organizational Development and Coaching; Business and Financial Services; and
Intellitrak software.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Small Minority Business Assistance
Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,713.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$5,212.0 / +28.0 FTE) This net program change will strengthen EPA's capacity to
process new, increased, and existing award contract actions in a timely manner; advance
EPA utilization of small and disadvantaged business; support "Made in America"
initiatives; and support supply chain risk management activities for information and
communication technology. The change is partially offset by program efficiencies
realized, reducing acquisition system costs. This investment includes $5.3 million for
payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
723
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Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$85,840
$87,099
$100,595
$13,496
I.caking I "ndorground Storage Tanks
$373
$457
$474
$17
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
S3 2.'J 1-1
$30,512
-.S,S'.V)
Total Budget Authority
$119,128
$118,894
$131,581
$12,687
Total Workyears
441.2
472.0
486.7
14.7
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 2.0 FTE funded by TSCA fees.
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 45.7 FTE to support Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance working capital
fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
EPA's financial management community maintains a strong partnership with the Superfund
Program. EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) supports this continuing partnership
by providing a full array of financial management support services and systems necessary to pay
Superfund bills, recoup cleanup and oversight costs for the Trust Fund. EPA's OCFO manages
Superfund activities under the Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance Program in support of
integrated planning, budget formulation and execution, financial management, performance and
accountability processes, financial cost recovery, and systems to ensure effective stewardship of
Superfund resources. This program supports agency activities to meet requirements of the
Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRMA) of 2010,31 as amended by the
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 ("Evidence Act"), with an emphasis
on Title I of the Act;32 the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act of 2014;33 the
Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) of 2015;34 the Federal
Management Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA);35 the Inspector General Act of 1978.36
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
31 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.l/plaws/publ352/PLAW-l 1. Ipubl352.pdf.
32 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.5/plaws/publ435/.PLAW-1.15publ435.pdf.
33 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gov/1.1.3/plaws/publ 1.01./FLAW-1.1.3publ 1.01. .pdf.
34 FITARA became law as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Title VIII, Subtitle D),
https: //www, congress, gov/1.1.3/plaws/publ2 91. /FLAW -1.1.3pubt2 91. .pdf".
35 For more information, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-96/pdf/STATUTE-96-Pg814.pdf.
36 For more information, please see: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCQDE-201.2-titteS/pdf/tJSCQDE-2012-title5-app-
inspector.pdf.
724
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In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional 0.5 FTE in this program. This increase invests in a solution
that would move the Agency forward in assessing enterprise and programmatic risk, internal
control, and audit management. EPA will continue to provide resource stewardship to ensure that
all agency programs operate with fiscal responsibility, management integrity, financial services
are efficiently and consistently delivered nationwide, and programs demonstrate results. The
Program will maintain key planning, budgeting, and financial management activities. The Program
will ensure secure efficient maintenance operations of core agency financial management systems:
Compass, PeoplePlus (Time and Attendance), Budget Formulation System, which includes a
Performance Module, and related financial reporting systems. The Agency is reviewing its
financial systems for modernization and innovation opportunities to support greater effectiveness
of targeting legacy systems for replacement. Dashboards are now in place to support payroll, FTE
management, and to support GPRMA performance planning and systematic tracking of progress.
In FY 2025, EPA also will continue to standardize and streamline business processes and
operations to promote transparency and efficiency. The Program will apply Lean Management
techniques and leverage input from customer-focused councils, advisory groups, and technical
workgroups to continue improve. At the beginning of FY 2023, EPA began processing new
interagency agreements within G-invoicing, as per the Treasury guidelines. G-invoicing will
streamline processing and improve management of Interagency Agreements (IA) with the Army
Corps of Engineers for Superfund site clean-up. The system implementation will continue to
evolve over the next few years as more agencies come online and start to do business with the
Agency in G-invoicing. EPA will continue to work transferring its entire catalog of interagency
agreements to G-invoicing by the end of FY 2025, however this transfer is dependent on the trading
partners' ability to access G-invoicing.
In FY 2025, the Program will continue to focus on core responsibilities in the areas of strategic
planning and budget preparation, financial reporting, transaction processing, and Superfund Cost
Recovery. In FY 2023, EPA successfully implemented the new billing and cost recovery system,
e-Recovery, for Superfund, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Oil Spill. The Agency
will continue to implement FITARA requirements in accordance with EPA's Implementation
Plan.37 The Chief Information Officer will continue to be engaged throughout the budget planning
process to ensure that information technology (IT) needs are properly planned and resourced in
accordance with FITARA.
The Program will continue to conduct internal control program reviews and use the results and
recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to provide evidence of the financial
soundness of EPA's financial management program and identify areas for further improvement.
Annually, EPA conducts internal control reviews of multiple programs. In FY 2023, EPA
enhanced its enterprise risk management and risk assessment processes in order to help with the
collection and analysis of agency's risks and mitigating controls. The Program will continue to
collect key operational statistics for its financial management program to further evaluate its
operations and for management decision-making. In future years, the Agency will continue to
refine and implement controls on payments by re-evaluating and adjusting its Payment Integrity
operations to allow for broader reviews of payment transactions. At the end of the current fiscal
37 For more information please see: http://www.epa.gov/open/fitara-implementation-plan-and-chief-iiifoniiation-ofFLcer-
assignment-plan.
725
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year, the Program will provide assurance to the OIG of the validity of financial statements and
overall financial reporting.
With increased focused on internal controls, audit management, and enterprise risk assessment, in
FY 2025, the Agency will continue to expand the Program's efforts in this area including
implementing a new internal control tool. The new tool will allow the Agency to easily crosswalk
the anticipated increase in the number of audits for program integrity to the 600+ risks and internal
controls. The tool also will help the Agency to better monitor the effectiveness, impact and testing
of the internal controls set in place.
EPA has made significant strides in recent years to strengthen programs considered susceptible to
improper payment. However, the Agency continues to be vigilant in reducing fraud, waste, and
abuse, and strengthening internal controls over improper payments. In addition, as required by the
Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 (PIIA) (P.L. 116-117)38 and OMB Memorandum M-
21-19 Appendix C,39 EPA conducts risk assessments of all its payment streams. Other
improvements include the recent implementation of upgraded systems used for payments and
invoice processing through which the Agency anticipates even fewer payment errors moving
forward. To strengthen our processes, EPA is developing risk assessment plans for significant
increases for new funding the Agency receives. These risk assessments will outline potential areas
that may require additional guidance for tracking and reporting, performance measures, and
internal controls to prevent and detect possible improper payment activities.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Central Planning, Budgeting, and
Finance Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$997.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE from annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes support
for critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0.
• (+$92.0 / +0.5 FTE) This program change invests in a management integrity tool to turn
manual data collection and analysis activities into a streamlined, customer-focused and
agencywide tool that meets the analytical needs of enterprise risk, internal control, and
audit environments. The FTE will support system configuration, training, on-going
administrative functions and expanded agency analysis and compilation activities. This
investment includes $92.0 thousand for payroll.
38 For more information, please see: https://www.congress.gOv/l 16/plaws/publl 17/PLAW-l 16publl 17.pdf.
39 For more information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/M-21-19.pdf.
726
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• (-$1,915.0) This program disinvestment reflects the cost savings from decommissioning
the SCORPIOS cost recovery system. In FY 2023, EPA successfully implemented and
replaced SCORPIOS with the new e-Recovery system. This program change also includes
efficiencies gained in adopting G-Invoicing for IAs and reflects fulfillment of a one-time
cost to complete enhancements for the Agency infrastructure investment for devolution
and continuity of operations projects and other workforce support needs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
727
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Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Science & Technology
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
Building and Facilities
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$803
$754
$729
-$25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Hazardous Substance Sn/>i'r/niitl
.N ~-l.ll 5
S(>5J>34
.S '2J-I0
V). '15
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Superfund resources in the Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Program fund the Agency's
rent, utilities, and security. The Program also supports centralized administrative activities and
support services, including health and safety, environmental compliance and management,
facilities maintenance and operations, space planning, sustainable facilities and energy
conservation planning and support, property management, mail, and transportation services.
Funding for such services is allocated among the major appropriations for the Agency.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $6.7 million and 0.5 FTE in the Facilities Infrastructure
and Operations Program to support agencywide climate sustainability and resiliency initiatives,
and EPA facilities' operating costs and projects. Investing in the reconfiguration of EPA's
workspaces enables the Agency to release office space and avoid long-term rent costs, consistent
with the Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act.40 These resources are essential to help EPA reduce
the number of occupied leased facilities, consolidate and optimize space within owned facilities,
and reduce square footage. The Agency's space consolidation and energy efficiency efforts result
in cost avoidances due to projected rent and utility increases in out-years. For FY 2025, the Agency
requests a total of $41.59 million in rent, $2.84 million in utilities, and $8.8 million for security in
40 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.congress.gOv/bill/l 14th-congress/house-bill/4465. Federal Assets Sale
and Transfer Act of 2016.
728
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the Superfund appropriation. EPA uses a standard methodology to ensure that rent charging
appropriately reflects planned and enacted resources at the appropriation level.
EPA will continue conducting climate resiliency assessments at EPA-owned facilities to identify
critical upgrades that are necessary to improve facility resiliency against the impacts of climate
change, such as roof stabilization or seawall construction projects. EPA also will continue
incorporating natural hazard and climate vulnerability assessments into their real property risk
management process. In FY 2025, EPA will conduct climate assessments at the Andrew W.
Breidenbach Environmental Research Center, and Center Hill Research Facility in Cincinnati, OH,
and the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, MI. As a result of FY 2022
assessments, EPA initiated two high priority projects in FY 2023: a feasibility study to improve
the resilience of the causeway leading to the Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division
campus in Gulf Breeze, FL, and a solar array feasibility study at the research facility in
Narragansett, RI.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce.41 EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting organizational
health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments 42 Even if modifications are kept to a minimum, each move requires initial funding
to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. These investments support
sustainable federal infrastructure and the clean energy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
In FY 2025, EPA will implement energy, water, and building infrastructure requirements with
emphasis on environmental programs (e.g., Environmental Management Systems, Environmental
Compliance Programs, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification, alternative
fuel use, fleet reductions, telematics, and sustainability assessments). This funding will support
investments in infrastructure (e.g., architectural and design) and mechanical systems (e.g.,
Optimized Building Managements Systems for heating and cooling with load demand driven
controls). In line with federal sustainability goals, EPA will work to utilize 100 percent carbon
pollution-free electricity on a net annual basis by 2030.
EPA also will meet regulatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
obligations determined through audits and assessments and will provide health and safety training
to field staff (e.g., inspections, monitoring, and on-scene coordinators). The Agency will continue
its partnership with GSA to utilize shared services solutions, USAccess, and Enterprise Physical
Access Control System (ePACS) programs. USAccess provides standardized HSPD-12 approved
Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card enrollment and issuance and ePACS provides centralized
access control of EPA facilities, including restricted and secure areas.
41 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) and EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/).
42 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM CAA) Number of EPA-owned facility climate adaptation assessments completed.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2
7
11
14
Assessments
Actual
1
7
(PM CRP) Perce
months of a com
ntage of priority climate resiliency Projects for EPA-owned facilities initiated within 24
pleted facility climate assessment and Pro ject prioritization.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Actual
100
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
1
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$279.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,275.0) This increase includes adjustments to rent, utilities, security, and transit
subsidy needs.
• (+$5,161.0 / +0.5 FTE) This program change supports implementation of EO 14057:
Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability requirements
that will require EPA to increase facility resiliency against the impact of climate change
and to advance sustainability of EPA operations. EPA will invest in facility climate
assessments and Optimized Building Managements Systems; EPA facilities projects to
optimize space, avoid costs, and increase efficiency; and EPA's Climate Adaptation Plan.
This investment includes $93.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
730
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Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$28,225
$30,188
$34,745
$4,557
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S-I.X55
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S-l.()(>0
Vo.V
Total Budget Authority
$33,079
$34,190
$39,405
$5,215
Total Workyears
145.5
156.8
184.5
27.7
Program Project Description:
Superfund resources in the Financial Assistance Grants and Interagency Agreement (IA)
Management Program support the management of grants and IAs as well as suspension and
debarment activities for assistance and procurement programs. Grants and IAs historically
comprise approximately a significant percentage of EPA's annual appropriations. Resources in
this program ensure that EPA manages grants and IAs to meet the highest fiduciary standards and
achieve measurable results for environmental programs and agency priorities, and that the
government's financial resources and business interests are protected from fraud and
mismanagement. These objectives are critically important for the Superfund Program, as a
substantial portion of the Program is implemented through IAs with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $658.0 thousand and 4.7 FTE for this program. The
Agency will continue implementing the FY 2021-2025 Grants Management Plan, focusing on
efficient award and management of assistance agreements, enhancing partnerships within the
grants management community, promoting environmental justice (EJ), and ensuring effective
grant oversight and accountability.
EPA will continue to provide technical assistance and outreach to recipients of federal funding;
improve capacity for oversight and tracking of new and increased grant investments; and process
financial assistance agreements in a timely manner. EPA will conduct a robust training program
for EPA staff and grant applicants and recipients that will focus on:
1) Helping applicants find and apply for competitive and non-competitive grant
opportunities.
2) Providing compliance assistance to ensure applicants and recipients are prepared to
receive and administer funding from the annual appropriations as well as the Infrastructure
731
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Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Congressionally
Directed Spending.
3) Ensuring recipients understand and comply with the federal requirements that apply to
them and primary recipients.
EPA will use and adapt the grant competition and grant-making processes to promote equity and
support for underserved communities. For example, EPA will provide technical assistance to
potential grantees from underserved communities on sound financial management practices to
reduce barriers to competition for EPA grant resources. EPA also will track grant place of
performance to help determine whether underserved communities realize the benefits of EPA grant
programs.
EPA will continue to ensure compliance with the Build America, Buy America Act and policies
in its financial assistance programs, consistent with Executive Order 14005 and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-24-02.43'44 These efforts include establishing
appropriate terms and conditions, developing information to share with recipients, conducting
market research and industrial engagement, and, where absolutely necessary, providing limited
and targeted waivers consistent with statutory requirements and OMB directive.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to make use of discretionary debarments and suspensions
as well as statutory disqualifications under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to protect the
integrity of federal assistance and procurement programs. Congress and federal courts have long
recognized federal agencies' inherent authority and obligation to exclude non-responsible parties
from eligibility to receive government contracts and federal assistance awards (e.g., grants,
cooperative agreements, loans, and loan guarantees).
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$306.0)) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$964.0 / +4.7 FTE) This program change will support technical assistance and outreach
to first time recipients of federal funding; improve capacity for oversight and tracking of
new and increased grant investments; and the timely processing of financial assistance
agreements. This investment includes $884.0 thousand for payroll.
43 For more information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/28/2021-02038/ensuriiig-the-future-
is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers.
44 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/M-24-02-Buy-America-
Iinpleiiieiitatioii-Guidance-IJpdate.pdf.
732
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Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act;
Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act § 2455.
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Human Resources Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$51,882
$51,261
$68,124
$16,863
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S-JH2
s-.v/y
SVJOJ
SI.fi.S-/
Total Budget Authority
$59,264
$58,680
$77,427
$18,747
Total Workyears
210.6
254.4
328.7
74.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 1.5 FTE to support Human Resources Management working capital fund (WCF)
services.
Program Project Description:
Superfund resources for the Human Resources (HR) Management Program support human capital
management (HCM) activities throughout EPA. HCM activities include diverse outreach,
recruitment, hiring, employee development, performance management, leadership development,
strategic planning (including workforce planning, succession management, employee acclimation
and experience management), data analysis and labor union engagement. These factors are critical
for building, developing, and retaining a diverse and talented workforce at EPA. Additional HCM
activities supported by EPM resources include personnel and payroll processing through the
Human Resources Line of Business. EPM resources also support overall federal advisory
committee management and Chief Human Capital Officer Council activities under applicable
statutes and guidance, including the Agency's Human Capital Operating Plan.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $18.75 million and 74.3 FTE across EPM and Superfund
resources for the HR Management Program to continue to implement EPA's Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan, establish a centralized EPA intern program,
implement evidence-gathering and application under EPA's Learning Agenda, and strengthen
agencywide capacity to hire and onboard staff in a timely and equitable manner. The activities
supported by EPA's HR Management Program contribute to effective workforce management and
are critical for strengthening the workforce, retaining expertise, and capturing institutional
knowledge. EPA continues developing mechanisms to ensure employees have the right skills to
successfully achieve the Agency's core mission today and in the future.
734
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EPA is committed to advancing equity, in line with President Biden's Executive Orders (EOs)
13985,45 13988,46 14020,47 14035,48 and 14075.49 In FY 2025, in line with EO 14035, EPA
requests an additional $7,826 million to implement the actions identified in the DEIA Strategic Plan
and to assess whether agency recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional development,
performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable accommodations access, and
training policies and practices are equitable. EPA will undertake an evidence-based and data-
driven approach to determine whether, and to what extent, agency practices result in inequitable
employment outcomes, and whether agency actions may help to overcome systemic societal and
organizational barriers. Further, the Agency's Chief Diversity Officer will oversee the assessment
of the status and effects of existing DEIA initiatives or programs and review the institutional
resources available to support human resources activities. For areas where evidence is lacking, the
Agency will propose opportunities to advance DEIA. EPA will continue to involve employees at
all levels of the organization in the assessment of DEIA initiatives and programs.
In FY 2025, EPA will manage and propose an additional $1,360 million investment in its Senior
Executive Service Candidate Development Program. The Program will focus on incorporating
DEIA strategies to ensure future executives reflect the diversity of the American population and
possess the skills necessary to lead a diverse and talented workforce operating in a hybrid work
environment. The Agency will continue to implement a centralized paid internship program and
with the additional funds requested, will expand on existing internship opportunities across the
Agency and to strengthen talent and workforce acquisition. This paid internship program focuses
on expanding federal work experience opportunities for underrepresented and underserved
populations which may have experienced barriers to applying or fully participating in existing
opportunities. EPA's program will provide a total of approximately 180 four-month internship
opportunities across EPA Programs and Regional Offices. Additionally, EPA will implement a
plan to convert eligible interns to permanent federal service based on performance and completing
program requirements.
EPA has increased efforts to improve DEIA with virtual outreach events targeting diverse
networks such as veterans, persons with disabilities, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. To recruit
EPA's next generation of employees, EPA will continue outreach to new potential sources for
future employees and use all available hiring authorities including Schedule A and recruitment
incentives. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics-focused institutions and organizations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional
Engineers and National Society of Black Engineers. EPA also will participate in the President's
Management Council Interagency Rotational Program to create leadership development
45 For additional information, please refer to: https:/Avww.federalregister.gov/documents/2021./() 1.125/2021.-0 1153/advancing-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-govemment.
46 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01761/preventiiig-
and-combating-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation.
47 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gOv/documents/2021/03/l 1/2021.-05183/establishment-
of-the-white-house-gender-policy-council.
48 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/06/30/2Q21-14127/diversity-
equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce.
49 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/06/21/2Q22-13391/advancing-
equality-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer-and-intersex-individuals.
735
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assignments for GS 13-15 level employees. EPA will continue to review applicant flow diversity
data every quarter to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
In FY 2025, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments,50 EPA will continue to implement, and update as necessary, its Work Environment
Plan in a manner that emphasizes meaningful in-person work and advances organizational health
and performance. EPA will continue to assess and implement any necessary investments in
information technology and real property necessary to implement its Work Environment Plan.
EPA also will continue to support front-line supervisor training for managing individuals and
teams working in hybrid environments and effectively delivering results to customers and
stakeholders. EPA will continue to support a data-driven culture which routinely uses performance
measures for measuring, monitoring, and improving organizational health and organizational
performance.
The Agency will continue to build Talent Teams to effectively expand recruitment and hiring to
meet critical agency skill needs, as well as continue to leverage childcare subsidies to support
retention. EPA also will continue to support and invest in evidence-building activities to carry out
a workforce strategy guided by data-driven decisions as part of its implementation of the Evidence
Act through the Workforce Planning learning priority area in EPA's Learning Agenda. This work
also addresses implementing OMB's Statistical Policy No. 15, Standards for the Classification of
Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. This work includes determining Mission Critical
Competencies, enhancement of EPA's competency assessment tool, conducting a skills gap
analysis across the Agency, and implementing knowledge transfer strategies to support Succession
Management.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to operate and maintain the Talent Enterprise Diagnostic (TED)
tool to allow EPA to make data-driven, strategic workforce decisions. TED data will serve a crucial
role in EPA's Workforce Planning and Succession Management activities by identifying potential
competency gaps across the Agency and by increasing management's understanding of where
needed skill sets should reside within EPA. Additionally, EPA will continue to maintain and
operate dashboards related to Mission Critical Occupations, Workforce Demographics, and
Diversity. These dashboards provide data visualizations and easy-to-understand information about
the current workforce, assisting EPA with Succession Management by identifying workforce gaps
due to anticipated retirements and attrition trends. This is critical considering approximately 22
percent of EPA's workforce is retirement eligible and another 15 percent of the current workforce
will become retirement eligible over the next five years.
The Agency will continue to implement Executive Order 14003, Protecting the Federal
Workforce,51 issued on January 22, 2021. EPA reviewed its unions' agreements to identify and
eliminate provisions influenced by four revoked executive orders and will increase the focus on
pre-decisional involvement and interest-based bargaining. In FY 2025, EPA will continue working
to reset and repair relationships and involve unions in a collaborative way, promoting the Agency's
50 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
51 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/22/executive-
order-protecting-the-federal-workforce/.
736
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and the unions' shared goal of the positive and equitable treatment of newly empowered
employees.
Finally, EPA's advisory committees have proven effective in building consensus among the
Agency's diverse external partners and stakeholders. In line with President Biden'sMemorandum
on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based
Policymaking,52 EPA remains committed to ensuring highly qualified external experts serve on
agency committees and members and future nominees of EPA advisory committees reflect the
diversity of America in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and other characteristics.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Human Resources Management
Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$64.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, changes to benefits costs, and changes to workers
compensation and childcare.
• (+$691.0 / +10.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to continue to develop and
diversify its new paid internship program to strengthen talent and workforce acquisition
and focus on expanding federal work experience opportunities for underrepresented and
underserved populations. This investment includes $590.0 thousand for payroll.
• (+$569.0) This program change is an increase to support the implementation of Executive
Order 14035 - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in the Federal
Workforce, carry out the actions identified in EPA's DEIA Strategic Plan, and assess
whether agency recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional development,
performance evaluations, pay and compensation policies, reasonable accommodations
access, and training policies and practices are equitable.
• (+$360.0) This program change is an increase to support the continuation of the Senior
Executive Service Candidate Development Program with a goal that EPA senior leaders
reflect the diversity of the American people and will include a special focus on developing
diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusivity competencies.
• (+$200.0 / +0.6 FTE) This program change is an increase in support of the Foundations for
Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. Resources will be used for Learning Agenda's
evidence-gathering activities. This investment includes $79.0 thousand for payroll.
52 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/memorandum-on-restoring-trust-in-government-through-scientific-integrity-and-evidence-based-
policymaking/.
737
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Statutory Authority:
Title 5 of the U.S.C.; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L.
98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
738
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Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability
739
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Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$40,119
$39,918
$45,746
$5,828
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
SV.225
S-I.'JOI
N 5.040
SIM)
Total Budget Authority
$49,345
$44,819
$50,786
$5,967
Total Workyears
156.6
155.9
179.9
24.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Research Program is focused on
generating assessments that inform decisions made by EPA and others, including states and tribes.
These assessments provide the scientific basis for decisions under an array of environmental laws
including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA). With funding from Superfund, the HERA program supports the risk assessment needs
of the Agency's Superfund Program and regional risk assessors by providing Provisional Peer-
Reviewed Toxicity Values (PPRTVs) and other fit-for-purpose human health assessments. The
HERA Research Program also provides technical support on the application of human health and
ecological risk assessment practices at hazardous waste sites for Superfund. These assessment
tools and activities support risk-based management decisions at contaminated Superfund and
hazardous waste sites.
The HERA Research Program supports the Agency's mission to protect human health and the
environment by identifying and characterizing the health hazards of chemicals of concern to the
Superfund Program and responding to technical requests on topics relevant to human health or
ecological risk assessment at hazardous waste sites. EPA scientists in the HERA Research Program
synthesize available scientific information on the potential health and environmental impacts of
exposures to individual chemicals and chemical mixtures in the environment, such as per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PPRTVs and other assessments under the HERA program are
important sources of toxicity information and toxicity values to ensure improvements in human
health and the environment in communities near Superfund sites.
Priorities for PPRTV development are based on the needs of the Agency's Office of Land and
Emergency Management (OLEM), with input from Agency regional offices, and are re-evaluated
annually. Research areas under the HERA program include applying new data; computational
tools; enhancement of supporting data/knowledge bases; and efficiency of derivation for PPRTV
values.
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There are over 1,300 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List.53 Communities near
Superfund sites or in emergencies are faced with an urgent need for coordinated assistance to
assess and address environmental contamination issues. The HERA Research Program anticipates
environmental contamination issues. It develops new assessment approaches to enhance rapid
response and screening capabilities and to augment toxicity value derivation procedures for human
health toxicity assessments.
Recent Accomplishments of the HERA Research Program include:
The HERA Research Program has developed assessment products that inform science-based
decision-making, enhance timely responses, improve screening capabilities, and augment toxicity
value derivations for use in risk assessments.
• Portfolio of Chemical Assessments: In FY 2023, EPA finalized seven PPRTV assessments
under the HERA program, including PPRTVs that apply analogue read-across analysis for
chemicals with limited data such as the PPRTVfor Perylene.54 In FY 2024, EPA anticipates
delivering six to nine additional high-priority PPRTV assessments55 based on the needs and
priorities of EPA's Superfund Program. The HERA Research Program also continues to
support the needs of EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management through the
development of assessments for other priority chemicals, such as PFAS, polychlorinated
biphenyls, methylmercury, hexavalent chromium, and inorganic arsenic.56
• Advancements in Lead Modeling: The Agency anticipates finalizing updates to the All-Ages
Lead Model (AALM)57 in FY 2024 which will include improved lead biokinetic modeling in
adults and children.
• Technical Support: The HERA Research Program responds to ongoing requests for scientific
support on human and ecological assessment via the Superfund Health Risk Technical Support
Center58 and Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center.59 Recent efforts have included
providing risk assessment support at Saint-Gobain McCaffrey Street (New York), Plattsburg
Air Force Base (Vermont), Velsicol Chemical Corp (Michigan), Tittabawassee River
(Michigan), LA. Clarke & Son (Virginia), and ASARCO Superfund Site (Nebraska). Ongoing
requests include assistance with employing new approach methods, review of probabilistic risk
assessment models, and continued stakeholder engagement on complex science to address the
needs of Superfund sites across the United States.
53 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/superfmd/supeifuiid-national-prioilties-list-npl.
54 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/pprtv/chemicalLanding.cfm7pprtv sub id= 1845.
55 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pprtv.
56 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/iris/iris-recent-additions.
57 For the current All-Ages Lead Model, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay ,cfm?deid=343670.
58 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/land-research/superfund-health-risk-technical-support-center-stsc.
59 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/land-research/epas-technical-support-centers.
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the HERA Research Program's work will focus explicitly on efforts integral to
achieving the Agency's priorities and informing EPA's implementation of key environmental
regulations. Examples of this work include:
• PFAS Research: PFAS are a class of chemicals of concern in the environment. Decision-
making on PFAS chemicals is hindered by a limited number of standard toxicity values. There
are still large numbers of PFAS, of high interest to partners, that currently have no federally
published, peer-reviewed toxicity values. As described in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap,60
within the HERA Research Program, EPA is prioritizing additional PFAS for the development
of peer-reviewed toxicity values. This will result in an expanded set of high-quality peer-
reviewed toxicity values for use by federal, state, and tribal officials that must make risk
assessment and management decisions.
• PPRTV Assessments: In FY 2025, the HERA Research Program anticipates delivering six to
nine additional high-priority PPRTV assessments as prioritized by EPA's Office of Land and
Emergency Management.
• Portfolio of Assessment Products: In FY 2025, EPA will complement the PPRTVs by
providing additional human health assessment products for priority chemicals. By developing
a range of fit-for-purpose assessment products, the Agency will match the assessment scope
and problem formulation with program needs to increase efficiency.
• Linking Databases and Management Tools: In FY 2025, the HERA Program will continue
to collaborate with the Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research Program to link the
architecture of assessment databases and literature management tools, including Health and
Environmental Research Online61 and the Health Assessment and Workplace Collaborative62
with the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard 63
• Rapid Technical Support: In FY 2025, the HERA Program will continue essential technical
assistance across EPA to provide rapid technical support to programs and regions. These
activities will provide expedited technical support for evaluating chemical-specific exposures
at Superfund and contaminated sites, as well as incorporating case-specific information related
to urgent situations.
• Lead: Childhood lead exposure continues to be one of the highest priorities for EPA. To
advance the application of lead exposure and biokinetic models in EPA regulatory decisions
60 For more information, please see EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap at: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-
commitments-action-2021.-2024.
61 For more information, please see: https://hero.epa.gov/hero/.
62 For more information, please see: https://hawcprd.epa.gov/.
63 For more information, please see: https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard.
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and site assessments, the HERA Research Program will enhance, evaluate, and apply lead
biokinetic models for estimating potential blood lead levels for regulatory determinations.64
Additionally, the Exposure Factors Handbook65 will be continually updated to provide up-to-
date data on various human factors, including soil and dust ingestion rates, used by risk
assessors.
Please note that certain activities within this program could have implications associated with the
Administration's Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of Agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published the fourth generation of the
StRAPs,66 which will continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement67 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and Agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
64 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/superfmdAead-superfund-sites-software-and-users-manuals.
65 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay ,cfm?deid=236252.
66 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
67 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
743
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Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$139.0) This program change reflects an increase for the Health and Environmental
Assessment program. This increase will assist in advancing science assessments like
PPRTV's as well as analytical approaches for the applications of risk assessments and
additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
744
-------
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainabilitv
Program Area: Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$153
$0
$0
$0
Science &. Technology
$96,828
$92,550
$106,217
$13,667
Utizurtlims Substance Siiperjuml
N .\-l~fi
SS.000
SS.000
$0
Total Budget Authority
$102,457
$100,610
$114,277
$13,667
Total Workyears
268.8
276.7
315.4
38.7
Program Project Description:
EPA's Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Research Program provides scientific and
technical approaches, information, tools, and methods to support the Agency and others in making
better-informed and more timely decisions about chemicals and their potential risks to human
health and the environment.68 CSS products strengthen the Agency's ability to use the best
available science to evaluate and predict human health and ecological impacts from the use, reuse,
recycling, and disposal of manufactured and naturally occurring chemicals and their by-products.
The CSS Research Program informs Agency decisions about chemicals, accelerates the pace of
chemical assessment and decision-making, and helps to replace, reduce, and refine the use of
mammals used to evaluate chemical risks to ecological and human health. CSS products under the
Superfund appropriation conduct mitigation activities at Superfund sites under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Research activities under
CSS are coordinated with the activities of other national research programs to inform high-priority
research topics, such as research focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Coordination with the Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) Program ensures that
the approaches, tools, and information produced under the CSS Research Program can be used to
improve chemical risk assessments, reduce uncertainties associated with those assessments, and
increase the speed of delivering chemical information to the Agency.
The CSS program's PFAS research provides great value to EPA's overall PFAS research efforts,
with significant contributions to the development of the EPA National PFAS Testing Strategy,69
the issuance of Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 4 Test Orders for PFAS,70 and the
issuance of Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS.71
68 For the CSS StRAP, please see: 5 trategic Research Action Plans Fiscal Years 2023-2026 1 US EPA.
69 National PFAS Testing Strategy: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-iiianaging-cheiiiicals-mider-tsca/national-pfas-testing-
strategy.
70 TSCA Section 4 Test Orders: h ttps://www. epa.gov/assessing-and-iiianaging-cheiiiicals-under-tsca/tsca-section-4-test-orders.
71 PFAS Drinking Water Health Advisories: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/drinking-water-health-advisories-has.
745
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Recent Accomplishments of the CSS Research Program include:
• Inclusion of PFAS Chemicals in Comptox Dashboard: Assembly and curation of PFAS
chemical lists72 and relevant PFAS data were included in the most recent CompTox
Chemicals Dashboard73 release and will continue to be added in future releases.
Specifically, Dashboard users can now access a variety of PFAS data on chemical
properties, chemical structure categories, and chemical hazards.
• Inclusion of PFAS Chemical Data in invitroDB: Additional data on hundreds of
perfluorinated chemicals also can be accessed through invitroDB,74 a database of data
generated from testing of chemicals in high-throughput screening assays.
These efforts to assemble and curate PFAS chemical data for inclusion in the Dashboard and
invitroDB will continue in FY 2025.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the CSS Research Program will continue to provide the information needed to inform
Agency decisions about PFAS. PFAS are a large class of fluorinated substances of concern. PFAS
chemicals will be acquired to expand and maintain the existing PFAS physical library of
compounds to include those PFAS of interest to the Agency and external partners. EPA is
committed to supporting tribes, states, and local communities to understand and manage risks
associated with these chemicals.75 EPA research on PFAS represents a major integrative effort that
will provide systematic information on a broad range of topics. EPA scientists will continue to
identify, curate, evaluate, and extract available physicochemical, structural, exposure, and
toxicological data from the published and gray literature to inform study design, categorization
approaches, and interpretation of emerging studies.
In FY 2025, PFAS fate, transport, occurrence, and persistence in the environment and in consumer
products will be evaluated to help understand exposure scenarios. CSS will execute a tiered
toxicity testing strategy, which utilizes new approach methods (NAMs) to evaluate single PFAS
chemicals and mixtures in a high throughput manner, followed by targeted in vivo testing for
chemicals identified as priorities. This testing approach will include several systems-specific
toxicity tests, including developmental neurotoxicity, thyroid toxicity, immunotoxicity, and
developmental and reproductive toxicity. Various types of modeling will be used to translate in
vitro results into in vivo outcomes and will include the use of adverse outcome pathway (AOP)
models that link in vitro results to outcomes relevant to regulatory objectives and in silico
72 For more information, please see: https://www.frontiersiii.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.850019/full.
73 For more information, please see: https://comptox.epa.gov/dashboard.
74 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/exploring-toxcast-data.
75 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-strategic-roadmap-epas-commitments-action-2021-
2024#engagement.
746
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predictive toxicity models. NAMS can be used to group and prioritize chemicals, e.g., as illustrated
in the recent PFAS categorization paper.76
In the ecological domain, EPA is developing multispecies approaches to evaluate species
sensitivity differences across taxa to inform aquatic risk benchmarks. Furthermore, work continues
to determine the bioaccumulation of PFAS in aquatic species, because fish consumption is relevant
to human health and exposure. Resources requested in FY 2025 will build upon the research
foundation formed from completed work outlined in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.11
Research Planning:
EPA's research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action
Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research needs of Agency program and regional offices, states, and
tribes, and is implemented with their active collaboration and involvement. Each research program
has developed and published the fourth generation of the StRAPs,78 which will continue the
practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at solving the problems encountered
by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement79 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives of
mutual benefit and responsibility to work collaboratively on environmental science
issues.
76 For more information, please see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S246811.1.32200038X.
77 For more information, please see: https://vyyyw.aia.gov/pfas/pfas-slrateiic-roadmap-eDas-commitmaits-aclion-20g 1 -2024.
78 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
79 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
747
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Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 104; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA); Children's Health Act; 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act; Clean Water Act; Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Pollution Prevention Act (PPA); Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA).
748
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Research: Sustainable Communities
749
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Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Program Area: Research: Sustainable Communities
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$147,279
$137,857
$149,498
$11,641
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$292
$341
$356
$15
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$785
$675
$683
$8
Hazardous Substance Sn/>i'r/niitl
$18,525
S //J.9.?"
sr.5/'
$580
Total Budget Authority
$166,880
$155,810
$168,054
$12,244
Total Workyears
427.2
421.8
451.3
29.5
Program Project Description:
This area of EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program within the
Superfund appropriation responds directly to the Superfund law requirements for a comprehensive
and coordinated federal "program of research, evaluation, testing, development, and demonstration
of alternative or innovative treatment technologies.. .which may be utilized in response actions to
achieve more permanent protection of human health and welfare and the environment."80
SHC has made a commitment to foster environmental, public health, and economic benefits for
overburdened communities. Superfund remedial technologies will directly support communities
with environmental justice concerns and accelerate solutions to ameliorate the negative impacts
Superfund sites and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose for underserved
communities. The research will emphasize remediation technologies that improve long-term site
resilience including the current and potential future impacts of climate change (e.g., flooding, fire,
sea level rise). SHC will apply an integrated systems approach to incorporate diverse data streams
to increase understanding of linkages between the total environment (built, natural, and social) and
public health to support communities and will highlight climate change and Environmental Justice
related research throughout the program.
SHC's research under the Superfund appropriation provides federal, regional, and community
decision-makers with: 1) engineering tools, methods, and information to assess current conditions
at Superfund sites; 2) decision support tools to evaluate the implications of alternative remediation
approaches and technologies, and reuse of sites; 3) the latest science to support policy development
and implementation; and 4) rapid access to technical support through EPA's Superfund Technical
Support Centers.
80 42 U.S.C. § 9660(b).
750
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Recent Accomplishments of the SHC Research Program include:
PFAS Research to Support EPA's Destruction and Disposal Guidance for PFAS and
PFAS-Containing Materials (June 2021 - July 2023)81'82
This research addresses PFAS transport and fate in environmental systems, as it relates to
municipal solid waste landfills (leachate and gases) and thermal treatment (oxidizers, combustors,
and incinerators). Major findings include: 1) PFAS (terminal acids and precursors) were detected
in landfill leachates and gas condensates at high but variable concentrations, and concentrations
varied across landfills; 2) Leachate treatment technologies ranged in efficacy from no treatment to
99%; 3) Encouraging results for thermal treatment studies indicate that Aqueous film-forming
foams burned at >1000C resulting in high PFAS destruction efficiencies and mostly non-detectable
products of incomplete combustion (PIC). As injection temperatures fall, fluorinated PICs
increase; 4) Bench scale studies are providing evidence that reactive sorbents and catalysts reduce
the energy necessary to destroy PFAS; with nearly complete PFAS destruction and minimal PIC
formation at temperatures below 600C for calcium oxide (CaO) and 500C for aluminum oxide
(AI2O3) and; 5) Models are now available to predict destruction behavior of the short-chain
fluorocarbons and work continues to develop new kinetics for larger (C4-C8) PFAS. This research
directly supports EPA's development of updated Destruction and Disposal Guidance required by
the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
ORD Technical Support for Superfund Site Remediation Report (published September
2023)83
Produced annually, this report provides regions, program offices, and states a summary of the
previous year's technical support and assistance activities. The document describes ORD's site-
specific technical support to programs and regions to help with risk management decisions at
contaminated sites, including for remediating soil, surface waters, groundwaters, sediment,
subsurface contaminant transport and fate, cross-media contaminant influence and mine-related
contamination issues. In FY 2022, ORD coordinated 131 technical support activities, most of
which were related to Superfund sites. The support allows authorities and regulators to work more
quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively and increases the technical knowledge of the EPA
remediation team.
81 For more information on landfill leachate and gas condensate, please see:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nili.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10463282A https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36764258/.
82 For more information on thermal treatment, please see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8525658A
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?Lab=CEMM&dirEntryId=3541.79:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37158498/.
83 Source: ArcGIS website (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/484b9e0079db49b5a952Qe2e38d74f5).
751
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Practical Considerations for Transitioning to Passive Sampling for Remedial Monitoring at
Superfund Sites and Guidance for Using Passive Sampling in Remedial Cap Performance
Monitoring (December 2022, June 2023)84'85
Biomonitoring is commonly performed at Superfund sites, to assess remediation effectiveness. In
recent years, passive sampling has been proposed as a cost-effective, scientifically robust, and
data-comparable alternative to biomonitoring. The first part of this research aims to help remedial
project managers interpret field deployment data when transitioning from biomonitoring to passive
sampling. The research evaluated over a three-year period the bioaccumulation of selected
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by mussels in water column deployments compared to co-
developed passive samplers. It showed that, in general, mussel bioaccumulation and passive
sampler accumulation of PCBs were significantly correlated. Notably, agreement on the magnitude
of accumulation was optimal when bioaccumulation and passive sampler uptake were not
corrected for non-equilibrium conditions. The second part of this research was a literature review
to: 1) identify sites where passive samplers have been used to support clean-up efforts; 2) assess
how passive sampling-derived remedial endpoints compare to conventional metrics; and 3)
perform broad semi-quantitative and selective quantitative concurrence analyses, evaluating the
magnitude of agreement between passive sampling and conventional metrics. Considering the
agreement between bioaccumulation and passive sampler uptake, researchers propose further
study to enhance utilization of passive sampling devices.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, SHC will conduct research, and provide technical assistance and support, to inform
analyses and decisions by the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM), regional
offices, tribes, and states regarding characterization, remediation, and management of
contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater—issues which are especially concerning to
vulnerable, overburdened communities. The tools developed under the SHC Research Program
will help the Agency address complex contamination problems, which may be made more complex
by the impacts of climate change at Superfund, Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA),
and Brownfields sites in the United States. EPA research personnel and associated support staff
also will identify, monitor, and develop options to control vapor intrusion to reduce exposures,
reduce contaminant sources, and define sampling strategies that address when, where, and how to
sample. SHC researchers will evaluate source control technologies at mine waste sites and
investigate remediation and recovery for reuse of critical minerals from contaminated sites.
Scientific journal articles, datasets, models, and tools will be published and used to support
communities.
PFAS will continue to be a priority research topic for SHC. SHC will develop methods to evaluate
PFAS presence and characteristics in wastes, soils, and sediments, and investigate PFAS fate and
transport in the environment to support the need of EPA partners, states, tribes, and local
84 For more information, please see: https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/etc.5536
85 For more information, please see: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.3c00232.
752
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communities to identify and characterize PFAS concentrations and distributions at contaminated
sites and solid waste sites. Additionally, SHC will identify locations and source contributors to
high potential human exposure for children and other populations by evaluating multimedia PFAS
sources and pathways. SHC also will investigate approaches, methodologies, and technologies to
treat, remove, destroy, and dispose of PFAS in environmental matrices.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the
StRAPs,86 which will continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement87 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
Partnerships
Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and Agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Program under the S&T appropriation.
• Tribal
o
86 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
87 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
753
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$30.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
laboratory fixed costs.
• (+$550.0) This program change reflects an increase to the Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Research Program. This increase will build capacity to help respond directly
to the Superfund law requirements and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute); Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
754
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Superfund Cleanup
755
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Superfund: Emergency Response and Removal
Program Area: Superfund Cleanup
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
S
SIV 5.DDI)
SD
-S IV5.DDD
Total Budget Authority
$256,354
$195,000
$0
-$195,000
Total Workyears
278.7
247.7
250.7
3.0
In FY 2025, the Budget proposes to transition the Superfund Removal FTE from the annual Superfund appropriation
to the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable FTE. These FTE are built into the Agency's FTE ceiling.
Program Project Description:
The Emergency Response and Removal Program (Superfund Removal) is the cornerstone and
principal institution of federal emergency response to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants,
or contaminants. The program is paramount to managing threats and dangers that occur. During a
national emergency, EPA takes action to prevent, limit, mitigate, or contain chemical, oil,
radiological, biological, or hazardous materials releases. Circumstances requiring emergency
response and removal actions vary considerably in size, nature, and location, and include chemical
releases, fires or explosions, natural disasters, and other threats to people from exposure to
hazardous substances. EPA's 24-hour-a-day response capability is a critical component of the
National Contingency Plan.88 Further, this program is responsible for the Agency's only Primary
Mission Essential Function. Superfund Removal cleanups vary in complexity and contain a wide
variety of contaminants including lead, mercury, and asbestos.89
Since 2013, EPA has completed or managed more than 2,420 Superfund removal actions across
the country. Responses are a multilayered activity that can fluctuate due to requirements for
supplies and customized instruments, specialized training and instruction, and the intricate
measures taken to ensure ongoing assessments and responses are appropriate to meet the demands
of site conditions. Superfund Removal sites are found in remote rural areas as well as large urban
settings. Nearly 43 million people, or about 13 percent of the U.S. population, live within 3 miles
of a Superfund Removal site where EPA addressed a removal action between FY 2018 and FY
2022.90 In addition, over 41 percent of removal completions in FY 2019 and FY 2020, and 36
percent in FY 2021 were in communities with populations surpassing the 80th percentile for being
people of color, low income, or having less than a high school education.91 These benefits occurred
in due course of the Program's operation, and were not created from specific targeting efforts.
88 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response/national-oil-and-hazardous-substances-
pollution-contingency-plaii-iict>overyiew.
89 Data from US EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System.
90 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Superfund removal site information
from SEMS from FY2018-FY2022; and 2) population data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
91 Data from US EPA Superfund Enterprise Management System and US EPA EJ Screen.
756
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The Superfund Removal Program provides technical assistance and outreach to industry, states,
tribes, and local communities as part of the Agency's responsibility to ensure national safety and
security for chemical and oil responses. EPA trains, equips, and deploys resources to manage,
contain, and remove contaminants. Until contained or removed, these substances have the potential
to significantly damage property, endanger public health, and have critical environmental impact
on communities.
EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) make up the core of the Superfund Removal
Program. These trained and equipped EPA personnel respond to, assess, mitigate, and clean up
hazardous substance releases and oil discharges. States, local, and tribal communities rely upon
the OSC's experience and assistance to address environmental emergencies that are beyond their
capabilities and resources.
Climate change, emerging contaminants, and new scientific developments are adding to the
demands of the Superfund Removal Program. The greater frequency of intense weather events that
lead to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants increases the workload on the
Program. In addition, emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
are expected to significantly expand demands on the Program as the understanding of the toxicity
levels of these compounds continues to drive down cleanup levels. Changing lead screening values
and actions surrounding this effort could limit Program coverage essential to meeting the demand
where resources needed are not fully supported. This work will include coordinating with EPA
counterparts to apply EPA's January 2024 "Updated Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA Sites and
RCRA Corrective Action Facilities," which lowered lead screening levels for residential properties
to reflect the best available science. EPA expects a significant number of properties to undergo
evaluation based on this change, which could trigger additional work where cleanup efforts are
required.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the President's Budget proposes to transition the Superfund Removal Program from
the annual Superfund appropriation to the Superfund tax receipts. The Program will continue to:
Respond to and provide technical assistance for emergency responses and removal assessments
and time critical response actions (non-emergency responses). The removal program conducts its
work with an emphasis on advancing environmental justice and equitable outcomes by working
through possible candidate time critical actions that exist in the regions.
Address abandoned uranium mines (AUM) impacts on the Navajo Nation (NN) in concert with
other EPA programs. EPA officially opened the Flagstaff, Arizona field office in July 2023, where
dedicated EPA Region 9 staff work with the Navajo Nation staff and communities to advance
cleanup through removal actions at NN AUM sites. This field office assists EPA and NN in
757
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accelerating actions articulated in the 2020 Ten Year Plan: Federal Actions to Address Impacts of
Uranium Contamination on the Navajo Nation.
Conduct and participate in selected multi-media training and exercises for emergency responders.
These events ensure readiness by focusing on necessary coordination and consistency across the
Agency, enhance specialized technical skills and expertise, and strengthen partnerships with state,
local, tribal, and other federal responders.
Support the environmental response team (ERT), which provides nationwide assistance and
consultation for emergency response actions, including unusual or complex incidents. In such
cases, the ERT supplies subject matter experts, with special equipment and technical or logistical
assistance.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 137) Number of Superfund removals completed.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
175
175
141
141
183
183
183
183
Removals
Actual
242
233
197
150
195
194
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$195,000.0 / -247.7 FTE) In FY 2025, the Superfund Emergency Response and Removal
Program is proposed to be transitioned from the annual Superfund appropriated resources
to the Superfund tax receipts. This includes an estimated $48.9 million for payroll. In FY
2024, the U.S. Treasury forecasts collecting a total of $2.17 billion in Superfund taxes
which will be available for use in FY 2025 across EPA Superfund programs. However, as
the Superfund Taxes were recently reauthorized, there is much uncertainty regarding the
tax collections. The Agency anticipates maintaining the pace of work with the Superfund
tax receipts.
• (+250.7 FTE) In FY 2025, the Agency proposes to transition 250.7 Superfund Removal
FTE from the annual Superfund appropriation to the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable
FTE.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) §§ 104,
105, 106; Clean Water Act (CWA); and Oil Pollution Act (OPA).
758
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Superfund: EPA Emergency Preparedness
Program Area: Superfund Cleanup
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
S'.Mft
Sfi
N.S!..v//
S-/.S5
Total Budget Authority
$7,696
$8,056
$8,541
$485
Total Workyears
33.6
37.4
37.4
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Superfund Emergency Preparedness Program provides for EPA's engagement on the National
Response Team (NRT), Regional Response Teams (RRTs), and Inland Area Committees where it
ensures federal, state, and tribal agencies are prepared to respond to national incidents, threats, and
major environmental emergencies. EPA implements the Emergency Preparedness Program in
coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to deliver
federal hazard assistance to state, local, and tribal governments.
The Agency carries out its responsibility under multiple statutory authorities as well as the
National Response Framework (NRF), which provides the comprehensive federal structure for
managing national emergencies. EPA is the designated lead for the NRF's Oil and Hazardous
Materials Response Annex - Emergency Support Function #10, which covers responsibilities for
responding to releases of hazardous materials, oil, and other contaminants that are a threat to
human health and the environment. As such, the Agency participates and leads applicable
interagency committees and workgroups to develop national planning and implementation policies
at the operational level.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The Superfund Emergency Preparedness Program participates in national and local exercises and
drills, coordinates with stakeholders to develop Area and Regional Contingency Plans, and
provides technical assistance to industry, states, tribes, and local communities. Specific activities
include:
• Chair the NRT92 and co-chair the 13 RRTs. The NRT and RRTs are the only active
environmentally focused interagency executive committees addressing oil and hazardous
92 For more information, please refer to: https://www.nrt.org/.
759
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substance emergencies. They serve as multi-agency coordination groups supporting
emergency responders when convened as incident specific teams.
• Lead Inland Area Committees to ensure policies, procedures and tools are in place to assist
federal, state, tribal, local, and industry responders in effectively addressing spills.
• Participate in the development of limited, scenario-specific exercises and regional drills
designed to assess national emergency response management capabilities. These activities
will involve the RRTs, NRT, and/or principal level participants.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM ER01) Number of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
120
120
120
120
Exercises
Actual
12U
164
185
(PM ER02) Percentage of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in
that incorporate environmental justice.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
14
30
40
40
Percent
Actual
49
53
Numerator
80
98
Exercises
Denominator
164
185
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$391.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This increase includes
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$94.0) This program change increases essential support for Superfund Emergency
Preparedness Program core activities, such as national and local exercises and drills.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), §§ 104,
105, 106; Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
760
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Superfund: Remedial
Program Area: Superfund Cleanup
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
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Total Budget Authority
$612,890
$618,740
$300,000
-$318,740
Total Workyears
889.8
890.8
874.8
-16.0
In FY 2025, the Budget proposes to transition the Superfund Remedial FTE from the annual Superfund appropriated
resources to the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable FTE. These FTE are built into the Agency's FTE ceiling.
Program Project Description:
The Superfund Remedial Program addresses many of the worst contaminated areas in the United
States by investigating contamination and implementing long-term cleanup remedies at sites on
the National Priorities List (NPL). The Program also oversees response work conducted by
potentially responsible parties (PRPs) at NPL and Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) sites.
By cleaning up and returning land to productive use, the Superfund Remedial Program improves
the health and livelihood of all Americans and supports the Administration's goal to reduce
exposure to Superfund site contamination, especially in disadvantaged communities.
Approximately 23 percent of the U.S. population lives within three miles of a Superfund site, and
this population is more minority, low income, linguistically isolated, and less likely to have a high
school education than the U.S. population as a whole.93
In FY 2023, more than 75 percent of Superfund Remedial annual appropriations and Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) site-specific funds were obligated to Superfund NPL sites where
there is potential for addressing environmental justice concerns. In the same period, more than 60
percent of the Superfund sites that achieved Human Exposure Under Control and more than 50
percent of sites that achieved Sitewide Ready for Anticipated Reuse had potential for
environmental justice concerns.
While conducting cleanup at NPL and SAA sites, remedial construction projects can enhance
national infrastructure while addressing harmful exposures. For example, recent research indicates
that Superfund cleanup actions lowered the risk of elevated blood lead levels by roughly 13 to 26
percent for children living within two kilometers of a Superfund NPL site where lead is a
contaminant of concern.94 For Superfund sites contaminated with lead within one mile, 17 percent
93 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Superfund site information from
SEMS as of the end of FY 2022 and site boundary data updated in 2023 by Shared Enterprise Geodata and Services (SEGS); and
2) population data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
94 Heather Klemick, Henry Mason, and Karen Sullivan. 2020. "Superfund Cleanups and Children's Lead Exposure," Journal of
Environmental Management, 100. doi: 1.0.1.01.6/i ,jeeiii.201.9.1.02289.
761
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of the surrounding population is below poverty level, 14 percent is without a high school diploma,
and 40 percent of the population is minority.
By addressing the human health and environmental risks posed by releases atNPL and SAA sites,
the Superfund Remedial Program strengthens the economy and spurs economic growth for all
Americans by returning Superfund sites to productive use. Reuse and restoration of Superfund
NPL sites directly support the Administration's Justice40 initiative95, as articulated in President
Biden's Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (January
27, 2021)96, as this EO acknowledges the urgent need to restore lands and natural assets.97 The
Superfund Remedial Program is one of EPA's Justice40 pilot programs. The Superfund Remedial
Program considers environmental burdens and other socio-economic challenges when developing
community involvement and cleanup plans. Assessing environmental justice concerns in the
communities EPA serves provides important information which influences how the Agency
communicates, makes cleanup decisions, and plans for future reuse of Superfund sites. The
Program works to maximize cleanup benefits as well as state and tribal benefits, enforcement
opportunities, enhancements to community involvement, and the Superfund Redevelopment
Program.
In FY 2023, an additional 14 sites were made sitewide ready for anticipated use and three sites
were retracted. The retractions in FY 2023 were the result of a review which identified sites which
no longer met protectiveness requirements due to detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS) and other emerging contaminants, aging remedies, and new exposure pathways requiring
new institutional controls. The continued remediation of NPL sites produces clear environmental
and economic benefit. As of FY 2022, EPA data show that approximately 1,000 Superfund sites
are in reuse - more than half the total number of sites placed on the NPL over the Program's
existence. EPA has data on more than 10,253 businesses at 671 of these sites. These businesses'
ongoing operations generate annual sales of $74.1 billion. These businesses provided more than
236 thousand jobs which earned a combined income of $18.6 billion. Over the last twelve years,
these businesses generated at least $590 billion in sales. A similar economic analysis is planned
for FY 2025.
Additionally, cleanup work under the Superfund Remedial Program improves property values. A
study conducted by researchers at Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh found that
residential property values within three miles (4.8 kilometers) of Superfund sites increased
between 18.7 and 24.4 percent when sites were cleaned up and deleted from the NPL.98
95 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/enviromiientaljustice/justice40/.
96 For more information, please refer to: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-Q2177/tackling-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
97 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-
order-oii-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.
98 Shanti Gamper-Rabindran and Christopher Timmons. 2013. "Does cleanup of hazardous waste sites raise housing values?
Evidence of spatially localized benefits," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 65(3): 345-360,
http://dx.doi.Org/10.1016/j.jeem.2012.12.001.
762
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the President's Budget proposes to fund the Superfund Remedial Program with a
combination of annual Superfund appropriated resources and Superfund tax receipts. EPA will
continue to execute its non-delegable, federal responsibility to remediate sites and protect human
health, welfare, and the environment. EPA endeavors to maximize the use of special account
resources collected from PRPs for site-specific response actions as stipulated in settlement
agreements so that available EPA Superfund resources are prioritized for sites without other
sources of funding. More than half of non-federal sites on the final NPL do not have an associated
open special account and available Superfund resources are critical to the Superfund Remedial
Program to clean up sites.
The IIJA invested $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund NPL sites and reinstated
the Superfund chemical taxes, and the Inflation Reduction Act reinstated the Superfund petroleum
taxes." These laws provide one of the largest investments in American history to address the
legacy pollution that harms public health in communities and neighborhoods, creating good-
paying jobs, and advancing economic and environmental justice in the process.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to initiate new work on remedial construction projects, as well as
continue ongoing cleanups at NPL sites across the country. As IIJA funds available for site work
are anticipated to be fully allocated in FY 2024 based on current site information, the FY 2025
President's Budget proposes using a combination of Superfund tax receipts and annual
appropriations to continue funding construction work.
In FY 2025, the Superfund Remedial Program will continue to start and complete critical pre-
construction projects such as site characterization and construction design. The Program will
continue to support Superfund community involvement and outreach activities at sites. These
activities play a pivotal role in ensuring communities have the resources they need to meaningfully
participate in the decision-making process, including an increased involvement of communities to
develop their visions for revitalization by identifying economic drivers and connecting community
needs to federal investments. The Program will continue to support capacity building technical
assistance and the Superfund Job Training Initiative.
In FY 2025, EPA will reduce exposure to lead and associated health impacts including the risk of
elevated blood lead levels for children by completing 45 Superfund lead cleanup projects. This
work will include applying EPA's January 2024 "Updated Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA Sites
99 On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act [(IIJA), P.L. 117-58] reinstated and modified the excise
taxes on certain listed chemicals and imported substances that are used as materials in their manufacture or production one or
more of those listed chemicals ("Superfund chemical taxes"). The Superfund chemical taxes went into effect beginning July 1,
2022, and expire on December 31, 2031. On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act [(IRA), P.L. 117-169] reinstated and
modified the taxes on oil and petroleum products ("Superfund petroleum taxes"). The Superfund petroleum taxes went into effect
on January 1,2023, and do not have an expiration date. On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 (P.L.
117-328) allowed all tax receipts collected in the Superfund Trust Fund from the prior fiscal year to be available to carry out the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, without further
appropriation by Congress and designated as emergency funding.
763
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and RCRA Corrective Action Facilities," which lowered lead screening levels for residential
properties to reflect the best available science. EPA expects a significant number of properties to
undergo evaluation based on this change, which could trigger additional work across the pipeline.
EPA also will continue to: support the cleanup of PFAS and will collaborate on agencywide
crosscutting strategies and a multi-pronged implementation plan for the CERCLA PFAS rule;
advance new science and assess the nature and extent of PFAS contamination and other
contaminants of concern at sites; develop coordinated policies, regulations, and communications;
and engage with affected states, tribes, communities, and stakeholders. Completing these cleanup
projects, which include legacy sites that expose Americans to contaminants shown to pose
increased cancer risks, advances work in cancer prevention as part of President Biden's Cancer
Moonshot Initiative.
EPA's regional laboratories will continue to provide cutting-edge science to inform immediate and
near-term, multi-media decisions on environmental conditions, emergency response, and
enforcement. Regional laboratory science also helps inform communities about the risks the site
may pose in terms of chemical exposures and cumulative environmental impacts. This work will
support the ambitious environmental and clean up goals of the Program.
The Program also will continue to support the Environmental Response Team (ERT), which
provides nationwide assistance, direct field expertise, and consultation for Superfund cleanup
including emergency response actions, unusual or complex incidents, and other site support. In
such cases, the ERT supplies subject matter experts, with special equipment and technical or
logistical assistance.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 151) Number of Superfund sites with human exposures brought under control.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Target
8
12
10
10
12
12
12
12
Sites
Actual
32
17
20
13
-14
-3
(PM 155) Number of Superfund cleanup projects completed that address lead as a contaminant.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Target
45
45
45
45
Projects
Actual
5o
45
49
(PM 170) Number of remedial action projects completed
at Superfund sites.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Target
95
95
80
80
80
75
75
75
Projects
Actual
87
89
91
75
74
69
(PM S10) Number of Superfund sites made ready for anticipated use site-wide.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Target
51
51
51
51
25
15
10
7
Sites
Actual
51
48
34
26
-48
11
764
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$318,740.0 / -890.8 FTE) In FY 2025, the Superfund Remedial Program is proposing a
partial transition from annual appropriated resources to Superfund Tax receipts. This
includes the transition of approximately $168.4 million for payroll. In FY 2024, the U.S.
Treasury forecasts collecting a total of $2.17 billion in Superfund taxes which will be
available for use in FY 2025 across EPA Superfund programs. However, as the Superfund
taxes were recently reauthorized, there is much uncertainty regarding the tax collections.
The Agency will continue its efforts to sustain cleanup work to prevent developing a
backlog.
• (+874.8 FTE) In FY 2025, the Agency proposes to fund 874.8 Superfund Remedial FTE
from the Superfund tax receipts as reimbursable FTE rather than annual Superfund
appropriated resources.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
765
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Superfund: Federal Facilities
Program Area: Superfund Cleanup
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Utizurthms Substance Siiperjuml
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Total Budget Authority
$26,167
$26,189
$37,680
$11,491
Total Workyears
103.6
113.2
112.7
-0.5
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.5 Superfund Reimbursable FTE.
Program Project Description:
The Superfund Federal Facilities Program oversees and provides technical assistance for the
protective and efficient cleanup and reuse of Federal Facility National Priorities List (NPL) sites.
Program responsibilities include: 1) inventory and assess potentially contaminated sites; 2) select
and implement protective remedies; 3) facilitate early transfer of property; and 4) ensure ongoing
protectiveness of completed cleanups.
The Federal Facility NPL sites, where the other federal agencies (OFAs) are the lead agency and
EPA is the lead oversight agency, are among the largest in the Superfund Program and can
encompass specialized environmental contaminants such as munitions and radiological waste, and
contaminants of emerging concern such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EPA
jointly selects site remedies with OF As and uses its oversight authority to provide an independent
assessment of federal cleanups to ensure work conducted is in accordance with site cleanup plans
and yields protective remedies. To ensure efficiencies and consistent approaches to cleanup, the
Program collaborates with OF As and state, local, and Tribal governments. There are 175 Federal
Facility sites on the NPL, which are part of the approximately 2,400 sites on the Federal Agency
Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket (Docket) maintained by EPA. The sites result in nearly $9
billion per year expended by OF As under EPA oversight. The resulting cleanup, restoration, and
reuse of Federal Facility NPL sites contributes significantly to Superfund program
accomplishments. In FY 2023, the Program completed response action decisions at 36 federal
facility sites to address environmental contamination. The Program also achieved 24 Remedial
Action Project Completions and reviewed 36 Five-Year Reviews to confirm protective remedies
remain in place.
The Superfund Federal Facilities Program supports President Biden's Executive Order (EO)
13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government100 by recognizing and working to repair inequities that serve as barriers to equal
opportunity in the Federal Facility Superfund Program. This is accomplished by working to
100 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federatregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advanciiig-
racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government.
766
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improve the health and livelihood of communities through cleaning up and returning land to
productive use. Nearly 80 percent of Federal Facility NPL sites are in communities
disproportionately affected by environmental burdens. Cleaning up contaminated sites at federal
facilities also can serve as a catalyst for economic growth and community revitalization.
The Superfund Federal Facilities Program has successfully worked with EPA's partners to
facilitate the redevelopment of Federal Facility NPL sites across the country. Since Federal
Facility NPL sites often encompass thousands of acres with buildings, roads, and other
infrastructure, their effective and efficient cleanup and reuse can play a pivotal role in a
community's economic growth and environmental vitality. Reuse and restoration of Federal
Facility NPL sites directly support President Biden's EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at
Home and Abroad m Redevelopment projects have included ecological preserves, recreational
areas, cultural/historical resources, public transit infrastructure, and alternative energy sources. A
2022 economic analysis of 70 Federal Facility Superfund Sites identified over 2,400 businesses
that generated $28 billion in annual sales, provided over 450,000 jobs, and $44 billion in estimated
annual employment income.102 A similar analysis is planned for FY 2025. Future climate actions
by the Program include piloting Climate Vulnerability Assessments at several federal facility NPL
sites, and continuing collaboration with OF As to include climate impact considerations in remedial
actions.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Superfund Federal Facilities Program, as part of its statutorily mandated oversight
responsibilities, will support EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap by overseeing the growing number
of PFAS cleanups at Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), and OF A
sites. The Program will benefit from a significant investment to keep pace with the surge of PFAS
cleanups under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA) and adjust core program capacity. Currently, the Program provides oversight at over
110 Federal Facility NPL sites with PFAS detections.
In FY 2025, EPA proposes an investment of $11.5 million in the Superfund Federal Facilities
Program. This investment will allow EPA to minimize disruptions and delays to its oversight
responsibilities, enable DoD to meet their Congressional cleanup obligations for PFAS under the
2022 National Defense Authorization Act and subsequent CERCLA response actions, and adjust
EPA core capacity in its cleanup oversight for legacy contamination such as radioactive waste and
unexploded ordnance. EPA plans to utilize the additional resources to leverage knowledge and
best practices developed from Federal Facilities PFAS investigations to aid PFAS cleanups across
the country.
101 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.federa1register.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackliiig-the-
climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad.
102 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/fedfac/redevelopment-economics-federal-facilities.
767
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In addition to the growing workload related to PFAS, the Program will prioritize and continue to
partner with OF As; state, local, and Tribal governments; and communities to limit human exposure
to potentially harmful levels of lead in the environment. EPA will continue to oversee complex
cleanups at Federal Facility NPL sites, such as contamination in groundwater, munitions and
explosives of concern, contaminants of emerging concern, and contamination from legacy nuclear
weapons development and energy research. For example, while the DOE has completed cleanup
work at many of its sites, DOE estimates that the remaining legacy Cold War sites will take decades
to complete due to groundwater, soil, and waste processing. Similarly, the DoD inventory includes
sites that contain chemical and explosive compounds which require special handling, storage, and
disposal practices, as well as cleanup. EPA will continue to provide oversight and technical
assistance at DoD's military munitions response sites and support DoD's development of new
technologies to streamline cleanups.
To ensure the long-term protectiveness of the remedies, the Agency will continue monitoring,
overseeing progress, and improving the quality and consistency of Five-Year Reviews conducted
at federal sites where waste has been left in place and land use is restricted. Five-Year Reviews
are required under Section 121(c) of CERCLA and EPA's role is to concur or make its own
independent protectiveness determination. EPA has been working collaboratively with DoD,
DOE, and Department of the Interior (DOI) to improve the technical quality, timeliness, and cost
of the five-year review reports and to ensure engagement with pollution-burdened and underserved
communities. In FY 2025, the Superfund Federal Facilities Program will review approximately 32
five-year review reports to fulfill statutory requirements and to inform the public about the
protectiveness of remedies.
In FY 2025, the Superfund Federal Facilities Program will target the highest risk sites and focus
on activities that bring human exposure and groundwater migration under control. In addition,
EPA manages the Docket which contains information reported by federal facilities that manage
hazardous waste or from which hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants have been or
may be released. The Docket: 1) identifies all federal facilities that must be evaluated through the
site assessment process; 2) determines whether they pose a risk to human health and the
environment sufficient to warrant inclusion on the NPL; and 3) provides a mechanism to make the
information available to the public. The Docket is updated semi-annually and has approximately
2,400 facilities listed. EPA anticipates additional engagement on non-NPL federal facilities on the
Docket to address new information and ensure appropriate assessment and referral of these sites
to appropriate cleanup programs.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Superfund Remedial Program under
the Superfund appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$353.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
768
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• (+$11,138.0 / -0.5 FTE) This net program change will help address critical gaps in EPA's
ability to oversee DoD PFAS cleanup under CERCLA and to adjust core program capacity,
including keeping pace with the Agency's oversight role at Federal Facility NPL sites.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) § 120.
769
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Superfund Special Accounts
770
-------
Superfund Special Accounts
Background
EPA has the authority to collect funds from parties to support Superfund investigations and
cleanups. Section 122(b)(3) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) authorizes EPA to retain and use funds received pursuant to a settlement
agreement with a party to carry out the purpose of that agreement. Funds are deposited in
Superfund special accounts for cleanup at the sites designated in individually negotiated settlement
agreements. Through use of special accounts, EPA ensures responsible parties pay for cleanup so
that annually appropriated resources from the Superfund Trust Fund, resources made available
through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and available Superfund tax receipts
are generally conserved for sites where no viable or liable potentially responsible parties (PRPs)
can be identified. Each account is set up separately and distinctly and may only be used for the
sites and uses outlined in the settlement(s) with the party or parties.
Special accounts are sub-accounts in the Superfund Trust Fund. Pursuant to the specific
agreements, which typically take the form of an Administrative Order on Consent or a Consent
Decree, EPA uses special account funds to finance site-specific CERCLA response actions at the
site for which the account was established. Of the current 1,336 Superfund sites listed as final on
the National Priorities List, more than half do not have special account funds available for use. As
special account funds may only be used for sites and uses specified in the settlement agreement,
special account resources, Superfund tax receipts, and annually appropriated resources are critical
to the Superfund Program to clean up Superfund sites.
Special account funds are used to conduct many different site-specific CERCLA response actions,
including, but not limited to, investigations to determine the nature and extent of contamination
and the appropriate remedy, design, construction and implementation of the remedy, enforcement
activities, and post-construction activities. EPA also may provide special account funds as an
incentive to another PRP(s) who agrees to perform additional work beyond the PRP's allocated
share at the site, which EPA might otherwise have to conduct. Because response actions may take
many years, the full use of special account funds also may take many years. Once all site-specific
response work pursuant to the settlement agreement is complete and site risks are addressed,
special account funds may be used to reimburse EPA for site-specific costs incurred using
appropriated resources {i.e., reclassification), allowing the latter resources to be allocated to other
sites. Any remaining special account funds are transferred to the Superfund Trust Fund, where
they are available for future appropriation by Congress to further support response work.
FY 2023 Special Account Activity
Since the inception of special accounts through the end of FY 2023, EPA has collected
approximately $8.3 billion from parties and earned approximately $895.9 million in interest.
Approximately 61 percent of the funds have been disbursed or obligated for response actions at
sites and plans have been developed to guide the future use of the remaining 39 percent of available
special account funds. In addition, at sites with no additional work planned or costs to be incurred
by EPA, EPA has transferred approximately $65.8 million to the Superfund Trust Fund. As of the
771
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end of FY 2023, approximately $5.0 billion has been disbursed for site response actions and
approximately $596.3 million has been obligated but not yet disbursed.
The Agency continues to receive site-specific settlement funds that are placed in special accounts
each year, so progress on actual obligation and disbursement of funds may not be apparent upon
review solely of the cumulative available balance. In FY 2023, EPA deposited approximately
$185.3 million into special accounts and disbursed over $186.4 million from special accounts
(including reclassifications). At the end of FY 2023, the cumulative amount available in special
accounts was over $3.5 billion.
Special accounts vary in size. A limited set of accounts represent the majority of the funds
available. At the end of FY 2023, 5 percent of open accounts had greater than $10 million available
and held approximately 70 percent of all available funds in open accounts. There are many
accounts with lower available balances. 71 percent of all open accounts with up to $1 million
available represent approximately 5 percent of available funds in all open accounts.
The balance of over $3.5 billion is not equivalent to an annual appropriation. Unlike annually
appropriated, IIJA, and Superfund tax funds, the funds collected under settlements and deposited
in special accounts are intended to finance future response work at particular sites for the length
of the project(s). EPA is carefully managing those funds that remain available for site response
work and develops plans to utilize the available balance. EPA will continue to plan the use of funds
received to conduct site-specific response activities or reclassify and/or transfer excess funds to
the Superfund Trust Fund to make annually appropriated funds available for use at other Superfund
sites.
For some Superfund sites, although funds are readily available in a special account, remedial
action(s) selected for a site may take time to initiate and complete. The timeframe required to
implement selected remedial actions for a site is driven largely by site-specific conditions, such as
the specific requirements for special account use set forth in the settlement agreement, the stage of
site cleanup, the viability of other responsible parties to conduct site cleanup, and the nature of the
site contamination. EPA has plans to spend approximately $981.2 million of currently available
special account funds over the next five years, but funds also are planned much further into the
future to continue activities, such as conducting five-year reviews or remedy optimization, at sites
where waste has been left in place.
Over the past five fiscal years, EPA has obligated or disbursed approximately $1.3 billion from
special accounts (excluding reclassifications), resulting in the Superfund Program performing a
significant amount of work in addition to work the Agency performed using annually appropriated
and IIJA funds. In FY 2023, EPA disbursed and obligated approximately $365.0 million from
special accounts (excluding reclassifications) for response work at more than 700 Superfund sites.
Site-specific examples of this work include $37.6 million to support work at the Old American
Zinc Plant site in Illinois; $35.5 million for the Cornell Dubilier Electronics Inc. site in New Jersey,
$26.5 million for the Bonita Peak Mining District site in Colorado, and $25.1 million for the
Tronox Navajo Area Uranium Mines (NAUM) Cove Station on the Navajo Nation. In the absence
of special account funds, annually appropriated and/or IIJA funds would have been necessary for
these response actions to be funded. In other words, EPA was able to fund approximately $365.0
772
-------
million in response work at sites in addition to the work funded through appropriated and IIJA
funds obligated or disbursed in FY 2023.
The summary charts below provide additional information on the status of special accounts.
Exhibit 1 illustrates the cumulative status of open and closed accounts, FY 2023 program activity,
and planned multi-year uses of the available balance. Exhibit 2 provides the prior year (FY 2023),
current year (FY 2024), and estimated future budget year (FY 2025) activity for special accounts.
Exhibit 3 provides prior year data (FY 2023) by EPA regional offices to exhibit the geographic
use of the funds.
773
-------
Exhibit 1: Summary of FY 2023 Special Account Transactions
and Cumulative Multi-Year Plans for Using Available Special Account Funds
Account Slums'
Number of
Accounts
Cumulative Open
1,105
Cumulative Closed
518
I'Y 2022 Spcchil Account Aclmtv
S in Thousands
Beginning Available Balance
$3,600,504.1
FY 2023 Activities
+ Receipts
$185,340.5
- Transfers to Superfund Trust Fund (Receipt Adjustment)
($6,825.3)
+ Net Interest Earned
$98,298.6
- Net Change in Unliquidated Obligations
($179,769.1)
- Disbursements - For EPA Incurred Costs
($172,768.9)
- Disbursements - For Work Party Reimbursements under Final Settlements
($1,615.7)
- Reclassifications
($12,017.4)
End of Fiscal Year (EOFY) Available Balance2
S3.51 1.146 8
M
ulti-Ye;ir Phins lor KOI Y 2023 A^iiliiblc li;il:mcc(
S in Thousands
2023 EOFY Available Balance
$3,511,146.8
- Estimates for Future EPA Site Activities based on Current Site Plans4
$3,352,146.4
- Estimates for Potential Disbursement to Work Parties Identified in Final Settlements5
$86,164.5
- Estimates for Reclassifications for FYs 2024-20266
$32,206.5
- Estimates for Transfers to Trust Fund for FYs 2024-20266
$22,390.8
- Available Balance to be Planned for Site-Specific Response7
$18,238.5
1 FY 2023 data is as of 10/01/2023. The Beginning Available Balance is as of 10/02/2022.
2Numbers may not add due to rounding.
3Planning data were recorded in the Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS) as of 10/30/2023 in
reference to special account available balances as of 10/01/2023.
4 "Estimates for EPA Future Site Activities" includes all response actions that EPA may conduct or oversee in the
future, such as removal, remedial, enforcement, post-construction activities as well as allocation of funds to
facilitate a settlement to encourage PRPs to perform the cleanup. Planning data are multi-year and cannot be used
for annual comparisons.
5 "Estimates for Potential Disbursements to Work Parties Identified in Finalized Settlements" includes those funds
that have already been designated in a settlement document, such as a Consent Decree or Administrative Order on
Consent, to be available to a PRP for reimbursements but that have not yet been obligated.
6 "Reclassifications" and "Transfers to the Trust Fund" are estimated for three FYs only. These amounts are only
estimates and may change as EPA determines what funds are needed to complete site-specific response activities.
7 These include resources received by the EPA at the end of the fiscal year and will be assigned for site-specific
response activities.
774
-------
Exhibit 2: Actual and Estimated Special Account Transactions FY 2023 - FY 20251
FY 2023
FY 2024
estimate
FY 2025
estimate
$ in Thousands
Beginning Available Balance
$3,600,504.1
$3,511,146.8
$3,669,719.1
Receipts1
$185,340.5
$350,000.0
$350,000.0
Transfers to Trust Fund (Receipt Adjustment)2
($6,825.3)
($7,429.0)
($7,429.0)
Net Interest Earned3
$98,298.6
$100,000.0
$100,000.0
Net Obligations2 4
($354,153.7)
($269,624.7)
($269,624.7)
Reclassifications2
($12,017.4)
($14,374.0)
($14,374.0)
End of Year Available Balance5
$3,511,146.8
$3,669,719.1
$3,828,291.4
1 The estimates for Receipts are in line with more typical years.
2 The estimates for Transfers to Trust Fund, Net Obligations, and Reclassifications are based on a three-year historical
average.
3 Net interest earned in FY 2024 and FY 2025 are estimated utilizing economic assumptions for the FY 2025
President's Budget.
4 Net Obligations reflect special account funds no longer available for obligation, excluding reclassifications and
receipts transferred to the Trust Fund.
5 Numbers may not add due to rounding.
Exhibit 3: FY 2023 Special Account Transactions by EPA Regional Offices
$ in Thousands
Beginning
Available
Balance
Receipts
Transfers to
Trust Fund
(Receipt
Adjustment)
Net Interest
Earned
Net
Obligations
Reclassifications
End of Year
Available
Balance1'2
Region 1
$166,708.8
$6,546.2
($5,864.0)
$4,712.6
($3,678.7)
($3,031.8)
$165,393.1
Region 2
$519,118.1
$18,492.7
$0.0
$15,699.5
($108,995.0)
($2,679.9)
$441,635.3
Region 3
$155,853.5
$5,604.1
($4.1)
$4,471.8
($18,552.0)
($416.1)
$146,957.2
Region 4
$60,208.1
$6,034.0
($0.9)
$1,615.5
($7,323.0)
($805.5)
$59,728.1
Region 5
$496,886.9
$44,895.4
($18.9)
$12,009.3
($57,443.4)
($360.5)
$495,968.8
Region 6
$417,809.1
$6,206.4
($289.8)
$10,460.2
($8,196.6)
($861.2)
$425,128.1
Region 7
$130,741.5
$5,672.0
($145.2)
$3,573.8
($9,098.2)
($1,006.3)
$129,737.6
Region 8
$352,082.6
$62,980.0
($26.1)
$10,986.5
($54,579.5)
($1,732.7)
$369,710.9
Region 9
$1,134,267.1
$14,906.3
($61.8)
$29,436.9
($64,332.3)
($634.6)
$1,113,581.7
Region 10
$166,828.4
$14,003.4
($414.6)
$5,332.5
($21,955.0)
($488.8)
$163,305.9
Total
$3,600,504.1
$185,340.5
($6,825.3)
$98,298.6
($354,153.7)
($12,017.4)
$3,511,146.8
1 FY 2023 data is as of 10/01/2023. The Beginning Available Balance is as of 10/02/2022.
2 Numbers may not add due to rounding.
775
-------
Superfund Tax Receipts
lie
-------
Superfund Tax Receipts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
FY 2024
Estimated
Collections
Available103
FY 2025
Estimates of
Collections to Be
Available104
Superfund Chemical Taxes
$159,777
$472,793
$1,152,000
Superfund Taxes on Oil and Petroleum Products
$0
$732,075
$1,022,000
Hazardous Substance Superfund Tax Total Receipts
$159,777
$1,204,868
$2,174,000
Background
On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), P.L. 117-58, reinstated
and modified the excise taxes on certain listed chemicals and imported substances that use as
materials in their manufacture or production one or more of those listed chemicals ("Superfund
chemical taxes").105 The Superfund chemical taxes went into effect beginning July 1, 2022, and
will expire on December 31, 2031. On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), (P.L.
117-169), reinstated and modified the taxes on oil and petroleum products. The oil and petroleum
taxes went into effect on January 1,2023. On December 29,2022, the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328) included legislative language that allows all tax receipts collected in the
Superfund Trust Fund from the prior fiscal year to be available to implement the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) without further
congressional appropriation and to be designated as emergency funding.
FY 2023 Superfund Tax Receipts Activity
In August 2023, EPA issued approximately $159.8 million in realized collections from the prior
year to advance priority work across the Agency's Superfund programs. Of these resources, $104
million went to the Superfund Emergency Response and Removal Program, the Superfund
Remedial Program, and the Superfund Federal Facilities Program. Some of the major program
investments included: $30 million for emergency work in East Palestine to meet commitments to
the community for EPA oversight; $42.7 million to focus on additional lead soil removal and
ensure protection at established levels; more than $20.6 million to expand capacity to complete
additional Superfund removals arising from State referrals and lead; $4.8 million to keep pace with
the growing cleanup oversight workload at Superfund Federal Facility sites; and $3 million to
support work on abandoned uranium mines. In addition, more than $26.1 million has been invested
in the Superfund Enforcement and Superfund Federal Facilities Enforcement programs to continue
the Agency's "enforcement first" approach at private sites before turning to a Fund-lead cleanup,
and to address current needs and emerging challenges regarding Superfund enforcement work at
103 Estimate provided by the U.S. Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service as of September 30,2023:
https://treasurydirect.gov/flp/dfi/tfmb/dfihs0923.pdf. The final amount collected in FY 2023 will be determined by the U.S
Treasury in the 2nd quarter FY 2024.
104 Estimates are developed by the U.S. Treasury and based on their economic assumptions.
105 The original Superfund taxes expired on December 31, 1995, and applied to crude oil and imported petroleum products,
chemicals used in the production of hazardous substances listed in Title 26 section 4661 and imported substances that use
hazardous chemicals as a feedstock, and corporate modified alternative minimum taxable income more than $2 million a year.
777
-------
federal facilities, such as addressing per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) contamination at
and near many federal facility National Priorities List (NPL) sites. EPA will continue to prioritize
the Superfund tax receipts to support site-specific response activities. Superfund tax receipts,
special accounts, and annually appropriated resources are critical to the Superfund Program to
clean up Superfund sites.
FY 2024 and FY 2025 Superfund Tax Receipt Activity
As the Superfund Taxes were only recently passed, there is much uncertainty concerning the
projected collections each year. As of September 30, 2023, there is an estimated $1,205 billion of
tax receipts in the Superfund Trust Fund which are available to utilize in FY 2024.106 EPA is in
the process of developing its budget priorities for the Superfund tax receipts available in FY 2024.
EPA will utilize the Superfund tax receipts to implement CERCLA and continue to plan for the
use of available tax receipts in FY 2025.
In FY 2024, the U.S. Treasury forecasts collecting a total of $2.17 billion in Superfund tax receipts
which will be available for use in FY 2025. The FY 2025 President's Budget proposes to transition
the Superfund Emergency Response and Removal and the Superfund Enforcement programs
solely to the Superfund tax receipts, while Superfund Remedial will be partially transitioned to the
tax receipts. EPA anticipates sufficiently funding these programs from the tax receipts to support
mission critical functions. EPA will then evaluate available budgets and resources across the
Agency's Superfund programs to determine the most appropriate use of the tax receipts. EPA will
prioritize the Superfund tax receipts to leverage all funding available to continue to clean up NPL
sites at their optimal pace. The Agency will continue its "enforcement first" policy to pursue and
compel responsible parties to conduct response work or finance cleanups. By doing so, annually
appropriated and Superfund tax receipt resources will be conserved for cleanups at sites and
activities where potentially responsible party (PRP) resources are not available. This will allow
the Agency to maximize progress in returning sites to community use, as well as allow the Agency
to implement agency initiatives (e.g., Environmental Justice (EJ), PFAS, and lead). EPA also will
continue to start new construction projects to avoid the creation of another backlog of new
construction projects awaiting funding to start; more efficiently fund ongoing construction
projects; promptly address emergency and short-term CERCLA response actions; and implement
Administration and Agency priorities (e.g., EJ, per- and polyfluorinated substances, lead, etc.).
106 Please see: https://treasurydirect.gov/flp/dfi/tfmb/dfihs0923.pdf. The final amount collected in FY 2023 will be determined by
the U.S Treasury in the 2nd quarter FY 2024.
778
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Resource Summary Table 780
Program Projects in LUST 780
Enforcement 782
Civil Enforcement 783
Operations and Administration 785
Acquisition Management 786
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance 788
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 790
Research: Sustainable Communities 792
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities 793
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST/UST) 796
LUST/UST 797
LUST Prevention 800
LUST Cooperative Agreements 803
779
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
President's Budget
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Budget Authority
$96,317
$93,205
$108,870
$15,665
Total Workyears
41.5
49.4
54.6
5.2
Bill Language: Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program
For necessary expenses to carry out leaking underground storage tank cleanup activities
authorized by subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, $108,870,000, to remain available until
expended, of which $82,201,000 shall be for carrying out leaking underground storage tank
cleanup activities authorized by section 9003(h) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act; $26,669,000 shall
be for carrying out the other provisions of the Solid Waste Disposal Act specified in section 9508(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code: Provided, That the Administrator is authorized to use appropriations
made available under this heading to implement section 9013 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to
provide financial assistance to federally recognized Indian tribes for the development and
implementation of programs to manage underground storage tanks.
Program Projects in LUST
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
$594
$661
$690
$29
Operations and Administration
Acquisition Management
$173
$181
$136
-$45
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
$373
$457
$474
$17
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$803
$754
$729
-$25
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
$1,350
$1,392
$1,339
-$53
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Flealthy Communities
$292
$341
$356
$15
780
-------
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
LUST / UST
$8,426
$9,991
$14,776
$4,785
LUST Cooperative Agreements
$59,328
$55,040
$65,040
$10,000
LUST Prevention
$26,326
$25,780
$26,669
$889
Subtotal, Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
$94,081
$90,811
$106,485
$15,674
TOTAL LUST
$96,317
$93,205
$108,870
$15,665
781
-------
Enforcement
782
-------
Civil Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 77.860
S205.942
S256.252
$50,310
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
$594
S Mil
SOW
S2V
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$2,580
$2,565
$2,699
$134
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$15
$0
$0
$0
Total Budget Authority
$181,048
$209,168
$259,641
$50,473
Total Workyears
904.4
998.1
1,096.7
98.6
Program Project Description:
The Civil Enforcement Program's goal is to ensure compliance with the Nation's environmental
laws to protect human health and the environment. The Program collaborates with the Department
of Justice, and state, local, and tribal governments to ensure consistent and fair enforcement of
environmental laws and regulations. The Civil Enforcement Program develops, litigates, and
settles administrative and civil judicial cases against violators of environmental laws.
To protect the Nation's groundwater and drinking water from petroleum and hazardous substance
releases from Underground Storage Tanks (UST), the Civil Enforcement Program provides
guidance, technical assistance, and training to promote and enforce cleanups at sites with UST
systems.1 The Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program uses its Leaking Underground
Storage Tanks (LUST) resources to oversee cleanups by responsible parties.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to work with states and tribes on a case-by-case basis to prioritize
LUST enforcement goals for cleanup. The Program also will provide guidance, technical
assistance, oversight, and training to enforce cleanups at LUST sites by responsible parties.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Civil Enforcement Program under
the EPM appropriation.
1 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/ust.
783
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$29.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This includes an increase for
critical agency wide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity
requirements, electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of
Trusted Vetting 2.0. It also supports enforcement under the Leaking Underground Storage
Tanks Program by prioritizing LUST cleanup sites by responsible parties.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic authority); Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
784
-------
Operations and Administration
785
-------
Acquisition Management
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$33,034
$37,251
$42,085
$4,834
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
SI "i
S/.S7
SlJfi
-S-/5
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$22,835
$27,247
$34,172
$6,925
Total Budget Authority
$56,042
$64,679
$76,393
$11,714
Total Workyears
268.9
307.7
355.7
48.0
Program Project Description:
Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) resources in the Acquisition Management Program
support the Agency's contract activities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to strengthen EPA's capacity to process new, increased, and
existing contract award actions in a timely manner; advance EPA utilization of small and
disadvantaged businesses; support "Made in America" initiatives; and address supply chain risk
management activities for information and communication technology. EPA processes and awards
contract actions in line with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and guidance from the Office
of Management and Budget's (OMB) Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP).
The Agency will continue to strengthen EPA's capacity to process new, increased, and existing
contract award actions in a timely manner; advance EPA utilization of small and disadvantaged
businesses; support "Made in America" initiatives; and address supply chain risk management
activities for information and communication technology. This investment will enable national
programs to target their critical resources on environmental and programmatic priorities in
partnership with the states, tribes, and local governments. The Agency will work with agency
partners and stakeholders to include environmental justice considerations into grants policies and
requirements and provide underserved communities better awareness and access to the Agency's
financial assistance opportunities.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
786
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$45.0) This program change reallocates system operations and development resources to
Environmental Program Management and Superfund to better align funding needs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
787
-------
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$85,840
$87,099
$100,595
$13,496
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
S.i "¦>
S-/5 ~
N-/V
SI'
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$32,914
$31,338
$30,512
-$826
Total Budget Authority
$119,128
$118,894
$131,581
$12,687
Total Workyears
441.2
472.0
486.7
14.7
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 2.0 FTE funded by TSCA fees.
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 45.7 FTE to support Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance working capital
fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
EPA's financial management community maintains a strong partnership with the Leaking
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST) Program. Activities under the Central Planning, Budgeting,
and Finance Program support the management of integrated planning, budgeting, financial
management, performance and accountability processes, and systems to ensure effective
stewardship of LUST resources. This includes providing financial payment and support services
for specialized fiscal and accounting services for the LUST Programs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Program will ensure secure, efficient, and sound financial and budgetary
management of the LUST Program using routine and ad hoc analysis, statistical sampling, and
other evidence-based decision-making tools. EPA will continue to monitor and strengthen internal
controls with a focus on sensitive payments and property. In addition, the Agency is reviewing its
financial systems for efficiencies and effectiveness, identifying gaps, and targeting legacy systems
for replacement.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Central Planning, Budgeting, and
Finance Program under the EPM appropriation.
788
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$17.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
789
-------
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Science & Technology
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
Building and Facilities
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
1.caking I ntlcrgronntl Storage Tanks
S,WJ
S "-I
s~yj
-$25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) resources in the Facilities Infrastructure and
Operations Program fund the Agency's rent, utilities, and security. The Program also supports
centralized administrative activities and support services, including health and safety,
environmental compliance and management, facilities maintenance and operations, space
planning, sustainable facilities and energy conservation planning and support, property
management, mail, and transportation services. Funding for such services is allocated among the
major appropriations for the Agency.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA will continue reconfiguring EPA's workplaces with the goals of facilitating meaningful in-
person work, reducing long-term rent costs, increasing EPA facility sustainability to combat the
effects of climate change, and ensuring a space footprint that accommodates a growing workforce.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce.2 EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting organizational
2 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) and EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
790
-------
health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
Environments,3 Even if modifications are kept to a minimum, each move requires initial funding
to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. These investments support
sustainable federal infrastructure and the clean energy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. For FY
2025, EPA is requesting $511 thousand for rent in the LUST appropriation. EPA uses a standard
methodology to ensure that rent charging appropriately reflects planned and enacted resources at
the appropriation level. EPA also will continue working to increase sustainability and reduce
carbon emissions through cost-effective solutions.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$25.0) This net program change reduces support for agency facilities management and
operations support. The reduction is offset by increases in rent and transit subsidy costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-rooni/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/).
3 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf.
791
-------
Research: Sustainable Communities
792
-------
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Program Area: Research: Sustainable Communities
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$147,279
$137,857
$149,498
$11,641
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
S2V2
SJ-/1
S.viCi
S/.i
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$785
$675
$683
$8
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$18,525
$16,937
$17,517
$580
Total Budget Authority
$166,880
$155,810
$168,054
$12,244
Total Workyears
427.2
421.8
451.3
29.5
Program Project Description:
EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program under the Leaking
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST) appropriation assists EPA's Office of Underground Storage
Tanks, regions, tribes, and states to assess the degradation of Underground Storage Tanks
(USTs). This assessment identifies vulnerable tanks before leaks occur and helps develop the
tools to track and monitor the status of existing and abandoned USTs and their impact on the
community in a changing climate. Specifically, this research provides information and tools
designed to enable decision-makers to protect America's land, groundwater resources, and
drinking water supplies that could be impacted by the Nation's more than 550 thousand
underground fuel storage tanks.4
SHC will assess the impacts of climate change on USTs and understand the impacts on
communities, including disadvantaged populations and those most vulnerable (e.g., tribes). SHC
will develop tools and data to address issues related to USTs to protect public health and the
environment based on the best available science.
Recent Accomplishments of the SHC Research Program include:
National Database on Underground Storage Tank Infrastructure (April 2022 and January
2023)5
In FY 2023, EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) advanced partnerships with state,
territorial, and tribal partners related to the National Database on Underground Storage Tank
Infrastructure (UST Finder). Specific accomplishments include continued training on the UST
Finder capabilities and functions with federal and state partners (and their identified communities).
4 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/ust.
5 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response-research/underground-storage-tanks-prepariiig-
and-responding-extreme-events. https://mediaspace.nau.edU/media/t/l qxizc7vy. https://www.epa.gov/ust/ust-finder. and
https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c220c67462el4763a8e0c4df75550278.
793
-------
This training provides geospatial data on facilities and tanks in association with drinking water
sources, critical data on the aging infrastructure, and facilities that may be impacted by flooding
and wildfires. The training also helps EPA partners assess facility risk and triage sites for cleanup
and protection of drinking water sources. ORD continues to develop approaches to protect
vulnerable populations from UST releases after extreme weather events. Notably, ORD leveraged
the partnerships with state, territorial, and tribal partners to scope and develop the UST Finder 2.0,
released in FY 2023. UST Finder 2.0 provides partners with both spatial and attribute information
of USTs. This information is critical to identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating risks related to
USTs and supports decision-making on-site cleanups and program management.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
Work in this Program will aim to characterize sites and contaminants released from LUSTs
identified under the LUST Trust Fund with an emphasis on assisting the Agency, tribes, and states
in addressing the backlog of sites for remediation. SHC research will help communities remediate
contaminated sites at an accelerated pace and lower costs, while reducing human health and
ecological impacts. Resulting methodologies and tools will help localities, tribes, and states return
properties to productive use, supporting the Agency's work to safeguard and revitalize
communities.
In FY 2025, EPA research will continue to develop models, metrics, and spatial tools for EPA
regions, tribes, and states to evaluate the vulnerability of groundwater to LUSTs, the impacts of
climate change, and the subsequent human health risks that follow contamination, while
considering environmental justice concerns. SHC will continue to focus on developing national
datasets to better understand the potential vulnerabilities to LUSTs, such as flooding and drought,
and vulnerabilities from LUSTs (e.g., on groundwater) to inform decisions to manage tanks. SHC
will assist EPA's Underground Storage Tanks Program, tribes, and states by updating technical
guidance manuals and evaluations of risk to underground storage tank systems.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of Agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the
StRAPs,6 which will continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
ORD works with various groups, including communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its
research through a variety of mechanisms that include:
6 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
794
-------
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement7 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
• Tribal Partnerships
o Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$35.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (-$20.0) This program change reflects a decrease to the Sustainable and Healthy
Communities LUST research program.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute); Subtitle I of the Solid Waste Disposal Act.
7 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.
795
-------
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST/UST)
796
-------
LUST / UST
Program Area: Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 1.034
SI 2.021
SI 4.604
S2.583
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
$8,426
SI
$4,785
Total Budget Authority
$19,460
$22,012
$29,380
$7,368
Total Workyears
84.5
97.9
108.6
10.7
Program Project Description:
The Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) resources in the LUST/Underground Storage
Tank (UST) Program ensure that petroleum contamination is properly assessed and cleaned up.
Potential adverse effects from chemicals such as benzene, methyl tertiary-butyl ether, alcohols, or
lead scavengers in gasoline and the cost to clean up these contaminants underscore the importance
of preventing UST releases and complying with UST requirements. Even a small amount of
petroleum released from an UST can contaminate groundwater, the drinking water source for many
Americans.
This program supports the Administration's priority of mitigating the negative environmental
impacts to communities that are historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by
persistent poverty and inequality, as articulated in Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. This
program also supports the Administration's Justice40 initiative, which seeks to ensure that 40
percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flows to communities that are
marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution.8 As of 2021, there were approximately
71 million people living within a quarter mile of an active UST facility, representing 21 percent of
the total U.S. population. These communities tend to be more minority, low income, linguistically
isolated, and less likely to have a high school education than the U.S. population as a whole.9
Under this program, EPA supports the oversight and implementation of LUST cleanup programs
in the states,10 and directly implements assessments and cleanups of petroleum contamination from
USTs in Indian Country. EPA also provides technical assistance and training to states and tribes
8 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
9 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2021. Data collected includes: 1) UST information from states as of
2018-2019 and from Tribal lands and Puerto Rico as of 2020-2021 - from ORD & OUST, UST Map,
https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b03763d3f2754461adf86fl21345d7bci and 2) population data
from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
10 States as referenced here also include the District of Columbia and five territories as described in the definition of state in the
Solid Waste Disposal Act.
797
-------
on how to conduct cleanups and improve the efficiency of state programs. As of September 2023,
57,437 LUST sites had not achieved cleanup completion.11 In FY 2023, 6,597 LUST cleanups
were completed nationally, including seven in Indian Country. EPA will continue to collect and
analyze information about the initiation and cleanup of UST releases.
As the direct implementer of the Program in Indian Country, EPA oversees cleanups by
responsible parties, conducts site assessments, remediates contaminated water and soil, and
provides alternative sources of drinking water when needed. EPA's funding for Indian Country is
the primary source of money for these activities. With few exceptions, tribes do not have
independent program resources to pay for assessing and cleaning up UST releases, and in many
cases there are no responsible parties available to pay for the cleanups at sites in Indian Country.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA requests an additional $4.5 million and 5.2 FTE to expand the protection of fenceline
communities. Requested resources will be used to complete an estimated 11 Trust Fund-led
cleanups and five potentially responsible party (PRP)-led cleanups in Indian Country.
EPA will continue to engage in the following core activities:
• Work with states and tribes to implement strategies to reduce the number of sites that have
not reached cleanup completion and to address new releases as they continue to be
confirmed.
• Provide targeted training to states and tribes, such as remediation process optimization and
rapid site assessment techniques.
• Continue developmental updates to the Tribal Underground Storage Tank Database
(TrUSTD). This database provides a central repository for Tribal UST/LUST data that will
both improve data analysis on the tribal UST/LUST universe, as well as create a platform
that will make it easier for EPA to obtain and share tribal UST/LUST data with the public.
• Monitor the soundness of financial mechanisms, particularly insurance and state cleanup
funds that serve as financial assurance for LUST releases and ensure that money is
available to pay for cleanups. In addition, EPA will continue to provide analysis and
technical assistance to states to help them improve the environmental and financial
performance of their cleanup funds.
• Provide support in Indian Country for site assessments, investigations, and remediation of
high priority sites; enforcement against responsible parties; cleanup of soil and
groundwater; alternate water supplies; cost recovery against UST owners and operators;
11 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2023-l l/fy-23-eoy-fuial-report-l 1-21-
2023.pdf.
798
-------
oversight of responsible party lead cleanups; and technical expertise and assistance to tribal
governments.
• Provide resources and support to states and tribes to quickly address emergency responses
from releases to the environment. Releases from USTs can result in imminent threats to
public safety when petroleum or petroleum vapors reach explosive levels in sewers, utility
corridors, underground parking structures, and basements near a LUST site. Emergency
response incidents across the country show that reporting, initial abatement measures, and
free product removal activities may need to be implemented immediately upon discovery
of a release to protect human health and the environment.12
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the LUST Cooperative Agreements
Program under the LUST appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$267.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base payroll costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$4,518.0 / +5.2 FTE) This program change is requested to support an additional 11 Trust
Fund-led cleanups and five PRP-led cleanups in Indian Country. This investment includes
$916.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act §§ 8001, 9001-9014.
12 For more information, please refer to: http://astswmo.org/compendium-of-emergency-response-actions-at-underground-
storage-tank-sites-version-2/.
799
-------
LUST Prevention
Program Area: Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Leaking I nilcrgrounil Storage Tanks
S25. "S'«
S
S.S'.S'V
Total Budget Authority
$26,326
$25,780
$26,669
$889
Program Project Description:
The goal of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Prevention Program is to ensure that
groundwater sources are protected from petroleum and associated chemicals leaking from
underground storage tanks (USTs). This work supports the Administration's priority of mitigating
the negative environmental impacts to communities that are historically underserved,
marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality, as articulated in
Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities
Through the Federal Government.13 As of 2021, approximately 71 million people lived within a
quarter mile of an active UST facility, representing 21 percent of the total U.S. population. These
communities tend to be more minority, low income, linguistically isolated, and less likely to have
a high school education than the U.S. population as a whole.14
The LUST Prevention Program provides funding to states15 and tribes to prevent releases from the
536,503 active USTs by ensuring compliance with federal and state laws through inspections and
other activities.16 Preventing UST releases is more efficient and less costly than cleaning up
releases after they occur. The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of2005 requires EPA or states to conduct
inspections at each regulated UST once every three years. Funding for LUST Prevention grants is
subject to an annual, formula-based allocation process.
13 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-
government/.
14 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2023. Data collected includes: Underground Storage Tank/Leaking
Underground Storage Tank information from states as of 2018-2019 and from Tribal lands and U.S. territories as of 2020-2021
from Office of Research Development & Office of Underground Storage Tanks, UST Finder,
https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b03763d3f2754461adf86fl21345d7bci and 2) population data
from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
15 States as referenced here also include the District of Columbia and five territories as described in the definition of state in the
Solid Waste Disposal Act.
16 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-l l/fv-23-eoy-final-report-11-21-
2023.pdf.
800
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Due to the increased emphasis on inspections and release prevention requirements, the number of
annual confirmed releases has decreased by 41 percent from FY 2008 to FY 2023 (from 7,364 to
4,354).17
As of FY 2023, 51 states and territories have reported compliance with the UST Technical
Compliance Rate (TCR) measure, which came about after the UST rule was revised in 2015.18 The
TCR includes new compliance measures for spill prevention and overfill requirements as well as
additional leak detection requirements. The states that reported TCR in FY 2023 produced a TCR
rate of 58 percent, which is consistent with the 58 percent rate from FY 2021 but incorporates
several states reporting for the first time.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $889 thousand to continue supporting fenceline
communities by conducting approximately 275 additional state inspections. These inspections will
help ensure UST systems are compatible with El5 storage requirements and to triage sites that
need more attention. This investment is one part of a collective plan to support the use of El5,
while protecting the surrounding communities and compliments investments being proposed in
LUST Prevention and Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities.
FY 2025 activities also will include core program priorities, such as inspecting UST facilities to
meet the three-year inspection requirement and assisting states in adopting prevention measures
(for example: delivery prohibition, secondary containment, and operator training). These activities
emphasize bringing UST systems into compliance with release detection and release prevention
requirements and minimizing future releases.
A lack of proper operation and maintenance for UST systems is one of the main causes of
petroleum releases and was the main impetus for EPA to propose changes to the federal UST rule
that was finalized in October 2015. By the end of FY 2025, EPA anticipates that all states that
originally had state program approval (SPA) based on the 1998 UST regulation will be granted
SPA renewal based on the 2015 UST regulation.
EPA is responsible for implementing the UST regulations in Indian Country, in partnership with
the tribes. Resources will be used to provide support with all aspects of the tribal prevention
programs, including the development of inspection capacity. This includes providing money to
support training for tribal staff and educating owners and operators in Indian Country about UST
compliance requirements and, in some cases, assisting tribal staff to receive federal inspector
credentials to perform inspections on behalf of EPA.
17 For more information, please refer to https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-l l/fy-23-eoy-final-report-11-21-
2023.pdf.
18 Beginning in FY 2023, TCR will be the measure reported from the remainder of the states.
801
-------
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM UST01) Number of confirmed releases at UST facilities.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
20IX
201<)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
No Target
Established
5,150
5,075
4,700
4,625
Releases
Actual
5.(>54
5.375
4.'U4
4,991
4,568
4,354
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$889.0) This program change requests grant funding to support fenceline communities
by increasing state inspections that will focus on ensuring UST systems are compatible
with El 5.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1976, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986, § 2007(f); Energy Policy Act, § 9011.
802
-------
LUST Cooperative Agreements
Program Area: Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$59,328
$55,040
$65,040
$10,000
Total Budget Authority
$59,328
$55,040
$65,040
$10,000
Program Project Description:
This funding is used to award cooperative agreements to states19 to implement the Leaking
Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Program. The LUST Program ensures that petroleum
contamination is properly assessed and cleaned up by providing states with funding to address
releases, including in groundwater, the primary drinking water source for many Americans.20
This program supports the Administration's priority of mitigating the negative environmental
impacts to communities that are historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by
persistent poverty and inequality as articulated in Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government 21 This
program also supports the Administration's Justice40 initiative, which seeks to ensure that 40
percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flows to communities that are
marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution. As of 2021, there were approximately
71 million people living within a quarter mile of an active UST facility, representing 21 percent of
the total U.S. population. These communities tend to be more minority, low income, linguistically
isolated, and less likely to have a high school education than the U.S. population as a whole.22
LUST funding supports states in managing, overseeing, and enforcing cleanups at LUST sites. As
of September 2023, there were 57,437 LUST sites nationally that had not reached cleanup
completion. States are focusing on increasing the efficiency of LUST cleanups, leveraging private
and state resources, and enabling community redevelopment. Cleaning up LUST sites protects
people from exposure to contaminants and makes land available for reuse.
19 States as referenced here also include the District of Columbia and five territories as described in the definition of state in the
Solid Waste Disposal Act.
20 Almost half of the Nation's overall population and 99 percent of the population in rural areas rely on groundwater for drinking
water. (See EPA 2000 Water Quality Inventory Report, https://archive.epa.gov/water/archive/web/litml/2000report index.html'l.
21 For more information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equitv-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
22 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Underground Storage Tank/Leaking
Underground Storage Tank information from states as of 2018-2019 and from Tribal lands and U.S. territories as of 2020-2021
from Office of Research Development & Office of Underground Storage Tanks, UST Finder
https://epa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b03763d3f2754461adf86fl21345d7bc: and 2) population data
from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
803
-------
EPA's backlog study characterized the national inventory of sites that have not reached cleanup
completion. The study found that almost half of the releases were 15 years old or older, and that
groundwater was contaminated at 78 percent of these sites. Remediating groundwater
contamination is often more technically complex, takes longer, and is more expensive than
remediating soil contamination.23 Potential adverse health effects from chemicals in gasoline such
as benzene, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), alcohols, or lead scavengers contribute to the
importance of cleaning up these contaminants and increase the cost of cleaning up these sites.24
An EPA study published in 2018 determined the impact of high-profile UST releases on housing
prices. The study found that high profile UST releases decrease nearby property values by two to
six percent. Once a cleanup is completed, nearby property values rebound by a similar margin.25
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA requests an additional $10 million in extramural funding to reduce the size of the national
backlog. Additional resources will be used to clean up an additional 570 sites this year in
communities across the country.
The table below shows the progress made on the UST national backlog. EPA will continue to
collect and analyze information about the initiation and cleanup of UST releases.26
23 Please refer to The National LUST Cleanup Backlog: A Study Of Opportunities, September 2011,
http://www.epa.gov/ust/national-lust-cleanup-backlog-studv-opportunities.
24 Please see Technologies for Treating MTBE and Other Fuel Oxygenates, May 2004, pages 2-6 and 2-7,
https://nepis.epa. gov/Exe/ZvPDF.cgi/10004E5P.PDF?Dockev= 10004E5P.PDF.
25 Guignet, D., Jenkins, R., Ranson, M., & Walsh, P. J. (2018). Contamination and incomplete information: Bounding implicit
prices using high-profile leaks. Journal of environmental economics and management, 88,259-282.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/i.ieem.2017.12.003.
26 Data from Annual Report of UST Measures End of Fiscal Year 2023, https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
1.1. /fv-2 3-eov-final-report-1.1. -21. -202 3 .pdf.
804
-------
UST National Backlog:
FY 1989 Through End-of-Year FY 2023
*D
QJ
|. 200,000
180,000
160,000
"5 140,000
oe
T3
0>
§ 120,000
i
o
np 100,000
- 80,000
2
_o
Z 60,000
40,000
20,000
^ ^ £ $ $ $ & $ $ $ 4? $ $ $ $ ^ 4? $ £ $ ^ $ $ $ $
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to engage in the following activities with base resources:
• Collaborate with states to develop and implement flexible, state-driven strategies to reduce
the number of remaining LUST sites that have not reached cleanup completion and address
new releases that are confirmed each year. Through the cooperative efforts between EPA
and states, the backlog was reduced by approximately 44 percent between fiscal years 2008
and 2023 (from 102,798 to 57,437 ).27 This also includes providing resources to states to
perform core cleanup work.
• Leverage funding by developing best practices and supporting management, guidance, and
enforcement activities through LUST Cleanup Cooperative Agreements. LUST Cleanup
Cooperative Agreements help achieve approximately seven thousand cleanups annually,
whereas, if EPA were to apply the funding directly, only about 366 cleanups would occur
annually (assuming an average cleanup cost of $150 thousand per site).28
• Provide resources and support to states to quickly address emergency responses from
releases to the environment. Emergency response incidents across the country show that
27 For more information, please refer to: http://www.epa.gov/ust/ust-perfonnance-measures.
28 Average cleanup cost per site based on ASTSWMO's 2019 Annual State Fund Survey Results at: http://astswmo.org/2019-
annual-state-fund-survev/.
805
-------
reporting, initial abatement measures, and free product removal activities need to be
implemented immediately upon discovery of a release to protect human health and the
environment.29
The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 requires that states receiving LUST Cooperative
Agreements funding meet certain release prevention requirements, such as inspecting every
facility at least once every three years. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to factor state compliance
with EPAct requirements into LUST Cleanup Cooperative Agreement decisions.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM 112) Number of LUST cleanups completed that meet risk-based standards for human exposure and
groundwater migration.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
11,200
11,200
11,200
11,200
7,439
7,125
6,970
6,815
Cleanups
Actual
8,128
8,358
7,211
7,271
6,536
6,597
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$10,000.0) This program change is requested to increase EPA's progress in addressing
the national backlog. Additional extramural resources are estimated to result in cleanups at
an additional 570 sites across the country.
Statutory Authority:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act § 9003(h)(7).
29 For more information, please refer to: http://astswmo.org/compendium-of-emergencv-response-actions-at-underground-
storage-tank-sites-version-2/.
806
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Inland Oil Spill Programs
Resource Summary Table 808
Program Projects in Inland Oil Spill Programs 808
Compliance 809
Compliance Monitoring 810
Enforcement 812
Civil Enforcement 813
Oil 815
Oil Spill: Prevention, Preparedness and Response 816
Operations and Administration 819
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations 820
Research: Sustainable Communities 822
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities 823
807
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Inland Oil Spill Programs
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
President's Budget
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
Inland Oil Spill Programs
Budget Authority
$21,164
$22,072
$27,803
$5,731
Total Workyears
75.9
85.8
99.8
14.0
Bill Language: Inland Oil Spill Program
For expenses necessary to carry out the Environmental Protection Agency's responsibilities under
the Oil Pollution Act of1990, including hire, maintenance, and operation of aircraft, $27,803,000,
to be derivedfrom the Oil Spill Liability trust fund, to remain available until expended.
Program Projects in Inland Oil Spill Programs
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
-$5
$649
$2,154
$1,505
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
$2,580
$2,565
$2,699
$134
Oil
Oil Spill: Prevention, Preparedness and Response
$17,111
$17,501
$21,624
$4,123
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$692
$682
$643
-$39
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$785
$675
$683
$8
Superfiind Cleanup
Superfiind: Emergency Response and Removal
$0
$0
$0
$0
TOTAL Inland Oil Spill Programs
$21,164
$22,072
$27,803
$5,731
808
-------
Compliance
809
-------
Compliance Monitoring
Program Area: Compliance
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
SI 04.593
SI 12.730
SI 68.474
S55.744
Inland Oil Spill Programs
-$5
vi-/v
S 2.15-1
Si, 50 5
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$1,377
$1,017
$1,036
$19
Total Budget Authority
$105,966
$114,396
$171,664
$57,268
Total Workyears
441.1
478.9
544.6
65.7
Program Project Description:
The Compliance Monitoring Program is a component of EPA's Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance Program (OECA) that allows the Agency to detect noncompliance and to
promote compliance with the Nation's environmental laws. Under this program, EPA integrates
facility, compliance, and enforcement data from the Facility Response Plans (FRP) and Spill
Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) data system into EPA's Integrated Compliance
Information System (ICIS). Data related to compliance with FRP and SPCC requirements are
made available to the public through EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO)
website.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Agency requests an additional $1.5 million to implement its comprehensive action
plan for integrating Environmental Justice (EJ) and climate change considerations throughout all
aspects of the Compliance Monitoring Program. EPA will track this work through its performance
measure focused on the percentage of inspections affecting communities with potential EJ
concerns. This effort answers the President's call to "strengthen enforcement of environmental
violations with disproportionate impact on overburdened or vulnerable communities" [EO 14008,
sec. 222(b)(1)]1. The additional resources also will be used to improve the availability of FRP and
SPCC compliance data to EPA, states, and the public.
1 For more information, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefiiig-room/presidential-actioiis/2021/01/27/executive-order-
oii-tackting-the-cliniate-crisis-at-hoiiie-aiid-abroad/.
810
-------
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this Program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$29.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$1,534.0) This program change increase will support implementation of its
comprehensive action plan for integrating EJ and climate change considerations throughout
all aspects of the Program, including a performance measure tracking the percentage of
inspections affecting communities with potential EJ concerns.
Statutory Authority:
Oil Pollution Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-
80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
811
-------
Enforcement
812
-------
Civil Enforcement
Program Area: Enforcement
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$177,860
$205,942
$256,252
$50,310
I.caking I "ndergroimd Slorago Tanks
$594
$661
$690
$29
In land Oil Spill Programs
$2,580
S 2.5fo
S 2.(>')')
$134
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$15
$0
$0
$0
Total Budget Authority
$181,048
$209,168
$259,641
$50,473
Total Workyears
904.4
998.1
1,096.7
98.6
Program Project Description:
The Civil Enforcement Program's goal is to protect human health and the environment by ensuring
compliance with the Nation's environmental laws. The Civil Enforcement Program collaborates
with the Department of Justice (DOJ), and state, local, and tribal governments to ensure consistent
and fair enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. The Civil Enforcement Program
develops, litigates, and settles administrative and civil judicial cases against violators of
environmental laws.
The Civil Enforcement Program's enforcement of Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, as amended
by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, is designed to ensure compliance with the prohibition against oil
and hazardous substance spills that violate the statute, as well as oil spill prevention, response
planning, and other regulatory requirements. The Civil Enforcement Program develops policies,
issues administrative compliance and penalty orders, and refers civil judicial actions to the DOJ to
address spills, violations of spill prevention and response planning regulations, and other violations
(e.g., improper dispersant use or noncompliance with orders). The Program also assists in the
recovery of cleanup costs expended by the government and provides support for field
investigations of spills; Facility Response Plans; Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures;
and other requirements.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.1, Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to streamline the Civil Enforcement Program, prioritize resources
to achieve regulatory compliance, address oil or hazardous substance spills, and deter future spills.
The Program will focus on facilities where enforcement will promote deterrence, tackle the climate
crisis, integrate Environmental Justice (EJ) considerations in EPA's work to protect overburdened
813
-------
and vulnerable communities that have borne a disproportionate burden of pollution, and to ensure
that spills are prevented, cleaned up, and, where appropriate, mitigated. The Civil Enforcement
Program continues to coordinate with the Criminal Enforcement Program, as appropriate.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Civil Enforcement Program under
the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$165.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation
of base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. It also includes critical
agencywide infrastructure support for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (-$31.0) This program change reduces civil enforcement efforts under the Oil Pollution
Act.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute); Clean Water Act; Oil Pollution Act.
814
-------
Oil
815
-------
Oil Spill: Prevention, Preparedness and Response
Program Area: Oil
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Inland Oil Spill Programs
sr.ni
SI -.501
S 21.62-1
S J. I2J
Total Budget Authority
$17,111
$17,501
$21,624
$4,123
Total Workyears
64.5
71.6
85.6
14.0
Program Project Description:
The Oil Spill Prevention, Preparedness and Response Program protects the American people by
preventing, preparing for, responding to, and monitoring inland oil spills. EPA is the driving force
and primary federal responder for inland oil spills, which include but are not limited to
transportation-related spills from pipelines, trucks, railcars, and other transportation systems. The
Program also provides technical assistance, assets, and outreach to industry, states, and local
communities as part of the Agency's effort to prevent, prepare for, and respond to oil incidents.2
There are approximately 550,400 Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC)
facilities, including a subset of approximately 3,800 Facility Response Plan (FRP) facilities
identified as high risk due to their size and location. The Oil Pollution Act requires certain facilities
that store and use oil to develop response plans that are reviewed by EPA, ensuring access and
availability of response resources in the event a discharge to navigable waters or adjoining
shorelines occurs.
To minimize the potential impact to human health and the environment, the Agency targets
inspections at facilities that pose the highest risk. Inspections are essential to ensuring that facility
staff are knowledgeable on prevention and response plans and can quickly put these plans into
action. The Agency currently inspects approximately 0.07 percent of SPCC facilities per year. In
FY 2022, EPA found 92.8 percent of SPCC facilities inspected to be out of compliance at the time
of inspection.3 The Agency currently inspects approximately 11.7 percent of FRP facilities per
year.
EPA receives spill notifications through the National Response Center. The Agency is responsible
for ensuring all inland oil spills are promptly responded to by working closely with state, tribal,
and local first responders on smaller spills and leading the response on larger spills. EPA accesses
the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, to obtain reimbursement
funds for site-specific oil spill response activities.
2 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/oil-spills-prevention-and-preparedness-regulations.
3 Information from the EPA Oil database.
816
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.3, Prepare for and Respond to
Environmental Emergencies in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $4.1 million and 14.0 FTE for the Oil Spill Prevention,
Preparedness and Response Program. The Program will:
• Inspect oil facilities to ensure compliance with prevention and preparedness requirements.
Inspections involve examining and evaluating the facility's prevention, preparedness, and
response plans and discussing critical components of them with facility staff. EPA also will
conduct unannounced exercises at FRP facilities to test the facility owner/operator's ability
to execute preparedness and response plans. Finally, EPA will conduct off-site compliance
monitoring activities for oil facilities to allow inspectors to determine compliance from
remote locations as another tool to promote regulatory compliance.
• Focus inspections at high-risk facilities. High-risk facilities are identified using a number
of factors including oil spill history; proximity to environmentally sensitive receptors or
drinking water intakes; citizen complaints or federal, state, tribal or local agency referrals
based on significant non-compliance; or the potential to cause substantial harm to the
environment by discharging oil to navigable waters. The Program will increase inspections
and compliance assistance at SPCC and FRP-regulated facilities, focusing on high-risk
facilities located in communities with environmental justice concerns and communities
with increased climate-related risks (e.g., extreme weather, flooding, wildfires, etc.). These
inspection activities are critical to ensuring regulatory compliance at facilities with aging
oil storage infrastructure that could pose a higher risk of an oil spill, thereby substantially
impacting downstream disadvantaged communities. The Program will develop additional
compliance assistance materials, such as factsheets and facility guidance, reflecting the
potential impacts of climate change and environmental justice.
• Maintain the National Contingency Plan's Subpart J product schedule, which highlights a
list of products that may be used to mitigate oil spills.
• Target exercises to improve preparedness for communities with environmental justice
concerns and increase incorporation of environmental justice into preparedness activities
overall.
• Support the Environmental Response Team (ERT), which provides nationwide assistance
and consultation for emergency response actions, including unusual or complex incidents.
In such cases, the ERT supplies subject matter experts with special equipment and technical
or logistical assistance.
• Maintain the National Oil Database, which compiles data for the Program. The database
assists in managing SPCC and FRP information obtained during inspections, as well as
serving as a historical repository. The Oil Database provides more efficient access to
regulated facility information, streamlining inspection activities and identifying regulatory
817
-------
applicability. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to upgrade the National Oil Database to allow
easier data entry, retrieval, and analysis to improve program implementation.
• Deliver required annual oil spill inspector training to federal inspectors and oil spill
response training to On-Scene Coordinators and provide outreach to federal/state partners
and industry stakeholders to improve compliance with regulatory requirements. EPA will
continue developing inspector training materials and methods for inspectors to best assess
SPCC and FRP facilities' incorporation of risks from natural hazards and climate change
into their oil spill prevention and response plans.
• Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) authority, Subpart J of the National Contingency Plan
(NCP) sets forth regulatory requirements for the use of chemical agents as an oil spill
mitigation technology. In FY 2023, the Agency finalized amendments to Subpart J of the
NCP that include revisions to the existing product listing, testing protocols, and
authorization of use procedures to complement the new provisions for dispersant
monitoring that were finalized in 2021. In FY 2025, the Agency will develop guidance for
implementation of the new regulatory provisions.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program directly supports performance results in the Superfund: EPA Emergency
Preparedness program under the Superfund appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$414.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs. This increase includes
critical agency wide infrastructure for Executive Order 14028 cybersecurity requirements,
electronic discovery for FOIA and litigation support, and implementation of Trusted
Vetting 2.0.
• (+$3,709.0 / +14.0 FTE) This program change is an increase to support Oil Spill
Prevention, Preparedness, and Response activities in fenceline communities at risk from
nearby oil facilities, including providing increased outreach/compliance assistance,
improved inspector training, Oil Database improvements, guidance for regulatory updates,
and inspections at regulated facilities to ensure facilities have measures in place to prevent
oil accidents. In addition, resources will be used to develop inspector training materials and
methods. This investment includes approximately $2.6 million for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
The Clean Water Act Section 311 as amended by the Oil Pollution Act.
818
-------
Operations and Administration
819
-------
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Program Area: Operations and Administration
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
[Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs & Management
$275,614
$283,330
$308,134
$24,804
Science & Technology
$65,328
$67,500
$72,906
$5,406
Building and Facilities
$17,502
$42,076
$98,893
$56,817
I.caking I "ndorground Slorage Tanks
$803
S754
S729
-S25
Inland Oil Spill Programs
$692
Vi.S'J
$(>-13
-$39
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$74,115
$65,634
$72,349
$6,715
Total Budget Authority
$434,054
$459,976
$553,654
$93,678
Total Workyears
304.7
321.8
331.1
9.3
Total work years in FY 2025 include 6.1 FTE to support Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Working Capital
Fund (WCF) services.
Program Project Description:
EPA's Facilities Infrastructure and Operations Program in the Inland Oil Spill Programs
appropriation supports the Agency's rent, transit subsidy, and facility operations. Funding is
allocated for such services among the major appropriations for the Agency.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA will continue reconfiguring EPA's workplaces with the goals of facilitating meaningful in-
person work, reducing long-term rent costs, increasing EPA facility sustainability to combat the
effects of climate change, and ensuring a space footprint that accommodates a growing workforce.
Space consolidation and reconfiguration enables EPA to reduce its footprint to create a more
efficient, collaborative, and technologically sophisticated workplace. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue to reconfigure EPA's workplaces to ensure the space footprint can accommodate a
growing and hybrid workforce.4 EPA will consider all opportunities for supporting organizational
health, in line with OMB Memoranda M-23-15 - Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving
Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of Evolving Agency Work
4 Work in this program takes direction for climate change and sustainability related initiatives from the following: EO 14008:
Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/) and EO 14057: Catalyzing Clean
Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-
actions/2021/12/08/executive-order-on-catalyzing-clean-energy-industries-and-iobs-through-federal-sustainability/).
820
-------
Environments 5 Even if modifications are kept to a minimum, each move requires initial funding
to achieve long-term cost avoidance and sustainability goals. These investments support
sustainable federal infrastructure and the clean energy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. For FY
2025, EPA is requesting $485 thousand for rent in the Inland Oil Spill Programs appropriation.
EPA uses a standard methodology to ensure that rent charging appropriately reflects planned and
enacted resources at the appropriation level. EPA also will continue working to increase
sustainability and reduce carbon emissions through cost-effective solutions.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$39.0) This net program change reduces agency facilities management and operations
support. The reduction is offset by an increase in rent and transit subsidy costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Property and Administration Services Act; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat.
2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485 (codified at Title 5, App.) (EPA's organic statute).
5 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-contentAiploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf
821
-------
Research: Sustainable Communities
822
-------
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Program Area: Research: Sustainable Communities
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Science & Technology
$147,279
$137,857
$149,498
$11,641
I.caking I "ndorground Storage Tanks
$292
$341
$356
$15
Inland Oil Spill Programs
S V i
Vi "5
SfiSJ
$8
Hazardous Substance Superfiind
$18,525
$16,937
$17,517
$580
Total Budget Authority
$166,880
$155,810
$168,054
$12,244
Total Workyears
427.2
421.8
451.3
29.5
Program Project Description:
EPA is the lead federal on-scene coordinator for inland oil spills and provides technical assistance,
when needed, for coastal spills.6 EPA is responsible for oil spill preparedness, response, and
associated research; as well as having the lead role to develop protocols for testing spill
response products and agents, which is planned with the assistance of partner agencies including
the United States Coast Guard, United States Department of the Interior, United States Department
of Transportation, and United States Department of Commerce.
EPA's Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) Research Program for inland oil spills,
funded through the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund,7 provides federal, tribal, state, and community
decision-makers with analysis and tools to protect human and ecosystem health from the negative
impacts of oil spills. EPA assists communities, including economically, socially, and
environmentally disadvantaged or impacted communities, by supporting local officials in their
response to a spill. As a result of EPA's research, responders can make more informed
decisions on approaches and methods to reduce the spread and impact of coastal and inland oil
spills, including pipeline and railway spills. Additionally, EPA provides essential remediation
expertise that assists communities in addressing potential impacts on their environmental
resources associated with pipeline and railway oil spills.
The research performed also supports the Agency's National Contingency Plan (NCP) Product
Schedule.8 The NCP is used nationwide by emergency responders and federal agencies when
responding to oil spills. EPA's role is to develop and evaluate response approaches that involve
the use of bioremediation, dispersants, and other additives. EPA also assesses impacts to surface
water and groundwater, especially if they affect drinking water supplies. The Agency relies on
6 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/emergencv-response/epas-scene-coordiiiators-oscs.
7 For more information, please see: https://www.uscg.mil/Mariners/National-Pollution-Funds-Center/About_lSlPFC/OSLTF/.
8 For more information, please see: http://www.epa.gov/emergency-response/national-contingency-plan-subpart-j.
823
-------
this research to provide testing procedures that inform cleanup decisions during an emergency
spill response.
Recent Accomplishments of the SHC Research Program include:9
Improving Preparedness for Oil Spill Response: Researchers advanced EPA's and the
Nation's capabilities to respond to oil spills. EPA conducted research to understand the impacts
of oil dispersants on microbial communities and ecological systems,10 assess the toxicity and
biodegradation of treated petroleum oils,11 and probe potential use of commercial PlanetScope
satellites in oil response monitoring.12 These research outcomes will help responders select
effective cleanup approaches.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022-2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the oil spill program will conduct research to support regulatory activities and protocol
development for EPA's programs and to support state-delegated programs. This Program will
provide on-demand technical support at federal, tribal, or state-managed cleanup sites, as well as
assistance during emergencies. The Program will continue to conduct health, environmental
engineering, and ecological research, and prepare planning and analysis tools for localities
nationwide that will facilitate regulatory compliance and improve environmental and health
outcomes.
Specific activities in FY 2025 include:
• Characterize the chemical properties and their toxicity from in situ burn residue in
collaboration with federal partners. This research will improve oil spill response
technologies and strategies with valuable information on fate & transport processes of
burn residues.
• Improve an air plume model with sensor data collected from a series of oil burns. The
improved air plume model will serve as an essential operational asset for spill response.
Research Planning:
EPA research is built around six integrated and transdisciplinary research programs. Each of the
six programs is guided by a Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) that reflects the research
needs of agency program and regional offices, states, and tribes, and is planned with their active
involvement. Each research program has developed and published its fourth generation of the
StRAPs13 which continue the practice of conducting innovative scientific research aimed at
solving the problems encountered by the Agency and its stakeholders.
9 For a more complete view of accomplishments, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/national-research-programs.
10 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36648524/.
11 For more information, please see: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record Report.cfm?dirEntryId=35711.S&Lab=€ESER
12 For more information, please see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36084611./.
13 The StRAPs are available and located here: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-years-2023-
2026.
824
-------
The Office of Research and Development (ORD) works with various groups, including
communities, to ensure the integrity and value of its research through a variety of mechanisms
that include:
• EPA's Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC)
o ORD meets regularly with this committee, which provides advice and
recommendations to ORD on technical and management issues of its research
programs.
• State Engagement
o EPA's state engagement14 is designed to inform states about their role within EPA
and EPA's research programs, and to better understand the science needs of state
environmental and health agencies.
Partnerships
Key tribal partnerships are established through the Tribal Science Program which
provides a forum for the interaction between tribal and agency representatives.
These interactions identify research of mutual benefit and lead to collaborations on
important tribal environmental science issues.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Research: Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Program under the S&T appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8.0) This program change reflects an increase to the Sustainable and Healthy
Communities Oil Spills research program and additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, 84 Stat. 2086, as amended by Pub. L. 98-80, 97 Stat. 485
(codified as Title 5 App.) (EPA's organic statute); Oil Pollution Act.
• Tribal
o
14 For more information, please see: fattps://www.epa.gov/research/epa-researcli-solutioiis-states.
825
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Resource Summary Table 828
Program Projects in STAG 833
Categorical Grants 836
Categorical Grant: Beaches Protection 837
Categorical Grant: Brownfields 839
Categorical Grant: Environmental Information 841
Categorical Grant: Lead 845
Categorical Grant: Multipurpose Grants 848
Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) 850
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Enforcement 853
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Program Implementation 855
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec. 106) 859
Categorical Grant: Pollution Prevention 865
Categorical Grant: Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) 868
Categorical Grant: Radon 872
Categorical Grant: State and Local Air Quality Management 874
Categorical Grant: Toxics Substances Compliance 879
Categorical Grant: Tribal Air Quality Management 881
Categorical Grant: Tribal General Assistance Program 884
Categorical Grant: Underground Injection Control (UIC) 886
Categorical Grant: Underground Storage Tanks 888
Categorical Grant: Wetlands Program Development 890
Categorical Grant: Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements 892
Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants 895
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) 898
Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program 899
Brownfields Projects 902
Infrastructure Assistance: Alaska Native Villages 906
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water SRF 908
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water Congressionally Directed Spending 912
826
-------
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water SRF 913
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water Congressionally Directed Spending 919
Infrastructure Assistance: Mexico Border 920
Targeted Airshed Grants 923
Safe Water for Small & Disadvantaged Communities 925
Reducing Lead in Drinking Water 927
Lead Testing in Schools 929
Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability 931
Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works 933
Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants 935
Water Infrastructure Workforce Investment 937
Technical Assistance and Grants for Emergencies (SDWA) 939
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability
941
Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program 943
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program 945
Small and Medium Publicly Owned Treatment Works Circuit Rider Program 947
Grants for Low and Moderate Income Household Decentralized Wastewater Systems 949
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works 951
Stormwater Infrastructure Technology 953
Alternative Water Sources Grants Pilot Program 955
Enhanced Aquifer Use and Recharge 957
Water Sector Cybersecurity 958
Recycling Infrastructure 960
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness 963
827
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2025
President's Budget
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
v.
Final
Annualized
President's
FY 2024
Actuals
CR
Budget
Annualized CR
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
Budget Authority
$2,988,952
$4,493,728
$4,528,039
$34,311
Total Workyears
9.4
7.5
9.0
1.5
Bill Language: State and Tribal Assistance Grants
For environmental programs and infrastructure assistance, including capitalization grants for
State revolving funds and performance partnership grants, $4,528,039,000, to remain available
until expended, of which—
(l) $1,239,895,000 shall be for making capitalization grants for the Clean Water State
Revolving Funds under title VI of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; and of which
$1,126,105,000 shall be for making capitalization grants for the Drinking Water State Revolving
Funds under section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act: Provided, That for fiscal year 2025, to
the extent there are sufficient eligible project applications and projects are consistent with State
Intended Use Plans, not less than 15 percent of the funds made available under this title to each
State for Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants shall be used by the State for
projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or other
environmentally innovative activities: Provided further, That for fiscal year 2025, funds made
available under this title to each State for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund capitalization
grants may, at the discretion of each State, be used for projects to address green infrastructure,
water or energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities: Provided
further, That the Administrator is authorized to use up to $1,500,000 of funds made available for
the Clean Water State Revolving Funds under this heading under title VI of the Federal Water
P ollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1381) to conduct the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey: Provided
further, That notwithstanding section 603(d)(7) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the
limitation on the amounts in a State water pollution control revolving fund that may be used by a
State to administer the fund shall not apply to amounts included as principal in loans made by
such fund in fiscal year 2025 and prior years where such amounts represent costs ofadministering
the fund to the extent that such amounts are or were deemed reasonable by the Administrator,
accountedfor separately from other assets in the fund, and usedfor eligible purposes of the fund,
including administration: Provided further, That for fiscal year 2025, notwithstanding the
provisions of subsections (g)(1), (h), and (I) of section 201 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act, grants made under title II of such Act for American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Marianas, the United States Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia may also be
made for the purpose of providing assistance: (1) solelyforfacility plans, design activities, or plans,
828
-------
specifications, and estimates for any proposedproject for the construction of treatment works; and
(2) for the construction, repair, or replacement of privately owned treatment works serving one or
more principal residences or small commercial establishments: Provided further, That for fiscal
year 2025, notwithstanding the provisions of such subsections (g)(1), (h), and (I) of section 201
and section 518(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, funds reserved by the Administrator
for grants under section 518(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act may also be used to
provide assistance: (1) solely for facility plans, design activities, or plans, specifications, and
estimates for any proposed project for the construction of treatment works; and (2) for the
construction, repair, or replacement of privately owned treatment works serving one or more
principal residences or small commercial establishments: Provided further, That for fiscal year
2025, notwithstanding any provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and regulations
issued pursuant thereof, up to a total of $2,000,000 of the funds reserved by the Administrator for
grants under section 518(c) of such Act may also be usedfor grantsfor training, technical assistance,
and educational programs relating to the operation and management of the treatment works
specified in section 518(c) of such Act: Providedfurther, That for fiscal year 2025, funds reserved
under section 518(c) of such Act shall be available for grants only to Indian tribes, as defined in
section 518(h) of such Act and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma (as determined by the
Secretary of the Interior) and Native Villages as defined in Public Law 92-203: Providedfurther,
Thatfor fiscal year 2025, notwithstanding the limitation on amounts in section 518(c) of the Federal
Water Pollution Control Act, up to a total of 2 percent of the funds appropriated, or $30,000,000,
whichever is greater, and notwithstanding the limitation on amounts in section 1452(i) of the Safe
Drinking Water Act, up to a total of 2 percent of the funds appropriated, or $20,000,000, whichever
is greater, for State Revolving Funds under such Acts may be reserved by the Administrator for
grants under section 518(c) and section 1452(i) of such Acts: Provided further, That for fiscal year
2025, notwithstanding the amounts specified in section 205(c) of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act, up to 1.5 percent of the aggregate funds appropriated for the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund program under the Act less any sums reserved under section 518(c) of the Act,
may be reserved by the Administrator for grants made under title II of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act for American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and United
States Virgin Islands: Providedfurther, That for fiscal year 2025, notwithstanding the limitations
on amounts specified in section 1452(j) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, up to 1.5 percent of the
funds appropriated for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs under the Safe
Drinking Water Act may be reserved by the Administrator for grants made under section 1452(j)
of the Safe Drinking Water Act: Providedfurther, That 10 percent of the funds made available under
this title to each State for Clean Water State Revolving Fund capitalization grants and 14 percent
of the funds made available under this title to each State for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
capitalization grants shall be used by the State to provide additional subsidy to eligible recipients in
the form of forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans, or grants (or any combination of these),
and shall be so used by the State only where such funds are provided as initial financing for an
eligible recipient or to buy, refinance, or restructure the debt obligations of eligible recipients only
where such debt was incurred on or after the date of enactment of this Act, or where such debt was
incurred prior to the date of enactment of this Act if the State, with concurrence from the
Administrator, determines that such funds could be used to help address a threat to public health
from heightened exposure to lead in drinking water or if a Federal or State emergency declaration
has been issued due to a threat to public health from heightened exposure to lead in a municipal
drinking water supply before the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That in a State
829
-------
in which such an emergency declaration has been issued, the State may use more than 14 percent
of the funds made available under this title to the State for Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
capitalization grants to provide additional subsidy to eligible recipients: Provided further, That
notwithstanding section 1452(o) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(o)), the
Administrator shall reserve $12,000,000 of the amounts made available for fiscal year 2025 for
making capitalization grants for the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to pay the costs of
monitoring for unregulated contaminants under section 1445(a)(2)(C) of such Act: Provided
further, That no amounts may be rescindedfrom amounts that were designated by the Congress as
an emergency requirement pursuant to a Concurrent Resolution on the Budget or the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985;
(2) $36,386,000 shall be for architectural, engineering, planning, design, construction and
related activities in connection with the construction of high priority water and wastewater facilities
in the area of the United States-Mexico Border, after consultation with the appropriate border
commission: Provided, That no funds provided by this appropriations Act to address the water,
wastewater and other critical infrastructure needs of the colonias in the United States along the
United States-Mexico border shall be made available to a county or municipal government unless
that government has established an enforceable local ordinance, or other zoning rule, which
prevents in that jurisdiction the development or construction of any additional colonia areas, or
the development within an existing colonia the construction of any new home, business, or other
structure which lacks water, wastewater, or other necessary infrastructure;
(3) $41,000,000 shall be for grants to the State of Alaska to address drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure needs of rural and Alaska Native Villages: Provided, That of these
funds: (A) the State of Alaska shall provide a match of 25 percent; (B) no more than 5 percent of
the funds may be usedfor administrative and overhead expenses; and (C) the State of Alaska shall
make awards consistent with the Statewide priority list established in conjunction with the Agency
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for all water, sewer, waste disposal, and similar projects
carried out by the State of Alaska that are funded under section 221 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1301) or the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1921 et seq.) which shall allocate not less than 25 percent of the funds providedfor projects in regional
hub communities;
(4) $114,482,000 shall be to carry out section 104(k) of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), including grants, interagency
agreements, and associated program support costs: Provided, that at least 10 percent shall be
allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties;
(5) $100,000,000 shall be for grants under title VII, subtitle G of the Energy Policy Act of2005;
(6) $69,92 7,000 shall be for targeted airshed grants in accordance with the terms and conditions
in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this
consolidated Act);
(7) $30,173,000 shall be for grants under subsections (a) through (j) of section 1459A of the
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-19a);
830
-------
(8) $36,500,000 shall be for grants under section 1464(d) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-24(d));
(9) $64,479,000 shall be for grants under section 1459B of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-19b);
(10) $25,000,000 shall be for grants under section 1459A(l) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-19a(l));
(11) $18,000,000 shall be for grants under section 104(b)(8) of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1254(b)(8));
(12) $50,000,000 shall be for grants under section 221 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1301);
(13) $6,000,000 shall be for grants under section 4304(b) of the America's Water Infrastructure
Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-270);
(14) $10,005,000 shall be for carrying out section 302(a) of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act (33 U.S.C.
4283(a)), of which not more than 5 percent shall be for administrative costs to carry out such section:
Provided, That notwithstanding section 302(a) of such Act, the Administrator may also provide grants
pursuant to such authority to intertribal consortia consistent with the requirements in 40 CFR
35.504(a), to former Indian reservations in Oklahoma (as determined by the Secretary of the
Interior), and Alaska Native Villages as defined in Public Law 92-203;
(15) $1,465,087,000 shall be for grants, including associated program support costs, to States,
federally recognized tribes, interstate agencies, tribal consortia, and air pollution control agencies
for multi-media or single media pollution prevention, control and abatement, and related activities,
including activities pursuant to the provisions setforth under this heading in Public Law 104 134,
and for making grants under section 103 of the Clean Air Act for particulate matter monitoring
and data collection activities subject to terms and conditions specified by the Administrator, and
under section 2301 of the Water and Waste Act of 2016 to assist States in developing and
implementing programs for control of coal combustion residuals, of which: $53,954,000 shall be
for carrying out section 128 of CERCLA; $15,000,000 shall be for Environmental Information
Exchange Network grants, including associated program support costs; $1,505,000 shall be for
grants to States under section 2007(f)(2) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, whichshall be inaddition
to funds appropriated under the heading "Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund
Program" to carry out the provisions of the Solid Waste Disposal Act specified in section 9508(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code other than section 9003(h) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act;
$28,915,000 of the funds available for grants under section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act shall be for State participation in national- and State-level statistical surveys of water
resources and enhancements to State monitoring programs; and $10,200,000 shall be for
multipurpose grants, including interagency agreements, in accordance with the terms and
conditions described in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding
division A of this consolidated Act);
831
-------
(16) $2,000,000 shall be for grants under section 1442(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j-l(b));
(17) $5,000,000 shall be for grants under section 1459F of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42
U.S.C. 300j—19g);
(18) $5,000,000 shall be for carrying out section 2001 of the America's Water Infrastructure
Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-270, 42 U.S.C. 300j-3c note): Provided, That the Administrator may
award grants and enter into contracts with tribes, intertribal consortia, public or private agencies,
institutions, organizations, and individuals, without regard to section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31
and section 6101 of title 41, United States Code, and enter into interagency agreements as
appropriate;
(19) $25,000,000 shall be for grants under section 223 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1302a);
(20) $5,000,000 shall befor grants under section 224 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1302b);
(21) $5,000,000 shall befor grants under section 226 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1302d);
(22) $3,000,000 shall befor grants under section 227 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act (33 U.S.C. 1302e);
(23) $5,000,000 shall be for grants under section 50217(b) of the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act (33 U.S.C. 1302f(b); Public Law 117—58);
(24) $3,000,000 shall be for grants under section 220 of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1300);
(2 5) $5,000,000 shall be for grants under section 124 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(33 U.S.C. 1276);
(26) $25,000,000, in addition to amounts otherwise available, shall be for competitive grants
to meet cybersecurity infrastructure needs within the water sector; and
(27) $7,000,000 shall be for grants under section 103(b)(3) of the Clean Air Act for wildfire
smoke preparedness grants in accordance with the terms and conditions in the explanatory
statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act):
Provided, That not more than 3 percent shall be for administrative costs to carry out such section.
Provided, That up to 5 percent of the funds appropriated under this heading in each of paragraphs
(16) through (25) may be reserved for salaries, expenses, and administration, and may be
832
-------
transferred to the "Environmental Programs and Management" account or the "Science and
Technology" account as needed.
Program Projects in STAG
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Categorical Grants
Categorical Grant: Beaches Protection
$9,583
$10,619
$9,811
-$808
Categorical Grant: Brownfields
$44,730
$47,195
$53,954
$6,759
Categorical Grant: Environmental Information
$7,400
$10,836
$15,000
$4,164
Categorical Grant: Lead
$15,501
$16,326
$24,639
$8,313
Categorical Grant: Multipurpose Grants
$195
$0
$10,200
$10,200
Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319)
$176,686
$182,000
$188,999
$6,999
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Enforcement
$24,703
$25,580
$25,580
$0
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Program
Implementation
$13,958
$14,027
$14,027
$0
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec. 106)
Monitoring Grants
$20,842
$18,512
$28,915
$10,403
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control
(Sec. 106) (other activities)
$221,431
$218,488
$259,805
$41,317
Subtotal, Categorical Grant: Pollution Control
(Sec. 106)
$242,272
$237,000
$288,720
$51,720
Categorical Grant: Pollution Prevention
$6,804
$4,973
$5,755
$782
Categorical Grant: Public Water System
Supervision (PWSS)
$123,137
$121,500
$132,566
$11,066
Categorical Grant: Radon
$8,958
$10,995
$12,487
$1,492
Categorical Grant: Toxics Substances
Compliance
$5,005
$5,010
$6,877
$1,867
Categorical Grant: Tribal Air Quality
Management
$16,620
$16,415
$23,126
$6,711
Categorical Grant: Tribal General Assistance
Program
$82,649
$74,750
$85,009
$10,259
Categorical Grant: Underground Injection
Control (UIC)
$12,661
$13,164
$11,387
-$1,777
Categorical Grant: Underground Storage Tanks
$1,503
$1,505
$1,505
$0
Categorical Grant: Wetlands Program
Development
$6,122
$14,692
$22,000
$7,308
Categorical Grant: State and Local Air Quality
Management
$246,130
$249,038
$400,198
$151,160
Categorical Grants: Direct Implementation Tribal
Cooperative Agreements
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants
$105,369
$105,000
$108,247
$3,247
Subtotal, Categorical Grants
$1,149,986
$1,160,625
$1,465,087
$304,462
833
-------
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Alternative Water Sources Grants Pilot Program
$0
$0
$3,000
$3,000
Brownfields Projects
$87,833
$100,000
$114,482
$14,482
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and
Sustainability Program
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works
$0
$0
$3,000
$3,000
Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program
$7,239
$100,000
$100,000
$0
Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and
Sustainability
$0
$7,000
$25,000
$18,000
Enhanced Aquifer Use and Recharge
$0
$4,000
$5,000
$1,000
Grants for Low and Moderate Income Household
Decentralized Wastewater Systems
$0
$0
$5,000
$5,000
Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program
$0
$4,000
$5,000
$1,000
Infrastructure Assistance: Alaska Native
Villages
$41,810
$39,686
$41,000
$1,314
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water SRF
$735,951
$775,752
$1,239,895
-$464,143
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water
Congressionally Directed Spending
$80,622
$863,109
$0
-$863,109
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water SRF
$504,719
$516,845
$1,126,105
$609,260
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water
Congressionally Directed Spending
$142,276
$609,256
$0
-$609,256
Infrastructure Assistance: Mexico Border
$33,698
$36,386
$36,386
$0
Lead Testing in Schools
$5,417
$30,500
$36,500
$6,000
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System
Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability
$0
$5,000
$5,000
$0
Recycling Infrastructure
$2,136
$6,500
$10,005
$3,505
Reducing Lead in Drinking Water
$32,301
$25,011
$64,479
$39,468
Safe Water for Small & Disadvantaged
Communities
$22,887
$30,158
$30,173
$15
San Juan Watershed Monitoring
$585
$0
$0
$0
Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants
$48,486
$50,000
$50,000
$0
Small and Medium Publicly Owned Treatment
Works Circuit Rider Program
$0
$0
$5,000
$5,000
Stormwater Infrastructure Technology
$0
$3,000
$5,000
$2,000
Targeted Airshed Grants
$34,669
$69,927
$69,927
$0
Technical Assistance and Grants for Emergencies
(SDWA)
$0
$0
$2,000
$2,000
Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment
Works
$40,617
$27,000
$18,000
-$9,000
Water Infrastructure Workforce Investment
$0
$6,000
$6,000
$0
Water Sector Cybersecurity
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness
$330
$7,000
$7,000
$0
834
-------
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Subtotal, State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
$1,821,656
$3,316,130
$3,062,952
-$253,178
TOTAL STAG
$2,988,952
$4,493,728
$4,528,039
$34,311
835
-------
Categorical Grants
836
-------
Categorical Grant: Beaches Protection
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SV.5.SJ
Slff.filV
s'j.sn
-smv
Total Budget Authority
$9,583
$10,619
$9,811
-$808
Program Project Description:
EPA's Beaches Protection Grant Program awards grants to eligible coastal and Great Lakes states,
territories, and tribes to improve water quality monitoring at beaches and to notify the public of
beach advisories and closings. The Beaches Grant Program is a collaborative effort between EPA,
states, territories, local governments, and tribes to help ensure that coastal and Great Lakes
recreational waters are safe for swimming. Congress created the Program with the passage of the
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act (BEACH Act) with the goal of
reducing risk to the public of waterborne disease related to the use of recreational water.
EPA awards grants to eligible states, territories, and tribes using an allocation formula developed
in consultation with states and other organizations. The allocation takes into consideration beach
season length, beach miles, and beach use.1
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Eligible states, territories, tribes, and localities will receive grant funding to continue to:
• Administer the grant program;
• Implement monitoring and notification programs consistent with EPA guidance; and
• Submit monitoring and advisory data to EPA for production of an annual report in a timely
manner.2
The Beaches Protection Grant Program is a covered program in the Justice40 Initiative and has
two goals: (1) at least 40 percent of beaches serving disadvantaged communities have their water
quality monitored for bacteria and (2) at least 40 percent of beaches serving disadvantaged
1 For more information, please see: www.epa.go v/beach-tech/beach-grant s. See EPA's Beach Advisory and Closing On-line
Notification (BEACON) system (https://watersgeo.epa.gov/beacon2/Beacon.htmD for water quality and notification data that
grant recipients provide to EPA.
2 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/beach-tech/annual-beach-swimming-season-reports.
837
-------
communities have programs to notify the public if it is safe to swim.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$808.0) This program change redirects funding to other administration priorities.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, BEACH Act of 2000.
838
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Categorical Grant: Brownfields
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S-l-l, -.10
S-/-.IV5
V).
Total Budget Authority
$44,730
$47,195
$53,954
$6,759
Program Project Description:
EPA's Brownfields Program is a successful model of the Agency working cooperatively with
states, tribes, local governments, and other agencies to help communities oversee, plan, assess, and
cleanup brownfields properties. State and Tribal Response Programs address contaminated sites
that do not require federal action but need assessment and/or cleanup before they can be considered
ready for reuse. The Program allocates funding to states and tribes to establish core capabilities,
enhance their response programs, and conduct site assessments and cleanups.
Approximately 160 million people (roughly 48 percent of the U.S. population) live within three
miles of a brownfields site that received EPA funding.3 Since its inception, the Brownfields
Program has fostered a community-driven approach to the reuse of contaminated sites. As of
August 2023, the State and Tribal Response Programs have leveraged more than 20,423 jobs and
$3.0 billion in IIJA funding. State and Tribal funding spent on site-specific brownfields work has
contributed to 4,136 sites assessed, 559 sites cleaned up, and 1,743 sites made ready for anticipated
reuse (RAU). Sites receiving these funds are 1.5 times more likely to become RAU than sites
receiving brownfields competitive grant funding alone. In 2023, EPA provided funding to 169
states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia.4
This funding is a critical source for state and tribal partners to establish and grow their brownfields
programs. Over 100 tribes have received brownfields funding to build their programs, and
cumulatively these programs have cleaned up over 4,900 properties and made over 168 thousand
acres ready for reuse. Addressing brownfields sites on tribal lands also has leveraged over 1,396
jobs and $217 million.5
In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) invests $300 million to support State
and Tribal Response programs from FY 2022 through FY 2026. IIJA can provide necessary funds
to states and territories and over 100 tribes to grow their brownfields programs.
3 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management, 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Brownfields site information from
ACRES as of the end of FY 2022; 2) Population data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
4 Data from U.S. EPA Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES).
5 Data from U.S. EPA ACRES.
839
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an investment of approximately $6.8 million to assist state and tribal
brownfields programs to assess, clean up, and reuse sites. EPA's national brownfields program is
built upon and fully reliant on strong state, territorial, and tribal brownfields programs. These
additional funds especially benefit rural and small communities and tribal nations that do not have
the capacity to apply for and manage a direct U.S. EPA 104(k) brownfields grant on their own.
States and tribes may use categorical grant funding provided under this program in the following
ways:
• Conducting site-specific activities, such as assessments and cleanups at brownfields sites;6
• Developing mechanisms and resources to provide meaningful opportunities for public
participation;
• Developing mechanisms for approval of cleanup plans and verification and certification
that cleanup efforts are complete;
• Creating an inventory of brownfields sites;
• Capitalizing a Revolving Loan Fund for brownfields-related work;
• Developing a public record;
• Developing oversight and enforcement authorities, or other mechanisms and resources;
• Purchasing environmental insurance;
• Developing state and tribal tracking and management systems for land use and institutional
and engineering controls; and
• Conducting public education and outreach efforts to ensure that tribal communities are
informed and able to participate in environmental decision-making.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Brownfields Projects Program under
the STAG appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6,759.0) This program change increases financial and technical assistance resources to
state and tribal response programs.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) § 128(a).
6 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/browiifLelds/state-and-tribal-response-program-grants.
840
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Categorical Grant: Environmental Information
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S',-100
SlO.SJfi
S 15,1)1)1)
S-U6-I
Total Budget Authority
5)7,400
5)10,836
5>15,000
5)4,164
Program Project Description:
The funds provided under this categorical grant support the Environmental Information Exchange
Network (EN), which is a critical component of the Agency' s Data Strategy and supports Executive
Order (EO) 13985. Advancing Racial Equality and Supportfor Under served Communities through
the Federal Government1 The EN is a standards-based, secure approach for EPA and its tribal,
state, and territorial partners to exchange and share environmental data over the internet. The EN
offers its partners tremendous potential for managing, accessing, and analyzing environmental data
more effectively and efficiently.
The Exchange Network Grant Program provides funding to federally recognized tribes and tribal
consortia, states, and territories. These assistance agreements support participation in the EN
through integration and development of tools leveraging EN technology, data standards, open-
source software, shared services, and reusable components. EN partners acquire and develop the
hardware, software, and data infrastructure needed to collect, report, and access environmental
data with greater efficiency and integrate information across programs. The EN is the standard
approach to share data across tribes, states, territories, and EPA. The EN Grant Program also plays
a critical role in evolving the EN technology to support the vision of the Digital Strategy.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the Environmental Information Programs and activities will continue to focus on
environmental justice (EJ) for tribal, state, and territorial partnerships in support of EO 13985:
Advancing Racial Equality and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal
Government.1 The EN Program plays a critical role in supporting the Administration's
comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including those who have been historically
underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Tribes are
often understaffed and under resourced and lack the capacity to take on the development of data
and Information Technology (IT) management related environmental media. Outreach, training,
7 For additional information, please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefuig-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-
order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
841
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and targeted data and IT capacity building funding opportunities within the EN Grant Program
Solicitation Notice have resulted in tribes receiving 59 percent of grant resources awarded in FY
2023.
In FY 2025, the EN Grant Program will prioritize increasing the Data and IT management capacity
of the tribal and territorial partners to expand their participation in the EN. A key funding area
within the FY 2025 EN Grant Solicitation Notice will continue to be capacity building for tribes
and territories, with the inclusion of mentoring resources for first time tribal and territorial
applicants. EPA annually awards over $2.3 million of overall grant program resources to tribal
recipients. To increase the support for tribal and territorial partners, EPA's request includes an
additional $4.2 million in FY 2025 to establish a minimum funding level within the overall EN
Grant program funding exclusively dedicated to tribal and territorial grantees to build capacity
with funding assistance and mentoring. EPA will improve the use of grant resources that sustain
tribal Data and IT management activities.
Through its Tribal Cooperative Agreement, the EN Grant Program will support multiple Data
Academy sessions which emphasize basic data management skills critical for effective
environmental program management. The annual Tribal EN Conference, held by the Agency's
cooperative agreement partner, will continue to focus on Data and IT management training and
include information transfer sessions based on topics identified by over 130 tribes. Topics were
identified in a baseline assessment conducted by a Tribal EN Group supported by the cooperative
agreement partner as well as input from tribes to the Office of Mission Support Tribal Five-Year
Strategic Plan, which was completed in FY 2022. Outreach activities such as webinars and story
maps outlining tribal EN Grant Program awards success stories also will continue to be prioritized
to expand tribal knowledge about the benefits of applying for EN grants.
Tribal engagement and participation in EN efforts has significantly increased over the past few
years. As a result, tribes have requested greater EN program administration support, comparable
to what states receive. Given the continuing growth in tribal participation in the EN and the
expansion of rural broadband through the American Broadband Initiative,8 EPA anticipates many
more tribes will engage in data management and electronic reporting and, consequently, there will
be expanded interest in tribal participation in the EN. In response to this need, EPA will dedicate
resources for program administration support to increase tribal engagement in the EN. These
resources will support strategic planning and implementation approaches for tribes to participate
in the EN, build data management and technical capacity, and enable the EN Grant Program to
measure the effectiveness of these approaches to meet this goal. This will support EO 13985 and
strengthen EJ to revitalize underserved communities.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support the EN through a cooperative agreement with an
organization that represents the interests of state environmental programs under the associated
program support cost authority.9 This includes support to governance, which represents a cross-
section of EPA, state, and tribal organizations.
8 For additional information, please see: https://www.ntia.doc.gov/blog/2019/american-broadband-iiiitiative-expand-comiectivity-
all-americans.
9 For additional information, please see: https: //www, govinfo. gov/content/pkg/PLA W-1.1.3publ76/pdf/PLA W-1.1.3publ76 .pdf.
842
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Under this strategy of state, local, and tribal partnerships, the Agency will continue to advance its
business processes, data management, and systems to reduce reporting burden on states and
regulated facilities, as well as improve the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental protection
programs for all partners. Currently, 50 state, 274 tribal, and six territorial partners qualify for EN
grants projects. In FY 2025, at the requested resource level, EPA anticipates awarding between 30
and 45 grants with 10 to 20 of these grants being awarded to tribes. The grant awards will assist
states, tribes, and territories in implementing activities that align with the three areas outlined in
the EN Solicitation Notice. These are:
• Increased Data Access and Innovative Business Processes: These activities support the
partners' ability to share cross-state, cross-tribal, or state-tribal data. The emphasis is on
activities which create services and tools that make data available and sharable on-demand
through portals, web services, and application programming interfaces. EN partners are
encouraged to implement innovative approaches to collecting, publishing, and sharing data
that reduce costs associated with capturing data in the field while making it more accessible
to stakeholders.
• Eliminate paper submittals and expand e-reporting: Grant projects will support developing
and implementing EN air, water, and land data flows that enable automated reporting to
EPA systems.
• Augment the Information Management Capacity of EN Partners: Some existing and
potential tribal and territorial EN partners have limited experience with electronic data
collection and management. Tribal and territorial governments can use grants to conduct
coordinated efforts and leverage the EN services given their unique regulatory
responsibilities and data needs.
The "National Environmental Information Exchange Network Grant Program Solicitation Notice"
sets forth the process for awarding grant funding to states, tribes, and territories.10 It is an annual
guidance document that describes eligibility requirements, the process for application preparation
and submission, evaluation criteria, award administration information, and post-award monitoring
procedures.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$4,164.0) This program change proposes to increase the funding available for tribal &
territorial grant applicants to build capacity with funding assistance and mentoring. This
investment also supports Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equality and Support
for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government.
10 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/exchaiigenetwork/exchaiige-iietwork-grant-program.
843
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Statutory Authority:
This program is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriation Act, 2023 (PL 117-328).
844
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Categorical Grant: Lead
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile and Tribal Assistance (iranls
S l.\.VU
SI 0.320
S 2-I.O.W
SSJi.l
Total Budget Authority
$15,501
$16,326
$24,639
$8,313
Program Project Description:
Lead is highly toxic, especially to young children. Exposure to lead is associated with decreased
intelligence, stature, and growth, impaired neurobehavioral development, and impaired hearing
acuity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no safe blood lead level in
children has been identified, and effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected.11'12 Reducing
exposure to lead-based paint (LBP) in old housing continues to offer the potential to significantly
decrease blood lead levels in the largest number of children. Housing units constructed before
1950 are most likely to contain LBP. The most recent national survey estimated that 34.6 million
homes in the U. S. have LBP, and 29 million homes have significant LBP hazards.13 Children living
at or below the poverty line who live in older housing are at greatest risk. Additionally, children
of some racial and ethnic groups and those living in older housing are disproportionately
affected.14 Accordingly, the Lead Categorical Grants Program and related Lead Risk Reduction
Program represent strategic opportunities to advance EPA's environmental justice (EJ) goals.
Because of the historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities to LBP of certain racial,
ethnic, and low-income communities, EPA's Lead Program has the potential to create significant
EJ gains. EPA's Lead Program contributes to the goal of reducing lead exposure and works toward
addressing historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities of certain racial, ethnic, and low-
income communities.15 This program will play an important role in achieving the Administration's
goals to enhance EJ and equity by:
11 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Blood Lead Levels in Children, found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/blood-lead-levels.htm.
12 Among children ages 1 to 5 years in families with incomes below poverty level, the 95th percentile blood lead was 3.0 |ig/dL,
and among those in families at or above the poverty level, it was 2.1 |ig/dL, a difference that was statistically significant. The
95th percentile blood lead level among all children ages 1 to 5 years was 2.5 ng/dL. The 95th percentile blood lead level in Black
non-Hispanic children ages 1 to 5 years was 3.0 |ig/dL, compared with 2.4 (ig/dL for White non-Hispanic children, 1.8 (ig/dL for
Mexican-American children, and 2.7 (ig/dL for children of "All Other Races/Ethnicities."12 The differences in 95th percentile
blood lead levels between race/ethnicity groups were all statistically significant, after accounting for differences by age, sex, and
income. See, America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at:
fattps: //www, epa. go v/americaschildrenenvironment.
13 HUD. (2021), American Healthy Homes Survey II Lead Findings,
https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/HH/documents/AHHS_II_Lead_Findings Report_Final_29oct21.pdf.
14 See, America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at: https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenvironment.
15 Childhood blood lead levels (BLL) have declined substantially since the 1970s, due largely to the phasing out of lead in
gasoline and to the reduction in the number of homes with lead-based paint hazards. The median concentration of lead in the
845
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• Implementing standards governing lead hazard identification and abatement practices;
• Identifying and providing access to a national pool of certified firms and individuals trained to
carry out lead hazard identification and abatement practices and/or renovation, repair, and
painting projects while adhering to the lead-safe work practice standards and minimizing lead
dust hazards created in such projects; and
• Providing information and outreach to housing occupants and the public so they can make
informed decisions and take actions about lead hazards in their homes.
The Lead Categorical Grant Program contributes to the Lead Risk Reduction Program's goals by
providing support to authorized state and tribal programs that administer training and certification
programs for lead professionals and renovation contractors.16 Ensuring that those who undertake
LBP activities are properly trained and certified is a critical aspect of federal efforts to reduce lead
exposure and work towards addressing the historic and persistent disproportional vulnerabilities
of certain racial groups and low-income communities. Low-income, minority children are
disproportionally vulnerable to lead exposure. This program and others that focus on reducing
environmental lead levels, therefore, have the potential to create significant EJ gains.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025 the Lead Categorical Grants Program will continue to provide assistance to states,
territories, the District of Columbia, and tribes to develop and to implement authorized lead-based
paint abatement programs and authorized Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) programs. EPA
directly implements these programs in all areas of the country that are not authorized to do so and
will continue to operate the Federal Lead-based Paint Program Database (FLPP) of trained and
certified lead-based paint professionals.17 Activities conducted as part of this Program include
accrediting training programs, certifying individuals and firms, and providing education and
compliance assistance to those subject to the abatement and RRP regulations and the public in
support of the Administration's goals to enhance EJ and advance racial equity.
As of June 2023, 39 states and territories, four tribes, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
have been authorized to run the LBP abatement program. In addition, 15 states and one tribe are
authorized to administer the RRP program. As of June 2023, there were 280 accredited RRP
providers and almost 58,000 certified renovation firms. In FY 2025 EPA will continue providing
assistance to existing authorized state and tribal lead programs.
In FY 2025 EPA will continue to update and maintain the FLPP database. The database requires
continuous monitoring and updating to keep up with ever-changing system and security
requirements. This is extremely important because FLPP is where program data is stored and is
blood of children aged 1 to 5 years dropped from 15 micrograms per deciliter in 1976-1980 to 0.7 micrograms per deciliter in
2013-2014, a decrease of 95%. See, America's Children and the Environment (EPA, 2019), found at:
https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenvironment.
16 Please visit littp://www, epa. gov/tead for additional information.
17 Please visit https://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/pub/index.cfm?do=main.firmSearch for additional information.
846
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used to process, evaluate, and take final action on all applications, updates, and notifications
submitted under the LBP training and certification programs.
As part of its implementation activities, EPA conducts outreach to the regulated community and
the public to increase the number of RRP-certified firms and demand for their services. EPA will
continue to expand its outreach efforts with the goal of increasing the number of renovations being
performed by trained and certified individuals and firms that follow lead-safe work practices
resulting in reduced exposure to lead. EPA will produce outreach materials and conduct trainings
in English and Spanish designed at reaching contractors and the public. The trainings will,
emphasize the critical role contractors play in preventing lead exposure during RRP activities and
the importance of using certified contractors for renovations. EPA's outreach will include older
homeowners, a fast-growing number of whom are renovating their homes for the purposes of aging
in place. This messaging will focus on the importance of hiring certified contractors when
renovating pre-1978 homes, for the safety of residents and of those who visit their homes,
including children.
The Agency will continue outreach efforts working with contractors and the public in underserved
communities through the Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach
(ELSWPEO) initiative. To improve outreach efforts in underserved communities, EPA will
continue to work directly with local environmental justice and public health organizations that are
well-positioned to raise awareness of lead safe work practices in underserved communities.
EPA's Strategic Plan includes a measure that tracks the percentage of expiring lead-based paint
firm certifications renewed before the expiration date. Federal law requires all RRP firms working
in housing, or facilities where children are routinely present, built before 1978, to be certified to
perform renovations or dust sampling. EPA helps the public find certified repair and renovation
firms through a directory at. Funding for this program helps ensure that people are able to access
firms qualified to mitigate or eliminate the risks posed by residential lead exposure. In FY 2022,
31 percent of firms eligible to renew their recertifications before the expiration date did so. In FY
2023, 31 percent of firms eligible to renew their recertifications before the expiration date.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Toxic Substances: Lead Risk
Reduction Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8,313.0) This program change supports additional assistance to states, territories, the
District of Columbia, and tribes to develop and to implement authorized lead-based paint
abatement programs and authorized Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) programs and
additional changes to fixed support costs.
Statutory Authority:
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), §§ 401-412.
847
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Categorical Grant: Multipurpose Grants
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
.s/y.i
SO
SI 0.200
SI 0.200
Total Budget Authority
M95
so
M0,200
10,200
Program Project Description:
EPA and its partners have made enormous progress in protecting air, water, and land resources.
The Multipurpose Grants Program supports states, tribes, and territories in the implementation of
environmental programs, which are mandatory statutory duties delegated by EPA under pertinent
environmental laws. Recognizing that environmental challenges differ across tribes, states, and
territories, including climate change factors and environmental justice considerations, the Program
provides EPA's partners with flexibility to target funds to their highest priority efforts to protect
human health and the environment.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program provides Cross-Agency Mission and Science Support and is allocated across
strategic goals and objectives in the FY2022 - 2026EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, these funds will support the President's and Administrator's priorities as well as
implementation of environmental programs delegated by EPA under pertinent environmental laws.
Tribes, states, and territories have the flexibility to apply the funds toward activities required in a
broad array of environmental statutes, depending on local needs and priorities. Results are tracked
as required by the Environmental Results Order and support critical work across multiple
environmental programs.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$10,200.0) This program increase provides EPA's states, tribes, and territories with
additional resources to target funds to their highest priorities and to address key
environmental challenges in their communities.
848
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Statutory Authority:
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act (GAP); Pollution Prevention Act (PPA);
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA); Clean Air Act (CAA); Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA); National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Clean Water Act
(CWA); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA);
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); Marine
Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA); and Indoor Radon Abatement Act.
849
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Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319)
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S/ sv»
SIX 2.000
sifttt.vw
S6.WJ
Total Budget Authority
$176,686
$182,000
$188,999
$6,999
Program Project Description:
The Nonpoint Source Section 319 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) broadly authorizes states,
territories, and 214 tribes (with approximately 220 tribes expected to be eligible under section 319
in Fiscal Year 2025) to use a range of tools to implement their Nonpoint Source Programs,
including: regulatory and non-regulatory programs, technical assistance, financial assistance,
education, training, technology transfers, and demonstration projects.18 Nonpoint source pollution,
caused by runoff that carries excess nutrients, pathogens, toxics, and other contaminants to
waterbodies, is the greatest threats to surface and groundwater quality impairments in the United
States and the primary cause of water quality problems in the nation; as of FY 2023, the number
of impaired waters is 150,736.19 Climate change is increasing this form of pollution by causing
more frequent and intense rain and storm events.
Grants under section 319 are a critical source of support to help states, territories, and tribes
implement their EPA-approved Nonpoint Source Management Programs. Implementation of
watershed-based plans help achieve load reductions contained in Total Maximum Daily Loads to
achieve water quality standards. In 2023, section 319 grants eliminated 5.87 million pounds of
nitrogen, 1.23 million pounds of phosphorus, and 623 thousand tons of sediment from waters.
Since 2006, the section 319 program has supported the restoration or improvement of over 12,500
miles of rivers and streams and over 230,000 acres of lakes and ponds (across over 1,100
waterbodies).20
The pervasiveness and widely distributed nature of nonpoint source pollution requires the
dedication and leveraging of resources and the use of program tools and authorities from a wide
range of stakeholders to address it, including EPA, other federal agencies, states, territories, tribes,
local governments, nonprofit organizations, conservation districts, and private landowners and
citizens. Section 319 project funds are highly leveraged. For each section 319 project dollar, state,
18 For more information, please visit: https://sam.gov/fal/7798fcedl5el4aa6bf9f67d6dl0b95e0/view.
19 "Of the waterbodies across the Nation that have been assessed and a possible source of impairment identified, 85 percent of
rivers and streams and 80 percent of lakes and reservoirs are polluted by nonpoint sources." (USEPA, 2016)
https://www.qM.gov/site8/defimll/lile8QO 16-10/doeuments/hps program highlights report-508.pdf.
20 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/nps/success.
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local, and federal partners contributed another eight dollars.21 Using section 319 funds to support
watershed scale implementation projects can facilitate leveraging other funding sources for
nonpoint source water quality restoration and protection. EPA works closely with and supports the
many efforts of states, interstate agencies, tribes, local governments and communities, watershed
groups, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Homeland Security's
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other federal agencies to develop and
implement programs and local watershed projects to restore surface water and groundwater
nationwide. Section 319 grants also encourage states to leverage other EPA programs, including
the CWA State Revolving Loan Fund to support projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution.
To further accelerate the reduction of nonpoint source pollution, EPA and USDA continue to
coordinate to achieve improvements in water quality via the National Water Quality Initiative
(NWQI). The Initiative targets resources and helps landowners implement practices to control
nutrient, pathogen, and sediment pollution in more than 300 small watersheds nationwide. In FY
2023, USDA announced that the NWQI will be extended for five additional years.
As described in the Surface Water Protection Program Area, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency uses staff and extramural resources to oversee implementation of the program and
provides technical assistance to support state, territory and tribal nonpoint source management
programs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the program will continue to work with and support states, territories, and tribes to
strengthen and enhance their NPS programs. Section 319 grants will continue to focus on
implementing watershed projects and maintaining current NPS Management Programs to restore
impaired waterbodies to meet water quality standards and protect healthy waters. In FY 2023, EPA
estimates that about 904 square miles of watersheds that were previously impaired due to excess
nutrients now meet water quality standards.
Achieving water quality results requires targeting the primary sources of nonpoint source pollution
in a watershed in the right places with the right practices. Watershed-based plans enable this
targeting by:
• providing an analysis of sources and relative significance of pollutants of concern;
• identifying cost-effective techniques to address those sources;
• assessing the availability of needed resources, authorities, and community involvement to
affect change; and
• enabling monitoring to evaluate NPS pollution and flows.
21 This estimate is based on reported information for waterbodies removed from a state's list of impaired waters due in part to
implementation of a §319 project in 2005-2016 and reported to EPA as a "success story."
851
-------
In FY 2025, the section 319 Program will build on efforts to ensure that the benefits of cleaner
water provided by the Program reach disadvantaged communities. In FY 2023 EPA set new
flexibilities and expectations for state actions to integrate equity within their Nonpoint Source
programs and implemented programmatic changes to better support tribal Nonpoint Source
programs. Revised section 319 grant guidelines incorporating climate change, equity and new
flexibilities and expectations will be finalized in FY 2024 and effective for FY 2025 grants.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM SWP-01) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with surface water meeting standards that
previously did not meet standards.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8,000
8,000
17,100
7,900
Square
Miles
Actual
20,511
7,121
(PM SWP-02) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with previously impaired surface waters due to
nutrients that now meet standards for nutrients.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2,100
1,400
1,400
650
Square
Miles
Actual
12,833
904
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6,999.0) This increase of resources is for state, territory, and tribe NPS management
programs, including implementation of NPS projects and statewide NPS protection
activities.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act, section 319.
852
-------
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Enforcement
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
s:~i. ~o.i
S2.\5S0
SO
Total Budget Authority
$24,703
$25,580
$25,580
$0
Program Project Description:
The Pesticides Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Cooperative Agreement Program
supports pesticide product and user compliance with provisions of the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) through cooperative agreements with states andtribes.22
The cooperative agreements: support state and tribal compliance and enforcement activities under
FIFRA; provide resources to rebuild programmatic capabilities between EPA and partner agencies;
provide vital training programs to EPA, state, territory, and tribal partners; and help address
Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns in overburdened and vulnerable communities. Enforcement
and pesticides program cooperative agreement guidance is issued to focus regional, state, and tribal
efforts on the highest priorities. EPA's support to state and tribal pesticide programs emphasizes
reducing chemical risks by ensuring compliance with worker protection standards, pesticide
applicator certification and training requirements, pesticide use requirements designed to protect
water quality, pesticide product integrity, and border compliance.23
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to support state and tribal partners through the Pesticides
Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Cooperative Agreement Grants Program. In addition to
maintaining a basic level of pesticide program implementation, compliance assistance, and
enforcement to ensure a viable pesticide regulatory and enforcement program, there are five
compliance and enforcement focus areas in the FY 2022 - 2025 Joint OPP/OECA FY2022-2025
FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance including:24 1) monitoring compliance with the Worker
Protection Standard; 2) monitoring compliance with pesticide applicator certification
requirements; 3) conducting inspections in response to pesticide contamination in water; 4)
establishment inspections to ensure product integrity; and 5) inspections of imported products. In
22 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/federal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act-
state-and-tribal-assistance-grant.
23 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-advisory-committees-and-regulatory-partners/tribal-
pesticide-pro grains.
24 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/documents/22-25guidance.pdf
853
-------
FY 2025, EPA will prioritize and award state and tribal pesticides cooperative agreements for
implementing the compliance monitoring and enforcement provisions of FIFRA.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) §23(a)(1); Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
854
-------
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Program Implementation
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SU.VjX
SI-1.02 ~
S 14.02'
SO
Total Budget Authority
$13,958
$14,027
$14,027
$0
Program Project Description:
The purpose of EPA's Pesticide Program Implementation Grants Program is to translate pesticide
regulatory decisions made at the national level into results at the local level. Under the pesticide
statutes, responsibility for ensuring proper pesticide use is in large part delegated to states,
territories, and tribes. Grant resources allow EPA's co-regulators to be more effective regulatory
partners, serving all populations and enabling EPA's partners to prioritize incorporating
environmental justice (EJ) into their pesticide programs.
EPA's mission, as related to pesticides, is to protect human health and the environment from
pesticide risk and to realize the value of pesticide availability by considering the economic, social,
and environmental costs and benefits of pesticide use.25 The Agency provides grants to states,
tribes, and other partners, including universities, non-profit organizations, other federal agencies,
and environmental groups, to assist in strengthening and implementing EPA pesticide programs.
This grant program also focuses on EJ issues such as: worker safety activities, including protection
of farmworkers;26 outreach and education in tribal communities about pesticide risks; pesticide
safety education in vulnerable communities with limited English language proficiency; and
certification and training of pesticide applicators.27 The Program also focuses on protecting
endangered species,28 protecting water resources from pesticides, protecting pollinators, and
promoting environmental stewardship and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)-related activities in
community settings, such as preschools in vulnerable communities and tribal schools, which are
traditionally underserved and typically have EJ concerns.
EPA supports implementation of tribal pesticide programs through cooperative agreements that
help tribes protect human health by reducing pesticidal risks in tribal communities. Many tribal
communities are small and located in remote areas with few resources to address EJ issues. The
Program is implemented in a manner that recognizes that tribes have unique needs as an
25 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, as amended. Section 3(a), Requirement of Registration (7 U.S.C. 136a).
Available online at: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-federal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act.
26 A large portion of these stakeholders may also be members of communities with EJ concerns.
27 A large portion of these stakeholders may also be members of communities with EJ concerns.
28 The Endangered Species Act of 1973 sections 7(a)l and 7(a)2; Federal Agency Actions and Consultations, as amended (16
U.S.C. 1536(a)). Available at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) internet site:
https://www.fws.gov/service/section-7-consultations.
855
-------
underserved population, and that certain aspects of Native American lifestyles, such as subsistence
fishing or consumption of plants that were not grown as food and possibly exposed to pesticides,
may increase exposure to some chemicals or create unique chemical exposure scenarios.29 These
cooperative agreements with EPA's co-regulators also can provide pesticide safety education to
migrant farmworkers and their families and communities.
To further these efforts, EPA funds a multi-year cooperative agreement with Colorado State
University called the Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP), which provides targeted
training to states, tribes, and territories. This program is specifically requested by EPA's pesticide
co-regulators and governed by a PREP Steering Committee, which includes the Association of
American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO) Board of Directors and EPA. The PREP Steering
Committee meets each fall to identify courses for the coming season and ways to be more inclusive
of vulnerable communities and address key EJ issues related to pesticide use and exposure.
The Agency also funds a multi-year grant in support of the State Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG). The grant ensures
the close coordination of states and EPA on pesticide issues.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7 Objective 7.1, Ensure Chemical and Pesticide
Safety in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will work with states, tribes, and territories to incorporate EJ principles into their
programs as much as possible. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to implement the following
programs:
Agricultural Worker Protection Standard and Certification and Training Program
Through the Certification and Training Program and the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard,
EPA protects workers, pesticide applicators and handlers, employers, and the public from the
potential risks of pesticides at their work. These efforts protect farmworkers, their families, and
their communities, all of which are often located in areas with many EJ concerns. EPA will
continue to provide assistance and grants to implement these programs, and to address their
respective federal regulatory changes. In FY 2020, states, territories, and tribes (certifying
authorities) submitted their revised certification plans to EPA for review to address the 2017
revisions to the Certification of Pesticide Applicators (CPA) rule. Since then, EPA reviewed the
proposed changes to the 68 certification plans, working with certifying authorities to refine and
modify their proposed plans as needed to comply with the CPA. Sixty-seven plans were finalized
and approved between FY 2022 and the first quarter of FY 2024, while one tribal program will
transition to the EPA Plan for Indian Country while they finalize their plan for EPA approval. In
FY 2025, EPA will focus on supporting and tracking the implementation of the approved plans.
Certifying authorities are to implement approved plans according to the timelines outlined in the
plans, including regulatory and program changes. In FY 2025, states, territories, and tribes will
29 For additional information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticide-advisory-committees-and-regulatory-partners/tribal-
pesticide-pro grains.
856
-------
continue to train their program and inspection staff on the 2015 final revisions to the Agricultural
Worker Protection Standard, as well as the 2024 revisions to the Application Exclusion Zone
provisions. They also will conduct outreach and compliance assistance for communities with
environmental justice concerns and enforce the rule.30
Endangered Species Protection Program
The Endangered Species Protection Program protects federally threatened and endangered animals
and plants impacted by pesticide use.31 The Endangered Species Act (ESA) mandates that federal
actions will not jeopardize the continued existence of ESA-listed species or destroy or adversely
modify their designated critical habitat. EPA also will provide grants to states and tribes, as
described above, for projects supporting endangered species protection. Program implementation
includes outreach, communication, education related to pesticide use limitations, review, and
distribution of endangered species protection bulletins, evaluating potential risks to ESA-listed
species from pesticides, and initiating ESA consultation with the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (aka "The Services") when
appropriate. In FY 2025, these activities will continue to support the Agency's mission to protect
the environment from pesticide risk and comply with the ESA for FIFRA actions.
Protection of Water Sources from Pesticide Exposure
Protecting the Nation's water sources from possible pesticide contamination is an important
component of EPA's environmental protection efforts. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to provide
funding, through cooperative agreements, to states, tribes, and other partners to investigate and
respond as needed to address pesticide contamination of water resources, particularly in vulnerable
communities with EJ concerns. Stakeholders and partners, including states and tribes, are expected
to identify pesticides of interest and pesticides of concern that could contaminate, and take Steps to prevent or
reduce contamination where pesticide concentrations approach or exceed levels of concern. In FY
2025, EPA will work with co-regulators to determine the best methods for identifying and
addressing possible pesticide contamination in vulnerable and underserved communities.
Integrated Pest Management (1PM)
EPA will continue to support risk reduction by promoting the use of safer alternatives to traditional
chemical pesticides, including through IPM techniques.32 EPA supports the development and
evaluation of new pest management technologies that contribute to reducing both human health
and environmental risks from pesticide use. For FY 2025, the Program's National Program
Guidance will continue to require all regions to implement at least one IPM project with an EJ
focus.33 In addition, the Program will revise the FIFRA Cooperative Agreement Guidance to
identify the number of program area activities that include EJ work. Examples of this include
pollinator habitat protection on tribal lands and in overburdened and underserved communities,
and bed bug education in underserved populations and communities with EJ concerns.
30 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/how-epa-protects-workers-pesticide-risk.
31 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/endangered-species/about-endangered-species-protection-
program.
32 For additional information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesp/.
33 Most regional programs are already implementing their own EJ efforts, which incorporate pesticide safety.
857
-------
The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) is an EPA partnership program that
works with the Nation's pesticide-user community to promote IPM practices. PESP is guided by
the principle that partnership programs complement the standards and decisions established by
regulatory and registration actions. In FY 2025, resources will be focused on funding projects
across the country that promote IPM and reduce the impacts of pesticide use in agricultural
settings. Selected projects could address pesticide use in rural areas or on tribal lands, promoting
IPM practices that reduce risk and that benefit these and other overburdened and disadvantaged
communities.
Pollinator Health
EPA will continue to work with state and tribal agencies to develop and implement local plans to
help improve pollinator health. State pollinator protection plans in several states have been an
effective communication and collaboration mechanism between stakeholders at the local level that
can lead to reduced pesticide exposure and protection of honey bees, while maintaining the
flexibility needed by growers to use pesticides. EPA believes that these plans, developed through
a robust stakeholder engagement process at the local level, serve as good models for enhanced
local communication and can help accomplish the Agency's goal of mitigating exposure of bees
to acutely toxic pesticides. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to engage with the Tribal Pesticide
Program Council (TPPC) Pollinator Protection Workgroup to better understand specific pollinator
protection challenges for tribes, a traditionally underserved population with many EJ concerns.34
In addition, EPA regions will assist their states, tribes, and territories with their pollinator
protection plans and efforts as needed.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$10.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of
Working Capital Fund.
• (-$10.0) This program change is a reduction to EPA's Pesticide Program Implementation
Grants Program that offsets the increase in fixed costs.
Statutory Authority:
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) § 23(a)(1); Federal Food, Drug and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA); Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996; Endangered Species Act
(ESA).
34 Tribal concerns include, but are not limited to, potential impacts to pollinator habitat from climate change.
858
-------
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec. 106)
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
s
S2J~.000
sr.s'.s'. '2tt
Si/, '20
Total Budget Authority
$242,272
$237,000
$288,720
$51,720
Program Project Description:
Section 106 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) authorizes EPA to provide federal assistance to states,
territories, the District of Columbia, tribes, and interstate agencies to establish and maintain
adequate programs for the prevention and control of surface and groundwater pollution from point
and nonpoint sources.35 Activities supported through these grants include: conducting ambient
water quality monitoring; assessing and listing impaired waters; developing water quality
standards and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs); and issuing and enforcing National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA's Section 106 Program funds will continue to support the base state, interstate,
and tribal water pollution control and is a critical funding source to establish, expand, and
implement water quality programs to protect and restore water resources, including rivers, streams,
lakes, wetlands, and groundwater. In FY 2025, EPA requests an increase of $9.3 million in grant
funding to support tribal programs. An estimated $6.8 million will support tribes as they continue
to build capacity for assuming and implementing CWA authorities including developing water
quality standards for submission for EPA approval and developing the requirements needed to
assume authority for the Listing and TMDL program. $2.4 million of the increase will support
tribes in implementing an Indian Country-specific National Aquatics Resources Survey.
The FY 2025 President's Budget also includes an increase of $42.4 million to support states,
interstate agencies, and tribes to advance environmental justice and community work through
identifying and taking actions to assess and mitigate PFAS in the environment. States, interstate
agencies, and tribes will use the CWA Section 106 funding to conduct monitoring and assessment
of PFAS in surface water, develop fish advisories, and revise state and tribal water quality
standards to include criteria for PFAS. The increase in funds also will support permitting
authorities that provide compliance assistance to Publicly Owned Treatment Works where PFAS
35 The District of Columbia is eligible for 106 funds. A tribe must be eligible under Section 518(e) in the CWA.
859
-------
are expected or suspected to be present in wastewater and stormwater discharges. Funding also
will support state and tribal efforts to understand and mitigate climate change and environmental
justice. States, interstate programs, and tribes will continue to restore lost capacity through hiring
and training of water quality staff, expanding program activities such as ambient water quality
monitoring and assessment, water quality standards (WQS) and TMDL implementation,
permitting and enforcement, and protecting water resources.
This FY 2025 increase includes an $8.0 million increase in funding for the Monitoring Initiative
to provide resources needed to continue and enhance state and tribal participation in the National
Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS), support expanded, long-term PFAS monitoring in fish tissue
across the country, and support enhancements to state and tribal monitoring and assessment
programs, including investigating cost-effective monitoring protocols for PFAS and other
emerging contaminants in fish tissue and other media.
Monitoring and Assessment
EPA is working with states and tribes to provide monitoring and assessment information to support
multiple CWA programs in a cost-efficient and effective manner. The result will be scientifically
defensible monitoring data that are needed to address priority problems at state, tribal, national,
and local levels.
In FY 2025, EPA will work with tribes to establish and implement an Indian Country-specific
NARS. By building on investments in tribal water monitoring programs, an Indian Country-
specific NARS will provide training and technical assistance to tribal participants, generate
information on status and trends across the broad population of waters in Indian Country, and
support investments in water quality protection and restoration. EPA will continue working with
states and tribes to support base monitoring activities and enhance their water quality monitoring
programs. Monitoring Initiative funds for states (including the District of Columbia and trust
territories), eligible interstate agencies, and eligible tribes will support enhancement of monitoring
programs and participation in the NARS.36 NARS are statistical surveys that assess the quality of
the Nation's waters. Using sampling sites selected at random and standardized field and lab
methods, NARS can compare results from different parts of the country and between years.37 The
Monitoring Initiative will support enhancements in NARS and in monitoring programs consistent
with priorities in monitoring strategies, which include expanding monitoring of PFAS in surface
waters and fish tissue to support actions to assess and mitigate PFAS in the environment. In FY
2025, the Monitoring Initiative will be funded at approximately $28.9 million.
Through the Monitoring and Assessment Partnership, EPA will continue working with states and
tribes to develop and apply monitoring tools and techniques to provide high-quality data to support
priority CWA program needs. EPA will continue working with states and tribes to support their
water quality assessment programs, including helping to assure timely and well-supported
submission of tribal assessment reports, state Integrated Reports, and 303(d) lists. These lists help
inform progress on restoring water quality. EPA will continue to work with states and tribes to
36 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/water-pollution-control-section-106-grants/monitoring-iiiitiative-
graiits-under-sectioii-106-cleaii.
37 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys.
860
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support electronic reporting, including annual reporting of water quality data through the Water
Quality Exchange and submission of Integrated Reports through the ATTAINS.
Reviewing and Updating Water Quality Standards
EPA will work with states and authorized tribes as they review and update their water quality
standards periodically as required by CWA and EPA regulations in 40 CFR Part 131. EPA will
work with tribes that want to establish water quality standards. EPA will review and work to
formally act upon all state and tribal submissions of new and revised water quality standards in
accordance with the Agency's statutory obligations and timeline. The Agency also will continue
to track progress by states and authorized tribes as they complete triennial reviews of applicable
standards on time as required by the CWA.
Developing TMDLs
EPA will work with states, territories, and authorized tribes to develop and implement TMDLs for
CWA Section 303(d) listed impaired waterbodies. TMDLs identify the sources of water pollutants.
EPA and states then use permit requirements, watershed plans, and nonpoint source funds and
programs, and other approaches to restore impaired waters. EPA will continue to work with states
to facilitate accurate, comprehensive, and geo-referenced water quality assessment decisions made
available to the public via ATTAINS. EPA continues to track state progress in completing TMDLs,
other restoration approaches, or protection approaches. In FY 2023, over 15,000 square miles of
state waters were addressed by a TMDL, other restoration approach, or protection approach.
Beginning in FY 2025, EPA will transition this measure to track a new universe consistent with
the new 2022-2032 Vision.
Issuing Permits
The NPDES program is managed by EPA and the states. On average, the program issues over 10
thousand permits a year to address discharges from among the approximately 15 thousand
wastewater treatment facilities, more than 60 categories of industries, and almost 300 thousand
stormwater facilities. The NPDES program requires point source dischargers of pollutants to
waters of the United States to be permitted and pretreatment programs be put in place to control
discharges from industrial and other facilities to the Nation's wastewater treatment plants. EPA is
working with the states to identify opportunities to enhance the integrity and timely issuance of
NPDES permits,38 while addressing contaminants of emerging concern such as PFAS. In
December 2022, EPA published a memorandum titled Addressing PFAS Discharges in NPDES
Permits and Through the Pretreatment Program and Monitoring Programs,39 which includes
detailed instructions regarding how permitting authorities would address PFAS discharges in
NPDES permits. EPA encourages permitting authorities to propose monitoring requirements at
facilities where PFAS are expected or suspected to be present in wastewater and stormwater
discharges, utilizing EPA's recently published analytical method 1633, which addresses 40 unique
PFAS.
38 Currently no tribes have authority to implement the NPDES program.
39 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-
12/NPDES PFAS State%20Memo December 2022.pdf.
861
-------
EPA also provides training and technical assistance to permit writers, promotes innovative green
infrastructure, and suggests integrated planning approaches to affordably address wet weather
challenges. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to collaborate with permit writers where appropriate
and identify environmental justice and climate change factors that could inform the development
of effective approaches within the authority of the NPDES program. After program improvements,
between March 2018 and the end of September 2023, the backlog of EPA-issued new and existing
NPDES permits decreased from 106 to 12 and 547 to 194, respectively. States are expected to
ensure that NPDES permits are reissued on a timely basis and include clear and enforceable
requirements to ensure permit quality. Permitting authorities should continue to implement
significant actions identified during regional reviews and Permit Quality Reviews to assure
effective management of the permit program and to adopt efficiencies to improve environmental
results.
Conducting Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement
EPA will work with NPDES-authorized states to implement the 2014 CWA NPDES Compliance
Monitoring Strategy (CMS).40 The NPDES CMS establishes national standards for allocation of
inspection resources across all NPDES regulated entities to best protect water quality.
EPA works with states on advanced technologies, such as remote water monitoring sensors, to
collect discharge data and identify problem areas more efficiently. The Smart Mobile Tools for
Field Inspectors software suite provides a digital platform to support inspectors and managers
through the entire inspection process - from scheduling an inspection to generating a draft
inspection report for management review. The Agency expects that these technologies will
improve the analytical capabilities of both EPA and the states and enhance the public's knowledge
about the quality of their environment.
Currently, EPA and states are implementing the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule (eRule). States
have the option to build their own electronic reporting tools and data systems, or they can elect to
utilize EPA's tools and systems. EPA and states implemented Phase 1 of the NPDES eRule in for
the following two reports: 1) Discharge Monitoring Reports and 2) Federal Biosolids Annual
Report, where EPA is the regulatory authority. Over 35 thousand NPDES permittees in 27 states
as well as permittees in all tribal and territorial lands use EPA's electronic reporting tool, NetDMR,
to submit their Discharge Monitoring Reports. EPA and states are implementing Phase 2 of the
NPDES eRule for general permit reports and all remaining program reports. EPA will continue to
work collaboratively with states in FY 2025 to ensure a smooth transition to electronic reporting
for the NPDES program. Implementing the NPDES eRule will help improve transparency and
ensure permittees submit more accurate, timely, complete, and consistent information.
Working with Tribal Water Pollution Control Programs
In FY 2025, EPA will work with tribal programs to implement the revised CWA Section 106
Tribal Guidance. Tribes will continue to implement and expand their water pollution control
40 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/clean-water-act-national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-
system-compliance-monitoring.
862
-------
programs by conducting activities that address water quality and pollution problems on tribal lands
pursuant to CWA Section 518(e). Additional funding in FY 2025 will support tribes with
Treatment in a similar manner as a State (TAS) for CWA Section 303(c) in developing water
quality standards for submission to EPA for approval. Funds also will support tribes that are
interested in assuming CWA authority under 303(d) TMDLs and listing of impaired waters
through development of assessment methodologies, providing assessment decisions to ATTAINS,
and implement an Indian Country-specific NARS. An Indian Country-specific NARS will provide
training and technical assistance to tribal participants, generate information on status and trends
across the broad population of waters in Indian Country, and support investments in water quality
protection and restoration. The FY 2025 increase in tribal funds will support expanding tribal
programs capacity to monitor surface waters and fish tissue, assess and develop criteria for PFAS,
and will support capacity to provide PFAS data and assessment decisions to Water Quality
Exchange and ATTAINS.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM SWP-01) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with surface water meeting standards that
previously did not meet standards.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8,000
8,000
17,100
7,900
Square
Miles
Actual
20,511
7,121
(PM SWP-02) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with previously impaired surface waters due to
nutrients that now meet standards for nutrients.
FY
20IS
FY
201')
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2.100
1,400
1,400
650
Square
Miles
Actual
12,833
904
(PM TMDL-03) Square miles of priority areas covered by TMDLs, other restoration plans, or protection
approaches.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
"',940
19,280
TBD
Square
Miles
Actual
15,432
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$9,280.0) This program change is an increase to provide grant funding to tribes to build
capacity and assume and implement CWA authorities, including developing water quality
standards for submission for EPA approval and developing the requirements needed to
assume authority for the Listing and TMDL program, and to establish and implement an
Indian Country-specific NARS.
• (+$42,440.0) This program change is an increase to provide additional grant funding to
states and tribes to support actions to identify, assess, and mitigate PFAS in the
environment. This funding also supports the establishment and maintenance of programs
863
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for the prevention and control of surface and groundwater pollution from point and
nonpoint sources.
Statutory Authority:
CWA § 106.
864
-------
Categorical Grant: Pollution Prevention
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective(s): Promote Pollution Prevention
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SO.SO-/
S-I.VJ
N.\ "55
.s s:
Total Budget Authority
$6,804
$4,973
$5,755
$782
Program Project Description:
The Pollution Prevention (P2) Categorical Grants Program provides financial support to states,
state entities {i.e., colleges and universities), federally recognized tribes and inter-tribal consortia
in implementing the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990.
The P2 Program is one of EPA's tools for advancing environmental stewardship and sustainability
for federal, state, tribal governments, businesses, communities, and individuals. The P2
Categorical Grants Program seeks to alleviate environmental problems by helping businesses with
the development and implementation of source reduction practices before pollution is created. As
a result of these preventive approaches, the P2 Program protects the environment by conserving
and protecting natural resources while strengthening economic growth through cost reductions and
increased market opportunities. P2 approaches include, but are not limited to, reducing or
eliminating hazardous releases to air, water, and land; the use of hazardous materials; the
generation of greenhouse gases; and the use of water. The P2 Program's efforts advance the
Agency's priorities to pursue sustainability; to act on climate change; to make a visible difference
in communities, including advancing environmental justice (EJ) in vulnerable communities; and
to ensure chemical safety.41
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 7/Objective 7.2, Promote Pollution Prevention in the
FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, the P2 Categorical Grants42 Program will continue supporting states, state entities,
federally recognized tribes, and inter-tribal consortia to provide technical assistance to businesses,
particularly small- and medium-sized firms, to help them identify, develop, and implement cost-
effective approaches for reducing or eliminating pollution at the source. Because it is often cheaper
to prevent pollution from being created at the source rather than cleaning it up afterwards or to pay
41 For additional information about EPA's P2 program, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/p2/Error! Main Document Only.,
42 For additional information about the grants themselves, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/p2/grant-programs-po11ution-
prevention. Categorical Grants fund core P2 technical assistance and are complementary to the P2 Source Reduction Assistance
Grants. In FY 2021 there are 42 active P2 Categorical Grants and 11 active P2 Source Reduction Assistance Grants, for a total of
53 grants.
865
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for control, treatment, and disposal of waste products, P2 approaches often result in significant
long-term savings for businesses. Documenting best practices and developing case studies and
training materials are foundational assets for amplifying and replicating environmental
stewardship, P2, and sustainability successes resulting from the grant programs. These approaches
also may help stakeholders prepare for limitations in the use of Toxic Substance Control Act
(TSCA) High Priority Substances subject to risk management efforts by EPA. In addition to
regular P2 appropriations, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Public Law 117-58)
provides $20 million for this program in FY 2025.
Through competitive grants to states and tribes, U.S. businesses can access a range of P2-enabling
tools, information, and support programs. In the FY 2022-2023 grant cycle, EPA awarded 32
grants funded through regular P2 STAG appropriation and an additional 39 P2 grants funded
through the IIJA. Of the P2 grants awarded, six were awarded to federally recognized tribes. In
the FY 2023-2024 grant cycle, EPA awarded 24 grants funded through the IIJA for state and tribal
programs to provide P2 technical assistance to businesses to improve human health and the
environment in disadvantaged communities. The FY 2024-2025 grants will be funded through
ongoing P2 grants and IIJA appropriations.
With respect to the funding provided through regular ongoing and IIJA appropriations, the P2
Categorical Grant Program emphasizes the importance of grantees documenting, reporting, and
sharing information on P2 best practices. This allows other businesses to replicate the P2
approaches implemented through the grants. Furthermore, the expansion of the P2 grant program
provided by IIJA provides an opportunity to significantly increase the results described above and
increase the generation of information on P2 approaches that businesses can replicate.
In FY 2025, EPA will issue two new P2 grant opportunities that will initiate grantee work in FY
2026 and will continue to focus on advancing EJ priorities and addressing climate impacts by:
• Focusing P2 technical assistance to businesses to improve human health and the
environment in vulnerable communities.
• Providing P2 technical assistance to businesses to improve human health and the
environment in vulnerable communities by increasing the supply, demand and/or use of
safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA's Safer Choice
label or those that conform to EPA's Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and
Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (EPA Recommendations).
The grant opportunities will result in increased capacity to provide P2 technical assistance to
businesses, particularly in vulnerable communities, and increased assistance to help businesses
develop and adopt source reduction practices in their operations, including conformance with and
access to EPA Recommended Standards and Ecolabels and the EPA Safer Choice Standard.
Between 2011 and 2022, the EPA's P2 Program issued 549 assistance grants for $65.1 million,
which helped American businesses identify, develop, and adopt approaches resulting in the
following benefits: 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials reduced, 52 billion gallons of water
saved, 20.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases reduced, and $2.7 billion dollars in savings
for business.43
43 Calculated over a 4-year rolling period to account for the reoccurring benefits the P2 actions provide.
866
-------
One approach EPA takes to pursue program efficiencies and economies of scale is to use sector
focused P2 National Emphasis Areas (NEAs). For P2 grants awarded in FY 2024 and commenced
in FY 2025, grant applicants will continue to be required to focus on one or more National
Emphasis Areas,44 which will be selected based on an analysis of data to identify industry sectors
that had high environmental impact, high economic importance, and high P2 opportunity; pursued
opportunities to promote environmental justice; addressed climate change; and were of local
concern to potential grantees.
The environmental results of the P2 technical assistance program are numerous and varied. EPA's
strategic plan focuses on the impacts on the reduction of million metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent (MMTCChe) released attributed to EPA P2 grants. MMTCChe is calculated by using
an online tool to convert standard metrics for electricity, green energy, fuel use, chemical
substitutions, water management, and materials management into MMTCChe.45 Providing needed
resources for the P2 technical assistance program is an important part of the Agency's efforts to
mitigate the effects of climate change.
The MMTCChe measure tracks carbon dioxide reductions from all Pollution Prevention Grant
Program activities. Annual results are the total reported by grantees in a single year plus the
contributions from the previous three years. This method accounts for recurring benefits of a
pollution prevention action, not just in the year it was implemented, but also in future years.
Pollution prevention grants are two-year grants with an optional third year for follow-up reporting
and case study development. These grants have annual reporting but with a one-year reporting lag
due to the grant reporting cycle. This measure also is used to track progress in implementing the
IIJA.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Pollution Prevention Program under
the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$782.0) This program change supports technical assistance to businesses to improve
human health and the environment in underserved communities by increasing the supply,
demand and/or use of safer and more sustainable products.
Statutory Authority:
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990; Toxic Substances Control Act.
44 The P2 National Emphasis Areas include automobile manufacturing and maintenance, aerospace manufacturing and
maintenance, chemical manufacturing and processing, metal manufacturing and fabrication, food and beverage manufacturing or
processing, and/or supporting pollution prevention in Indian Country and for Alaska Native Villages.
45 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-tools-and-calculators.
867
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Categorical Grant: Public Water System Supervision (PWSS)
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
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Total Budget Authority
$123,137
$121,500
$132,566
$11,066
Program Project Description:
The Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program provides grants to states and tribes with
primary enforcement authority (primacy) to implement and enforce the National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations (NPDWRs) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The NPDWRs set
forth health-based standards, monitoring, reporting, sanitary surveys, and enforcement elements
to ensure that the Nation's drinking water supplies do not pose health risks. Funds allocated to
states and tribes without primacy are used to support direct implementation activities by EPA.
PWSS Program grants support the safety of the Nation's drinking water resources and protect
public health and the environment. Rural, small, and disadvantaged communities significantly
benefit from support and technical assistance provided by primacy agencies through this vital
funding. These systems often struggle to hire and retain qualified operators. Qualified operators
are essential to ensure these systems can provide safe water for their customers. PWSS Program
grants support the training and certification operators needed to continue to protect public health.
Primacy agencies use these grants to fund drinking water program personnel who:
• Provide training and technical assistance to owners and operators of public water systems;
• Conduct sanitary surveys {i.e., reviews to determine and support a utility's capacity to
deliver safe drinking water) and address significant deficiencies that may compromise the
quality of the finished water;
• Train and certify public water system operators;
• Manage public water system data, facilitate electronic reporting of compliance monitoring
data, and submit compliance data to the database of record, the Safe Drinking Water
Information System;
• Ensure that public water systems conduct the required public notifications to consumers;
and
• Respond to violations and issue enforcement actions.
868
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The Program also will support the Agency's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
implementation priorities.
In FY 2025, EPA will provide funds to support state efforts to assist the most vulnerable water
systems in:
• Meeting drinking water regulations;
• Accessing federal funding, including funding through IDA, to support water system
compliance and capacity development;
• Implementing the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and Improvements, including providing
guidance and technical assistance for states and systems to conduct lead service line
inventories, replace lead service lines, and access IDA funds;
• Implementing the new PFAS Rule, including providing guidance and technical assistance
to states and systems and supporting access to IIJA funds;
• Providing direct implementation support to Tribal water systems and collaborating with
the Indian Health Service and other federal partners to assist water systems;
• Building the financial and managerial capacity needed to achieve and maintain long-term
sustainability and compliance with national safe drinking water regulations, with a focus on
helping disadvantaged communities conduct the analyses and documentation needed to
identify solutions and take action; and
• Benefitting from federal investments that address aging or inadequate infrastructure (e.g., pipe
replacement to prevent failures in distribution systems, installation of treatment to remove
drinking water contaminants).
EPA's efforts under this program will help deliver clean drinking water, improve public health,
and support environmental justice for overburdened and underserved communities, including rural
and tribal communities.
In FY 2025, funding will help states and tribes with primary enforcement authority implement and
enforce NPDWRs under SDWA. Funds allocated to states and tribes without primacy are used to
support direct implementation activities by EPA. These funds will assist all communities across
the country in the provision of safe drinking water.
EPA's PWSS Program is working with states to reduce the number of systems that have health-
based non-compliance events, with a goal of decreasing the number of community water systems
out of compliance with health-based standards. As of September 30, 2023, 3,042 of the 3,508
systems with health-based violations on September 30, 2017, have been returned to compliance
(i.e., 466 systems are still in violation). The PWSS Program helps to facilitate this effort by
supporting state drinking water programs and technical assistance providers in achieving and
maintaining compliance at drinking water systems, amplifying best practices, strengthening state
capacity, and certifying drinking water operators.
869
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EPA also is strengthening its oversight of the state drinking water programs by continuing to
improve the scope and consistency of the annual PWSS Program review for each primacy agency
that is required by SDWA. Information from these reviews helps ensure that federal drinking water
regulations are implemented consistently across the country and reinforces agency evidence-
building activities. The review includes an analysis of the completion of sanitary surveys by the
primacy agency, an evaluation of whether the primacy agency is implementing the state program
in accordance with SDWA, a review of state use of the funds and associated impacts, and
alignment of the program with national enforcement and compliance priorities. The annual
program review directly supports the work of the states and EPA to reduce the number of
community water systems out of compliance with health-based standards. In addition, EPA
conducts periodic file reviews of state programs. These file reviews help EPA ensure states are
accurately reporting compliance information to the Agency so issues can be identified and
addressed.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM DW-02) Number of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-based standards since
March 31,2021.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
875
640
450
425
400
CWSs
Actual
l.'IS
1,128
1,048
654
537
466
(PM DW-07) Number of drinking water and wastewater systems, tribal and state officials, and water sector
partners provided with security, emergency preparedness, and climate resilience training and technical
assistance.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
2,000
3,500
4,500
4,500
Systems
and
Partners
Actual
3,939
3,895
(PM DWT-02) Number of community water systems in Indian Country still in noncompliance with health-
based standards since March 31,2021.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
mo
55
35
30
CWSs
Actual
74
54
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$22.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE, adjustments to provide essential workforce support,
and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$11,088.0) This increase of resources supports grant funding to help states and tribes
with primary enforcement authority to implement and enforce NPDWRs under the SDWA.
In addition, this increase supports states, territories, and tribes in complying with drinking
870
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water regulations, conducting sanitary surveys of public water systems, and providing
technical assistance to managers and operators of public water systems.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA § 1443.
871
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Categorical Grant: Radon
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
NiS', 95 iV
S/W.W
SI 2.-IS'
s i.-iv:
Total Budget Authority
$8,958
$10,995
$12,487
$1,492
Program Project Description:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorizes EPA to take a variety of actions
to address the public health risks posed by exposures to indoor radon. Under the statute, EPA
assists states and tribes through the State Indoor Radon Grants (SIRG) program, which provides
categorical grants to develop, implement, and enhance programs that assess and mitigate radon
risk. EPA provides guidance to states and tribes to promote and spread effective strategies for
reducing indoor radon public health risks. EPA also works with states and tribes to support
targeting SIRG funding to reduce risks for low-income populations that lack resources to mitigate
radon risk on their own.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States - and the leading cause of
lung cancer mortality among non-smokers - accounting for about 21,000 deaths per year.46 EPA's
non-regulatory Indoor Air - Radon Program, which includes the SIRG Program, promotes actions
to reduce the public's health risk from indoor radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend
that all homes be tested for radon and if radon levels above EPA's guidelines are confirmed,
elevated levels should be reduced by home mitigation using proven, straightforward techniques.
EPA also recommends that new homes be built using radon-resistant features in areas where there
is elevated radon. Nationally, risks from radon have been reduced in millions of homes, but there
are millions more still in need of mitigation. Additionally, low-income families and tribal
communities lack access to resources to address radon. This voluntary program promotes
partnerships between national organizations, the private sector, and more than 50 state, local,
tribal, and territory governmental programs to reduce radon risk.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA will administer the SIRG Program in collaboration with state and tribal partners. Work in this
program directly supports the President's priority of advancing environmental justice. In
implementing the SIRG Program in FY 2025, EPA will work with states and tribes to build
46 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/radon.
872
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capacity and address environmental justice concerns by assisting grant recipients to address radon
risk reduction in underserved, low-income communities, for example through building code
adoption. These interventions serve to institutionalize and embed risk reduction into standard
building practices and thus provide equity for underserved communities.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,492.0) This program change is an increase to support state and tribal partners through
the radon grants program.
Statutory Authority:
Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
873
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Categorical Grant: State and Local Air Quality Management
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S
S2-IV.03S
S-IOO,1
SI5I.1MI
Total Budget Authority
$246,130
$249,038
$400,198
$151,160
Program Project Description:
This Program provides funding for state air programs, as implemented by state, multi-state, and
local air agencies. Section 103 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) provides EPA with the authority to
award grants to air pollution control agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies,
institutions, and organizations, to conduct and promote certain types of research, investigations,
experiments, demonstrations, surveys, studies, and training related to air pollution. Section 105 of
the CAA provides EPA with the authority to award grants to state and local air pollution control
agencies to develop and implement continuing environmental and public health programs for the
prevention and control of air pollution, implementation of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) and improvement of visibility in our national parks and wilderness areas (Class I areas).
The continuing activities funded under Section 105 include: analysis and planning for attainment
and maintenance of NAAQS; emissions reduction measures; development and operation of air
quality monitoring networks, and other air program activities. Section 106 of the CAA provides
EPA with the authority to fund interstate air pollution transport commissions to develop or carry
out plans for designated air quality control regions.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funding requested for FY 2025 includes an additional $151 million that will help expand the
efforts of air pollution control agencies to implement their programs and help accelerate immediate
on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, such as expanding deployment of renewable
energy sources and energy efficiency programs; ensuring safe and effective oil and gas well
pollution management and prevention; developing policies and programs to facilitate build-out of
electric vehicle (EV) charging station infrastructure; increasing air quality monitoring in
communities with environmental justice (EJ) concerns; and supporting programs to improve
transportation options and reduce disproportionate exposure to traffic emissions in disadvantaged
communities. The increase also will enhance the resiliency, capacity, and capability of air
monitoring systems for NAAQS and local-scale monitoring.
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States are responsible for State Implementation Plans (SIPs), which provide a blueprint for the
programs and activities that states carry out to attain and maintain the NAAQS and comply with
visibility improvement obligations. In FY 2025, states will be developing infrastructure SIPs for
the 2024 particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS. Infrastructure SIPs for this revised NAAQS will be
due three years from promulgation of the NAAQS. In FY 2025, SIP activity will be ongoing
regarding attainment SIPs for areas reclassified to "Moderate" for the 2015 ozone NAAQS and
those reclassified to "Severe" for the 2008 ozone NAAQS in FY 2023, and for areas reclassified
to "Serious" for the 2015 ozone NAAQS in FY 2025. States also will continue implementing the
2008 and 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS, the 2008 lead NAAQS, the 2010 1-hour nitrogen dioxide
(NO2) NAAQS, and the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2) NAAQS. As applicable, states also will
continue implementing the previous PM2.5 and ozone NAAQS, including the 1997 annual and 24-
hour PM2.5 NAAQS, the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS, the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS, the
revoked 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS, and the revoked 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
States and EPA also may have ongoing SIP obligations and/or Federal Implementation Plan (FIP)
obligations associated with visibility improvement requirements, among other requirements
identified in the CAA. In FY 2025, EPA will work with states to prioritize activities needed to
meet obligations for SIP development and plan implementation for attaining and maintaining the
NAAQS, achieving regional haze goals and identifying streamlining options. EPA will maximize
use of its web-based State Planning Electronic Collaboration System (SPeCS) to review draft SIPs
from state air agencies, and to track and process state submittals.
To the extent that any ongoing NAAQS reviews result in a change to the standards, activities
related to air quality designations for the changed standard(s) would be required, as well as any
additional implementation related activities. In addition to other implementation activities
triggered from promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS, in FY 2025, EPA will be working on
initial area designations for the 2024 PM2.5 NAAQS, in which EPA will identify those areas of the
country that meet the new standard and those that violate or contribute to a violation of the new
standard. As part of the designations process for a new/revised PM NAAQS, one year from
promulgation of the NAAQS, state Governors and tribes, if they wish, will submit
recommendations for area designations to EPA. EPA will evaluate these recommendations,
provide notifications of any potential modifications to these recommendations, and then complete
the initial designations process within two years of promulgation of the new/revised PM NAAQS.
If there are other outstanding designations actions pending, EPA expects to also be taking action
on those (e.g., resulting from court decisions resolving litigation on prior area designations).
Additionally, EPA may be engaged in redesignation actions - making determinations that
nonattainment areas may now be redesignated to attainment, or that currently designated
attainment areas are no longer meeting the NAAQS and taking action to redesignate, as
appropriate.
Air Monitoring Networks
The Nation's ambient air quality monitoring network, an essential element of the Agency's
environmental infrastructure, serves as the foundation for the air quality management and control
programs. States will continue to operate and maintain their ambient air monitoring networks with
technical assistance and program support from EPA. A significant and essential part of a state's
875
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overall air program includes the collection, analysis, quality assurance, and submittal of ambient
air quality data.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to lead and is requesting additional funding for a nationwide effort
to ensure and enhance the resiliency, capacity, and capability of air monitoring systems for
NAAQS and local-scale monitoring implemented by state, local, and tribal organizations through
system modernization (e.g., infrastructure improvements and enhanced network automation);
expanded functionality (e.g., increased use of continuous monitoring equipment); and local-scale
monitoring to characterize air toxics and better address air quality burdens in communities with EJ
concerns.
Key to the success of these efforts will be close, meaningful collaboration with our state, local and
tribal air partners, as well as disadvantaged and overburdened communities. The COVID-19
pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of our aging monitoring infrastructure and the need for
modernization in the Nation's ambient air monitoring network. In addition, the Government
Accountability Office identified in a 2020 report the need for EPA to develop an air quality
monitoring modernization plan to better meet the additional information needs of air quality
managers, researchers, and the public. EPA will continue to work closely with our partners to
address the GAO recommendations.
Air Permitting Programs
In FY 2025, states with approved or delegated air permitting programs will implement these
programs and EPA will provide technical assistance, as needed.
Emissions Inventories
The development of a complete quality assured emission inventory is an important step in an air
quality management process. These inventories are used to help determine significant sources of
air pollutants and establish emission trends over time, target regulatory actions, and estimate air
quality through dispersion and photochemical modeling. An emission inventory includes estimates
of the emissions from various pollution sources in a specific geographical area. In FY 2025, EPA
will complete and release the 2022 emissions data for modeling and prepare the 2023 emissions
data for modeling. In FY 2025, states will collect and prepare 2023 emissions data in anticipation
of submitting it to EPA for the next release of the National Emissions Inventory (NEI). EPA plans
to release the 2023 NEI early in calendar year 2026.
Air Quality Forecasts
The Program supports state, local and tribal air agency capabilities to forecast air quality for
providing the public with information they can use to make daily lifestyle decisions to protect their
health. This information allows people to take precautionary measures to avoid or limit their
exposure to unhealthy levels of air quality, including during extreme events like the 2023 Canadian
wildfires that created hazardous air quality for millions of people. EPA will work with state, tribal,
and local air quality agencies to continue improving the AirNow Forecast Submittal System where
air quality forecasts are delivered to the AirNow system, as well as the Fire and Smoke Map at
fire.airnow.gov that provides important air quality information during wildfire season.
State and Local Air Toxics Efforts
The Program also supports state and local efforts to characterize air toxics problems and take
876
-------
measures to reduce health risks from air toxics. This funding also supports characterization work
that includes collection and analysis of emissions data and monitoring of ambient air toxics. In FY
2025, funds will support the National Air Toxics Trends Stations (NATTS), consisting of 26 air
toxics monitoring sites, including the associated quality assurance, data analysis, and methods
support.
Visibility Improvement
In FY 2025, EPA will be engaged in reviewing draft and final state plans intended to meet the
requirements of the regional haze program for the second planning period, as well as developing
FIPs, if needed and as appropriate. EPA also may be continuing to finalize remaining first planning
period obligations. EPA will review regional haze SIPs for the second planning period to ensure
that states are making reasonable progress towards their visibility improvement goals, consistent
with statutory and regulatory obligations. The first state plans for improving visibility in our
national parks and wilderness areas were due in December 2007. Under the Regional Haze Rule,
states were required to submit plans for the second planning period on July 31, 2021, to
demonstrate how they have and will continue to make progress towards achieving their visibility
improvement goals. EPA also has indicated its intent to engage in regulatory updates to the
Regional Haze Rule to identify obligations for future planning periods.
Air Quality Training
To fulfill statutory obligations under section 103 of the Clean Air Act in FY 2025, states and multi-
jurisdictional organizations will advance and maintain training priorities for air quality-related
subjects; develop new and update existing air quality-related training materials; and provide
classroom and other types of training for air quality professionals. These training programs are
essential for building and maintaining expertise and administrative capacity among our co-
regulator agencies, enabling them to continue playing a vibrant role in administering CAA
protections and programs. EPA's AirKnowledge program manages funds to deliver training to
staff of state and local air agencies. In FY 2023, this program delivered 80 instructor-led trainings
reaching over 1,600 students. This complements the AirKnowledge EPA funded effort to provide
trainings that delivered roughly 15,000 self-instructional trainings through the AirKnowledge
Learning Management System in FY 2023.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Federal Support for Air Quality
Management under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$151,160.0) This program change is an increase in grant resources that will help expand
the efforts of air pollution control agencies across the country to implement their programs
and accelerate on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. The increase also will
support enhancing the resiliency, capacity, and capability of air monitoring systems for
NAAQS and local-scale monitoring and will support additional air quality monitoring in
underserved communities suffering from disproportionate exposure to traffic emissions.
877
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This increase will directly expand the capacity of EPA partners to carry out air quality
monitoring and management.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 105, 106.
878
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Categorical Grant: Toxics Substances Compliance
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective(s): Detect Violations and Promote Compliance
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
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N 5.005
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Total Budget Authority
$5,005
$5,010
$6,877
$1,867
Program Project Description:
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Compliance Monitoring Program builds partnerships
with states, tribes, and territories to strengthen their ability to address environmental and public
health threats from toxic substances.47 This assistance is used to prevent or eliminate unreasonable
risks to human health or the environment and to ensure compliance with toxic substance
regulations. The grants support inspection programs associated with lead-based paint [§402(a),
§406(b), the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule §402(c), the Asbestos Hazard Emergency
Response Act (AHERA), and poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)].
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 3/Objective 3.2, Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to focus on compliance monitoring programs to prevent or
eliminate unreasonable risks to health or the environment associated with chemical substances
such as asbestos, lead-based paint, and PCBs. The Agency encourages states to establish their own
compliance and enforcement programs for lead-based paint and asbestos. EPA may provide
funding for compliance monitoring grants to states and tribes under TSCA to conduct inspections
to ensure compliance with the Asbestos-in-Schools requirements, the Model Accreditation Plan
(MAP), the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule, the TSCA Asbestos Worker Protection Rule, lead-
based paint regulations, and PCB regulations.
For states with an asbestos waiver or lead-based paint programs, these grants help fund
enforcement activities. In FY 2025, the Program will continue to award state and tribal assistance
grants to aid in the implementation of compliance and enforcement provisions under TSCA. The
weighted formula aligns the distribution of funding with the national program priorities including
reducing risks from: 1) lead poisoning or elevated blood-lead levels; 2) exposure to asbestos; and
3) exposure to PCBs. The assistance grants will help rebuild programmatic capabilities between
47 For additional information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/toxic-substances-compliance-monitoring-grant-
guidance- fiscal-year-2022.
879
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EPA, states, tribes, and partner agencies to help address Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns in
overburdened or vulnerable communities.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,867.0) This program change provides states, tribes, and territories additional funding
to prevent or reduce risks from exposure to toxic substances such as lead-based paint,
asbestos, and PCBs.
Statutory Authority:
Toxic Substances Control Act.
880
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Categorical Grant: Tribal Air Quality Management
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 10.020
SI O.J IS
S 2.1120
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Total Budget Authority
$16,620
$16,415
$23,126
$6,711
Program Project Description:
American Indians and Alaskan Natives are disproportionately affected by air pollution and climate
change. They have a higher rate of asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) than the general population. Wildfire season has consistently
intensified over the past few years due to climate change and extreme weather conditions, which
have led to an increase in ambient and indoor air pollution and exacerbated the health of tribal
communities. Across the Nation, tribal air issues vary from permitting sources on-reservation, to
monitoring for criteria air pollutants, to participating in local, state, regional, and national air
quality work groups. In addition to performing emissions inventories and monitoring, other
program tasks include addressing indoor air quality issues; implementing voluntary programs and
education outreach efforts; and reviewing and commenting on federal air quality rules, policy, and
permits issued by other agencies.
This Program includes funding for tribes and tribal air pollution control agencies implementing
projects and programs to address air pollution issues in Indian Country. Using Section 105
authority of the Clean Air Act (CAA), tribal agencies may develop and implement programs for
the prevention and control of air pollution and implementation of primary and secondary National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Using Section 103 authority of the CAA, tribal
agencies, colleges, universities, and multi-tribe jurisdictional air pollution control agencies may
conduct and promote research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, studies, and
training related to ambient or indoor air pollution in Indian Country. EPA provides technical
assistance and resources to help tribes build their program capacity and ensure successful project
completion. Tribes use these resources to perform emissions inventories, monitor air quality and
implement regulatory, voluntary, and education and outreach programs for their citizens, who are
among the most environmentally at-risk populations in the country. Currently, out of 574 Federally
recognized tribes, 55 tribes have Section 105 grants, and 74 tribes have Section 103 grants. In FY
2025, the Program may include preparations for any new emissions reporting requirements
associated with the final revisions to the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR) rule.
881
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Tribes will assess environmental and public health conditions in Indian Country by developing
emission inventories and, where appropriate, siting and operating air quality monitors. Tribes will
continue to develop and implement air pollution control programs for Indian Country to prevent
and address air quality concerns, including combating the effects of climate change. EPA will
continue to fund organizations for the purpose of providing technical support, tools, and training
for tribes to build capacity to develop and implement programs. EPA training could include
educating owners/operators on how to report emissions, starting as soon as 2026 depending on the
final revisions to the AERR.
Currently, there are 574 federally recognized tribes.48 Of those, 71 tribes have treatment similar to
that of a state or treatment as a state regarding implementing functions pertaining to the
management and protection of air resources within reservation boundaries or other areas under the
tribe's jurisdiction. In addition, EPA awards financial support under the CAA to help build tribal
knowledge and increase tribes' capacity to manage air quality issues and encourages tribes to
partner with EPA to carry out CAA protections within tribal lands and tribal communities,
including those that have environmental justice (EJ) concerns.
In FY 2025, a key activity is to work to reduce the number of days in violation of the NAAQS.
This program supports the Agency's priority of building stronger partnerships with individual
tribes and with the National Tribal Air Association, whose priorities include tribes' participation
in the Agency's policy and rule development and the Tribal Air Monitoring Support (TAMS)
Center. The TAMS Center provides professional assistance to support the tribes' ability to collect
and provide monitoring data to protect the health of their tribal members and conducts training for
tribal environmental professionals to implement their broader air quality program. EPA's
AirKnowledge Learning Management System provides training to tribal environmental
professionals. EPA will continue working with tribes on tribal involvement in air quality issues,
such as increasing the number of tribes with an up-to-date emissions inventory, increasing the
number of tribes implementing voluntary programs, and increasing the number of tribes moving
from project grants to program implementation grants. This will increase tribes' knowledge and
ability to best protect their citizens. Tribes also will focus on implementation of nonregulatory and
voluntary programs, as well as education and outreach programs. These will assist with pollution
reduction while creating a more informed citizenry.
The Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) has enhanced tribal monitoring capacity
by supporting eight sites on tribal lands and training site operators. In FY 2025, the Agency will
continue progress toward increasing monitoring capacity by working to identify new tribal partners
that would benefit from joining a national air monitoring program. CASTNET monitors provide
near real-time air quality data and the ability to assess ecological impacts from atmospheric
deposition of air pollutants.
48 Source: Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (www.bia.gov).
882
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The funding for FY 2025 will support these important programs that tribes are focused on for the
health of their people. Tribal air quality programs are an important part of the Nation's overall air
quality efforts and help to accelerate immediate on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gases,
such as: expanding deployment of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency programs into
Indian Country; ensuring safe and effective oil and gas well pollution management and prevention;
developing policies and programs to facilitate build-out of electric vehicle (EV) charging station
infrastructure; increasing air quality monitoring in areas with vulnerable populations; and
supporting programs to improve transportation options and reduce disproportionate exposure to
traffic emissions in disadvantaged communities. In addition, some tribes may wish to be more
involved with the Combined Air Emissions Reporting System (CAERS) in anticipation of the
revised AERR, and some tribes also are owners/operators of facilities that would need to report
under the proposed AERR, if finalized.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Federal Support for Air Quality
Management Program under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6,711.0) This program change is an increase to help expand the efforts of tribes and
tribal air quality control agencies to implement their programs and to accelerate immediate
on-the-ground efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. The increase also will support additional
air quality monitoring.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Air Act §§ 103, 105.
883
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Categorical Grant: Tribal General Assistance Program
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and
Local Levels
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
s,s'_Vi-/y
N "7. "0
S.S
S/«._W
Total Budget Authority
$82,649
$74,750
$85,009
$10,259
Program Project Description:
In 1992, Congress established the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP), a
program that provides grants and technical assistance to tribes to plan, develop, and establish tribal
environmental protection programs consistent with other applicable provisions of law
administered by EPA. The Agency works collaboratively with tribal partners on mutually
identified environmental and public health priorities to achieve these aims. Funding provided
under the GAP is for the administrative, technical, legal, enforcement, communication, and
outreach capacities tribes need to effectively administer environmental regulatory programs that
EPA may delegate to tribes. GAP funds also may be used to assist in capacity building so that
tribal governments may meaningfully participate in EPA programs, as well as the development
and implementation of tribal solid and hazardous waste programs, including solid waste service
delivery costs.49
Some uses of GAP funds include:
• Assessing the status of a tribe's environmental conditions;
• Developing appropriate environmental programs, codes, and ordinances;
• Developing the capacity to administer environmental regulatory programs that EPA may
delegate to a tribe;
• Conducting public education and outreach efforts to ensure that tribal communities
(including non-members residing in Indian Country) are informed and prepared to
participate in environmental decision-making; and
• Establishing tribal programs' capacity to meaningfully participate with federal, tribal, state,
and local government officials on environmental and public health actions and issues.
GAP supports tribal capacity development through financial assistance to approximately 525 tribal
governments and intertribal consortia. GAP has helped tribes receive 107 program delegations to
administer a variety of programs across relevant EPA statutes, including the Clean Water Act, the
Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Clean Air Act. Tribes also have developed capacity by assisting
EPA in implementing federal environmental programs through Direct Implementation Tribal
49
Please see https://www.epa.gov/tribal-lands/indian-enviroiimental-general-assistance-program-gap for more information.
884
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Cooperative Agreements (DITCAs). As of FY 2024, there are 14 active DITCAs supporting EPA's
direct implementation activities. Furthermore, GAP funds have helped to train tribal government
inspectors who are able to conduct compliance monitoring activities under tribal laws and may
have EPA federal inspector credentials. In addition, GAP also supports tribes with the development
of their waste management programs, with nearly 300 tribes having Integrated Waste Management
Plans, and 11 tribes have developed codes and ordinances since FY 2018 with GAP-funded
training.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.1 Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan.
GAP grants are fundamental to the development and growth of tribal environmental programs.
GAP promotes tribal self-governance in a number of ways, including supporting tribal
governments to assess local environmental conditions, develop long-range strategic plans to
address their environmental challenges, and establish environmental programs tailored to their
needs and aligned with their strategic planning goals. The overlap between tribal environmental
capacity building goals and EPA program priorities, including the mutual responsibilities to
achieve them, are captured in EPA / Tribal Environmental Plans, or ETEPs.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to implement GAP under a national framework set forth in
new program guidance and maintain an emphasis on training (internal and external) to support
nationally consistent GAP guidance interpretation and implementation. In supporting a strong
GAP management framework (as referenced under Tribal Capacity Program), EPA will continue
to establish and refine tools to track the progress tribes achieve toward developing and
implementing environmental protection programs in Indian Country. This work continues under
the GAP national framework as defined in the new guidance made effective in FY 2022.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$10,259.0) This program change is an increase to support additional grant funding to
federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia for planning, developing, and establishing
environmental protection programs in Indian Country and implementing solid and
hazardous waste programs. This strategic investment will address inequities by promoting
environmental justice and public participation in programs being developed.
Statutory Authority:
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act.
885
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Categorical Grant: Underground Injection Control (HC1
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 12.UU1
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SI/JS'
-SI."'
Total Budget Authority
$12,661
$13,164
$11,387
-$1,777
Program Project Description:
EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) Grant Program was established by the Safe Drinking
Water Act (SDWA) to protect groundwater that is a source of drinking water. The Program
supports federal, state, and tribal government agencies that oversee underground injection
activities to prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water from fluid injection
practices.
The UIC Program protects underground sources of drinking water by ensuring proper permitting,
construction, operation, and closure of injection wells used to place fluids underground for storage,
disposal, enhanced recovery of oil and gas, and mineral recovery. The grants are made to states
and tribes that have primary enforcement authority (primacy) to implement and manage UIC
programs and ensure safe injection well operations that prevent contamination of underground
sources of drinking water. Eligible tribes that demonstrate an intent to achieve primacy also may
receive grants for the initial development of UIC programs and be designated for "treatment as a
state" if their programs are approved. Where a jurisdiction does not have primacy, EPA uses these
funds for direct implementation of federal UIC requirements.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. The Program also will
support the Agency's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act implementation priorities.
The FY 2025 request will support implementation of the UIC Program, which manages
approximately 804,589 injection wells across six well types to protect groundwater resources.50
There are currently 71 jurisdictions across the Nation (federal, state, tribal, and territorial) that
implement the UIC Program. EPA directly implements UIC programs in seven states, two
territories, and the District of Columbia and shares responsibility in ten states and with two tribes.
50As represented in FY 2022 annual inventory.
886
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As of December 2023, EPA also administers the UIC programs for all other tribes and for Class
VI wells in all states but North Dakota and Wyoming.51
The UIC Program is improving efficiency and reducing the UIC permit application processing
time and will continue implementing the recently developed UIC well permit review process. This
effort includes applying identified permit review and processing efficiencies to all well classes,
and modifying common definitions, as appropriate, to provide greater clarity for all well classes.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the
EPM appropriation and mitigation of climate change to support safe drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$1,777.0) This program change is a decrease of resources available for EPA's state and
tribal partners through the Underground Injection Control grants program.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act § 1443.
51 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/uic/prinrary-enforcement-authority-mderground-iiijection-control-
program-0.
887
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Categorical Grant: Underground Storage Tanks
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 1.503
SI.505
SI.505
SO
Total Budget Authority
$1,503
$1,505
$1,505
$0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Underground Storage Tanks (UST) State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) Program
provides funding for grants to states under the Solid Waste Disposal Act to improve and enhance
UST programs. STAG funds may be used for prevention activities that are not specifically spelled
out in the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 and are used by states that do not have sufficient
state resources to fund these core programs.
STAG funds are used by states to fund such activities as: applying for state program approval to
operate the UST Program in lieu of the federal program, updating UST regulations, and providing
compliance assistance.52
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Due to the increased emphasis on inspections and release prevention requirements, EPA has
consistently met the yearly goal to minimize the number of confirmed releases. Between 2008 and
2023, the number of annual confirmed releases has decreased by 41 percent (from 7,364 to
4,354).53
As of the end of FY 2023, 51 states and territories have reported compliance with the UST
Technical Compliance Rate (TCR) measure, which came about after the UST rule was revised in
2015.54The TCR includes new compliance measures for spill prevention and overfill requirements,
as well as additional leak detection requirements. Of the states that report TCR, they produced a
TCR rate of 58 percent in FY 2023, which is consistent with the 58 percent rate from FY 2021 but
incorporates several states reporting for the first time.
52 States as referenced here also include the District of Columbia and five territories as described in the definition of a state in the
Solid Waste Disposal Act.
53 For more information, please refer to https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-l l/fy-23-eoy-final-report-11-21-
2023.pdf.
54 Beginning in FY 2023, TCR will be the measure reported from the remainder of the states.
888
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By the end of FY 2025, EPA anticipates that all states that originally had state program approval
(SPA) based on the 1988 UST regulation will be granted SPA renewal based on the 2015 UST
regulation.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the LUST Prevention program under the
LUST appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act § 2007(f); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
889
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Categorical Grant: Wetlands Program Development
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SO. 122
SU.M2
S22.000
S 'JOS
Total Budget Authority
$6,122
$14,692
$22,000
$7,308
Program Project Description:
The Wetland Program Development Grants Program assists states, tribes, and local governments
with building or enhancing their wetland and other aquatic resources, protection and restoration
programs. Wetlands and other aquatic resources play a critical role absorbing and filtering
pollutants from water. Protecting and restoring the Nation's aquatic resources, including wetlands,
also is key to climate resiliency because these resources reduce flood risk, help manage runoff
pollution, and serve as carbon sinks. Program grants are used to develop new or refine existing
state and tribal wetland/aquatic resource programs in one or more of the following areas: 1)
monitoring and assessment; 2) voluntary restoration and protection; 3) regulatory programs,
including Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 certification and Section 404 assumption;55 and 4)
wetland water quality standards.
States and tribes develop wetland/aquatic resource programs based on their goals and resources.
The Program provides grants to support the development of state and tribal wetland/aquatic
resource programs that further the goals of the CWA and state/tribal laws, improve water quality
in watersheds throughout the country, address climate change and build resilience, and provide
benefits to disadvantaged communities. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis under the
authority of Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA and the Program is a Justice40 covered program. The
grant funding is split among EPA's 10 regional offices according to the number of states and
territories per region. Each region is required, by regulation, to compete the award of these funds
to states, tribes, territories, local governments, interstate agencies, and inter-tribal consortia.56 In
addition, EPA sets aside 10 percent of the appropriation for a grant competition specifically for
tribes and inter-tribal consortia. Finally, EPA sets aside approximately five percent of the
appropriation for a grant competition specifically for nonprofits and interstate and inter-tribal
consortia. This grant competition supports state and tribal wetland programs with projects that are
55 State and tribal assumption of CWA Section 404 is an approach that can be useful in streamlining 404 permitting in coordination
with other environmental regulations. When states or tribes assume administration of the federal regulatory program, Section 404
permit applicants seek permits from the state or Tribe rather than the federal government. States and tribes are in many cases located
closer to the proposed activities and are often more familiar with local resources, issues, and needs. Even when a state assumes
permitting under Section 404, the United States Army Corps of Engineers retains jurisdiction for a certain portion of waters under
the CWA as well as those waters subject to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act for permits.
56 For more information, please see: http://water.epa.gov/grants funding/wetlands/estp.cfm.
890
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nationwide in scope or affect two or more EPA regions. In addition, one of the eligible uses of the
grant is training for local communities on restoration practices.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.2, Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to assist states and tribes in their efforts to protect, restore, and
manage wetlands/aquatic resources through monitoring and documenting stresses or
improvements to wetland condition, developing tools and programs for wetland restoration and
the use of natural infrastructure to mitigate flooding and storm surge hazards, investigating and
advancing opportunities to factor in climate change and environmental justice in decision-making,
and developing regulatory controls to avoid, minimize, and compensate for wetland impacts. The
Agency also will review these activities to identify ways to increase benefits to disadvantaged
communities, advance climate adaptation and mitigation measures, evaluate methods for sharing
best practices, including through websites, and encourage expansion of state and tribal programs
to address changes in federal wetland and aquatic resource protections.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$7,308.0) This increase of resources will go towards helping states develop programs to
protect wetlands that lost federal protection following the Sackett Supreme Court decision.
Statutory Authority:
Clean Water Act § 104(b)(3).
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Categorical Grant: Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective(s): Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and
Local Levels
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 25.000
S 25.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Program Project Description:
U.S. environmental law requires that federal environmental programs are in place across the
country, including in Indian Country. Programs are implemented in two ways: by federally
recognized tribes through EPA delegations, authorizations, or approvals of EPA authorities; and
by EPA, which is known as EPA direct implementation. Approximately 95 percent of federal
environmental programs in Indian Country are directly implemented by EPA with the remaining
programs implemented by tribes.
In FY 2025, EPA requests establishment of a new program to provide much needed dedicated
funding under the Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements (DITCAs) authority,
which was established by Congress. This unique funding vehicle is available to EPA to fund tribes
to carry out agreed upon federal implementation activities to assist EPA with implementation of
federal environmental programs in Indian Country. DITCAs are the only EPA funding authority
that allows EPA to fund tribes to perform EPA direct implementation activities; such activities
cannot be funded by grants. DITCAs also provide a valuable tool for EPA to directly implement
programs while simultaneously allowing the tribe to participate and gain valuable experience in
the program as it is being implemented in their areas of Indian Country. EPA aims to devote at
least half of this program's funding to projects/initiatives that result in Tribes becoming more resilient to
climate change impacts. Once established, it is expected to at least double the number of tribes
receiving EPA assistance for EPA direct implementation activities while providing needed multi-
media environmental protections.
DITCAs provide several distinct benefits to tribes. The use of DITCAs:
Creates a critical avenue to partner with EPA in the implementation of meaningful
environmental protection in Indian Country,
Allows for flexibility to develop tribal staff capacity to manage environmental programs
by partnering with EPA on implementation,
• Provides the opportunity to address specific tribal environmental needs and priorities,
• Respects tribes' interest in determining the scope and pace of tribal involvement, and
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• Provides tribes the opportunity to "test" their capacity to undertake these activities for
potential applications for delegation, authorization, or approval of EPA authorities in the
future.
Significantly, DITCAs also provide the opportunity for the tribes to address environmental
conditions in Indian Country without having to undergo the primacy delegation, authorization, or
approval process which can be expensive, lengthy, and may give rise to potential challenges to
tribal jurisdiction.
This source of dedicated funding for Direct Implementation Tribal Cooperative Agreements will
advance EPA direct implementation under a broad range of EPA responsibilities where EPA is
legally required, or authorized, to implement the federal environmental program in the absence of
an acceptable implementation program, and for federal environmental programs with statutes
containing legal provisions allowing the delegation, authorization, or approval of those programs
to tribes. EPA's goal is to ensure that environmental programs inside Indian Country are as robust
and protective as those same programs outside of Indian Country to protect human health and the
environment.
While EPA has successfully implemented a small number of DITCAs since Congress authorized
this mechanism, the FY 2025 President's Budget represents the first time that the budget includes
a separately identified funding source dedicated to this critical work. While the existing authority
allows funding from other programs, it does not actually set aside such resources or identify them.
Separate dedicated funding, as established in this new program, will maximize the tribal and EPA
benefits of using a DITCA to implement federal programs in Indian Country and result in EPA
reaching more underserved communities in need.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 2/Objective 2.1 Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic
Plan. Activities will ensure a full and robust implementation of the laws that EPA administers in
all areas in need of such protections while simultaneously honoring the federal trust responsibility
to the hundreds of federally recognized tribes EPA works with throughout FY 2025.
Separate DITCA funding will fundamentally change the ability of EPA to direct funding to the
highest priority direct implementation needs in Indian Country. OITA's American Indian
Environmental Office (AIEO) will lead and administer this effort. EPA will establish the DITCA
award program, including criteria to fund high priority implementation activities. EPA staff will
work directly with program offices and regional staff to coordinate and carry out the program.
Performance Measure Target:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
893
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$25,000.0) This increase establishes funding for a new categorical grant program
dedicated to providing support to federally recognized tribes to assist EPA's direct
implementation efforts in Indian Country to improve environmental and human health
concerns, absent a program delegation, authorization, or approval of EPA authorities to a
tribe.
Statutory Authority:
DITCAs were initially authorized in the FY 2001 Appropriations Act (Pub. L. No. 107-73, 115
Stat. 686 (2001) and have been authorized on an annual basis every fiscal year since then.
In conjunction with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) § 102(2)(F): Clean Air Act §
103(a); Clean Water Act § 104(a)(l)-(2); Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) § 1442(a)(1);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 8001(a)(1); Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) §§ 17(d), 20(a); Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) §10(a);
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) § 203(a)(1); E.O. 13547; E.O. 13689;
U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act, 19 U.S.C. §§ 4501-4372.
894
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Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants
Program Area: Categorical Grants
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S IO.\M>V
S 10.\000
s ioa.2-1'
S 3.2-1'
Total Budget Authority
$105,369
$105,000
$108,247
$3,247
Program Project Description:
The Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants Program helps states, territories, tribes, local
governments, and non-profits implement both the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Through RCRA, EPA and states
protect human health and the environment by minimizing waste generation, preventing the release
of millions of tons of hazardous wastes, and cleaning up land and water. Authorized states conduct
the direct implementation of permitting, corrective action, and enforcement components of the
RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Program. Through the IIJA, EPA works with states,
territories, tribes, local governments, and non-profits to improve recycling infrastructure,
education, and outreach through the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grants and
the Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) grants.
The RCRA hazardous waste grant funding supports all 50 states and six territories. Currently, 48
states and two territories are authorized to implement the RCRA Program. EPA directly
implements the RCRA Program in the states of Iowa and Alaska and in Indian Country. EPA also
provides project-specific small grants to tribes selected through a competitive process. To ensure
statutory requirements are successful, EPA partners with state and local governments, as well as
American businesses and non-governmental organizations, to significantly improve waste and
material management practices. In FY 2025, EPA will continue a multi-year transition to an
updated allocation formula to distribute Hazardous Waste Financial Assistance Grants to the states
and work on further updating the data used within the formula. The Agency believes that using the
most recent data will better align cooperative agreement funding to states' needs and maximize
the environmental benefits and program performance of this funding. EPA will work in close
consultation with the states during the development of the updated allocation formula and expects
to begin implementation of a revised allocation in FY 2026.
The IIJA provides EPA with an unprecedented $350 million in grant funding for the SWIFR grant
program, which is focused on enhancing solid waste management infrastructure, and REO grant
program, which is focused on improving consumer education on recycling and waste prevention.
Other directives in the IIJA include development of a model recycling program toolkit for states,
local governments, and tribes; and increasing coordination at the federal level on federal agencies'
responsibilities under the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) Program (including the
895
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frequency by which EPA must review the CPGs). In the very first round of funding awarded in
FY 2023 and FY 2024, all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia received
approximately $32 million in funding; 25 local governments received approximately $73 million
in funding, 59 tribes and intertribal consortia received approximately $60 million in funding, and
25 education and outreach recipients received approximately $33 million in funding. The first
round of SWIFR grants also were supplemented by annual appropriations under the Recycling
Infrastructure program.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $3.2 million for its hazardous waste grant programs to
continue to maintain state and territorial hazardous waste permitting programs and provide support
to EPA's state and territorial partners in their efforts to minimize waste generation and prevent its
release into communities. In FY 2025, the Agency (and authorized states) will continue to:
• Issue and renew permits to a portion of the 1,300 permitted hazardous waste treatment,
storage, and disposal facilities. This includes working with industry, the public, and states
to address issues related to management of hazardous waste through development and
application of standards, permits, guidance, and training. In FY 2023, EPA and its state
partners achieved 114 permit renewals issued at hazardous waste facilities and expect to
meet the target of 105 permit renewals in FY 2024.
• Process permit modifications to keep pace with evolving business practices, technology,
market conditions, and cleanup decisions.
• Update controls to encourage facilities to modernize technological systems, expand waste
management capability, improve hazardous waste management practices, and make timely
cleanup decisions.
• Inspect facilities to ensure compliance and safety.
• Oversee cleanups at hazardous waste management facilities and focus on milestones
toward completing cleanup of the 3,983 priority contaminated facilities (the Corrective
Action Progress Track), which include highly contaminated and technically challenging
sites.
• Oversee cleanups at high priority contaminated hazardous waste management facilities and
return cleaned up property to productive use. This includes working with state partners to
ensure that responsible parties conduct effective and efficient cleanups that are protective
of human health and the environment and reduce the burden on taxpayers.
• Draft implementation documents such as permits and orders, review site assessment plans
and results, review remedy selection documents, oversee remedy implementation, oversee
public participation, and track progress of cleanups.
• Work with tribes to develop tribal hazardous waste management plans; implement
hazardous and universal waste tribal programs; and assist tribes in developing and
implementing hazardous waste programs enforcement policies and procedures for tribes
through the Tribal Hazardous Waste Grant Program.
896
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• Continue to improve cleanup approaches, share best practices and cleanup innovations,57
and address issues of emerging science.
• Distribute grant funds to assist states in adopting new permit programs for the management
of coal combustion residuals.
• Make progress in updating permits to reflect current standards, technologies, and practices.
This includes progress towards meeting the Agency's goal of increasing the percentage of
permits that are kept up to date. EPA continues to assess and respond to permitting program
needs, which states and regions can adopt for greater permitting program efficiency.
In FY 2025, EPA will announce and award additional grants for states, territories, tribes, local
governments, and non-profits utilizing the remaining SWIFR and REO IIJA funds.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the RCRA Corrective Action and RCRA
Waste Management Programs under the EPM appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$3,247.0) This program increase provides support for implementation of state and
territorial programs with an investment to further assist EPA's partners in achieving
progress on the ground.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act § 3011;
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. 115-141; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA), Pub. L. 117-58.
57 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/hw/toolbox-corrective-action-resource-conservation-and-recoverv-
act-facilities-investigation-remedv.
897
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State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
898
-------
Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective(s): Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SHUI.DDI)
SI 00.000
SI)
Total Budget Authority
$7,239
$100,000
$100,000
$0
Program Project Description:
The Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Grant Program provides support for emission
reductions from existing diesel engines through engine replacements, including zero emission
replacements, retrofits, and rebuilds; switching to cleaner fuels; idling reduction; and other
emission reduction strategies. The DERA Program was initially authorized in Sections 791-797 of
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and reauthorized by the Diesel Emission Reduction Act of 2010
and in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Diesel engines remain the modern-day workhorse of the American economy (e.g., goods
movement, construction, public transportation). Diesel engines are extremely efficient and power
nearly every major piece of equipment on farms, construction sites, in ports, and on highways. As
the Agency's heavy-duty highway and nonroad diesel engines emissions standards came into
effect, new cleaner diesel engines started to enter the Nation's fleet. However, there are millions
of older engines in use that will continue to emit large amounts of nitrogen oxides and particulate
matter, including black carbon.58 DERA funding accelerates the pace at which dirty engines are
retired or retrofitted. EPA's DERA Program promotes strategies to reduce these emissions and
protect public health by working with air quality professionals, environmental and community
organizations, manufacturers, fleet operators, tribes, and state and local officials. DERA funding
provides both a public health and climate benefit and can be directed to areas with the greatest
need. DERA funding is targeted to areas with air quality challenges and grants funding is
prioritized for projects that benefit vulnerable communities.
Ports are places where large concentrations of diesel equipment often converge - including ships,
trucks, rail, and nonroad machinery. The near-port communities that bear the brunt of air pollution
from these diesel engines are often comprised of low-income populations and people of color.
These residents can be exposed to air pollution associated with emissions from diesel engines at
ports including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and air toxics. These pollutants can
contribute to significant health problems, including premature mortality, increased hospital
admissions for heart and lung disease, increased cancer risk, and increased respiratory symptoms,
especially for children, the elderly, outdoor workers, and other sensitive populations. DERA
prioritizes grant funding to ports and goods movement projects to benefit nearby communities.
58 DERA Fifth Report to Congress: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=Pl01.5S8Q.pdf.
899
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program directly supports Goal 1/Objective 1.1, Reduce Emissions that Cause
Climate Change in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Since it began, the DERA Program has provided funding support for cutting-edge clean
technologies that reduce emissions from diesel-powered mobile sources. The continuing
innovation shown in this sector is now creating new opportunities to look to more zero emission
options in source categories ranging from highway trucks to port cargo handling equipment. EPA
is committed to look for ways to help expedite this transition as part of its DERA implementation
effort. Considering the DERA Program's continuing role in advancing environmental justice and
tackling the climate crisis, EPA will evaluate the DERA Program to identify the best actions the
Agency can take to support this policy objective in FY 2025, as outlined in Executive Order (EO)
14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
Work in this Program directly supports EO 14008 and its Justice40 Initiative to target 40 percent
of the benefits of climate investments to disadvantaged communities. The DERA Program is
covered under the Justice40 Initiative.
In FY 2025, the DERA Grant Program will prioritize projects that provide health benefits to
residents of communities near centers of goods movement like ports that receive a disproportionate
quantity of air pollution from diesel fleets. Further priority will be given to projects whose leaders
engage and partner with affected communities with environmental justice concerns.
Using the formula outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, eligible states and territories are
offered 30 percent of the annual DERA appropriation to implement projects under the DERA State
Grants Program. The remaining DERA funding is awarded as rebates and competitive grants.
Through the DERA National Grants and the DERA Tribal and Insular Area Grants, the Agency
will competitively award grants focusing on areas with poor air quality, especially those impacted
most severely by emissions from ports and goods movement. Priority for funding also is given to
projects benefitting vulnerable communities and projects which engage communities in the design
and performance of the proj ect. EPA will continue to track, assess, and report the results of DERA
grants, such as numbers of engines, emissions benefits, and cost-benefit information.59 Further,
EPA will continue to provide diesel emission reduction technology verification and evaluation and
provide that information to the public.60
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
59 List of all grant awards under DERA can be found at https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/clean-diesel-national-grants.
60 For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel.
900
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
The Diesel Emissions Reduction Program is authorized by Title VII, Subtitle G of the Energy
Policy Act of 2005, 42 USC 16131, et seq., as amended.
901
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Brownfields Projects
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
Stt-.KJj
SHUI.DDI)
SIN.-IX 2
SN.-I.S2
Total Budget Authority
$87,833
$100,000
$114,482
$14,482
Program Project Description:
The Brownfields Program awards grants and provides technical assistance to help states, tribes,
local communities, and other stakeholders involved in environmental revitalization and economic
redevelopment to work together to plan, inventory, assess, safely cleanup, and reuse brownfields
sites, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Approximately 160 million people (roughly 48
percent of the U.S. population) live within three miles of a brownfields site that received EPA
funding.61 Similarly, within a half mile of a brownfields site receiving EPA funding, 20 percent of
people live below the national poverty level, 16 percent have less than a high school education, 54
percent are people of color, and seven percent are linguistically isolated. This idle land drags down
property values and can slow a local economy.
Brownfields redevelopment is a key to revitalizing main streets, neighborhoods, and rural
communities, as well as increasing property values and creating jobs, especially for those
communities with persistent poverty and environmental justice (EJ) concerns that are often left out
of economic and environmental revitalization. Important environmental impacts of brownfields
cleanup and redevelopment include improved water quality associated with reduced runoff from
stormwater and nonpoint pollutant sources, and improved air quality associated with reduced
greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle travel.62 The Brownfields Program leverages federal, state,
and local resources to strengthen partnerships across all levels of government and with the private
sector, allowing these partners to build on each other's successes.
Since its inception, the Brownfields Program has fostered a community-driven approach to the
reuse of contaminated sites. As of December 2023, grants awarded by the Program have led to
over 10,800 properties made ready for productive use and over 270 thousand jobs and over $40.4
billion leveraged.63 By awarding brownfields grants, EPA makes investments in communities so
that they can realize their own visions for land reuse, infrastructure development, economic
growth, and job creation.
61 U.S. EPA^ Office of Land and Emergency Management, 2023. Data collected includes: 1) Brownfields site information
from ACRES as of the end of FY 2022; 2)"Populauon data from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey.
62 For more information on Brownfields Program Environmental & Economic Benefits please refer to:
https://www.epa.gov/brownfieldsforowiifielas-program-enviroffliiental-and-economic-benefits.
63 FromACERS.
902
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Under this program, EPA will focus on core activities, providing funding for: 1) assessment
cooperative agreements and Targeted Brownfields Assessments (TBAs); 2) cleanup and
multipurpose cooperative agreements; and 3) research, training, and technical assistance to
communities for brownfields-related activities, including land revitalization assistance,
environmental workforce development, and job training cooperative agreements.
A 2017 study found that housing property values increased five to 15.2 percent near brownfields
sites when cleanup was completed.64 Analysis of the data near 48 brownfields sites shows that an
estimated $29 to $97 million in additional tax revenue was generated for local governments in a
single year after cleanup. This is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed
to the cleanup of those brownfields sites.65 In addition, based on historical data provided by the
Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database, $1 of EPA's
Brownfields funding leverages $19.78 in other public and private funding.66
In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) invests $1.2 billion to scale up
community-led brownfields revitalization from FY 2022 through FY 2026. This work includes
direct grants and technical assistance to assess and clean up brownfields sites, train and place
people in environmental jobs, and assist hundreds of communities in identifying equitable reuse
options to cultivate healthy, resilient, and livable neighborhoods.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.1, Clean Up and Restore Land for
Productive Uses and Healthy Communities in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an investment of approximately $14.5 million to advance EJ in tandem
with climate work. This investment will align with the Administration's Justice40 initiative by
stimulating economic opportunity and environmental revitalization in more than 400 historically
overburdened communities. These resources will build on current work to revitalize communities
across the country by providing financial and technical assistance to assess, conduct cleanup, and
plan reuse at brownfields sites. The Brownfields Program will continue to foster federal, state,
tribal, local, and public-private partnerships to return properties to productive economic use,
including in historically disadvantaged communities and communities with EJ concerns.
The activities described below will leverage approximately 12,135 jobs and $2.3 billion in other
funding sources.67
• Funding will support at least 139 assessment cooperative agreements that recipients may
use to inventory, assess, and conduct cleanup and reuse planning at brownfields sites.
64 Haninger, K L. Ma, and C. Timmins. 2017. The Value of Brownfield Remediation. Journal of the Association of Environmental
and Resource Economists, 4(1): 197-241, https://www.joumals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/689743.
65 Sullivan, K. 2017. Brownfields Remediation: Impact on Local Residential Property Tax Revenue. Journal of
Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 19(3), http://dx.doi.Org/10.l 1.42/S 1.46433321.7500132.
66 For more information, please visit www, epa. gov/brownfields.
67 U.S. EPA, Office of Land and Emergency Management Estimate. All estimates of outputs and outcomes are supported by the
data that is entered by cooperative agreement recipients via EPA's ACRES database.
903
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Approximately 1,250 site assessments will be completed under these agreements, including
in communities affected by the retirement of coal-fired power plants.
• Funding will support at least 20 multipurpose cooperative agreements that recipients may
use to assess, conduct cleanup, and conduct reuse planning at one or more brownfields
sites. At least 20 reuse plans, 20 site assessments, and 20 site cleanups will be completed
under these agreements.
• EPA will provide funding for TBAs in up to 200 communities without access to other
assessment resources or those that lack the capacity to manage a brownfields assessment
grant. There is special emphasis for small, rural, and disadvantaged communities to submit
requests for this funding to ensure equal access to brownfields assessment resources. These
assessments will be performed through contracts and interagency agreements.
• Funding will support 20 Environmental Workforce Development & Job Training
cooperative agreements. This funding will provide environmental job training for citizens
to take advantage of new jobs created as a result of brownfields assessment, cleanup, and
revitalization in their communities. These awards will lead to approximately 980 people
trained and 680 placed in jobs.
• Funding also will support training, research, technical assistance cooperative agreements,
interagency agreements, and contracts to support states, tribes, and communities for both
the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Programs and other assistance mechanisms, as
authorized under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act 104(k)(7).
• Funding will be provided for technical assistance to an estimated 150 small and
disadvantaged communities.
• Funding for Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) and Cleanup cooperative agreements will be
provided with IDA funds and are not requested as part of the Agency's FY 2025 request.
IIJA waived the statutory cost share for RLF and cleanup cooperative agreements.
All estimates of outputs and outcomes are supported by the data that is entered by cooperative
agreement recipients via the ACRES database and analyzed by EPA. Maintenance of ACRES
focuses on the input of high-quality data, and robust analysis regarding program outcomes and
performance will continue to be priorities during FY 2025.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PM B29) Number of brownfields properties assessed.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
1,300
1,400
1,650
1,650
1,650
Properties
Actual
1,919
1,693
1,772
1,682
1,637
1,894
(PM B30) Number of brownfields sites made ready for anticipated
use.
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
FY
Units
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Target
684
684
684
684
600
600
600
600
Sites
Actual
861
910
809
616
662
736
904
-------
(PM B32) Number of brownfields properties cleaned up.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
130
130
160
160
160
Properties
Actual
143
190
183
168
173
169
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$14,482.0) This program increase will build on current work to revitalize communities
across the country by providing financial and technical assistance to assess, conduct
cleanup, and plan reuse at brownfields sites.
Statutory Authority:
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) §§
101(39) and 104(k).
905
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Infrastructure Assistance: Alaska Native Villages
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S-II.MO
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S-t 1,000
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Total Budget Authority
$41,810
$39,686
$41,000
$1,314
Program Project Description:
The Alaska Rural and Native Village (ANV) Program provides critical basic drinking water and
sanitation infrastructure (e.g., flushing toilets and running water) in vulnerable rural and Native
Alaskan communities that lack such services. Alaskan rural and native water and sewer systems
face not only the typical challenges associated with small system size, but also challenging climate
and geographic conditions, such as permafrost, shortened construction seasons, and extremely
remote locations.
ANV communities look to EPA as a critical funding source of when they or the State of Alaska
are not able to fully finance the needed water infrastructure improvements. The Program serves
communities that often lack the debt capacity to apply for other funding sources, including EPA
State Revolving Loan Funds. The Indian Health Service's (IHS) December 2023 analysis
identified $258 million of need for water and wastewater infrastructure in Alaska in FY 2022.68
Many communities on the prioritized list have not been able to advance their projects due to lack
of funding.
While the gains in the Program have been significant, ANV communities continue to trail behind
the non-tribal/non-native population in the United States in access to water and sanitation. In
Alaska, a significantly higher percentage of native and rural serviceable households live without
complete indoor plumbing than the national average.
The ANV Program also supports training, technical assistance, and educational programs to
improve the financial management, operation, and maintenance of sanitation systems. The training
also results in a trained workforce with transferable job skills. This is done through leveraging
prioritization and implementation expertise from the State of Alaska with ANV program funds.
(The State of Alaska uses a risk-based prioritization process to fund projects that will have the
greatest public health and environmental benefit. Further, the State delivers these services to ANV
communities by coordinating across federal agencies and programs.)
68 Feasible need as defined by the IHS.
906
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The FY 2025 request of $41.0 million will fund water infrastructure in rural Alaskan homes and
maintain the existing level of wastewater and drinking water infrastructure that meets public health
standards, given increased regulatory requirements on drinking water systems and the rate of
construction of new homes in rural Alaska. The funding will be used to leverage funds provided
to the IHS by Congress and particularly by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for
the portion of the projects that are deemed 'ineligible' by IHS for IHS IIJA funding. Across all
funding sources, the goal is to provide service to most of the remaining unserved homes over the
course of the five years of the IIJA. Additionally, the request will continue to support training,
technical assistance, and educational programs that protect existing federal investments in
infrastructure by improving operation and maintenance of the systems. Improved operation and
maintenance will improve system performance and extend the life of the asset.
In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to work with the State of Alaska to address sanitation
conditions and maximize the value of the federal investment in rural Alaska. EPA will continue to
implement the Alaska Rural and Native Village "Management Controls Policyadopted in June
2007, to ensure efficient use of funds by allocating them to projects that are ready to proceed or
are progressing satisfactorily. The Agency has made great strides in implementing more focused
and intensive oversight of the ANV grant program through cost analyses, post-award monitoring,
and timely closeout of projects. These activities will help meet targets as part of the Justice40 pilot
program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,314.0) This program change is an increase to support water infrastructure in rural
Alaskan homes and maintain the existing level of wastewater and drinking water
infrastructure that meets public health standards, given increased regulatory requirements
on drinking water systems and the rate of construction of new homes in rural Alaska.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 § 303; Clean Water Act § 1263a.
907
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Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water SRI
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
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Total Budget Authority
$735,951
$775,752
$1,239,895
$464,143
Total Workyears
4.4
3.6
3.6
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Program capitalizes state revolving loan funds
in all 50 states and Puerto Rico to finance infrastructure improvements for public wastewater
systems and projects to improve water quality. In addition to capitalizing state revolving loan
funds, the CWSRF appropriation includes a provision for set-aside funding for tribes to address
serious wastewater infrastructure needs and associated health impacts. A portion of the CWSRF
appropriation also provides direct grant funding for the District of Columbia and United States
territories. These funds directly support the Agency's goal to ensure waters are clean through
improved water infrastructure and sustainable management. The CWSRF Program also
implements American Iron and Steel (AIS),69 the Build America Buy America Act,70 and other
provisions, as required by law.
The CWSRF Program is the largest source of federal funds for states to provide low-interest loans
and other forms of assistance for water quality projects including construction of wastewater
treatment facilities, water and energy efficiency projects, green infrastructure projects, and
agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs). This federal investment is designed to be used
in concert with other sources of funds to address water quality needs.71 Other tools, such as
additional subsidization, are available as part of the CWSRF Program to assist small, rural, and
overburdened and underserved communities. The CWSRF Program is a key component of EPA's
efforts to achieve innovative solutions to wastewater infrastructure needs and realize economic
and environmental benefits that will continue to accrue in the future.
The revolving nature of the funds and substantial state match contributions have greatly multiplied
the federal investment. EPA estimates that for every federal dollar contributed thus far, the Nation
has received more than three dollars of investment in water infrastructure. As of June 2023, the
CWSRF Programs has provided a total of $172 billion from all funding sources in affordable
69 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/state-revolving-fund-american-iron-and-steel-ais-
requirement.
70 For additional information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/build-america-buy-america-baba.
71 For additional information, please see: http://www.epa.gov/cwsrf.
908
-------
financing for a wide variety of wastewater infrastructure and other water quality projects.72 In
2023, over 1,600 assistance agreements were made with communities of all sizes, funding over
$8.8 billion in projects aimed at treating wastewater, addressing stormwater runoff, tackling non-
point source pollution, and addressing a myriad of other environmental issues.73
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The federal investment in the CWSRF in FY 2025 will continue to support progress toward
meeting the Nation's clean water needs and infrastructure priorities while creating good paying
jobs. The infrastructure and other water management projects receiving low interest loans and
additional subsidization from the CWSRF protect public health, strengthen the economy and local
neighborhoods, and contribute to healthy ecosystems. Underserved communities can benefit from
the program because its low-cost financing and additional subsidization make these needed
investments more affordable.
EPA continues to work with states to meet several key objectives, such as:
• Linking projects to environmental results;
• Targeting funding and technical assistance to rural, small, and disadvantaged communities
with limited ability to repay loans; and
• Ensuring the CWSRFs remain reliable sources of affordable funding.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting over $1.2 billion to provide funding for critical wastewater
infrastructure through the CWSRF Program. Funding requested in FY 2025 would complement
the robust investments provided for the SRFs in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
The requested level supports several priority areas including improving resilience to natural
hazards such as climate change; addressing environmental justice concerns by providing resources
to remedy disproportionate levels of pollution in vulnerable communities; and creating good
paying jobs. The Program will encourage states to prioritize funding for projects focused on
climate change resiliency. These funding levels advance infrastructure repair and replacement and
would allow states, municipalities, and other eligible borrowers to continue to finance high-priority
investments that improve water quality and protect human health. EPA will complete annual
reviews of each State CWSRF Program to help evaluate if states are effectively implementing the
CWSRF program.
The FY 2025 budget includes $80 million for the complementary Water Infrastructure Finance
and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Program. Through the WIFIA Program, EPA will make direct loans
to regionally or nationally significant water infrastructure projects. The combined investments of
the SRFs and WIFIA Program advance the Agency's ongoing commitment to infrastructure repair
and replacement. These funds represent a major investment in water infrastructure and will create
72 Clean Water State Revolving Fund National Information Management System. U.S. EPA, Office of Water, National Information
Management System Reports: Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). Washington, DC (As of June 30,2023).
73 Clean Water State Revolving Fund National Information Management System. U.S. EPA, Office of Water, National Information
Management System Reports: Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). Washington, DC (As of June 30,2023).
909
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thousands of good paying jobs across the country.
To help drive progress, EPA has established a target to increase the cumulative amount of non-
federal dollars leveraged by water infrastructure programs (CWSRF, Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF), and WIFIA), with a goal of $9.5 billion in FY 2025. In FY 2023, over
$11.4 billion of non-federal funds leveraged by these programs, increasing the funds available to
improve, repair, and modernize the Nation's water infrastructure.
The FY 2025 capitalization of the CWSRF would supplement the $172 billion in total assistance
provided over the life of the program. The assistance provided in 2023 from federal capitalization,
state contributions, and repayments was over $8.5 billion.
In addition to capitalizing the CWSRF Program, a portion of the appropriation also will provide
grants to tribes, District of Columbia and four territories. Many of these communities need
assistance because they do not have the required resources to upgrade wastewater infrastructure,
causing significant public health and environmental concerns. To ensure sufficient resources are
directed toward these communities, EPA continues to request a tribal set-aside of two percent, or
$30 million, whichever is greater, of the funds appropriated in FY 2025. EPA also continues to
request a set-aside of 1.5 percent of the funds appropriated for the territories of American Samoa,
Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas, and the United States Virgin Islands. These
activities will help work toward meeting targets as part of the Justice40 pilot program.
EPA requests that up to $2 million of the tribal set-aside be used for training and technical
assistance related to the operation and management of tribal wastewater treatment works. EPA
also requests the ability to use the tribal and territorial set-asides to support:
• planning and design of treatment works; and
• the construction, repair, or replacement of privately-owned decentralized wastewater
treatment systems serving one or more principal residences or small commercial
establishments (e.g., septic systems).
This authority is similar to those already available to states. Giving EPA the authority to provide
expanded support for planning and design will protect the federal investment in wastewater
infrastructure and ensure access to safe wastewater treatment for tribes and territories that face
significant challenges with sanitation infrastructure. The ability for both the tribes and territories
to construct, repair, or replace decentralized wastewater treatment systems will allow the flexibility
that these communities require to provide wastewater infrastructure that is appropriate for the
unique circumstances of each community.
Funding future Clean Watershed Needs Surveys (CWNS) remains a priority.74 The CWNS is a
comprehensive assessment of the capital needed to meet the water quality goals of Sections 205(a)
and 516 of the Clean Water Act. This assessment and documentation of future needs is critical in
the effort to manage and fund our nation's wastewater infrastructure. A comprehensive CWNS is
an important tool for identifying critical water quality needs in communities across the Nation,
including rural, small, and disadvantaged communities. It also helps assess the scope of
investments needed to reduce the vulnerability of water infrastructure to natural hazards, including
74 For additional information, please see: littps://www, epa. gov/cwns
910
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climate change. The FY 2023 appropriation provided a $1.5 million set-aside from the CWSRF
allowing EPA to continue to conduct the CWNS. EPA requests that this appropriation language
continue in FY 2025 -to ensure sufficient resources for the next CWNS.
EPA will partner with states to ensure that the CWSRF Program continues to play an important
role in promoting efficient system-wide planning; improvements in technical, financial, and
managerial capacity; and the design, construction, and ongoing management of sustainable water
infrastructure. To streamline data collection and reduce reporting burden, EPA in FY 2022
redesigned the databases used to collect performance information about the CWSRF and DWSRF
Programs. The goal of this effort is to reduce reporting burden by eliminating redundancy and
providing a more user-friendly interface for states to submit data. EPA completes annual reviews
of each state's CWSRF to help assess the effectiveness of the Program.
Additionally, IIJA (Public Law 117-58) includes $2,828 billion for this program in FY 2025.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PMINFRA-01) Billions of non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA's water infrastructure finance programs
(CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
9.5
9.5
9.5
Billions of
Dollars
Actual
9.7
10.3
10.2
12.1
14.6
11.4
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$1,331.0) This change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to
provide essential workforce support, and changes to benefit costs.
• (+$465,474.0) This program change represents an increase to the states' revolving funds
and restores funding for non-earmarked projects, that, combined with IIJA funding, will
help communities, and increase support to the states.
Statutory Authority:
Title VI of the Clean Water Act.
911
-------
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water Congressionallv Directed Spending
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S ,W.f,22
SSfiJJO'J
S 0
Total Budget Authority
$80,622
$863,109
$0
-$863,109
Total Workyears
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The purpose of the Congressionally Directed Spending is to provide grants to specific communities
to work on specific water infrastructure projects. In recent years, Congress has set aside funding
from the SRFs to fund these Congressionally Directed Spending projects, which do not move
through the State Revolving Funds, and do not recycle to facilitate future projects. Grants and work
provided by this program can be accomplished with the restoration of funding for non-
Congressionally Directed Spending projects within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$863,109.0) This program change is directly attributable to reducing $863 million in
funding for congressionally directed community projects. This earmarked funding does not
move through the State Revolving Funds and does not recycle to facilitate future projects.
Statutory Authority:
Title VI of the Clean Water Act.
912
-------
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water SRI
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
-<)<)
Silfi.S-li
SI.120.105
soiw.joo
Total Budget Authority
$504,799
$516,845
$1,126,105
$609,260
Total Workyears
0.9
1.4
1.4
0.0
Program Project Description:
EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is designed to assist public water systems
in financing the costs of drinking water infrastructure improvements needed to achieve or maintain
compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, protect public health, and
support state and local efforts to protect and provide drinking water. These funds finance critical
infrastructure necessary to ensure safe drinking water for all Americans while creating good paying
jobs and upgrading and modernizing America's drinking water systems. The 2021 Drinking Water
Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (7th DWINSA) indicated a 20-year capital investment
need of $625 billion for public water systems that are eligible to receive funding from state
DWSRF Programs. The capital investment needs covered community water systems (CWS), not-
for-profit non-community water systems (NPNCWS), American Indian water systems, and Alaska
Native Village (ANV) water systems. The 7th DWINSA need reflected costs for rehab and
replacement of distribution pipes and deteriorating storage tanks, and treatment equipment, as well
as identifying and replacing lead service lines and addressing emerging contaminants in drinking
water to protect public health and ensure compliance with the SDWA. In addition, EPA collected
lead service line material information for the first time as a part of the 7th DWINSA.75 This
information is used to distribute the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) DWSRF Lead
Service Line Replacement (LSLR) funding starting in FY 2023.
To reduce public health risks and help ensure safe and reliable delivery of drinking water
nationwide, EPA makes capitalization grants to states to provide low-cost loans and other
assistance to eligible public water systems and maintain robust drinking water protection
programs. In addition to maintaining the statutory focus on addressing the greatest public health
risks first, states can help those most in need on a per household basis according to state
affordability criteria and can utilize set-asides to assist small systems. To maintain a focus on
communities most in need, states are required to provide a portion of their capitalization grant as
additional subsidization to disadvantaged communities.
75 For more information please see: https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf/epas-7th-drinkiiig-water-infrastructure-needs-survey-and-
assessment.
913
-------
The DWSRF Program provides communities access to critical low-cost financing and offers a
subsidy to help utilities address long-term needs associated with water infrastructure. Most
DWSRF assistance is offered as loans which water utilities repay from the revenues they generate
from the rates they charge their customers for service. Water utilities in many communities may
need to evaluate the rate at which they invest in drinking water infrastructure repair and
replacement to keep pace with their aging infrastructure, many of which may be approaching the
end of their lives.
EPA works with states to ensure that DWSRF infrastructure and technical assistance funds are
available to water systems in disadvantaged communities that have the most significant drinking
water challenges. EPA emphasizes assistance to projects which reduce lead, address emerging
contaminants, and help water systems achieve resiliency to natural and manmade hazards,
including climate change and cybersecurity.
This request complements the historic amount of funding provided in the IIJA, (Public Law 117-
58) which includes $6,403 billion for this program in FY 2025.
State Set-Asides
States have considerable flexibility to tailor their DWSRF program to their unique circumstances.
This flexibility ensures that each state can carefully and strategically consider how best to achieve
the maximum public health protection. To achieve this, states may set aside and award funds for
targeted activities that can help them implement and expand their drinking water programs. The
four DWSRF state set-asides are:76
• Small System Technical Assistance (up to two percent);
• Administrative and Technical Assistance (up to four percent, $400 thousand or one-fifth
percent of the current valuation of the fund, whichever is greater);
• State Program Management (up to ten percent); and
• Local Assistance and Other State Programs (up to fifteen percent).
Taken together, approximately 31 percent of a state's DWSRF capitalization grant may be set aside
for activities other than infrastructure construction. These set-asides enable states to improve water
system operation and management, emphasizing institutional capacity as a means of achieving
sustainable water system operations. Most recently, states have taken on average 15 percent of the
available 31 percent for set-aside activities. States can utilize these set-aside funds to help drinking
water systems, especially those in small and disadvantaged communities, increase their technical,
managerial, and financial capacity and receive the planning and capacity building assistance they
need to effectively manage the systems and plan for the future.
Non-Federal Funding Leveraging
The federal SRF investment is designed to be used with other sources of funds to address drinking
water infrastructure needs. States are required to provide a 20 percent match for their capitalization
grant from annual appropriations. Some states elect to leverage their capitalization grants through
76 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/drinkingwatersrf/how-drinking-water-state-revolving-fund-works#tab-
5.
914
-------
the public debt markets to enable the state to provide more assistance. These features, including
state match leveraging and the revolving fund design of the Program, have enabled the states to
provide assistance exceeding 235 percent of the federal capitalization since the Program's
inception in 1997. For every dollar the federal government invests in this program, the states, in
total, have delivered over two dollars in assistance to water systems. In addition, the DWSRF's
rate of funds utilized was 95 percent in 2023 (utilization is measured based on the state FY calendar
which ended on June 30, 2023).77
The FY 2025 capitalization of the DWSRF would supplement almost more than $57.3 billion in
total assistance provided over the life of the Program, from all funding sources. The assistance
provided in FY 2023 from federal capitalization, state contributions, and repayments was $4.3
billion.
National Set-Asides
Prior to allotting funds to the states, EPA reserves certain national level set-asides.78 The statute
requires that $2 million be allocated to small systems to monitor for unregulated contaminants to
facilitate their compliance with the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR). In FY 2022 and 2023, EPA requested and received
authority to set aside $12 million to provide small systems with the resources needed to implement
the new statutorily mandated expansion of the UCMR Program. Section 2021 of the America's
Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018 requires, subject to availability of appropriations and
adequate laboratory capacity, all Public Water Systems (PWSs) serving 3,300 to 10,000 persons
to monitor under future UCMR cycles. It also requires EPA to ensure that a nationally
representative sample of PWSs serving fewer than 3,300 persons monitor under future UCMR
cycles. In FY 2025, EPA proposes to again set-aside $12 million for this new statutory mandate.
The 1996 SDWA established the current UCMR program. It includes statutory provisions that
require EPA to coordinate and pay the monitoring costs for a representative selection of small
water systems that serve fewer than 10,000 individuals. Historically under this emerging
contaminant monitoring program, EPA would require sampling at 800 small water systems that
would be selected to represent the over 60,000 small water systems throughout the United States.
AWIA included statutory revisions amending SDWA and mandating (subject to the availability of
appropriations) that EPA significantly expand the small water system monitoring program.
Starting with UCMR 5 (FY 2022-2026), the total number of small systems monitored will increase
by 7.5 times, from 800 to 6,000. This expansion will include all 5,200 public water systems that
serve between 3,300 and 10,000 individuals and a representative selection of 800 systems serving
fewer than 3,300 individuals.
EPA will direct up to two percent or $20 million, whichever is greater, of annually appropriated
funds to tribes and ANVs. These funds are awarded either directly to tribes or, on behalf of tribes,
to the Indian Health Service through interagency agreements. Additionally, EPA will continue to
set aside up to 1.5 percent for territories.
77 The cumulative dollar amount of loan agreements divided by cumulative funds available for projects.
78 Safe Drinking Water Act Sections 1452(i)(l), 1452(i)(2), 1452(j), and 1452(o), as amended.
915
-------
In addition, SDWA requires that all funds made available by a state DWSRF as authorized by
SDWA Section 1452 (42 U.S.C. 300j-12) for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair
of a public water system use iron and steel products produced in the United States. The
Administrator may retain up to 0.25 percent of the funds appropriated in this Act for the DWSRF
and the CWSRF for carrying out the provisions for management and oversight of the requirements
of this section. Also, the Build America, Buy America Act, which was signed into law in 2021
under IIJA (Section 70911-17), requires that the funds made available for a federal financial
assistance program must use iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials
produced in the United States.
Additionally, EPA is requesting authority in the DWSRF to fund the DWINSA. Every four years,
EPA works with states and community water systems to estimate the DWSRF eligible needs of
system by state over the next 20 years. EPA uses this information as part of the formula for state
allocations of the DWSRF. In April 2023, the Agency announced the new allotment formula,
which was first used in FY 2023, based on the 7th DWINSA results. EPA released the 7thDWINSA
Report to Congress in September 2023. Findings included infrastructure needs, estimates of lead
service line prevalence and replacement costs, current concerns for a sustainable certified operator
workforce, and an assessment of the uses of iron and steel products. In the Fall of 2023, EPA also
conducted a one-time update of the service line material information, which will inform BIL LSLR
SRF allotments starting in FY 2024. The FY 2025 request includes up to $1.5 million set-aside
from the DWSRF for the 8th and future DWINSAs to ensure there are consistent and reliable
resources to fund this important work.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Work in this program also directly supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority
Goal: Reduce harmful lead exposure in drinking water through the replacement of lead service
lines in communities. By September 30, 2025, increase the number of funded lead service line
replacements by 500,000.79
In FY 2025, EPA will work to increase by $9.5 billion the cumulative amount of non-federal
dollars leveraged by water infrastructure finance programs (DWSRF, CWSRF and Water
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)). For FY 2025, EPA requests $1.1 billion for
the DWSRF to help finance public drinking water system infrastructure projects. EPA is not
proposing funding for earmarks, which come at the expense of state funds. This will result in an
increased state allocations in FY 2025 as compared to FY 2023. The funding will accelerate
infrastructure replacements and investments across the nation. In FY 2025, EPA requests over $2.3
billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). The SRF
infrastructure budget, combined with the funding from the WIFIA Program, and EPA Community
Grants, provides robust funding for critical drinking and wastewater infrastructure.
79 Based on available data, EPA estimates that on average 73,000 lead service lines have been funded annually. The number of
lead service line replacements funded will be tracked quarterly, but the two-year goal is to increase that number to 300%.
916
-------
The requested funding level reflects documented needs for drinking water infrastructure and
improvements to infrastructure in small and disadvantaged communities. EPA will continue to
foster its strong partnership with the states to provide small system technical assistance with a
focus on compliance with rules, operational efficiencies, and system sustainability and resiliency
to ensure public health protection. In FY 2025, EPA also will continue to amplify information on
available funding options for local utilities and state programs to meet critical infrastructure needs,
especially in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Furthermore, as a pilot program under Justice40, the Agency will leverage all available authorities,
tools, and resources to meet key administration priorities in investments in overburdened and
underserved communities. EPA will continue to work to target a significant portion of assistance
from SRFs to small, overburdened, and underserved communities with limited ability to repay
loans. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting that 14 percent of the funds provided to the states be
available for additional subsidy and allow states to go above that percentage if there is an
emergency declared for lead.
In FY 2025, the DWSRF Program will continue to implement the Clean Water and Drinking Water
Infrastructure Sustainability Policy. This policy focuses on promoting system-wide planning that
helps water systems:
• Align water infrastructure system goals.
• Analyze infrastructure alternatives, including energy efficient alternatives; and
• Ensure they have the financial capacity and rate structures to construct, operate, maintain,
and replace infrastructure over time.
In FY 2025, EPA is continuing to emphasize strengthening small system technical, managerial,
and financial capability through the Capacity Development Program, the Operator Certification
Program, the Public Water System Supervision State Grant Program, and the DWSRF. The
Capacity Development Program establishes a framework for states and water systems to work
together to help small systems achieve the SDWA's public health protection objectives. The state
Capacity Development Programs are supported federally by the Public Water System Supervision
state grant funds and the set-asides established in the DWSRF. In FY 2025, EPA will continue to
work with states to review and update their capacity development strategies to include asset
management as required by AWIA.
In addition, EPA will complete annual reviews of each State DWSRF Program to help evaluate if
states are effectively implementing the DWSRF Program effectively and implementing the
Drinking Water Revolving Fund Program to facilitate community water system compliance with
the SDWA.
917
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Performance Measure Targets:
(PM DW-02) Number of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-based standards since
March 31,2021.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
875
640
450
425
400
CWSs
Actual
1,718
1,128
1,048
654
537
466
(PM DWT-02) Number of community water systems in Indian Country still in noncompliance with health-
based standards since March 31,2021.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
100
55
35
30
CWSs
Actual
74
54
(PM INFRA-01) Billions of non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA's water infrastructure finance programs
(CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
9.5
9.5
9.5
Billions of
Dollars
Actual
9.7
10.3
10.2
12.1
14.6
11.4
(PM INFRA-07) Number of lead service line replacements funded.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:::,ooo
500,000
Lead
Service
Lines
Actual
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$609,260.0) This program change represents an increase to the SRFs and restores
funding for non-earmarked projects, that, combined with IIJA funding, will help
communities, and increase support to the states.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act § 1452.
918
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Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water Congressionallv Directed
Spending
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
SI-12.2 '(>
SMW.25f>
S 0
-SMW.25/i
Total Budget Authority
$142,276
$609,256
$0
-$609,256
Total Workyears
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The purpose of the Congressionally Directed Spending is to provide grants to specific communities
to work on specific water infrastructure projects. In recent years, Congress has set aside funding
from the SRFs to fund these Congressionally Directed Spending projects, which do not move
through the State Revolving Funds, and do not recycle to facilitate future projects. Grants and work
provided by this program can be accomplished with the restoration of funding for non-
Congressionally Directed Spending projects within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$609,256.0) This program change is directly attributable to reducing $609 million in
funding for congressionally directed community projects appropriated in FY 2023. This
earmarked funding does not move through the State Revolving Funds and does not recycle
to facilitate future projects.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act § 1452.
919
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Infrastructure Assistance: Mexico Border
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
VoV»
-------
environmental benefit to the U.S., whether the project is in the U.S. or Mexico. For example, a
wastewater project in Mexico can only be funded if that sewage would otherwise contaminate a
U.S. waterbody. Treating these waters after they have been contaminated and have crossed the
border into the U.S. is neither technically feasible nor financially viable.
U. S.-Mexico Border communities are looking to EPA as a last-resort funding source when utilities,
cities, or states are not able to fully finance needed infrastructure improvements. The Program
serves communities that often lack the capacity to apply for other funding sources, including
EPA's State Revolving Funds. To improve opportunities for communities to request funding
support for these critical investment needs, in FY 2017, EPA, in coordination with the North
American Development Bank, modified the process to allow for applications to be submitted on a
continuous basis through an on-line format available 24 hours a day/seven days per week. Since
2017, a total of 50 applications have been selected and are currently in development or
construction. Those applications represent an estimated construction investment need of over $471
million. The Program continues to receive new applications and evaluates these on, at least, a
quarterly basis.
The Agency's investments in the Mexican side projects have represented only a third of the total
project construction costs, while leveraging two thirds of the remaining total costs from the
Mexican government and other funding sources. EPA's investment leverages Mexican funds that
simultaneously benefit the U.S. and Mexico. If not for the Agency's investment, Mexican funds
would likely be invested in other parts of Mexico that do not directly benefit the United States.
Preventing raw sewage discharges to shared water resources is especially critical in a region that
is already facing water scarcity challenges.
The U.S.-Mexico Border Program is one of the few federal programs that assists communities in
the planning and design of water and sanitation infrastructure projects. Planning and design are
essential to advance projects to a construction ready stage, create sustainable communities and
access public and private funding. Thirty-two of the fifty selected projects that have construction
costs estimated at over $393 million are currently in the development phase. More than 4 million
border residents will benefit once all these projects are complete.
The close bi-national cooperation in this program has improved public health and water quality.
Improving access to clean and safe water is a key focus of the Border 2025 Plan,80 the bi-national
agreement that guides efforts to improve environmental conditions in the U.S.-Mexico Border
region. EPA investments in these wastewater projects are protecting public health from waterborne
diseases and have been a key factor in significant water quality improvements in U.S. waterbodies,
such as the Rio Grande (Texas and New Mexico), Santa Cruz River (Arizona), New River
(California), and Tijuana River and Pacific Ocean (California). In both the New River and the
middle Rio Grande, for example, fecal coliform levels have dropped by over 80 percent because
of jointly funded wastewater treatment plants built in Mexicali and Ojinaga, Mexico, respectively.
The Santa Cruz River now supports a healthy fish population where a few years ago only
bloodworms thrived.
' For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder/border-2025-framework.
921
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FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
With the requested $36.4 million for FY 2025, the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure
Program will continue to fund high-priority water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Projects
that receive funding have been evaluated and ranked using a risk-based prioritization system,
which enables the Program to direct grant funding to projects that demonstrate human health
benefits, cost-effectiveness, institutional capacity, and sustainability. EPA coordinates at local,
national, and bi-national levels to assess the environmental needs and make prioritized funding
decisions. All program funding will be invested in projects that, whether located in the U.S. or
Mexico, provide a positive public health and/or environmental benefit to the U.S. The U.S. benefits
include improved quality of U.S. water bodies and shared waters and reduced health risk to the
U.S. population. The demonstration of a U.S. benefit is one of the fundamental eligibility criteria
for projects seeking program assistance.
The U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program works with the ten border states (four U.S.
and six Mexican) and local communities to improve the region's water quality and public health.
The U.S. and Mexican governments will collaborate on water infrastructure projects to reduce
health risks to residents, including vulnerable populations of children and the elderly, many of
whom currently lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Additionally, by providing
homes with access to basic sanitation, EPA and its partners will reduce the discharge of untreated
wastewater into surface water and groundwater. These activities will help meet targets as part of
the Justice40 pilot program.
FY 2025 funding will be allocated to a portion of the construction of projects that have completed
planning and design and are ready to move to construction. Final decisions on the use of FY 2023
funding will be based on balancing the construction needs of fully designed projects with the
planning and design needs of prioritized projects.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Treaty entitled "Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States
on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area,
August 14, 1983."
922
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Targeted Airshed Grants
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S.U.MM
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Vi'A'A?"
SO
Total Budget Authority
$34,669
$69,927
$69,927
$0
Program Project Description:
The Targeted Airshed Grants Program awards competitive grant funding to reduce air pollution in
nonattainment areas that were ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to ozone, annual
average fine particulate matter (PM2.5), or 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS). This program assists air pollution control agencies in conducting emission reduction
activities in these nonattainment areas. The overall goal of the Targeted Airshed Grant Program is
to reduce air pollution in the Nation's areas with the highest levels of ozone and PM2.5 ambient air
concentrations.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.1, Improve Air Quality and Reduce
Localized Pollution and Health Impacts in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Work in this program directly supports the President's priorities to tackle the climate crisis and
advance environmental justice. The targeted airshed grant program provides funding to air
pollution control agencies with responsibilities for the State Implementation Plan (SIP) or Tribal
Implementation Plan (TIP) for the eligible nonattainment areas. This program can fund any
activities that achieve documentable emission reductions to assist eligible nonattainment areas to
meet the NAAQS.
Air pollution control agencies that have responsibilities for these areas will continue to implement
projects that improve the air quality in the listed nonattainment areas. Expected projects include,
but are not limited to:
• Replacing vehicles, engines, or equipment with cleaner alternatives;
• Replacing or retrofitting heat devices (e.g., wood burning stoves, fireplaces); and
• Other projects that achieve quantifiable emission reductions for the applicable pollutant(s),
such as road paving or residential wood smoke reduction activities like providing dry
seasoned wood.
923
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Anticipated projects will achieve demonstrable reductions in air pollutants that contribute to the
nonattainment status of the eligible areas, including reductions in direct PM2.5, nitrogen oxides
(NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and/or ammonia. They will
provide direct health and environmental benefits to communities. Priority funding for these grants
goes to emission reduction projects that promote environmental justice in eligible nonattainment
areas based on how well the projects will effectively address the disproportionate and adverse
cumulative impacts (human health, environmental, climate-related and others) that have affected
and/or currently affect people/communities of color, low income, tribal, and indigenous
populations.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328).
924
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Safe Water for Small & Disadvantaged Communities
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
.S 22.US'
SJO. ISS
SIS
Total Budget Authority
$22,887
$30,158
$30,173
$15
Total Workyears
1.6
1.0
1.0
0.0
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) includes $1 billion in FY 2025.
Program Project Description:
EPA awards Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grants to states to assist
public water systems in underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities. The grants are
designed to assist communities that are unable to finance activities needed to comply with the
National Drinking Water Regulations and to respond to drinking water contaminants.
Since the inception of the Program, the Program has awarded over $128 million in project grants
funding to 43 states and tribal communities. These grants and the cost share requirement have
contributed to over $120 million in project investments, impacting over one million residents in
small, underserved, and disadvantaged communities. The Program is in the process of making
additional awards with FY 2023 funds and finding prospective projects to award once FY 2024
funds become available.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
EPA is requesting $30.2 million in FY 2025 to assist small and disadvantaged communities with
improving their drinking water resources. The request will provide additional grant funding and
support to address lead and other contaminants in drinking water, especially in small and
disadvantaged communities. Many of these communities are rural and have limited access to other
sources of funding. These grants are awarded as non-competitive grants to states, with a separate
tribal allotment. The grant program supports overburdened and underserved communities that
either have no household drinking water or wastewater services or are served by a public water
system that violates or exceeds any maximum containment level, treatment technique, or action
level. Projects eligible for assistance include those designed to:
• Return a public water system to compliance;
• Benefit overburdened and underserved communities on a per household basis;
925
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• Provide household water quality testing, including testing for unregulated contaminants;
• Fund activities necessary and appropriate for a state to respond to a contaminant;
• Purchase point-of-entry or point-of-use filters and filtration systems that are certified by a
third-party using science-based test methods for the removal of contaminants of concern;
and
• Provide accurate and current information on the need for filtration and filter safety,
including proper use and maintenance practices, and the options for replacing lead service
lines (as defined in Safe Drinking Water Act section 1459B(a)) and removing other sources
of lead in water.
With over $30 million in grant funding, the Program is estimating that approximately 45 projects
would receive funding. With a federal cost share of 10 percent, EPA estimates these projects would
total $33 million in project investment in small, disadvantaged, and underserved communities.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$8.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs for existing FTE due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide
essential workforce support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$7.0) This change will increase the resources available to states to help underserved,
small, and disadvantaged communities.
Statutory Authority:
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Title IV, Section 2104; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
926
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Reducing Lead in Drinking Water
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S3 2 JO 1
S25.IU1
Total Budget Authority
$32,301
$25,011
$64,479
$39,468
Total Workyears
1.6
1.0
1.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grant program was established in Section 2105 of the Water
Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016 (WIIN). The objectives of the grant
program are to reduce the concentration of lead in drinking water by: 1) replacing lead service
lines (LSLs); 2) identifying and addressing conditions that contribute to increased concentration
of lead in drinking water; and 3) providing assistance to low-income homeowners to replace LSLs.
The grant program supports the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to eliminating LSLs
and the goal of ensuring clean and safe water for all by prioritizing applications from
disadvantaged communities.81 At the end of FY 2022, EPA had announced over $73 million in
available funding and commenced making awards. The grants included 22 projects across the
nation, including tribal communities. Projects included LSL replacement, improvements in
drinking water infrastructure, and lead remediation and replacement activities in schools and
childcare facilities. These grant awards were finalized in FY 2023.
In FY 2024, the Agency plans to announce the next competition cycle for approximately $35
million in grant funding to continue to reduce lead exposure in drinking water in underserved and
overburdened communities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Work in this Program
also directly supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority Goal: Reduce harmful
lead exposure in drinking water through the replacement of lead service lines in communities. By
September 30, 2025, increase the number of funded lead service line replacements by 500
thousand.82
81 For more information please see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/16/fact-sheet-the-
biden-harris-lead-pipe-and-paint-action-plan/.
82 Based on available data, EPA estimates that on average 73 thousand lead service lines have been funded annually. The number
of lead service line replacements funded will be tracked quarterly, but the two-year goal is to increase that number to 300 percent.
927
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In FY 2025, work in this Program will directly support efforts related to the reduction of lead
exposures and associated health impacts in disadvantaged communities, including support for
infrastructure or treatment improvements in public drinking water systems, as well as the
remediation or replacement of drinking water infrastructure in schools and childcare facilities.
The FY 2025 request includes over $64 million for the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grant
program, which are intended to complement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
funding provided for LSL replacements through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
(DWSRF). EPA will provide grants to eligible entities to fund LSL replacement or remediation
projects that meaningfully reduce the concentration of lead in drinking water with a priority for
disadvantaged communities. The prioritization will be based on the disadvantaged community
criteria established by the applicable state. This funding will support approximately 60 to 120
additional projects across the country in FY 2025. These activities also will help work toward
meeting targets as part of the Justice40 pilot program.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PMINFRA-07) Number of lead service line replacements funded.
FY
20IX
FY
201<)
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:::,ooo
500,000
Lead
Service
Lines
Actual
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6.0) This change to fixed and other costs is an increase due to the recalculation of base
workforce costs due to annual payroll increases, adjustments to provide essential workforce
support, and changes to benefits costs.
• (+$39,462.0) This change increases the number of lead reduction projects that can be
funded across the country.
Statutory Authority:
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Title IV, Section 2105; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023, Pub. L. 117-328.
928
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Lead Testing in Schools
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S>.-/!'
N M).5DD
SMtjUO
SO.000
Total Budget Authority
$5,417
$30,500
$36,500
$6,000
Program Project Description:
The goals of the Voluntary Lead Testing in Schools Grant Program are to: 1) reduce children's
exposure to lead in drinking water; 2) help states target funding to schools and childcare facilities
unable to pay for testing; 3) use the Training, Testing, and Taking Action (3Ts) approach to
establish best practices for a lead in drinking water prevention program; 4) foster sustainable
partnerships at the state and local level to facilitate both exchange of information among experts
in the education and health sectors and more efficient use of existing resources; and 5) enhance
community, parent, and teacher cooperation and trust. In November 2021, the Infrastructure
Investments and Jobs Act amended the grant statute to allow for funding to include remediation of
lead in drinking water and replacement of lead service lines in schools and childcare facilities.
In FY 2023, EPA announced the total availability of $58 million in FY 2022 and 2023 grant
funding, $27.5 and $30.5 million respectively, including $3.73 million set aside for American
Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Non-tribal program participants include all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The full funding
amount has been allocated and is available for participant states and territories to use for eligible
programmatic activities. Progress reporting for FY 2023 funds shows that a total of 11,300 schools
and childcare facilities across the country have been tested for lead.
To date, this program has supported testing for lead in drinking water in over 20 thousand schools
and childcare facilities, directly impacting over four million children. In FY 2023, approximately
6 thousand schools and 4 thousand childcare facilities were tested. The Agency also continues to
work with the seven tribal consortia that were awarded $4.3 million in grants to support lead testing
in tribal schools and childcare programs.83
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Work in this program
also directly supports progress toward the Agency Priority Goal: Reduce harmful lead exposure in
83 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/tribaldrinkiiigwaterAviiii-act-section-2107-lead-testing-school-and-
child-care-program-drinking-water.
929
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drinking water through the replacement of lead service lines in communities. By September 30,
2025, the goal is to increase the number of funded lead service line replacements by 500
thousand.84
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 amended Safe Drinking Water
Act (SDWA) Section 1464 (Lead Testing in Schools grant) to include remediation (termed "lead
reduction") in the statutory language. This important amendment allows program grants to support
both water testing and remediation of the sources of the lead in drinking water in schools and
childcare facilities. In FY 2025, EPA is requesting $36.5 million to provide grants to support
voluntary testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities and
for remediation of sources of lead in the drinking water in those facilities. The FY 2025 funding
will improve drinking water quality for vulnerable populations and help schools and childcare
facilities better protect children in overburdened and underserved communities.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation and the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund under the STAG appropriation to support safe drinking
water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$6,000.0) This program change is an increase in program resources to further address
lead in drinking water, especially in small and disadvantaged communities.
Statutory Authority:
SDWA § 1464(d), as amended by the America's Water Infrastructure Act, Pub. L. 115-270 § 2006.
84 Based on available data, EPA estimates that on average 73 thousand lead service lines have been funded annually. The number
of lead service line replacements funded will be tracked quarterly, but the two-year goal is to increase that number to 300 percent.
930
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Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainabilitv
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
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S 25.000
SIS.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$7,000
$25,000
$18,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program assists public water
systems serving small and underserved communities in the planning, design, construction,
implementation, operation, or maintenance of a program or project that increases resilience to
natural hazards, including climate change. This program focuses on increasing water infrastructure
investment and improving drinking water and water quality, especially in underserved and
overburdened communities across the country.
The Program conducted outreach and launched the inaugural competition with a Request for
Applications (RFA) on September 7, 2023, for $19 million in funding (combined funding from
FY 2020 through FY2023). The open application period for the competition closed on November
6, 2023, and EPA is currently reviewing the applications. Selections are anticipated to be
completed in early 2024, with awards to follow.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting $15 million for the Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and
Sustainability Grant Program. This Program supports the Administration's priority of assisting
eligible entities in the planning, design, construction, implementation, operation, or maintenance
of a program or project that increases resilience to natural hazards, including climate change.
The FY 2025 request will allow EPA to fund projects across the country, accelerating the ability
of public water systems to take action to improve their resilience, especially after natural hazard
occurrences. The FY 2025 grants will support a wide range of locally relevant activities, including:
• Water conservation or the enhancement of water use efficiency;
931
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• Modification or relocation of existing drinking water system infrastructure that is at risk of
significant impairment by natural hazards, including risks to drinking water from climate
change and flooding;
• Design or construction of desalination facilities to serve existing communities;
• Enhancement of water supply through watershed management and source water protection;
• Enhancement of energy efficiency or the use and generation of renewable energy in the
conveyance or treatment of drinking water; or
• Development and implementation of activities to increase the resilience of the eligible
entity to natural hazards.
These grants help ensure that water systems across the country, especially those serving
disadvantaged, rural, and small communities, have the resources needed to reduce the vulnerability
of their water infrastructure to natural hazards.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund and Categorical Grant: Public Water System Supervision Programs under the STAG
appropriation and the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$18,000.0) This change is an increase that will fully fund the Program at the authorized
level. This increase of resources supports water infrastructure in communities, ensuring
access to safe drinking water, and supports the President's priority of assisting eligible
entities in the planning, design, construction, implementation, operation, or maintenance
of a program or project that increases resilience to natural hazards.
Statutory Authority:
America's Water Infrastructure Act, P.L. 115-270, Section 2005.
932
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Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
s-/o/,r
N 2'.000
SIS.000
-SV.000
Total Budget Authority
$40,617
$27,000
$18,000
-$9,000
Program Project Description:
This Program provides grants to nonprofit organizations to help rural, small, and tribal
municipalities to 1) obtain Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) financing; 2) protect
water quality and achieve and maintain compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act
(CWA); and 3) disseminate planning, design, construction, and operation information for small
publicly owned wastewater systems and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Program
funding also provides training to operators, staff, and managers on sustainable and effective
management, financial, and operational wastewater utility treatment practices.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The FY 2025 request of $18.0 million will continue funding for the Technical Assistance for
Treatment Works Grant Program. The Program also supports environmental justice and work in
underserved communities. Underserved communities are more likely to experience wastewater
infrastructure challenges because of a lack of staff capacity and limited resources to pay for
external expertise. In FY 2025, EPA will provide grants to nonprofit organizations to support
training and technical assistance to help rural, small, and tribal municipalities obtain CWSRF
financing, protect water quality and ensure CWA compliance, and share information on planning,
design, construction, and operation of wastewater systems. These activities also will help achieve
the goals of the Administration's Justice40 Initiative. As of FY 2023, EPA has awarded about $53
million in grants from this program, helping communities obtain water infrastructure financing.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Drinking Water Programs and
Surface Water Protection Programs under the EPM appropriation.
933
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FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$9,000.0) This program change redirects funding to other administration priorities.
Statutory Authority:
America's Water Infrastructure Act, P.L. 115-270, Section 4103 and Clean Water Action Section
104(b)(8).
934
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Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S-IS.-ISf,
S50.000
S 50.000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$48,486
$50,000
$50,000
$0
Total Workyears
0.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant (OSG) Program provides grants to
fund projects that can mitigate the effects of extreme weather events. These events increase storm
water discharges as well as increase discharge of raw sewage from combined and sanitary sewer
overflows. The grants fund projects that include green as well as gray infrastructure. Many
underserved and marginalized communities will benefit from the work funded by these grants.
States will provide grants to municipalities to manage combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer
overflows, and stormwater flows.x5
EPA awards grants using a formula that captures sewer overflow and stormwater infrastructure
needs.86 To the extent eligible projects exist, 20 percent of the appropriated funds must be for
projects utilizing green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency improvements, or other
environmentally innovative activities. Section 50204 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
amends the OSG program to include a minimum of 25 percent of each state's grant for eligible
projects in rural or financially distressed communities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The FY 2025 request includes $50 million for the OSG Program. These funds will be used to help
local officials mitigate the impact of extreme weather events with an increased focus on rural and
financially distressed communities. This investment supports the Administration's priority for
reducing climate pollution, advances environmental justice, and will support reaching targets
under the Administration's Justice40 Initiative. This grant program also advances the
Administration's priority for ensuring climate resilient infrastructure by funding projects that
85 For more information please visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/24/2021-03756/state-formula-
allocations-for-sewer-overflow-and-stormwater-reuse-grants.
86 For more information please visit: https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/sewer-overflow-and-stormwater-reuse-municipal-grants-program.
935
-------
manage stormwater levels from extreme wet-weather events. In the 2012 Clean Watersheds Needs
Survey, states reported a forward-looking 20-year infrastructure need for combined sewer
overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, and stormwater management in the amount of $99.8 billion.
To date, the program has issued over $98 million in grants to 44 different state entities.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports performance results in the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs under the State and Tribal Assistance
Grants (STAG) appropriation and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA)
Program under the WIFIA appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, P.L. 115-270, Section 4106, Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, P.L. 117-58, Section 50204, Sec 221 Clean Water Act (33 USC
1301).
936
-------
Water Infrastructure Workforce Investment
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
so.ooo
S 6.000
SO
Total Budget Authority
$0
$6,000
$6,000
$0
Program Project Description:
Drinking water and wastewater utilities provide stable, rewarding, and high-quality careers. As
utilities make critical investments in infrastructure, drinking water and wastewater, utilities also
must invest in the development of a strong local workforce to strengthen communities and ensure
a strong pipeline of skilled and diverse workers for today and tomorrow.
The innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Investment Grant Program, created
in consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture, provides competitive grants to
be used to connect individuals to career opportunities at drinking water and wastewater utilities
and increase public awareness of careers in this field. EPA selects experienced and qualified non-
profit organizations, labor organizations, educational institutions, and public works departments
that can work with a broad array of water utilities.
This Program supports efforts to increase representation from women, people of color, and tribes
in this sector. Most jobs in this sector do not require college degrees, and apprenticeship and
training programs can prepare people to have high-paying, meaningful professions that support the
water sector and economic development in their communities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this Program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
The FY 2025 request of $6 million for the innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce
Development Investment Grant Program will: 1) assist in the development of innovative water
workforce development and career opportunities in the drinking water and wastewater utility
sector and 2) expand public awareness about drinking water and wastewater utilities and connect
individuals to careers in the drinking water and wastewater utility sector.x7 Program funding will
support activities such as internship, pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, and post-secondary
bridge programs; education programs for elementary, secondary, and higher education students;
87For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/sustaiiiable-water-infrastmcture/imiovative-water-iiifrastructure-
workforce-development-program.
937
-------
regional industry and workforce collaboratives; secondary integrated learning laboratories; and
leadership development. The Request for Applications for the FY 2023 resources closed in late
2023 and EPA is currently evaluating applications.
FY 2025 resources also will support nonprofit organizations and public works departments or
agencies to align water and wastewater utility workforce recruitment efforts, training programs,
retention efforts, and community resources with water and wastewater utilities.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this Program supports performance results in the Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund and Clean Water State Revolving Fund Programs under the STAG appropriation and the
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program (WIFIA) under the WIFIA appropriation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
42 U.S.C. 300j-19e, AWIA, P.L. 115-270, Section 4304.
938
-------
Technical Assistance and Grants for Emergencies (SDWA)
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 2,000
S 2.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$2,000
$2,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50101 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to make grants to states or publicly owned water
systems to assist in responding to and alleviating any emergency situation (including cybersecurity
events and heightened exposure to lead) when the Agency determines that there is a substantial
danger to the public health.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,000.0) This program change will fund the creation of the new grant program
authorized under DWWIA to make grants to provide states or publicly owned water
939
-------
systems to assist in responding to and alleviating any emergency situation.
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50101.
940
-------
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and
Sustainabilitv
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SxOOO
S 5,1)1)1)
SI)
Total Budget Authority
$0
$5,000
$5,000
$0
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50107 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to create a grant program for the resilience and
sustainability of public water systems serving more than 10 thousand people; including projects
that increase resilience to natural hazards, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, or extreme weather events.
Eligible activities include water conservation and efficiency, infrastructure modification or
relocation, desalination, source water protection, energy efficiency, renewable energy, resiliency
efforts, cybersecurity measures, or water conservation or reuse.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. EPA plans to issue the
first Request for Applications for this grant by the end of FY 2024.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
941
-------
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50107.
942
-------
Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
S -1.000
S 5.000
SI.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$4,000
$5,000
$1,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50111 of DWWIA broadens the Indian reservation drinking water grant program to extend
to projects on Indian reservations that connect, expand, or repair existing public water systems, as
well as to include Clean Water Act water quality or sanitation projects for treatment works.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to continue this grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,000.0) This program change will increase funding for the drinking water grant
program to extend projects on Indian reservations.
943
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50111.
944
-------
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainabilitv Program
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 25.000
S 2.\000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50205 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to municipality or an intermunicipal,
interstate, or state agency for planning, designing, or constructing projects that increase the
resilience of publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) to natural hazards or cybersecurity
vulnerabilities.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$25,000.0) This program change will fund the creation of the new grant program to
municipalities and agencies for planning, designing, or constructing projects that increase
the resilience of POTWs to natural hazards or cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
945
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50205.
946
-------
Small and Medium Publicly Owned Treatment Works Circuit Rider Program
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 5,1)1)1)
S 5,000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$5,000
$5,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50206 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to qualified nonprofits to assist
owners and operators of small and medium publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Grants will
prioritize nonprofits that service communities that are overburdened or underserved.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$5,000.0) This program change will fund the creation of the new grant program to assist
owners and operators of small and medium POTWs.
947
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50206.
948
-------
Grants for Low and Moderate Income Household Decentralized Wastewater
Systems
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 5,1)1)1)
S 5,000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$5,000
$5,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50208 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to nonprofits that provide assistance
to low- and moderate-income individuals for the construction, repair, or replacement of an
individual household decentralized wastewater treatment system; or the installation of a larger
decentralized wastewater system designed to provide treatment for two or more households.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$5,000.0) This program change will fund the creation of the new grant program to allow
EPA to provide grants for the construction, repair, or replacement of an individual
949
-------
household decentralized wastewater treatment system; or the installation of a larger
decentralized wastewater system designed to provide treatment for two or more
households.
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50208.
950
-------
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 3,000
S3.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$3,000
$3,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50209 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to publicly owned treatment works
(POTWs) or nonprofits that assist individuals with the costs of connecting their household to a
publicly owned treatment work.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$3,000.0) This program change will fund the grant program for POTWs or nonprofits
that assist individuals with the costs of connecting their household to a publicly owned
treatment work.
951
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50209.
952
-------
Stormwater Infrastructure Technology
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
S3.000
S 5.001)
S 2.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$3,000
$5,000
$2,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50217(b) of DWWIA authorizes EPA to establish a competitive grant program aimed at
creating between three and five centers of excellence for new and emerging stormwater control
infrastructure technologies.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to continue this grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$2,000.0) This program change will fund the grant program for municipalities and
agencies to improve stormwater infrastructure by investing in new technologies.
953
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50217(b).
954
-------
Alternative Water Sources Grants Pilot Program
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 3,000
S3.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$3,000
$3,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues across the country. Implementation of the
Act will strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in
communities in every state, so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking
water and our Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens
many existing programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure,
address the threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and provide assistance to
underserved communities.
Section 50203 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to a water authority in the area of a
state that is experiencing critical water supply needs, and may be used for engineering, design,
construction, and final testing of alternative water source projects to meet critical water supply
needs.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Funds are requested in FY 2025 to create this new grant program.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$3,000.0) This program change will fund the creation of the new grant program to help
water authorities to find alternative water source projects to meet critical water supply
needs.
955
-------
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50203.
956
-------
Enhanced Aquifer Use and Recharge
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
S -1.000
S 5.000
SI.000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$4,000
$5,000
$1,000
Program Project Description:
The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) was enacted to help
address numerous drinking water and wastewater issues nationwide. Implementing the Act will
strengthen the federal government's ability to invest in water infrastructure in communities in
every state so that all Americans can continue to have access to safe drinking water and our
Nation's waterways can remain clean and free from pollution. DWWIA strengthens many existing
programs within EPA while creating new programs to upgrade aging infrastructure, address the
threat of climate change, invest in new technologies, and assist underserved communities.
Section 50222 of DWWIA authorizes EPA to provide grants to carry out groundwater research of
enhanced aquifer use and recharge in support of sole-source aquifers.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$1,000.0) This program increase provides additional funds to carry out the grants
program related to groundwater research of enhanced aquifer use and recharge in support
of sole-source aquifers.
Statutory Authority:
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, P.L. 117-58, Section 50222.
957
-------
Water Sector Cvbersecuritv
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S 0
SO
S 25.000
S 2.\000
Total Budget Authority
$0
$0
$25,000
$25,000
Program Project Description:
Cybersecurity represents a substantial concern for the water sector, given the prevalence of state-
sponsored and other malevolent attacks on the sector as well as the sector's inherent vulnerability
and limited technical capacity to address cyber issues. The Nation's drinking water and wastewater
systems possess limited or no technical capacity to address cybersecurity risks. This competitive
grant will help systems establish and build the necessary cybersecurity infrastructure to address
rising threats. The Program also will support the Agency's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
implementation priorities including preparing for and responding to cybersecurity challenges so
that water systems are more resilient.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5, Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA is requesting $25 million for a new competitive Water Sector Cybersecurity
Grant Program. This program will provide grants for cybersecurity improvements to drinking
water and wastewater systems. Specifically, grant money will be available to develop and
implement programs to proactively mitigate the risk of cybersecurity attacks on drinking water
and/or wastewater systems. This Grant Program would complement authorities provided by the
Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act allowing EPA to provide technical assistance
and grants in the event of a cybersecurity emergency.
It is expected that eligible grantees will include water systems serving small, medium, and large
communities. Receiving grants could be contingent upon completion of an approved cybersecurity
assessment. An approved cybersecurity assessment may include an EPA cybersecurity assessment
or a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) assessment. This Grant Program
will complement cybersecurity work already underway at EPA.
958
-------
Performance Measure Targets:
Work under this program supports Safe Drinking Water Act implementation and compliance
performance results in the Drinking Water Programs under the EPM appropriation to support safe
drinking water for the Nation.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$25,000.0) This program change will support a new competitive grant program to
advance cybersecurity infrastructure capacity and protections within the water sector.
Statutory Authority:
Safe Drinking Water Act.
959
-------
Recycling Infrastructure
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
s :.i3o
Sf>.500
SI 11.1)1)5
S 3.505
Total Budget Authority
$2,136
$6,500
$10,005
$3,505
Total Workyears
0.0
0.5
2.0
1.5
Program Project Description:
EPA's Recycling Infrastructure program provides a critical opportunity to fund a range of high-
impact projects to increase recycling, reduce contamination, and promote a circular economy for
sustainable materials management by making much-needed investments in solid waste
management infrastructure while delivering overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable
and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities. EPA
utilized funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to design and
launch the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program, Through the first
round of funding awarded in FY 2023 and FY 2024, all 50 states, five territories, and the District
of Columbia received approximately $32 million in funding; 25 local governments received
approximately $73 million in funding, and 59 tribes and intertribal consortia received
approximately $60 million in funding. Continuing to support the SWIFR grant program through
annual appropriations is critical to ensuring ongoing support for solid waste management
improvements into the future.
The U.S. recycling industry provides approximately 680 thousand jobs and $5.5 billion annually
in tax revenues and there is opportunity for greater contribution to the economy and
environmental protection, as recent data indicate materials worth as much as nine billion dollars
are thrown away each year.88 Recycling is an important part of a circular economy, which refers
to a system of activities that is restorative to the environment, enables resources to maintain their
highest values, and designs out waste. A circular economy approach provides direct, measurable
reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as natural resource extraction and processing
make up approximately 50 percent of total GHG emissions.89
Federal investment continues to be needed in the U.S. recycling system. The U.S. solid waste
management infrastructure is struggling to maintain pace with rapidly evolving waste streams,
leading to inefficient use of domestic resources.
88 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/siiim/recycliiig-economic-iiifoniiation-rei-report.
89 U.N. Environment International Resource Panel, Global Resources Outlook, 2019, p. 8.
https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook.
960
-------
Working to build a circular economy supports President Biden's Executive Order 14008: Tackling
the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. Improving and enhancing recycling infrastructure will
reduce climate impacts from materials extraction and production, address disproportionate impacts
of mismanagement of wastes on overburdened communities, create jobs, and provide feedstock
for the manufacturing sector to produce essential products.
The 10-year vision for the circular economy program is to build and transform solid waste
infrastructure in the United States to equitably reduce waste and manage materials to achieve a
circular economy, reduce GHG emissions, and create cleaner, healthier, and more resilient
communities.90
In FY 2023, EPA issued three types of funding opportunities within the SWIFR grant program,
which are designed to fund a range of proj ects that will enable EPA to help states, territories, tribes,
local governments, and communities improve their recycling and materials management
infrastructure:
• SWIFR Grants for States and Territories provide states and territories with grants to
support their long-term planning and data collection needs to demonstrate progress toward
the National Recycling Goal of increasing the recycling rate from 32.1 percent to 50
percent by 2030, and the Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal to reduce food loss and
waste by 50 percent by 2030, while also advancing a circular economy for recycled
materials. Territories will be able to utilize funds for equipment and construction related
costs as part of their implementation of plans.
• SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia provide funds for tribes and
intertribal consortia to develop or update plans focused on encouraging environmentally
sound post-consumer materials management; establish, increase, or expand materials
management infrastructure: and identify, establish, or improve end-markets for the use of
recycled materials.
• SWIFR Grants for Communities provide funds to local governments to establish,
increase, expand, or optimize collection and improve materials management infrastructure;
reduce contamination in the recycled materials stream; and identify, establish, or improve
end-markets for the use of recycled materials.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA requests an additional $3.5 million and 1.5 FTE to further assist EPA's partners
to achieve progress on the ground with investments in solid waste management infrastructure and
post-consumer materials management. The SWIFR Grant Program will further help reduce waste,
reduce greenhouse emissions, increase disadvantaged communities' access to recycling programs
and services, and create jobs. In FY 2025, the Agency will:
90 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/system/fLles/documents/2022-
09/EPA Circular_Economy Progress Report Sept_2022.pdf.
961
-------
• Continue to distribute funds to states and territories made available in IIJA and STAG
annual appropriations and continue working with recipients.
• Continue to distribute funds made available in IIJA and STAG annual appropriations to
tribes and intertribal consortia and continue working with them on implementation of their
grants.
• Continue to distribute funds made available in IIJA and STAG annual appropriations to
political subdivisions of states and tribes and continue working with them on
implementation of their grants.
• Continue working with other EPA program offices to scope, develop, and offer technical
assistance through grants funded through the annual appropriation.
• Provide oversight and monitoring to ensure grant funds are spent appropriately.
• Announce availability of additional grant funds for eligible entities.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (+$3,505.0 / +1.5 FTE) This program change increases support for states, territories, tribes,
intertribal consortia, and political subdivisions of states for technical assistance in
managing SWIFR grants and to make additional grant funds available to eligible entities.
This investment includes the addition of 1.5 FTE to the 0.5 FTE funded through the
administrative set-aside in the FY 2023 Enacted Budget. The FTE will assist in the
management of the technical assistance grant programs and oversight of SWIFR grants.
EPA is including appropriations language to reflect the increase needed to the
administrative set-aside. This investment includes $274.0 thousand for payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act § 3011;
Save our Seas 2.0, 2020, Pub. L. 116-224; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. 117-
58.
962
-------
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness
Program Area: State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Goal: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Si tile anil Tribal Assistance (iranls
S.1.W
sim
S~.<><)<>
SI)
Total Budget Authority
$330
$7,000
$7,000
$0
Total Workyears
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
Program Project Description:
The Wildfire Smoke Preparedness Program, which was funded for the first time in the FY 2022
appropriations, awards competitive grant funding to better prepare community buildings for
wildfire smoke. These grants are intended to be distributed on a competitive basis to states, tribes,
public pre-schools, local educational agencies, and non-profit organizations. No more than 25
percent of the available funding may go to recipients in any one state. There is a 10 percent cost-
share requirement, which may be waived for projects involving facilities located in economically
distressed communities. Eligible activities may include research, investigations, experiments,
demonstrations, surveys, and studies intended for the assessment, prevention, control, or
abatement of wildfire smoke hazards in community buildings (including schools) and related
activities.
Wildfire smoke is an increasingly significant public health problem across the nation as climate
change accelerates and intensifies fires. Over the past 20 years, the number of acres burned
annually due to wildfires in the U.S. has doubled; in 2022, nearly 66,000 fires burned over 7.5
million acres.91 Smoke plumes can have impacts over a large portion of our population, and the
health impacts of wildfire smoke are significant, ranging from eye and throat irritation to asthma
attacks, cardiovascular events, and even premature death. Many communities in the U.S.
experience smoke from wildfires for days, weeks, or even months in a given year and over multiple
fire seasons.
Wildfire smoke can make the outdoor air unhealthy to breathe. Local officials often advise people
to stay indoors during a smoke event. However, some of the smoke from outdoors can enter homes
and buildings and make it unhealthy to breathe indoor air, too. Buildings are varied and do not all
provide the same level of protection against smoke. Factors such as the type of heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning (HVAC) system, HVAC filter ratings and fit, and building tightness and
maintenance can all impact how much wildfire smoke enters a building.
91 For more information please visit: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoriiig/monthly-report/fire/202213
963
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 4/Objective 4.2, Reduce Exposure to Radiation and
Improve Indoor Air in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan. In FY 2025, EPA will monitor
ongoing wildfire preparedness in community buildings grants and award new grants with
appropriated funding.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328).
964
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Fund
Resource Summary Table 966
Program Projects in WIFIA 967
Ensure Clean Water 968
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation 969
965
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Fund
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025
President's Budget
v.
FY 2024
Annualized CR
Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Fund
Budget Authority
$322,118
$75,640
$80,000
$4,360
Total Workyears
35.7
38.4
40.0
1.6
Bill Language: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account
For the cost of direct loans and for the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by the Water
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, $72,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined
in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That these funds are
available to subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans, including
capitalized interest, and total loan principal, including capitalized interest, any part of which is to
be guaranteed, not to exceed $12,500,000,000: Providedfurther, That of the funds made available
under this heading, up to $5,000,000 may be used for the cost of direct loans and for the cost of
guaranteed loansfor projects described in section 5026(9) of the Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act of2014 to State infrastructure financing authorities, as authorized by section 5033(e)
of such Act: Providedfurther, That the use of direct loans or loan guarantee authority under this
heading for direct loans or commitments to guarantee loans for any project shall be in accordance
with the criteria published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2020 (85 FR 39189) pursuant to the
fourth proviso under the heading "Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account"
in division D of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94):
Provided further, That none of the direct loans or loan guarantee authority made available under
this heading shall be available for any project unless the Administrator and the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget have certified in advance in writing that the direct loan or loan
guarantee, as applicable, and the project comply with the criteria referenced in the previous
proviso: Providedfurther, That, for the purposes of carrying out the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Director of the Congressional Budget Office may request, and the Administrator shall
promptly provide, documentation and information relating to a project identified in a Letter of
Interest submitted to the Administrator pursuant to a Notice of Funding Availability for
applications for credit assistance under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
Program, including with respect to a project that was initiated or completed before the date of
enactment of this Act.
In addition, fees authorized to be collected pursuant to sections 5029 and 5030 of the Water
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 shall be deposited in this account, to remain
available until expended. In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the direct and
966
-------
guaranteed loan programs, notwithstanding section 5033 of the Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act of 2014, $8,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2026.
Program Projects in WIFIA
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Ensure Clean Water
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
$31,386
$75,640
$80,000
$4,360
Not Specified
Not Specified
$290,732
$0
$0
$0
TOTAL WIFIA
$322,118
$75,640
$80,000
$4,360
967
-------
Ensure Clean Water
968
-------
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Program Area: Ensure Clean Water
Goal: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective(s): Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
II utcr Iii/ru.\lrnclnn• i'immce anil
Innovation I'untl
S31J fir,
S '5.6-10
s xo.ooo
S 4.3MI
Total Budget Authority
$31,386
$75,640
$80,000
$4,360
Total Workyears
36.1
38.4
40.0
1.6
Program Project Description:
Communities across the country find it difficult to obtain affordable financing to update aging
water infrastructure. Critical water infrastructure is vulnerable to flooding and other climate
change-related weather events. Additionally, people of color, indigenous groups, and low-income
communities often suffer disproportionately from lack of modern water infrastructure. Our
nation's health and wellbeing are dependent on equitable access to drinking water, wastewater,
and stormwater systems; however, thousands of communities nationwide are burdened by aging
and inadequate systems that threaten public health and stifle economic growth. To help address
these challenges, Congress enacted the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014
(WIFIA).
Communities use WIFIA Program funds to leverage local dollars to maximize the impact of water
infrastructure projects that protect public health and deliver environmental benefits while
supporting local economies and creating jobs. As of December 2023, the Program has issued 120
loans to communities across the country totaling $19 billion in credit assistance to help finance
more than $43 billion for water infrastructure projects. WIFIA loans for these projects have saved
communities nearly $7 billion, which they can use to accelerate additional infrastructure
investment and keep rates affordable for water system users. These WIFIA-financed projects are
creating over 140,000 jobs and improved water infrastructure to benefit over 63 million people.
Additional projects in the WIFIA pipeline have been invited to apply for nearly $10 billion in
WIFIA assistance, which will stimulate more than $20 billion in additional infrastructure
investments once fully committed through loan agreements. These outcomes demonstrate that
WIFIA credit assistance is an effective tool to help communities nationwide address water
infrastructure needs.
The WIFIA Program provides and services direct loans to cover up to 49 percent of eligible costs
for water infrastructure proj ects of regional or national significance and up to 80 percent of eligible
costs for small community borrowers. WIFIA provides financing for the rehabilitation and
construction of water, wastewater, and stormwaters systems to address aging infrastructure, meet
regulatory requirements, and help improve long-term strategic, financial, and climate resiliency
969
-------
planning. The Program supports a broad borrower base, including underserved communities,
private companies, and small towns.
Communities often use WIFIA Program funds to supplement State Revolving Fund financing,
providing an additional source of low-cost capital to help meet the growing water infrastructure
needs of the United States while minimizing the financial costs to residents.
To date, WIFIA borrowers have received interest rates as low as 0.83 percent, with an average
interest rate of 2.5 percent. Terms include the option to bundle multiple projects under one loan
and master credit agreements, capitalize interest, backload repayment, and methods that preserve
senior debt capacity.
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 5/Objective 5.1, Ensure Safe Drinking Water and
Reliable Water Infrastructure in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
Work in this program also directly supports progress toward the FY 2024-2025 Agency Priority
Goal: Reduce harmful lead exposure in drinking water through the replacement of lead service
lines in communities. By September 30, 2025, increase the number of lead service line
replacements funded to 500,000.1
The FY 2025 request builds on the Program's success accelerating water infrastructure investment
and enables the Program to continue to offer support for small, overburdened, and underserved
communities. The requested $80 million, including $72 million in credit subsidy, will enable EPA
to provide up to $8 billion in direct credit assistance, which when combined with other funding
sources could help sustain over $16 billion in total infrastructure investment.
Of the total $80.0 million request to implement the program, $8.0 million is for the WIFIA
Program's administrative expenses, including staff salaries and contract support. For the past five
fiscal years, the number of projects selected to receive a WIFIA loan has been at least triple the
number selected in the program's first year in FY 2017, and since the Program's first loan closing
in 2018, the number of closed loans to monitor has already increased to 120. The WIFIA Program's
administrative expenses enable high quality underwriting and technical reviews that are required
to allow the WIFIA Program to properly mitigate risk. Furthermore, administrative expenses allow
for high-quality post-loan closing portfolio monitoring, including implementation and oversight
of Made in America requirements, and management that is critical to oversee the program's
burgeoning $30 billion2 portfolio of projects and ensure the program's long-term solvency. The
Agency's request for a sufficient administrative appropriation ensures the WIFIA Program's
ability to monitor its rapidly growing portfolio, make new loans lowering the risk to the
government, and meet the goals and requirements of Administration priorities (e.g., Justice40).
1 Based on available data, EPA estimates that on average 73,000 lead service line replacements have been funded annually. The
number of lead service line replacements funded will be tracked quarterly, but the two-year goal is to increase that number to
300%.
2 This number represents the amount of loans already made and still in process.
970
-------
The FY 2025 budget request also includes authority to use fee revenue as outlined in the Water
Resources Reform and Development Act, Sections 5029(a), 5030(b), and 5030(c). Fee revenue is
for the cost of contracting with expert services such as financial advisory, legal advisory, and
engineering firms. The fee expenditure authority for the Program is in addition to the $8.0 million
requests for management and operations administrative expenses.
Performance Measure Targets:
(PMINFRA-01) Billions of non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA's water infrastructure finance programs
(CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
9.5
9.5
9.5
Billions of
Dollars
Actual
9.7
10.3
10.2
12.1
14.6
11.4
(PM INFRA-07) Number of lead service line replacements funded.
FY
2018
FY
2019
FY
2020
FY
2021
FY
2022
FY
2023
FY
2024
FY
2025
Units
Target
:::,ooo
500,000
Lead
Service
Lines
Actual
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• (-$2.0) This net change to fixed and other costs is a decrease due to the recalculation of
base workforce costs, adjustments to provide essential workforce support, and changes to
benefits costs.
• (+$4,362.0 / +1.6 FTE) This program change is an increase to support the growing demand
for WIFIA loans for communities. This investment also includes $309 thousand in payroll.
Statutory Authority:
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014.
971
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund
Resource Summary Table 973
Program Projects in e-Manifest 973
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) 974
RCRA: Waste Management 975
972
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
APPROPRIATION: Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund
Resource Summary Table
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final
Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025
President's Budget
v.
FY 2024
Annualized CR
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
System Fund
Budget Authority
$10,962
$0
$0
$0
Total Workyears
10.5
15.0
15.0
0.0
Bill Language: E- Manifest
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is authorized to collect and obligate
fees in accordance with section 3024 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6939g) for fiscal
year 2025, to remain available until expended.
Note. — This language is proposed under the FY 2025 Administrative Provisions.
Program Projects in e-Manifest
[Dollars in Thousands)
Program Project
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Operations and Administration
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
$59
$0
$0
$0
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
RCRA: Waste Management
$10,903
$0
$0
$0
TOTAL e-Manifest
$10,962
$0
$0
$0
973
-------
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
974
-------
RCRA: Waste Management
Program Area: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Goal: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective(s): Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination
(Dollars in Thousands)
FY 2023
Final Actuals
FY 2024
Annualized
CR
FY 2025
President's
Budget
FY 2025 President's
Budget v.
FY 2024 Annualized
CR
Environmental Programs &. Management
$70.129
$75,958
$91,500
$15,542
Utizurtlims II tislc lileclronic Munijest
System 1'iiiitl
S10,W>2
SO
SO
$0
Total Budget Authority
$81,091
$75,958
$91,500
$15,542
Total Workyears
296.9
307.8
353.3
45.5
Total workyears in FY 2025 include 15.0 FTE funded by e-Manifest fees.
Program Project Description:
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires companies that ship hazardous
waste to track and report the estimated two million shipments each year. On June 30, 2018, EPA
launched a national system for tracking hazardous waste shipments electronically. The system,
known as "e-Manifest," was developed per the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
Establishment Act (e-Manifest Act, Public Law 112-195), enacted on October 5, 2012. e-Manifest
modernizes the Nation's cradle-to-grave hazardous waste tracking process while saving valuable
time, resources, and dollars for industry and states. Since system launch through February 2023,
EPA has received approximately 8.3 million manifests and collected over $100 million in user
fees.
EPA estimates the e-Manifest system will reduce the burden associated with paper manifests by
between 175 thousand and 425 thousand hours, saving state and industry users more than $50
million annually, once electronic manifests are widely adopted.1 Since the 2018 launch, e-Manifest
has saved state programs $65 million dollars in processing, data entry, and storage costs. The e-
Manifest system will provide better knowledge of waste generation and final disposition; enhanced
access to manifest information; and greater transparency for the public about hazardous waste
shipments.
In FY 2014, Congress established the "Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund" to
implement the e-Manifest Program, including system development, fee collection authority,
rulemaking, and advisory committee establishment. In FY 2025, e-Manifest will continue to be
fully supported by user fees, which includes support for continuing the development and operation
of the system and agency personnel that support its use and further its implementation.
1 For more information, please refer to: https://www.epa.gov/e-manifest/leam-about-hazardous-waste-electronic-manifest-system-
e-manifest.
975
-------
FY 2025 Activities and Performance Plan:
Work in this program directly supports Goal 6/Objective 6.2, Reduce Waste and Prevent
Environmental Contamination in the FY 2022 - 2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
In FY 2025, EPA will operate the e-Manifest system and will collect and deposit user fees into the
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund (approximately $20.0 million is anticipated).
The authority to collect and spend fees requires authorization from Congress in annual
appropriations bills.
In FY 2025, EPA plans to perform the following key activities:
• Continue to implement and enhance electronic signature methods that will ease the logistical
burdens of adopting greater use of the electronic and image plus data submission methods.
• Work with individual generators and generator-associated groups to increase their registration
and use of the e-Manifest system, which will allow for greater fully electronic adoption.
• Continue regular outreach with users and stakeholders to identify new ways to improve the e-
Manifest system. This includes regular webinars and targeted demonstrations on how to use
the e-Manifest system.
• Operate appropriate accounting and financial reporting interfaces needed to collect and manage
user fees, adjust fees as appropriate, and comply with the auditing requirements of the
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act.
• Hold the annual meeting of the e-Manifest Advisory Board, consisting of state and industry
stakeholders and Information Technology experts, to provide input on system operation and
implementation of the user fee regulation.
• Develop and enhance the e-Manifest system software to expand developmental capabilities,
increase ease of use, and improve program efficiencies.
Performance Measure Targets:
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan does not include annual performance goals specific to
this program.
FY 2025 Change from FY 2024 Annualized CR (Dollars in Thousands):
• There is no change in program funding.
Statutory Authority:
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
and the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act.
976
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Annual Evaluation Plan
EPA Evaluation and Evidence-Building for FY 2025 978
FY 2025 Annual Evaluation Plan 979
FY 2025 Annual Plan for Evidence-Building Activities 992
FY 2025 Evaluation and Evidence-Building Activities - Supplemental Funds 1038
977
-------
EPA Evaluation and Evidence-Building for FY 2025
EPA's ability to protect human health and the environment depends on its use of high-quality
evidence to support the development of its policies, decisions, guidance, and regulations. EPA
programs collect data about their implementation and outcomes to monitor their effectiveness (e.g.,
the extent to which targets are achieved), efficiency (e.g., the extent to which activities are
delivered on schedule and within budget), and equity (e.g., the extent to which all people regardless
of background have fair access to program benefits).
Consistent with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act).
EPA works to promote a culture of using evidence to inform decision making and support
continuous improvement in delivering programs effectively, efficiently, and equitably. Programs
analyze their data to assess progress in achieving performance results, identify challenges in
carrying out strategies, and consider opportunities to mitigate risks and barriers. Programs identify
successful strategies and approaches, as well as areas for development, which then inform
recommendations for best practices and improvement strategies that can be implemented across
the Agency. EPA publishes an Annual Evaluation Plan (AEP), as required by the Evidence Act
starting witl 1022, which highlights EPA's planned investment in, and intended use of
program evaluations and other evidence-building activities to improve programs effectiveness,
efficiency, and equity. EPA's FY 2025 AEP describes key program evaluations and other
evidence-building activities the Agency plans to undertake. Final program evaluation reports will
be available on EPA's evaluation website unless otherwise indicated.
This document is organized into three sections:
1. FY 2025 Annual Evaluation Plan: program evaluations proposed by each EPA office
2. FY 2025 Evidence-Building Activities: evidence-building activities proposed (a) to
support EPA's Learning Agenda, and (b) by each EPA office
3. FY 2024 Evaluation and Evidence-Building Activities - Supplemental Funds: evaluations
and evidence-building activities proposed to support (a) programs funded by the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IDA);
and (b) the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
978
-------
FY 2025 Annual Evaluation Plan
Office of Enforcement and C ompliance Assurance
Title
Assessing the effectiveness of offsite compliance monitoring FY 2025
l.ead Office
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
l ink lo I.PA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 3: Improve compliance with the nation's environmental laws and hold
\ iolators accountable.
Objective 3.2: Ensure high levels of compliance with federal environmental
law s and regulations through effective compliance tools - including
inspections, other monitoring activities, and technical assistance supported
In evidence and advanced technologies.
Start Date
October 2022
Completion Date
September 2025
Note
This evaluation is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: This project is part of OECA's Compliance Learning Agenda
which promotes collaboration between EPA, states, tribes, and academics to identify the most
pressing programmatic questions, and develop evidence-based enforcement tools and techniques
that will ensure the biggest impact on environmental compliance. The pandemic restricted our
ability to do onsite inspections and provided insight that a broader portfolio of Off-site Compliance
Monitoring (OfCM) activities may provide us with additional tools for our enforcement and
compliance programs. To assess what EPA has learned from the extended use from 2020-2022
and gain insight into the efficacy of OfCM tools relative to onsite inspections, we conducted a
preliminary, short-term assessment using readily available data and information to inform interim
guidance and best practices. The findings of the Short-Term Assessment provided general
information and trends that can be used by EPA to better understand how OfCM can enhance the
National Compliance Monitoring Program. The findings indicated that:
• Effectiveness of OfCM activities varied by program and activity employed.
• OfCM activities do not supplant the need for onsite inspections.
• Formal enforcement rates resulting from the use of OfCM varied significantly between
programs with rates as low as 0 percent and as high as 43 percent.
• Some programs were able to produce sizable formal enforcement cases without onsite
inspections.
• There are trends for situations where OfCM is more useful and effective and where they are
less useful and effective.
EPA is using these results to guide longer-term evaluations of OfCM and the best uses of these
tools going forward. EPA anticipates that the answers to these questions will involve multiple
evaluation efforts given the range of programs and OfCM tools that will need to be assessed.
Question(s) to be addressed:
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1. How does the effectiveness of offsite compliance monitoring activities compare to onsite
inspections?
2. What outcomes does EPA get from offsite compliance monitoring?
3. What is the most effective use for OfCM? (does it depend on the tool, the Program, and on
the compliance history of the facility?)
4. Do OfCM tools support enforcement activities?
Methodological and Analytical approach
Data collection method: This project will use existing data for further preliminary research,
followed by a randomized control trial (RCT).
Data sets: The state/EPA inspection data, enforcement data, and state OfCM data from the
Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) is created and available to EPA. The data
from state associations, academic databases, and RCT will be created by an external party who
will make it available to the Agency.
Analytic approach: We will continue to work with academic partners to uncover which
analytical method will be used on this project.
Tools and/or equipment: We will continue to work with academic partners to uncover which,
if any, tools and/or equipment might be used on this project.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: There are potential data limitations associated
with this activity. For example, because of the broad categories in ICIS, the definition of the OfCM
activity performed in ICIS may not be indicative of the actual activity performed. Additionally,
there are limited links between OfCM activity and enforcement actions. To combat this, EPA will
use an array of different data sources to obtain as much specific, credible information as possible
to minimize irregularities. For the randomized control trial, EPA anticipates there could be
hesitation from regions and states to participate. In an effort to mitigate these challenges, EPA has
partnered with the E-Enterprise Leadership Council and have invited ECOS, states, and tribes to
participate in the workgroup to complete learning agenda projects. EPA also will be proactive in
marketing the benefits of the results of an RCT and how the results could be beneficial to regions
and states as they make compliance monitoring decisions.
Dissemination of findings: We anticipate making project findings public on EPA.gov.
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Office of Research and Development
Title
Research Planning Review for Strategic Research Action Plan 2023-2026
Lead Office
Office of Research and Development
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Cross-Agency Strategy 1: Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based
1 )ccision Making
Start Date
IV 2023
Completion Date
FY 2028
Note
This evaluation is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: ORD's research planning process is highly complex by design,
such that many different types of participants and research are included. As a scientific
organization, ORD leadership is interested in learning from staff about their experiences in the
most recent research planning cycle, which informed ORD's Strategic Research Action Plans for
Fiscal Years 2023-2026.
One objective of the Research Planning Review (RPR) is to understand the effects of process
improvement strategies that were implemented in the research planning cycle that resulted in
development of the FY 2023-2026 Strategic Research Actions Plans (StRAPs). A second objective
is understanding our partners' experiences in the most recent research planning process. Finally,
the RPR will explore the planning process that other federal research organizations use with a goal
of understanding the objectives, structures, participants, challenges, and ensuring science-based
decision making. The RPR is intended to strengthen communication among ORD employees in
the context of research planning, guide our ability to use evidence-based decision making, and
continuously improve ORD's research planning process.
Question(s) to be addressed: The overall goal of the RPR project is to identify what worked well
in the most recent research planning cycle and where improvements could be addressed in future
research planning cycles. The insights will be synthesized and used to identify specific strategies
that may be implemented in future research planning cycles.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: The project design includes a mixed-methods explanatory approach
and includes a range of primary data collection from individuals that will take place over the
evaluation time period including but not limited to:
o Surveys to internal EPA employees (Qualtrics)
o Ad Hoc 1:1 informal conversations
o Focused small group interviews
o Workgroup strategy development discussions
Data sets: Qualitative data will be produced from the survey sent to internal EPA Employees.
Analytic approach: A mixed-method analytical approach will include thematic coding of
open-ended responses and quantitative analysis of Likert-scaled questions.
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Tools and/or equipment: The survey instalment used will be Qualtrics, and responses will be
analyzed using Qualtrics data visualization tools and Microsoft Excel.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: This evaluation will produce qualitative
responses that will require analysis, interpretation, review coordination, task prioritization, and
regular interactions internally within ORD and with the program partners (e.g., OAR, OCSPP,
OECA, OEJECR, OLEM, OW, Regional Offices) to ensure future Strategic Research Action Plan
Research Planning processes meet ORD's mission and our partner's needs.
Dissemination of findings: Evaluation findings will be posted on the ORD intranet webpage. The
findings from this evaluation will be included in EPA's FY 2028 Evaluation Report.
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Office of Water
Title
NEP Program Evaluation FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Water
link lo IP A
Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Slarl Date
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This evaluation is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: The primary purpose of the Program Evaluation (PE) process is
to help EPA assess how the National Estuary Programs (NEPs) are making progress in achieving
programmatic and environmental results through implementation of their Comprehensive
Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). The PE process has proven to be an effective,
interactive management process that ensures national program accountability and transparency,
while incorporating local priority considerations. It also demonstrates the value of federal
investment in estuarine and coastal watershed restoration and protection at the local and regional
levels. The PE process was revised, and new guidance distributed to the 28 NEP locations at the
end of 2021. The 28 NEPs are evaluated on a rotating basis over a five-year cycle, so each NEP is
evaluated every five years, but all NEPs are not evaluated in the same year.
The PE process also is useful for: Transferring lessons learned among NEPs, EPA, and
stakeholders through the sharing of case studies and transferable examples; documenting the value
added to environmental management of estuarine systems using the partnership model of the
national program and its individual NEPs, including their role in convening stakeholders for
decision-making and interpreting science for management actions; demonstrating continued
stakeholder commitment; and highlighting achievements and successes of each NEP, as well as
suggestions for continued program improvements.
Question(s) to be addressed: The evaluation process for NEP locations informs the Agency on
the progress of the NEP program. It also ensures the locations are delivering environmental results
and are well-managed programs so that they can continue to receive annual grants from EPA which
are matched 1:1 with non-federal dollars.
The program evaluation is focused on the National Estuary Program as described in Section 320
of the Clean Water Act. The PE goals are to: ensure submissions enable objective and consistent
evaluations among the different NEPs; ensure a consistent and transparent process to determine
NEP CCMP implementation progress; further align the PEs with individual NEP CCMP priorities
and related NEP annual work plan goals and accomplishments; determine progress in achieving
programmatic and environmental results by documenting NEP contributions to improving or
reducing pressures on their coastal watersheds and enabling all NEPs to successfully serve as local
implementation partners for EPA programs; and identify areas of improvement to assist NEPs in
becoming stronger programs and achieving environmental results.
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Data collection methods and datasets: The PE consists of several phases: A) development and
submission of a package of required information, B) PE team site visit to each NEP under
evaluation, and C) documentation of PE findings via formal letter from EPA Headquarters.
The PE Narrative Submission should report on the NEP's five-year evaluation period and include
a concise, five-year cumulative self-reflection on the three key topics: 1) NEP
Environmental/Programmatic Workplan Accomplishments, 2) NEP Program Implementation, and
3) NEP Ecosystem and Community Status. More information about the required information and
format is available in the NEP Program Evaluation Guidance from September 2021, which the
program can share upon request.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The regular PE process examines each NEP
location on a variety of topics as listed below.
• NEP Administration and Governance Structure
• Grant Obligations and Finance including budget summary
• Healthy Ecosystems (e.g., fish, shellfish, plant, eelgrass, and wildlife populations; habitat
protection/restoration, natural resources, land use, hydrological and ecological restoration,
invasive species)
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Education and Outreach
• Monitoring and Assessment
• Clean Water Act Programs Relationship
• EPA Priorities (nutrient pollution, water reuse and conservation, marine litter reduction,
green infrastructure, environmental justice, climate change)
The challenge is to identify and relay recommendations for improvement based upon the categories
above. The solution is to use discussions between the PE team and NEP location to review the
recommendations, and then to follow-up these discussions by submitting a final PE letter to each
NEP location.
Dissemination of findings: Summary information on the NEP is available on the EPA's NEP
website. EPA acknowledges the importance of NEP partnerships and proactive actions of most
NEP location activities which are mostly non-regulatory and highly leveraged offering EPA an
average value of $17 for every $1 of EPA investment. Individual PE results are typically not made
available to the public.
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Title
Charting a course beyond 2025
Lead Office
Office of Water
Link lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Slarl Date
October 2023
Completion Dale
December 2026
Note
This evaluation will be conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: The Chesapeake Bay Program's (CBP) Chesapeake Executive
Council (EC) has charged the CBP Principals' Staff Committee (PSC) with recommending a
critical path forward that prioritizes and outlines the next steps for meeting the goals and outcomes
of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (2014 Agreement) leading up to and beyond
2025. At the 2024 annual EC meeting, the PSC is to prepare recommendations that continue to
address new advances in science and restoration, along with a focus on the CBP partnership for
going beyond 2025. A value assessment of the 2014 Agreement and a program evaluation of the
CBP will be conducted as part of fulfilling the EC charge.
Question(s) to be addressed: Questions to be addressed include:
• Can Chesapeake Bay water quality goals and the way attainment is measured be revised to
increase attention to, and potential for, other water quality investments to improve living
resources?
• What policy and implementation options offer the potential to deliver substantial and
sustained reductions in nonpoint source loads?
• What processes and analytical approaches are available to improve learning, especially as it
pertains to the first two questions above?
• What are the existing and emerging challenges that the CBP partnership will need to address
beyond 2025 to be able to meet its goals and objectives?
• How will these challenges affect the CBP partnership's ability to meet its goals and
objectives?
• How can these challenges be prioritized by the CBP partnership to ensure resources are being
used most cost-effectively?
• What actions can be used to address multiple water quality goals/outcomes which are not
being used to address multiple goals/outcomes currently?
• Who are the relevant communities the CBP partnership should engage to improve the health
of the ecosystem? What are their distributions (geographic and otherwise)?
• What are the restoration and protection needs of these communities?
• To what extent is the CBP partnership meeting the conservation needs of these communities?
If so, how? If not, why?
• Who are the CBP partnership's stakeholders?
• What routes do the stakeholders have in reaching (i.e., contacting) the partnership?
• To what extent do stakeholders use/access the defined routes to reach the CBP partnership
and its data or other resources?
• To what extent do stakeholders feel the CBP partnership has listened to their needs?
• To what extent does the CBP logic model reflect actual operations?
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Data collection methods: Literature reviews, focus groups, (scientific) document review and
synthesis, surveys, and expert elicitation with CBP partnership staff and management.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Program evaluation, including the development
of recommendations, to fulfill the EC charge is currently on a tight timeframe. In addition, the
CBP partnership group tasked with developing recommendations is a large group with
representation from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To address these challenges, EPA has
leveraged contractor resources to assist with conducting the program evaluation and facilitating
the CBP partnership group responsible for this work.
Dissemination of findings: The findings will be made publicly available on EPA.gov.
Title
FY 2025 EPA Annual Assessment of the Jurisdictions' Progress toward
Meeting the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (Bay TMDL)
Lead Office
Office of Water / Region 3
Link lo LP A
Strategic Plan
(ioal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Slarl Dale
1 )ecember 2023
Completion Dale
August 2026
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: Through the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, the
Chesapeake Bay Program has committed to having 100 percent of pollution-reducing practices in
place that would achieve all the nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment reductions necessary to meet
the goals outlined in the Bay TMDL by 2025. These estimates are generated by the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed Model and are derived from land use data, implementation and effectiveness of
best management practices and the most up-to-date water quality monitoring data. The Chesapeake
Bay Program assesses water quality by the amount of dissolved oxygen in the Bay, chlorophyll a
(a measure of algae growth) and water clarity (using underwater grass acreage).
Question(s) to be addressed: The seven watershed jurisdictions, in coordination with local
governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations and individuals, have installed
pollution-reducing best management practices to lower the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and
sediment entering tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. The conservation practices reported by the
seven watershed jurisdictions, along with land use, manure, and fertilizer information, are entered
into a sophisticated suite of modeling tools to estimate the progress that each jurisdiction is making
in meeting their individual nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment goals as outlined in the Bay TMDL.
This project will incorporate the best available data into the computer simulations and pollution
load estimates and will seek to give EPA and the larger partnership a more holistic view of how
conservation practice installation and improved management actions are helping to improve Bay
water quality. Questions to be addressed include:
• To what extent have different jurisdictions made progress toward their pollution reduction
goals?
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• What is progress that each jurisdiction is making toward reducing nitrogen, phosphorus
and sediment pollution entering not only the Chesapeake Bay, but also their local
waterways?
Methodological and Analytical approach:
Data collection methods: Data solicitation and mining from the seven Bay watershed
jurisdictions (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
West Virginia).
Data sets: Best Management Practice data (created by the state agencies and made available
to EPA), agricultural data (created by state and federal agencies and used by EPA), monitoring
data (created by state and federal agencies and made available to EPA), and land use
information created by state and federal agencies and made available to EPA).
Analytic approaches: Statistical regression and trend analysis will be used.
Tools and/or equipment: Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool, National Environmental
Information Exchange Network, and Land Use Change Model.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Anticipated challenges include late submission
of data by the state agencies to EPA, incorrect data received, and processing errors. To address
these challenges, EPA has developed Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures and protocols
for the submission and processing of data inputs and outputs and has established deadlines for the
submission and release of progress and verification data to the public.
Dissemination of findings: Findings will be made publicly available on EPA.gov.
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Title
FY 2025 Program Evaluation of Habitat Restoration Practices and Tools in
the Gulf of Mexico Watershed
Lead Office
Office of Water / Region 4
Link to CPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Date
No projected end date
Note
This project will be conducted over multiple fiscal years
Purpose and brief description: The purpose of the evaluation is to assess progress made toward
restoring, enhancing, or protecting habitats in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. The evaluation of
progress is examined through outputs reported from recipients of assistance agreements and staff
led efforts centered around projects or activities on agricultural lands and on watershed-based non-
agricultural approaches supporting the use of nutrient management and reduction practices and
tools. To quantifiably assess progress, habitat acres restored, enhanced, or protected will be
reported quarterly and tracked on the Gulf of Mexico SharePoint page. Staff led or supported
efforts yielding restored, enhanced, or protected habitat acres contribute to the overall reporting of
data.
Question(s) to be addressed: By tracking habitats restored, enhanced, or protected, the Gulf of
Mexico will be able to respond to the following:
• Are quantifiable goals attained?
• If not, why not?
• What adjustments to action plans are needed to achieve the goals?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: To quantifiably collect data, outputs derived from assistance
agreements and staff led efforts will be reported on quarterly basis and tracked on the Gulf of
Mexico SharePoint site. The methodology for computation of habitats that are restored,
enhanced, and/or protected is:
• once a reporting year no matter how many activities are done to enhance the same
acreage.
• each reporting year when management activities are completed annually on the same
acreage.
• as acres; however, it may be reported in another measurement and converted to acres.
Data sets: The Gulf of Mexico will rely primarily on data submitted in required assistance
agreement progress reports and numbers attained through staff led efforts. The assistance
agreements progress and staff led efforts are tracked and reported every three months. All
assistance agreement reports are stored on EPA's Next Generation Grants System. In addition
to official electronic grant file, data are stored on the Gulf of Mexico SharePoint, where the
staff led efforts; results are tracked as well. This data allows EPA to assess what federal
investments are accomplishing. EPA also will evaluate progress in attaining habitat targets,
quantifiable outcomes from actions.
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Analytic approaches: The data will be consolidated on the Gulf of Mexico SharePoint. Project
data will be aggregated, allowing a cumulative analysis of what specific actions investments
are contributing to and what is being accomplished within each action.
Tools and/or equipment: The Gulf of Mexico has a StoryMap providing a depiction of
financial investments, regional expanse of projects, and the varied project types underway to
restore, enhance or protect habitats. This information will be located at ilf of Mexico
Division StoryMap (arceis.com).
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Gulf of Mexico has a history of awarding
projects that yield acres associated with habitat restoration, enhancement, or protection. Inclement
weather conditions may impact projects and delay outputs. This is remedied by extending project
end dates. Recipients of assistance agreements and staff report on acres restored, enhanced, or
protected quarterly. This data resides on the Gulf of Mexico SharePoint and is found in the EPA
Next Generation Grants System. The public may submit a FOIA request to see data and some
project information is located on the Gulf of Mexico StoryMap website.
Dissemination of findings: This information will be available on the Gulf of Mexico StoryMap
on an annual basis.
Title
FY 2025 Program Implementation Evaluations in response to GAO 18-410:
Long Island Sound Restoration: Improved Reporting and Cost Estimates
Could Help Guide Future Efforts
l.ead Office
Office of Water / Regions 1 and 2
l ink lo I.PA
Slralegic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Start Dale
October 2023
Completion Dale
December 2025
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: The purpose of the evaluation is to assess progress made toward
meeting the goals, actions, and schedules of the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan (CCMP), including quantifiable targets of ecosystem condition. The
evaluation is conducted through an EPA SharePoint Power Business Intelligence (BI) application
reporting and tracking system. Data will be added to the online tracking and reporting system to
show progress in implementing the CCMP. EPA also will evaluate progress in attaining ecosystem
targets, quantifiable outcomes from individual actions. Data on ecosystem targets will be collected
from several sources, including environmental monitoring and project assessments. In
combination, these assessment efforts will evaluate progress to actions funded with FY 2024
appropriations and before. Work funded with FY 2025 appropriations will be assessed in FY 2026.
Question(s) to be addressed: The Long Island Sound online reporting and tracking system is
completed and in full use by the Study. Data are added to the system approximately every six
months to allow the Study to evaluate progress toward goal implementation. The online reporting
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and tracking system addresses the leading practice of reporting recommended by the GAO, which
is to evaluate actions to support outcome goals. By tracking ecosystem targets and implementation
actions, the Study will be able to respond to the following questions:
• Are goals being met?
• If not, why not?
• What adjustments to action plans are needed to achieve the goals?
Methodological and Analytical approach:
Data collection methods: The purpose of this evaluation is for EPA to meet the statutory
requirement under the Clean Water Act Section 119 for the Long Island Sound Office to issue
biennial reports to Congress summarizing the progress made in implementing the CCMP, any
modifications to the CCMP, and recommendations concerning the CCMP. To accomplish this,
the Program will use grant progress report data that is entered into an internal EPA SharePoint
site. That data is used to compare intended to actual performance in accomplishing the targets
and actions in the CCMP. EPA also will evaluate progress in attaining ecosystem targets,
quantifiable outcomes from individual actions. Data on ecosystem targets will be collected
from a number of sources, including monitoring and project assessments.
Data sets: EPA will rely primarily on data submitted in required grant and interagency
assistance agreement progress reports. The reports are required every six months. All reports
are stored in EPA's official electronic grant file system. Data from the reports includes what
CCMP actions are being implemented, costs, output metrics, and project status. This data
allows EPA to assess what federal investments are accomplishing. EPA also will evaluate
progress in attaining ecosystem targets, quantifiable outcomes from individual actions. Data
on ecosystem targets will be collected from a number of sources, including monitoring and
project assessments. All ecosystem target reporting is documented and available to the public
at LISS Ecosystem Targets and Supporting Indicators - Lone Island Sound Study.
Analytic approach: EPA will consolidate data on an EPA SharePoint Power BI application.
Project data will be linked and aggregated to specific implementation actions in the CCMP,
allowing a cumulative analysis of what specific actions investments are contributing to and
what is being accomplished within each action.
Tools and/or equipment: EPA will consolidate data on an EPA SharePoint Power BI
application. This application is accessible to EPA staff. The public version of the LISS online
reporting and tracking system is available at: http s: //I on gi si andsoundstudv. n et/program -
implementation-and-progress/.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Long Island Sound online reporting and
tracking system was developed in response to GAO 18-410: Long Island Sound Restoration:
Improved Reporting and Cost Estimates Could Help Guide Future Efforts. One of the report
recommendations was that EPA should develop a reporting format that fully incorporates leading
practices of performance reporting. The overall evaluation system fulfills that requirement by
showing past conditions and progress over time toward ecosystem targets in the recovery plan.
The online reporting and tracking system addresses the leading practice of reporting recommended
by the GAO, which is to evaluate actions for unmet goals. By tracking implementation actions, the
Study will be able to provide suggestive evidence about why goals are not being met and create
plans and schedules to achieve the goals. The key challenge is to work with program partners to
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develop appropriate metrics for progress reports and work with partners to have them develop
complete and timely reports.
Dissemination of findings: The public version of the LISS online reporting and tracking system
is available at: https://loneislandsoimdstiidY.net/proeram-implementation-and-proeress/. All
ecosystem target reporting is documented and available to the public at LISS Ecosystem Targets
and Supporting Indicators - Lone Island Sound Study. In addition, "Reports to Congress"
summarizing evaluations are made available to the public.
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FY 2025 Annual Plan for Evidence-Building Activities
EPA's FY 2025 Annual Plan for Evidence-Building Activities describes agency plans for
significant evidence-building across a range of program areas. In this section EPA describes
evidence-building activities other than program evaluations, such as data analysis, foundational
fact finding, research, statistical analysis, continuous process improvement, and performance
measurement. This document shares examples of evidence-building that supports EPA's decision-
making in response to Administration priorities, Congressional mandates, and management
priorities.
The first section presents a summary of EPA's evidence-building activities in support of the
Agency's Learning Agenda. The subsequent sections summarize the evidence-building activities
planned by each national program office.
EPA Learning Agenda
The Evidence Act provides a framework to promote a culture of evaluation, continuous learning,
and decision-making using the best available evidence. EPA's FY 2022 - FY 2026 Strategic Plan
incorporates learning priority areas for the first time as required by the Evidence Act, which is a
significant part of developing this culture.
EPA has identified four learning priority areas:
1. Drinking Water Systems Out of Compliance - What EPA/state drinking water program
policies (tools, guidance, training, funding mechanisms) are most effective in increasing
system compliance?
2. Expanding EPA's Toolkit of Air Benefits Assessment Methodologies and Practices -
How can EPA more comprehensively characterize the health benefits associated with
improved air quality and improve approaches for quantifying and valuing air pollution
effects among populations most susceptible and vulnerable to poor air quality?
3. Workforce - How can EPA ensure it has employees with the competencies needed to
achieve its mission now and in the future, including identifying or developing leading
practices in recruitment, retention, succession planning and knowledge management?
4. Grant Commitments Met - How can EPA assess the extent to which commitments
achieve the intended environmental and/or human health results and identify possible next
steps in establishing a comprehensive grant reporting system?
This section summarizes the planned evidence-building activities in FY 2025 that will support the
Agency's learning agenda.
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Priority Area
Drinking Water Systems out of Compliance
Lead Office
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
Link lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 3: Enforce environmental laws and ensure compliance
Objective 3.2: Detect violations and promote compliance
Start Date
IV 2022
Completion Dale
September 2026
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA),
Office of Water (OW), and the Drinking Water Systems Out of Compliance learning priority
workgroup are assessing drinking water data reported to EPA to determine whether it accurately
measures national compliance and substantiates EPA policy decisions; considering noncompliance
root causes and corresponding technical/managerial/financial (TMF) factors; and testing efficacy
of technical assistance, enforcement, and state oversight. The assessments, once complete, will
identify key water system characteristics for which EPA and states should focus its policies and
the most effective way to apply compliance assurance tools for increasing compliance in the
drinking water program.
Through FY 2025, OECA will continue evaluations and other empirical analyses for Question 2
(root causes of noncompliance), Question 3 (efficacy of enforcement on compliance), and
Question 5 (Oversight). In FY 2023, EPA continued its work on Question 1 (data availability and
reliability), continued its work on Question 2 (root cause of noncompliance in Public Water
Systems (PWSs)), and initiated work to evaluate Question 3 (how and under what conditions do
inspections and enforcement help water systems achieve compliance).
Programmatic or policy decisions this activity will inform: Applying compliance assurance
tools to effectively increase drinking water compliance rates.
Questions to be addressed:
• Does increased use of compliance assurance tools (inspections and enforcement) improve
system compliance, and if so under what circumstances?
• How can EPA determine if a system has the TMF capacity to provide safe water on a
continuous basis to its customers?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: EPA anticipates using several different tools for the evaluation of
Questions 3 (Efficacy of enforcement), 4 (TMF), and 5 (EPA oversight) including survey
instruments, literature reviews, data mining, and advanced statistical analysis such as machine
learning and other regression approaches.
Data sets: For evaluation of potential technical, managerial, and financial metrics (Question
4) the Agency anticipates needing to pull from various places such as federal databases at EPA
(SDWIS), Department of Commerce Census Bureau, and USD A Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
loan program data and information gleaned from the State Revolving Fund work, state
Capacity Development annual reports, and sanitary survey checklists.
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Analytic approaches:
• Question 2 Root Cause Analysis: Preliminary analyses were conducted in FY 2023.
Predictive tools developed by regions and/or states that were able to identify systems of
risk of noncompliance in tests included in common the following systems characteristics:
sources of water, financial questions, system size, presence of violations and significant
deficiencies, presence of certified operators, source water quality, and presence of
management plan. These analyses will continue and may be expanded upon in FY 2024.
The expanded analysis could include looking further into drinking water systems
"defying the odds," systems which despite their predicted noncompliance status have
continued to remain in compliance, to determine if EPA can garner further insight into
best practices of system compliance, as well as what managerial structures and other
factors may be influencing the degree to which each factor effects system compliance/
noncompliance.
• Question 3 on Enforcement and Inspection Efficacy: The Agency plans to empirically
test the impact of increased use of compliance monitoring inspections. This priority
question complements the Drinking Water National Enforcement Compliance Initiative
(NECI). While the Agency determined it could not plan inspections such that those
activities could form the basis of a prospective study to inform the overall evaluation
process, the Agency is considering a retroactive analysis of inspections already
completed. Additionally, the use of OECA's Enforcement and Compliance History
Online database will be used to do a retrospective analysis of enforcement activity.
Tools and/or equipment: Statistical software
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Data availability may slow and/or limit progress
on analytical activities that need to be carried out to conduct planned evaluations and other
empirical studies. For example, the volume of compliance assurance work may be too low to
support methodologies that use a randomization approach to Question 3 (efficacy of enforcement).
States and water systems may not agree to participate in a survey study to identify attitudes on
enforcement actions. Since the Agency does not collect TMF information in a consistent format,
there is no national data set on these system characteristics, insufficient TMF data could limit our
ability to identify effective metrics for TMF capacity. Ongoing work to modernize SDWIS should
address some of these issues.
Dissemination of findings: Final evaluation reports and other empirical analyses for this learning
priority area will be made available on EPA"s evaluation website. Quarterly data reports are shared
publicly via the SDWIS FED Data Warehouse.
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Priority Area
Expanding EPA's Toolkit of Air Benefits Assessment Methodologies and
Practices
Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 4: Ensure clean and healthy air for all communities
Objective 4.1: Improve air quality and reduce localized pollution and health
impacts
Start Dale
Subject to funding
Completion Date
Subject to funding
Note
This project is subject to funding availability and will be conducted over
multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: EPA uses well-established methods for estimating the health
benefits associated with reductions in criteria and air toxic pollutants. However, as noted by
scientific bodies including the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB)1, opportunities exist for
EPA to improve its approach for quantifying the number and economic value of air pollution-
related health effects; this includes estimating benefits that EPA does not currently quantify and
monetize.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• What are the health benefits of reducing human exposures to air pollutants not currently
quantified, particularly those related to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)?
• What are the health benefits of reducing the risk of air pollution-related effects that are
challenging to quantify but nonetheless important to the exposed populations?
• What are the benefits of health outcomes that cannot yet be valued using Willingness-to-Pay
or other measures of economic value?
• How can EPA account for sequelae and the progression of disease when quantifying
benefits?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: EPA will use well-established methods for estimating the health
benefits associated with reductions in criteria and air toxic pollutants, including the use of the
newly revised cloud-based version of the environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis
Program - Community Edition (Ben? E).
Data sets: EPA will use economic and health datasets providing information on the incidence
of adverse health effects, novel health outcomes not previously quantified, and health care
expenditures. Such datasets may include those published by the U.S. Small-Area Life
Expectancy Estimates Project (USA-LEEP), the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project
(HCUP), the U.S. Census and data reported in epidemiologic studies. Information reported in
publicly available datasets (USA-LEEP, HCUP, Census) must be adapted for use in EPA
health benefits analyses. For example, USA-LEEP reports life tables, but death rates must first
1 National Research Council. 2002. Estimating the Public Health Benefits of Proposed Air Pollution Regulations. Washington,
DC: The National Academies Press, https://doi.org/10.1.7226/1.051.1.. National Research Council. 2008. Estimating Mortality Risk
Reduction and Economic Benefits from Controlling Ozone Air Pollution. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
https://doi.org/10.17226/12198.
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be calculated from these tables before they may be used in a health benefits analysis. EPA will
separately draw upon results reported in peer-reviewed epidemiologic studies (e.g., Odds
Ratios and Hazard Ratios).
Analytic approaches: When adapting data for use in EPA health benefits analyses, relatively
simple calculations will be performed to quantify death rates and the Cost of Illness (COI) for
adverse effects. When extracting Odds Ratios and Hazard Ratios from published
epidemiologic studies, EPA commonly converts these measures of association to a beta
coefficient.
Tools and/or equipment: EPA will use existing agency tools, including the cloud-based
version of the environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program-Community Edition
(BenMAP-CE).
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Addressing questions of the scope and
complexity of this project will require significant contract resources and additional FTE (in
particular, economists, biostatisticians, and air pollution epidemiologists).
Dissemination of findings: EPA anticipates working collaboratively with NAS in developing this
project. Any NAS reports will be disseminated by the NAS, although EPA will provide links to
those reports through EPA's website, as appropriate. Information and any findings also will be
shared with EPA staff and management through other venues (e.g., meetings, presentations, etc.).
Priority Area
Workforce Planning
Lead Office
Office of Mission Support
l ink lo 1 l>\
Strategic Plan
Cross-Agency Strategy 3: Advance EPA's organizational excellence and
workforce equity
Slarl Dale
FY 2023
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and description: EPA identified Human Capital Management as an Enterprise Risk due
to the high number of staff eligible for retirement and EPA's aging workforce. The Workforce
learning priority area in EPA's Learning Agenda will develop an evidence-based roadmap for how
EPA can ensure it has employees with the competencies needed to achieve its mission now and in
the future. It also will help determine the overall processes required to cultivate and manage the
workforce, while anticipating internal and external changes, and continuously maximizing the
efficiency and effectiveness of the Agency's workforce.
Programmatic or policy decisions this activity will Inform: Near and long-term strategies to
attract, recruit, train and retain a diverse and effective workforce.
Question(s) this activity will address:
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• What key factors contribute to EPA's organizational health and how do those metrics impact
the best strategies to attract, recruit, train and retain a diverse workforce?
• What makes people stay in the Agency long-term?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods and data sets: EPA has various data sets and dashboards to capture
employee demographic, hiring and attrition data. EPA will continue compiling information
from these and other sources to create an even more robust body of evidence aligned with
OMB's new Organizational Health and Organizational Performance initiative (M-23-15). This
data will greatly enhance our understanding of what are the best strategies to attract, recruit,
train and retain a diverse workforce and what makes people stay in the Agency long-term.
EPA's current measures of organizational health include, among others, metrics covering
recruitment and staffing, well-being, learning and development and succession management.
Examining recruitment metrics, such as percent of positions available for entry-level talent and
number of entry level positions hired, will provide background on how EPA is able to attract
and recruit a diverse workforce. Other metrics, such as the Employee Viewpoint Survey,
internal pulse surveys on work-life flexibility and exit survey data, will support understanding
of EPA's ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Analytic approach: Implementing recommendations in a forthcoming white paper focused on
preventing burnout prepared by the Office of Human Resources also will support EPA's efforts
to bolster the retention, as well as wellbeing, of the workforce. EPA will examine a variety of
training metrics including hours of discretionary training completed, investment in training
dollars and participation in leadership training programs such as the Leaders and Learners
Program. Examining these metrics will supply a foundation for understanding employee
development and its possible effects on retaining the Agency's diverse workforce.
Additionally, EPA will analyze and compile regional and program office succession
management plans completed over FY 2023 into a comprehensive agency succession
management plan. This will allow EPA to align agency strategy with implementation, to
maintain EPA's most critical positions, enhancing our understanding of critical skills and
EPA's overarching succession management needs.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: There might be low participation among
stakeholders in the assessment and analysis of the workforce priority questions. This possible
challenge is being mitigated by continuing to enlist the buy-in and support of senior leaders and
other key stakeholders to help promote the importance of our processes prior to their start and
keeping in constant contact with those stakeholders during the evaluation and analysis process.
Dissemination of findings: The identified workforce activities are considered key components of
management's strategic decision-making process; findings will be shared consistent with
requirements related to privileged information. It is anticipated relevant results will be shared with
internal stakeholders, including senior leaders and EPA's Human Resource Officer/Program
Management Officer community. Aggregate information on findings might be shared with other
federal agencies and/or publicly.
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Priority Area
Grant Commitments Met
Lead Office
Office of the Administrator and Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Link to KPA
Strategic Plan
Cross-Agency Strategy 4: Strengthen tribal, state, and local partnerships and
enhance engagement
Start Date
IV 2021
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: Grant Commitments Met is one of the Learning Priorities in the
amine Agenda. EPA awards over $5 billion in annual funding to grants and other
assistance agreements. New agency funding provided by the American Rescue Plan.2 the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.3 and Inflation Reduction Act4 to fund grants and other assistance
agreements underscores the importance of this Learning Priority.5 EPA helps to protect human
health and the environment through these grants and the work of its grantees. The management
and tracking of the individual grant awards are dispersed amongst staff at EPA headquarters and
EPA's ten regional offices, which makes tracking results at the national level challenging.
The Grant Commitments Met work is guided by the overarching learning question: How can EPA
assess the extent to which commitments achieve the intended environmental and/or human health
results and identify possible next steps in establishing a comprehensive grant reporting system?
In the initial phase (Year 1 / FY 2021) of work, EPA addressed the question: How do EPA's
existing grant award and reporting systems identify and track grant commitments? EPA organized
an extensive survey that gathered 462 responses from grant programs across the Agency. The
survey responses were analyzed to identify what data (e.g., outputs and outcomes) are being
collected and how programs are reporting on grant activities across EPA. Year 1 also included a
request for National Program Managers (NPMs) to provide background information on EPA's
grant programs. EPA analyzed the survey responses and other documents to identify what data
grant programs collect and how programs report on activities across EPA. The effort culminated
in the Year 1 Report, published in September 2022.
In the second year of the project (Year 2 / FY 2022), EPA addressed the question: What EPA
practices and tools (1) effectively track grantee progress towards meeting workplan grant
commitments including outputs and outcomes, and/or (2) support communication of national
program level outputs and outcomes? Year 2 data efforts included approximately 30 in-depth
interviews and some additional analysis of data previously collected in the Year 1 survey. Grant
programs were selected with pre-defined considerations for individual or small group interviews
with project officers or NPMs. This process built upon previous efforts as an in-depth study of a
2 H.R. 1319: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
3 H.R. 36 84: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
4 H.R.5375: Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
5 The American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act provide around $100 million, $60.89
billion, and $350 million in additional EPA funding, respectively, for a total of around $61.34 billion in additional funding. See
https://www.epa.gov/arp/about-epas-american-rescue-plan-arp-funding. https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/explore-epas-
bipartisan-infrastructure-law-funding-allocations. https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflfltion-reduction-act-programs-
fight-climate-change-reducing-embodied, accessed January 23, 2023.
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smaller number of programs to understand what the data can tell us about the effectiveness of EPA
grant programs. The effort resulted in a "S car 2 Report, published in March 2023.
In the third year of the project (Year 3 / FY 2023), EPA addressed the question: What could EPA
do to prepare grant programs to report on consistently defined outputs and outcomes? To address
this question, EPA developed draft standard agencywide definitions for outputs, a potential list of
standard behavioral change outcomes and environmental human health outcomes (including
climate and equity related metrics), and standard approaches for collecting output and outcome
data. To accomplish this, EPA relied on the Strategic Plan, additional analysis of survey data and
national program documents collected in Year 1, Year 2 interview data, and feedback from an
advisory group comprised of key EPA staff including representatives from all ten region and all
program offices. This culminated in a list for use in a pilot study, in the fourth year of the project
(Year 4/ FY 2024) with four EPA grant programs to test the application of the definitions and
approaches.
In the fifth year of the project (Year 5/ FY 2025), EPA will address the question: To what extent
do the EPA 's grant programs have measures that support the reporting of intended results? EPA
expects to use a methodology that relies on document review, and analysis of quantitative and
qualitative data focused on a subset of agency grant programs to review for environmental, human
health, or other priority strategic programmatic outcomes. EPA expects to use the cumulative
information from the studies and pilots conducted from FY 2021 through FY 2024 in addition to
FY 2025 analysis to address the overarching learning agenda question and to inform executive-
level decisions about grants management, including improvement to processes, guidance and
implementation of data and reporting.
Programmatic or policy decisions this activity will inform: Practices and tools to effectively
assess the extent to which commitments achieve the intended environmental and/or human health
results and identify possible next steps in establishing a comprehensive grant reporting system.
Outcomes from the first three years of this work will inform the Agency's overarching efforts to
improve enterprise-wide grant management and reporting.
Questions to be addressed: The Grant Commitments Met work is guided by the overarching
learning question (in the EPA. Learning Agenda): How can EPA assess the extent to which
commitments achieve the intended environmental and/or human health results and identify
possible next steps in establishing a comprehensive grant reporting system?
Progress, results, and interim findings: The Year 1 and Year 2 reports are currently available on
EPA's website.
Methodological and analytical approach: EPA expects to use a methodology that relies on
document review, and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data focused on a subset of agency
grant programs to review for environmental, human health, or other priority strategic
programmatic outcomes. EPA plans to use the cumulative information from the studies and pilots
conducted from FY 2021 through FY 2024 in addition to FY 2025 analysis to address the
overarching learning agenda question "How can EPA assess the extent to which commitments
achieve the intended environmental and/or human health results and identify possible next steps
in establishing a comprehensive grant reporting system?" and to inform executive-level decisions
about grants management, including improvements to processes, guidance, and implementation of
data and reporting.
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Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Success depends on high stakeholder
engagement and participation, including that of regional and NPM staff and management. EPA
will address these challenges by relying on a group of regional and NPM points of contact and
leveraging access to senior leadership calls. It will be challenging to keep up with the rapidly
changing landscape regarding grant funding at EPA. Grant programs at EPA continue to expand
in size and number. The high visibility of this additional funding further highlights the importance
of accountability in grant reporting.
Partnerships supporting this evidence-building effort: EPA will continue to engage with and
inform states and tribes of EPA efforts through ECOS, the e-Enterprise Leadership Council
(EELC), and other appropriate fora.
Dissemination of findings: All final reports for the Grant Commitments Met learning priority
work can be found on n1 \ - «\ idemce Act website. The \ ^ it I and Year 2 reports are currently
available.
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Office of the Administrator
Title
Estimating the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (SC-GHG)
Lend Office
Office of the Administrator
l ink to KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Tackle the climate crisis.
Objective 1.1: Reduce emissions that cause climate change.
Sin i t Date
January 2024
Completion l);i(c
December 2028
Note
This assessment is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: A robust and scientifically founded assessment of the positive
and negative impacts that an action can be expected to have on society facilitates evidence-based
policy making. Estimates of the social cost of carbon (SC-C02), social cost of methane (SC-CH4),
and social cost of nitrous oxide (SC-N20) allow analysts to incorporate the net social benefits of
reducing emissions of each of these greenhouse gases, in benefit-cost analysis, and when
appropriate, in decision making and other contexts. Collectively, these values are referred to as the
"social cost of greenhouse gases" (SC-GHG). The SC-GHG is the monetary value of the future
stream of net damages associated with adding one ton of that GHG to the atmosphere in a given
year. The SC-GHG, therefore, also reflects the societal net benefit of reducing emissions of the
gas by one ton.
The academic literature has published estimates of the social cost of carbon and other GHGs since
at least the early 1990s. As early as 2002 researchers began conducting reviews that combined
lines of evidence across early SC-C02 estimates (Clarkson and Deyes 2002). The EPA began
regularly incorporating SC-C02 estimates in regulatory impact analyses following a 2008 court
ruling in which an agency was ordered to consider the SC-C02 in the rulemaking process. The
SC-C02 estimates initially presented in EPA analyses in 2008 and early 2009 were derived from
the academic literature. Beginning in September 2009, EPA's regulatory impact analyses applied
SC-C02 estimates that were developed through a U.S. Government interagency working group
(IWG) process, supported by EPA analysis. In January 2017, the National Academies released a
report, Valuing Climate Damages: Updating Estimation of the Social Cost of Carbon Dioxide, that
recommended specific criteria for future updates to the SC-C02 estimates, a modeling framework
to satisfy the specified criteria, and research needs pertaining to various components of the
estimation process (National Academies 2017).
In the regulatory impact analysis of EPA's November 2022 Supplemental Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, "Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and
Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review," in
addition to using the current recommended interim SC-GHG estimates from the IWG process,
EPA included a sensitivity analysis of the climate benefits of the proposed rule using a new set of
SC-GHG estimates. These new estimates incorporate recent research addressing near term
recommendations in the National Academies report (2017). EPA solicited public comment on the
sensitivity analysis and the external review draft of the accompanying technical report, "Report on
the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases: Estimates Incorporating Recent Scientific Advances," that
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explains the methodology underlying the new set of SC-GHG estimates, in the docket for the
proposed Oil and Gas rule. EPA also conducted an external peer review of the report.
As noted in EPA's technical report containing the updated SC-GHG estimates numerous
categories of climate change damages are not currently quantified. The EPA is committed to
expanding lines of evidence, including more robust methodologies for estimating the magnitude
of the various direct and indirect damages from GHG emissions and addressing long term
recommendations from the National Academies (2017), that could further improve SC-GHG
estimation going forward. In FY 2025, EPA plan to continue its efforts to develop and implement
new damage categories and modeling improvements that will allow for more fulsome estimates of
the SC-GHG in future updates.
Question to be addressed: What are the benefits of incremental reductions in GHG emissions?
Methodological and Analytical approach
Data collection methods: Literature reviews, acquisition and processing of administrative
data, and modeling.
Data sets: The specific data set used will depend on the damage categories and modeling
improvements selected.
Analytic approach: The specific analytic approaches will depend on the damage categories
and modeling improvements selected but are likely to include econometric analysis and
structural modeling.
Tools and/or equipment: The specific tools will depend on the damage categories and
modeling improvements selected but are likely to include the R, python, and julia programming
languages consistent with current tools used to develop the SC-GHG estimates.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: As is usual in scientific research, there are
always some risks. However, EPA has a rich experience leading the Federal government's efforts
on the SC-GHG, and EPA knows the data and modeling challenges that need to be overcome to
develop more complete estimates of the SC-GHG. We have sought to mitigate those risks through
engagement with a robust group of experts with opportunities for cross-fertilization and scientific
dialogue through the 2017 National Academies report and recent SC-GHG peer review that
provide thoughtful and reasoned direction for future research and advancements.
Dissemination of findings: The technical report describing the methodology and SC-GHG
estimates, along file replication files and source code, are posted on EPA's website.
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Office of Air and Radiation
Tille
Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks
Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Tackle the climate crisis
Objective 1.1: Reduce emissions that cause climate change
Start Dale
May 2024
Completion Dale
April 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year. The start and completion dates
indicate the timeframe for the annual report.
Purpose and brief description: EPA has prepared the official Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sinks since the early 1990s. This annual report provides a comprehensive
accounting of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all man-made sources in the United
States over time. The gases covered by the Inventory include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride. The
Inventory also calculates carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere by "sinks" (e.g., through
the uptake of carbon and storage in forests, vegetation, and soils) from management of lands in
their current use and as lands are converted to other uses. The national greenhouse gas inventory
is submitted to the United Nations in accordance with the Framework Convention on Climate
Change. Starting in 2022, EPA also has released the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
and Sinks by State (hereafter referenced as the Inventory), which provides state-by-state data
consistent with the national greenhouse gas inventory and with international standards. As with
the national inventory, the state-level greenhouse gas inventory provides the latest annual data and
will be updated each year.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• How does EPA provide comprehensive accounting of total greenhouse gas emissions from
all man-made sources in the United States?
• How does data regarding national GHG emissions and sinks contribute to discussions
regarding climate change?
• How does the Inventory support U.S. obligations to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: This inventory adheres to both: (1) a comprehensive and detailed
set of methodologies for estimating sources and sinks of anthropogenic greenhouse gases; and
(2) a common and consistent format that enables Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to compare the relative contribution of different
emission sources and greenhouse gases to climate change.
Data sets: In following the UNFCCC requirement under Article 4.1 and related decisions to
develop and submit annual national greenhouse gas emission inventories, the emissions and
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sink categories are calculated using internationally accepted methods provided by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National
Greenhouse Gas Inventories and where appropriate, its supplements and refinements.
In applying methods, the Inventory makes use of data submitted to EPA's Greenhouse Gas
Reporting Program (GHGRP) as well as data from other federal agencies, such as fuel
consumption data published in the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Monthly
Energy Review and the U.S. Department of Defense data on military fuel consumption and use
of bunker fuels. EPA collects greenhouse gas emissions data from individual facilities and
suppliers of certain fossil fuels and industrial gases through its Greenhouse Gas Reporting
Program (GHGRP), which is complementary to the U.S. Inventory. The GHGRP requires
reporting by over 8,000 sources or suppliers in 41 industrial categories and applies to direct
greenhouse gas emitters, fossil fuel suppliers, industrial gas suppliers, and facilities that inject
carbon dioxide (CO2) underground for sequestration or other reasons. Annual reporting is at
the facility level, except for certain suppliers of fossil fuels and industrial greenhouse gases,
with a threshold of25,000 metric tons or more of CO2 equivalent per year. Methodologies used
in EPA's GHGRP are consistent with the 2006 IPCC Guidelines however, it does not provide
full coverage of total annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks (e.g., the GHGRP
excludes emissions from the agricultural, land use, and forestry sectors), yet it does provide an
important input to the calculations of national-level emissions in the Inventory. The GHGRP
dataset provides annual emissions information, annual information such as activity data and
emission factors that can improve and refine national emission estimates, as well as trends over
time. GHGRP data also allows EPA to disaggregate national inventory estimates in new ways
that can highlight differences across regions and sub-categories of emissions, along with
enhancing application of Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures and
assessments of uncertainties. Further, the Inventory also makes use of data from research
studies and trade publications as described in detail within the report.
Analytic approaches: Emissions and sink categories are calculated using internationally
accepted methods provided by the IPCC using the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. Additionally, under
this international agreement, the calculated emissions and removals in a given year for the
United States are presented in a common manner in line with the UNFCCC reporting
guidelines for the reporting of inventories. The use of consistent methods to calculate
emissions and removals by all nations providing their inventories to the UNFCCC ensures that
these reports are comparable. The presentation of emissions and removals provided in this
Inventory does not preclude alternative examinations, but rather this Inventory presents
emissions and removals in a common format consistent with how countries are to report
inventories under the UNFCCC.
Tools and/or equipment: EPA will use existing data collection methodologies and the
GHGRP.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, EPA does not anticipate any major
challenges in completing this project.
Dissemination of findings: The findings are published annually on EPA's website in report
format. Data from each report is made available through the GHG Data Explorer and supplemental
CSV files. Future data and re porting will be published on the EPA, website.
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Tille
Climate Change Indicators in the United States
Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Tackle the climate crisis
Objective 1.1: Reduce emissions that cause climate change
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Date
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: The EPA's Climate Change Indicators in the United States, was
created with the primary goal of informing readers' understanding of climate change. It also is
designed to be useful for the public, scientists, analysts, decision-makers, educators, and others
who can use climate change indicators as a tool for communicating climate change science. EPA
partners with more than 50 data contributors from various government agencies, academic
institutions, and other organizations to compile a key set of indicators related to the causes and
effects of climate change. These indicators also provide important input to the quadrennial
National Climate Assessment and other efforts to understand and track the science and impacts of
climate change.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• How do the indicators help to increase understanding of the impacts of climate change?
• How do the indicators help to track trends?
• How can the indicators be used to help inform science-based decision making in the Office
of Air and Radiation?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: EPA partners with more than 50 data contributors from various U.S.
and international government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to
compile these key indicators of climate change.
Data sets: EPA chooses indicators that meet a set of 10 criteria that consider data quality,
transparency of analytical methods, and relevance to climate change. Based on the availability
of these data, some indicators present a single measure or variable while others have multiple
measures, reflecting different data sources or different ways to group, characterize, or zoom in
on the data. The criteria EPA uses to select indicators are:
1. Trends over time: Data are available to show trends over time. Ideally, these data will
be long-term, covering enough years to support climatically relevant conclusions. Data
collection must be comparable across time and space. Indicator trends have appropriate
resolution for the data type.
2. Actual observations: The data consist of actual measurements (observations) that are
representative of the target population.
3. Broad geographic coverage: Indicator data are national in scale or have national
significance that are representative of the region/area.
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4. Peer-reviewed data: The quality of underlying source data sound, credible, reliable, and
have been peer-re viewed and published.
5. Uncertainty: Information on sources of uncertainty is available and evaluations of the
indicators have been made that clearly address both variability and limitations.
6. Usefulness: The indicator informs issues of national importance, addresses issues
important to human or natural systems, and complements existing indicators.
7. Connection to climate change: The relationship between the indicator and climate
change is supported by published, peer-reviewed science and data. A climate signal is
evident among stressors, even if the indicator itself does not yet show a climate signal
and the relationship to climate change is easily explained.
8. Transparency, reproducibility, and objectivity: The data and analysis are
scientifically objective, methods are transparent, and biases, if known, are documented,
minimal, or judged to be reasonable.
9. Understandability by the public: The data provide a straightforward depiction of
observations and are understandable to the average reader.
10. Feasibility to construct: The indicator can be constructed or reproduced within a
reasonable timeframe, and data sources allow for routine updates of the indicator.
Analytic approaches: EPA ensures the scientific integrity of the climate change indicators
through a rigorous development process. For every indicator, EPA also develops technical
documentation that describes the data sources, analytical methods used, and ensures the
information is accessible each indicator.
Tools and/or equipment: Existing data is pulled from 50 data contributors to compile the key
indicators previously identified.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, the Office of Air and Radiation
does not anticipate any major challenges in completing this project.
Dissemination of findings: These indicators characterize observed changes from long-term
records related to the causes and effects of climate change; the significance of these changes; and
their possible consequences for people, the environment, and society. Examples of indicators
include:
• Heat waves: trends in the number of heat waves per year (frequency); the average length of
heat waves in days (duration); the number of days between the first and last heat wave of the
year (season length); and how hot the heat waves were, compared with the local temperature
threshold for defining a heat wave (intensity).
• Coastal flooding: tracks periodic inundation based on measurements from tide gauges at
locations along U.S. coasts.
• Glaciers: examines the balance between snow accumulation and melting in glaciers, and it
describes how glaciers in the United States and around the world have changed over time.
• Growing season: looks at the impact of temperature on the length of the growing season in
the contiguous 48 states, as well as trends in the timing of spring and fall frosts.
• Wildfire', tracks four aspects of wildfires over time: the total number of fires (frequency), the
total land area burned (extent), the degree of damage that fires cause to the landscape
(severity), and the acreage burned by fires starting in each month of the year (seasonal
patterns).
Future updates will be posted to the EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators.
1006
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Title
Power Sector Programs - Progress Report
Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
Link lo LPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 4: Ensure clean and healthy air for all communities
Objective 4.1: Improve air quality and reduce localized pollution and health
impacts
Start Dale
October 2023
( 0111 pletion Dale
September 2024
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years, with an update
each year.
Purpose and brief description: Under the Clean Air Act, EPA implements regulations to reduce
emissions from power plants, including the Acid Rain Program (ARP), the Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule (CSAPR), the CSAPR Update, the Revised CSAPR Update, and the Mercury and
Air Toxics Standards (MATS). These programs require fossil fuel-fired electric generating units
to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and hazardous air pollutants
including mercury (Hg) to protect human health and the environment. This reporting year marks
the seventh year of CSAPR implementation, the fifth year of the CSAPR Update implementation,
the first year of Revised CSPAR Update implementation, the 27th year of the ARP, and the fifth
year of MATS implementation. This report summarizes annual progress through 2021,
highlighting data that EPA systematically collects on emissions for all five programs and on
compliance for the ARP and CSAPR. Commitment to transparency and data availability is a
hallmark of these programs and a cornerstone of their success.
Question(s) to be addressed:
This annual activity assesses implementation of multiple regulations to reduce air pollution from
power plants. Specific questions of interest include:
• Have the regulations met their emission reduction goals?
• What is the compliance record of air pollution sources controlled under these regulations?
• What is the air quality and environmental response of implementing these regulations?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: EPA's Clean Air Markets Division (CAMP) systematically
collects emissions data for the Acid Rain Program. Cross-State Air Pollution
Rule (CSAPR), CSAPR Update, and the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).
Transparency and data availability are a hallmark of these programs, and a cornerstone of their
success. CAMD provides an array of reports, resources, and tools, to access and understand
these data and environmental results of emission reductions at varying levels of detail.
Data sets: Accurate and consistent emissions monitoring data are critical to ensure program
results and accountability. Most emissions from affected sources are measured by continuous
emission monitoring systems (CEMS).
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Analytic approaches: Compliance for the Acid Rain Program (ARP) and each of the Cross-
State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) trading programs is assessed on an annual basis. Each
regulated facility must hold an amount of allowances equal to or greater than its emissions for
the relevant compliance period6 . Historically, these programs have had exceptionally high
rates of compliance. This performance continued in 2021 as 100 percent of the facilities in
each of these programs held sufficient allowances to cover their emission obligations. In
contrast to the ARP and CSAPR, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule is issued
under section 112 of the Clean Air Act and is not an emissions trading program.
Tools and/or equipment: EPA will use existing tools for each program identified above.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, EPA does not anticipate any major
challenges in completing this project.
Dissemination of findings: Future information will be published on the EPA website.
6 These emissions trading programs also are known as "allowance trading programs" or "cap-and-trade" programs.
1008
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Title
Title V Permitting Program Reviews
Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 4: Ensure clean and healthy air for all communities
Objective 4.1: Improve air quality and reduce localized pollution and health
impacts
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: EPA periodically assesses state and local permitting programs,
including the sufficiency of fees collected, under Title V of the Clean Air Act as part of its
responsibility to oversee delegated and approved air permitting programs.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• What are some good practices and areas of improvement in state and local permitting
programs under Title V of the Clean Air Act?
• How can EPA help the permitting agencies improve their performance?
• Are fees collected sufficient to ensure effective operation of the Program?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: In general, EPA uses a questionnaire to gather preliminary
information, reviews files maintained on permits, conducts site visits, and follows up with the
permitting program to clarify information in conducting a Title V program assessment.
Data sets: EPA uses preliminary information gathered from questionnaires to conduct a Title
V program assessment. This data is created and available to EPA.
Analytic approaches: N/A
Tools and/or equipment: N/A
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Agency conducts these analyses annually
and does not anticipate challenges.
Dissemination of findings: The Title V Permit analyses are posted on EPA's website. Information
and any findings also will be shared with appropriate EPA staff and management.
itle
Our Nation's Air: Status and Trends Through 2024
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Lead Office
Office of Air and Radiation
Link lo IP A
Strategic Plan
(ioal 4: Ensure clean and healthy air for all communities
Objective 4.1: Improve air quality and reduce localized pollution and health
impacts
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: EPA is committed to protecting public health and the
environment by improving air quality and reducing air pollution. This annual report presents the
trends in the nation's air quality and summarizes the detailed information found at EPA's Air
Trends website and other air quality and emissions data.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• Where are areas experiencing air quality above the national ambient air quality standards?
• Are these areas trending toward improving air quality?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: EPA will use the National Emission Inventory (NEI) and Air
Quality System (AQS) to gather data.
Data sets: EPA pulls existing data from several sources to generate the report, such as the
National Emission Inventory (NEI) and Air Quality System (AQS), both of which EPA created
and can access.
Analytic approaches: In addition to relying on existing publicly available analyses, this report
will use trends analyses for air quality and emissions information.
Tools and/or equipment: This report uses SAS and a variety of data visualization software.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Agency produces this report annually and
does not anticipate challenges. This activity is contingent upon air quality data availability from
state, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies.
Dissemination of findings: EPA will share the results of these efforts on EPA's website,
https://www.epa.gov/air-trends.
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Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
Til le
Reducing Use of Animals in Chemical Testing in FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 7: Ensure safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Objective 7.1: Ensure chemical and pesticide safety.
Slarl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project builds on workshops and reports developed in FY 2022 and FY
2023.
Purpose and brief description: The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
(OCSPP) and the Office of Research and Development (ORD) have been world leaders in
advancing the science for moving away from the use of animals for toxicity testing. In December
2021, EPA released the updated "New Approach Methods Work Plan: Reducing Use of Animals
in Chemical Testing" which provides a workplan to develop metrics for reducing the use of
mammalian laboratory animals in both research and for safety evaluations for pesticides and
industrial chemicals.
Additionally, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report to Congress in
2019 recommending that Federal agencies develop metrics to assess the progress made toward
reducing, refining, and replacing animal use in testing. EPA implemented activities and policies
over the past several years that demonstrate significant reductions in the number of animals used
in testing and saving resources for the Agency and stakeholders. In March 2021, in response to
the GAO report, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative
Methods (ICCVAM) published its report entitled "Measuring U.S. Federal Agency Progress
Tovvard Implementation of Alternative Methods in Toxicity Testing."
Question(s) to be addressed: EPA has funded a report by the U.S. National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study that will assess the variability and relevance of existing
mammalian toxicity tests and reviews frameworks for validation and establishing scientific
confidence in testing methods. In FY 2022, two public workshops were held by the NAS in support
of this work. In 2023, the NAS released its report, "Building Confidence in New Evidence Streams
for Human Health Risk Assessment: Lessons Learned from Laboratory Mammalian Toxicity
Tests."
There are two additional milestones for FY 2025. EPA is nearing completion of a report of existing
statutes, programmatic regulations, policies, and guidance that relate to vertebrate animal testing
and the implementation and use of appropriate NAMs for regulatory purposes. As started in 2022,
EPA will continue to provide progress and summary metrics on reducing vertebrate animal testing
requests and use across ORD and OCSPP.
1011
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Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: OCSPP tracks the reduction and replacement metrics through
internal committees, primarily the Hazard and Science Policy Council (HASPOC) and the
Chemistry and Acute Toxicology Science Advisory Council (CATSAC) and division-level
processes.
Data sets: For OPP, critical data sets are created by EPA using the number of waivers
considered and recommended for through internal committees, such as HASPOC and
CATSAC. The number of submissions for particular study types also are compiled through
the division.
Analytic approach: OCSPP is nearing completion of the development of a new process
(including baseline ranges) that will provide the foundation for animal reduction metrics for
TSCA-specific activities in this area.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Under TSCA, there is no defined set of
toxicology data requirements which makes establishing baselines difficult. Accelerating progress
towards adopting new approach methods requires the availability of approaches that are "equal to
or better than" the typically used animal studies. Other activities described in the updated 2021
workplan will address this challenge.
Dissemination of findings: EPA efforts to reduce use of animals in chemical testing is reported
in the Annual Reports on PRIA Implementation (https://www.epa.gov/pria-fees/annual-reports-
pria-implementation). OPP publishes metrics on its website (https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-
science-and-assessing-pesticide-risks/strategic-vision-adopting-new-approach). OPPT expects to
begin publishing this information in 2024.
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Tille
Pesticide Registration Review in FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 7: Ensure safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Objective 7.1: Ensure chemical and pesticide safety.
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Date
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: Review will assess the degree of progress and timely completion
of docket openings, draft risk assessments, and case completions for the second cycle of pesticide
registration review.
Question(s) to be addressed: Whether OCSPP's suite of pesticide registration review
performance measures and processes for meeting pesticide registration review statutory
timeframes warrant further revision.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: Data will be collected from quarterly reports of registration review
actions completed, and registration review action tracking databases maintained by the
program.
Data sets: Critical data sets include performance metric targets and results and any other data
sets that could point to a need for operational improvements.
Tools and analytical methods would not be needed for this exercise.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: OCSPP does not anticipate any major
challenges in gathering performance data currently. Expert input will be brought to bear on any
challenges and possibility that solutions will be needed.
Dissemination of findings: Indicate whether the findings will be made publicly available on
EPA.gov. The expectation is that EPA's program evaluation findings will be available to the
public, in line with EPA's Policy on Evaluations and Other Evidence-Building Activities. If you
anticipate not sharing the findings publicly, please explain your rationale.
OCSPP intends to make performance results publicly available. Under GPRA, any measures
considered external will be transmitted to OMB and the Congress and made public. OCSPP will
publish quarterly updates to the pesticide registration review schedule
(https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-reevaluation/iipcoming-registration-review-actions).
Title
IT Modernization of EPA pesticide tracking system in FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
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l ink lo EPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 7: Ensure safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Objective 7.1: Ensure chemical and pesticide safety.
Marl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Nole
This project builds on activities conducted between April 2019 and
September 2024.
Purpose and brief description: In April 2019, EPA kicked off Phase 1 of a multi-year digital
transformation to create a fully electronic workflow for EPA registration and reevaluation
activities. This effort builds on the 2016 launch of the Pesticide Submission Portal, a secure, web-
based portal in EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) environment through which the public can
electronically submit applications for EPA evaluation. In early 2020, in advance of the launch of
the new system, EPA developed performance metrics and established baselines of performance
using the current agency systems for review of applications. These metrics will allow EPA to
measure the impact of the digital transformation on meeting the targets and objectives described
in the EPA Strategic Plan. Performance measures were developed addressing 1) timeliness of
review, 2) efficiencies realized as a result of the transformation effort, and 3) employee
engagement. In FY 2020, a pilot of the new system went live for one of the three regulatory
divisions within OPP, as well as the Information Technology, and Resource Management Division
(ITRMD) which in-processes all applications. In FY 2021, a second regulatory division in OPP
entered the pilot. The pilot is specific to registration application workflows under the Pesticide
Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) and its reauthorizations. Full expansion to all registering
divisions and workflows will occur by the end of FY 2023, as well as some development to
additional divisions in the Office of Pesticide Programs that support reevaluation regulatory
activities.
In FY 2024 and FY 2025 there will be expansion to the outward-facing aspects of the digital
transformation effort, improving the ability of the regulated community, other stakeholders,
partners, and the American public to directly engage with the regulatory and science efforts.
Improvements to the front-end portal by which companies submit applications also will occur in
FY 2024/25.
Question(s) to be addressed: Potential for mission transformation through digitalization is
enormous. Having a single system through which all data are captured, both for workflow and
information needed for work, is a game changer. Managers will be able to see who is working on
what task throughout their organizational unit while leaders will be able to see how all registrations
and registration review cases are progressing and whether the overall trajectory is predictive of
completion on time or not. Predictive algorithms will help determine where skills gaps lie so
targeted hiring decision can be applied to remove bottlenecks. Employees will have access to all
data they need to work on an assessment at their fingertips and won't have to go searching for data
needed for work.
Digital transformation is expected to improve employee job satisfaction significantly. By having
access to quality information instantaneously available to assess the risk will enhance productivity
and allow for a better work-life balance. Augmented intelligence tools being built into the new
system will eventually automate administrative tasks allowing staff to focus on tasks more that
bring a higher efficiency and rigor to the science. Surveys conducted one year after the launch of
1014
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the pilot that included three divisions is already showing a significant savings of time and thereby
a better work-life balance.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method and datasets: Information from EPA's PRISM and OPPIN systems
will allow EPA to establish baselines for how much time is spent at each stage of risk
assessment and assess improvement in the overall review processes for registration and
registration review cases. The Salesforce interface currently being piloted for antimicrobial
and biopesticide applications will allow EPA to establish baselines for how much time is spent
at each stage and assess improvement in review processes supporting new active ingredients
registration determinations. The Employee Engagement metric will be tracked by evaluating
results to specific questions and focus areas on the EPA Employee Viewpoint Survey and
comparing responses from OPP staff before and after implementation of the IT-modernization
effort.
Analytic approach and tools: In addition, the augmented intelligence and advance data
analytics within Salesforce will allow EPA to identify stages in the review process that present
bottlenecks, allowing further system development and/or resource allocation to address
identified concerns. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) will enable automation of many
routine tasks allowing the scientists and regulatory specialists to focus on higher value work.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: OCSPP is currently awaiting award of the
Mission Support IT Contract to continue work on the Digital Transformation. Current contracts
supporting development and operations & Maintenance of systems expire in November thereby
making the award of the new contract urgent. Office of Acquisition Services (OAS) is currently
projecting an award date of September 15.
Dissemination of findings: Process improvements relating to pesticide registration and
registration review activities, as well as information technology improvements, are described
annually in the PRIA annual report (https://www.epa.gov/pria-fees/annual-reports-pria-
implementation).
1015
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Title
ESA Effects Determinations for Listed Species in FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 7: Ensure safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Objective 7.1: Ensure chemical and pesticide safety.
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Date
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted every fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that the actions of
federal agencies do not jeopardize the continued existence of federally threatened or endangered
species or destroy or adversely modify their critical habitat. EPA is developing a process to
incorporate ESA determinations into its new active ingredient registration process and to work
towards more routine considerations of ESA determinations for registration review decisions. EPA
anticipates increasing ESA considerations into its registration and registration review decisions at
an increasing frequency over the next 5 years. In FY 2022, EPA posted the ESA workplan-
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/dociiments/2022-04/balancing-wildlife-protection-and-
responsible-pesticide-use final.pdf - to provide to the public the framework for ESA
implementation into pesticide regulatory activities
Question(s) to be addressed: Whether OCSPP's suite of performance measures and processes for
developing ESA effects determinations warrant further revision.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: EPA solicits input, data, and general comments from stakeholders
and the general public on its ESA activities as they are developed and each time they are
incorporated into a pesticide registration or registration review decision.
Data set: Critical data sets include EPA workflow tracking systems and stand-alone reports
on ESA-related risk assessment activity and label mitigation as well as public comments EPA
receives on its ESA activities.
Tools and analytical methods would not be needed for this exercise.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Describe any anticipated challenges and how
they will be addressed. Include discussion of challenges to making new tools or data developed
publicly available where appropriate. Identify any other activities this activity is contingent on. At
this time, OCSPP does not anticipate any major challenges in gathering performance data. Expert
input will be brought to bear on any challenges and possibility that solutions will be needed.
Dissemination of findings: OCSPP intends to make performance results publicly available. Under
GPRA, any measures considered external will be transmitted to OMB and the Congress and made
public.
Title
Safer Choice Consumer Survey in FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
1016
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l ink to KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 7: Ensure safety of chemicals for people and the environment.
Objective 7.1: Promote Pollution Prevention - Encourage the adoption of
pollution prevention and other stewardship practices that conserve natural
resources, mitigate climate change, and promote environmental
sustainability.
Start Dale
April 2023
Completion Dale
March 2025
Note
This project is conducted over multiple fiscal years, with repeated surveys.
Purpose and brief description: As part of EPA's Strategic Plan, EPA will implement the Safer
Choice Program and will conduct outreach to communicate the benefits of Safer Choice. To assess
the effects of these outreach activities and the Program more broadly, the Agency will conduct an
annual survey of consumers to determine the awareness and perception of Safer Choice-certified
products. Data from this survey also will be used to support additional goals in EPA's Strategic
Plan such as increasing the number of Safer Choice-certified products.
OPPT/Safer Choice will conduct an annual survey of 2,000 consumers to assess their awareness
and perceptions of Safer Choice-certified products. Data from this survey will help assess the
implementation of Safer Choice outreach efforts and increase interest in product certification.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• What are the awareness levels and consumer perception of the primary Safer Choice label,
alternate labels (i.e., fragrance-free Safer Choice label) and Design for the Environment logo
(used on antimicrobial products that meet the Safer Choice Standard)?
• How have OPPT/Safer Choice program implementation and outreach activities contributed
to changes in awareness and perceptions of Safer Choice over time?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: Online survey of 2,000 consumers.
Data set: Existing OPPT/Safer Choice Consumer Survey data, which has been created by and
is available to EPA.
Analytic approaches: Descriptive statistics (e.g., percentages) and potentially trend analysis
with previous FY survey data.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Though unlikely, there may be concerns with
publishing the survey results, but OPPT/Safer Choice will work to address them as appropriate,
for example by only including high-level data points.
Dissemination of findings: Safer Choice plans to make findings publicly available on EPA.gov.
1017
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Office of K11 force me lit and Compliance Assurance
Title
Identifying interventions that are effective at overcoming the impediments to
municipal compliance FY 2025
Lead Office
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
l ink to KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 3: Improve compliance with the nation's environmental laws and hold
violators accountable
Objective 3.2: Ensure high levels of compliance with federal environmental
laws and regulations through effective compliance tools - including
inspections, other monitoring activities, and technical assistance supported
by evidence and advanced technologies
Start Dale
FY 2023
Completion Date
Through FY 2025
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: This project is a part of OECA's Compliance Learning Agenda
(CLA) which collaborates with states, tribes, and academics to identify the most pressing
programmatic questions, and create a venue for EPA, states, tribes, and territories to collaborate
in the development of evidence-based enforcement tools and techniques that will ensure the
biggest impact on environmental compliance. EPA has heard about causes of noncompliance for
small municipal systems from many sources over some time. Through this research, EPA hopes
to identify the root causes that lead to noncompliance and that also render agency interventions
(enforcement, technical assistance, etc) unsuccessful at returning systems to compliance. We
anticipate this effort to involve multiple research projects under both the NPDES and SDWA
programs.
Questions to be addressed: In addition to furthering the efforts of OECA's Compliance Learning
Agenda, the results of this activity will be used to improve agency efforts and interventions to
ensure that they are effective at returning systems to compliance. The following questions will be
addressed:
1. What are the Root Causes of Municipal (Wastewater Treatment Plants and Drinking Water
systems) Noncompliance that Can Render EPA and State Enforcement and
Technical/Financial Assistance Efforts Unsuccessful?
2. Considering the root causes of municipal noncompliance, what are the impediments to
compliance that prevent technical assistance/financial assistance/enforcement tools from
being effective in producing compliance?
3. What Alternate or Supportive Interventions are effective in producing compliance?
4. What is the effectiveness of the application of various compliance tools to municipal
noncompliance, e.g., enforcement actions, technical assistance, etc. in producing compliance
- or improved compliance?
Methodological and analytical approach
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Data collection methods: Methods used include data analysis, survey, and follow-up
interviews.
Data sets: The state/EPA inspection data, enforcement data, and state violation data from
ECHO, ICIS-NPDES, SDWIS, and other government databases is created and available to
EPA. Population and inequality data will be obtained from an external party and be made
available to the Agency. The data from state associations, academic databases, and survey
responses has or will be created by an external party who will make it available to the Agency.
Analytic approach: Statistical analysis will be used, and EPA will continue to work with
academic partners to uncover which, if any, other analytical method might be used on this
project.
Tools and/or equipment: We will continue to work with academic partners to uncover which,
if any, tools and/or equipment will be use.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions:
1. Effectiveness of enforcement (and other compliance tools) in producing compliance may
vary state to state for various reasons. We will make every effort to account for this in the
study.
2. There are multiple likely drivers of noncompliance and variations of the drivers of
noncompliance between states. We will likely need a large study dataset to analyze the
associations between these drivers of noncompliance and the effectiveness of enforcement
actions to become evident.
3. There is uncertainty about ease of obtaining reliable information about the drivers of
noncompliance for individual enforcement action. To help overcome this challenge, EPA has
partnered with the E-Enterprise Leadership Council and have invited ECOS, states, and tribes
to participate in the workgroup to complete learning agenda projects.
Dissemination of findings: We anticipate making project findings public on EPA.gov.
1019
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Office of La nil and Kmergency Management
Tille
FY 2025 Redevelopment economics at federal facilities
Lead Office
Office of Land and Emergency Management
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 6: Safeguard and revitalize communities
Objective 6.1: Clean up and restore land for productive uses and healthy
communities
Slarl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
January 2025
Note
The Economic Analysis commenced in 2016 and is updated/expanded
annually. Start and end dates are for expected FY 2025 activities.
Purpose and brief description: Cleaning up contaminated sites at federal facilities can serve as
a catalyst for economic growth and community revitalization. The Superfund Federal Facilities
Program facilitates the redevelopment of federal facility sites across the country by assisting other
federal agencies (OFAs) expedite activities related to CERCLA response actions, while protecting
human health and the environment. Collaborative efforts among OF As; developers; and state,
local, and tribal partners encourage restoration of sites. Since federal facility Superfund sites often
encompass thousands of acres with buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, their effective and
efficient cleanup and reuse can play a pivotal role in a community's economic growth. EPA has
initiated efforts to collect economic data at a subset of federal facility Superfund sites.
Question(s) to be addressed: The analysis will provide current, reliable business-related
information for a subset of federal facility Superfund sites in reuse and continued use.
• What information can EPA provide about federal facility Superfund sites in reuse and
continued use, including the variety of purposes that some innovative business owners and
organizations reuse Superfund sites9
• How these uses help economically revitalize communities near Superfund sites9
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: The FY 2025 Federal Facilities Superfund Economic Analysis is an
update and expansion of research efforts in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. These
efforts provide current, reliable business-related information for a subset of federal facility
Superfund sites in reuse and continued use. The research process uses the following
methodology:
• Verification and/or update of economic information for previously identified site
businesses.
• Discovery of new active businesses that may not have been operating previously at sites,
or that may not have been identified previously, and collection of economic information
for those newly identified site businesses.
• Discovery of previously identified site businesses that may have closed or moved off site.
• Quality control/quality assurance (QA/QC) review of economic data collected during the
update.
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Data sets:
• Hoovers/Dun & Bradstreet (external party data set) is used to obtain data on businesses,
jobs, and annual sales.
• ReferencelJSA (external party data set) is used to obtain data on businesses, jobs, and
annual sales.
• Manta database (external party data set) is used to obtain data on businesses, jobs, and
annual sales.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
(external party data set) is used to estimate annual income based on the number of jobs
identified at the business and the average weekly wage reported by BLS for each
business's primary NAICS code and location.
Analytic approach: The study estimates economic activity at federal facilities Superfund sites
based on methodology developed by EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program. Data on
businesses, jobs and annual sales were obtained from Hoovers/Dun & Bradstreet, Reference
Solutions, Manta.com and other published reports identified online. These databases and
reports include data reported by businesses. Accordingly, some reported values might be
underestimates or overestimates. In general, economic information gathered for sites in reuse
is conservative, as it is not always possible to identify all businesses on site. Wage data are
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages and
are used to estimate annual income based on the number of jobs identified at the business and
the average weekly wage reported by BLS for each business's primary NAICS code and
location.
Tools and/or equipment: Excel
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Economic Analysis commenced in 2016
and is updated/expanded annually. The Economic Analysis is an established activity that provides
valuable metrics for the Program and is expected to continue without challenges.
Dissemination of findings: The summary of the results will be shared on Redevelopment
Economics eral Facilities website. In addition, economic data are included in budget
justifications to Congress and are used in general communication with other Federal agencies and
the public.
1021
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Title
FY 2025 Redevelopment economics at remedial sites (non-federal facility)
Lead Office
Office of Land and Emergency Management
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 6: Safeguard and revitalize communities
()hjective 6.1: Clean up and restore land for productive uses and healthy
communities
Slarl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
January 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: Cleaning up contaminated sites can serve as a catalyst for
economic growth and community revitalization. The Superfund Redevelopment Program (SRP)
facilitates the redevelopment of sites across the country while protecting human health and the
environment. Collaborative efforts among state, local, and tribal partners, redevelopers, and other
federal agency programs encourage restoration of sites.
Since Superfund sites often encompass buildings, roads, and other infrastructure, their effective
and efficient cleanup and reuse can play a pivotal role in a community's economic growth. EPA
has initiated efforts to collect economic data at a subset of Superfund sites. Each year, the data
collected is made available on EPA's webpages as part of the Redevelopment Economics at
Superfund Sites StoryMap webpage and corresponding pages on National Beneficial Effects and
related topics. EPA has created a Superfund Redevelopment Economics Notebook that provides a
general overview of EPA's efforts to quantify some of the economic benefits associated with the
cleanup and reuse of Superfund sites.
In addition, Regional Economic Profiles summarize economic data collected for Superfund sites
within an EPA region. They also highlight successes and put them in the context of aggregated
data within the state and EPA region. Economic data are updated annually; regions receive a full
regional economic profile or a data supplement to update the prior year's full regional economic
profile on alternate years.
Economic data are included in budget justifications to Congress and are used in general
communication with key stakeholders and the public.
Questions to be addressed: The analysis will provide current, reliable business-related
information for a subset of Superfund sites in reuse and continued use:
• What information can EPA provide about Superfund sites in reuse and continued use,
including the variety of purposes that some innovative business owners and organizations
reuse Superfund sites?
• How does this use help economically revitalize communities near Superfund sites?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: Each year, SRP collects the following types of economic
information for site businesses: the names of businesses operating at sites, the number of
1022
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people employed at site businesses, wage and income information, and annual business sales.
During each update, referred to as the Annual National Economic Information Update, SRP
gathers economic information from high-quality, online economic databases. Economic
information also comes from site stakeholders and businesses, local media, and online
resources. Wage values come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages. SRP uses those wage values to calculate estimated annual income
for each site business based on North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
codes. To identify new sites that may potentially support revenue-generating businesses, the
annual update includes a review of sites in commercial, industrial, recreational, agricultural,
and residential reuse, as well as sites in planned reuse. SRP uses the information from the
Annual National Economic Information Update to track progress in returning sites to beneficial
use and to respond to federal and Congressional information requests. At the end of each
Annual National Economic Information Update, SRP compiles all site-level economic
information and calculates the estimated beneficial effects of site reuse at the national level. In
2022, SRP gathered economic information for 671 sites in reuse.
Data sets:
• EPA information on site reuse collected through Annual National Economic
Information Update (it will be created by EPA).
• Dun & Bradstreet Hoovers platform (external party date).
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (external
party data).
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: The Economic Analysis commenced in 2011
and is updated/expanded annually. The Economic Analysis is an established activity that provides
valuable metrics for the Program and is expected to continue without challenges.
Dissemination of findings: Each year, the data collected is made available on EPA's webpages
as part of the Redevelopment Economics at Superfund Sites page and corresponding pages, as well
as the Putting Sites to Work - How Superfund Redevelopment is Making a Difference in
Communities Across the United States: Compendium of 2021 Economic Data. Economic data are
included in budget justifications to Congress and are used in general communication with key
stakeholders and the public.
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Title
FY 2025 Planned analyses of economic benefits at Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action facilities
Lead Office
Office of Land and Emergency Management,
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
l ink to I IW
Strategic Plan
(ioal 6: Safeguard and revitalize communities
()hjective 6.1: Clean up and restore land for productive uses and healthy
communities
Start Dale
November 2020
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years and may recur
annually after FY 2025 depending on resource availability.
Purpose and brief description: Cleaning up contaminated facilities serves as a catalyst for
economic growth and community revitalization and can help to preserve existing business
operations. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) economic benefits study
provides information on currently active businesses now operating at former RCRA Corrective
Action (CA) facilities that are now in reuse after cleanup and remediation. Economic impacts
associated with facilities in reuse highlight how cleanup performed under RCRA CA can set the
stage for a wide range of new development. These developments can often attract new businesses
and bolster local economies. In some cases, reuse priorities are incorporated into the remedial
design process, resulting in cleanups that directly facilitate future reuse. Such facilities can serve
as models of what is possible when EPA and RCRA-authorized states, other state and local entities,
and facility stakeholders work together to address cleanup and consider reuse priorities early in
the cleanup process. Since RCRA facilities often encompass buildings, roads, and other
infrastructure, their effective and efficient cleanup for continued use and/or reuse/redevelopment
can play a pivotal role in a community's economic growth. Additionally, this study reveals how
cleanup performed under RCRA CA also can facilitate safe, continued operations of long-time
facility businesses, while also protecting human health and the environment through remediation.
EPA has initiated efforts to collect economic data at a subset of RCRA facilities to gain evidence
of such economic benefits.
Questions to be addressed: The ongoing analysis of economic benefits provides current, reliable
business-related information for a subset of RCRA Corrective Action Facilities now in reuse after
they have been cleaned up. The study helps to highlight the significant economic benefits that can
occur when such facilities are remediated. The analyses furthermore help the RCRA cleanup
program characterize the many types of redevelopment that can occur at RCRA Corrective Action
facilities. To leverage these economic findings, the Program also is producing facility case studies
that showcase the cleanup and current uses so that they may be used as examples of what may be
replicable at other RCRA cleanups.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: The 2021 RCRA economic benefits study involves the collection
and research of current, reliable, publicly available business-related information for businesses
that are currently operating in the footprint of a subset of RCRA Corrective Action (CA)
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facilities that are now either in reuse or continued use after cleanup and remediation.
Data sets: Information on the number of employees and sales volume for on-site businesses
typically comes from the "Hoovers/Dun & Bradstreet" (D&B) database. When D&B database
research is not able to identify employment and sales information for on-site businesses, EPA
uses the "Reference Solutions" and "Manta" databases. These databases include data reported
by businesses. In some instances where necessary, business and employment information come
from publications such as company annual reports, business websites, and news media reports.
Finally, employee income is estimated using average wages from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics for the specific industries at each site.
Analytic approach: This project primarily focuses on the collection of business-related
economic data for purposes of aggregation, and basic comparative analyses so that it can be
made publicly available for the Program.
Tools and/or equipment: Only very common data collection and statistical software
applications such as MS EXCEL are necessary for this project.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: As this research is 100 percent reliant on the
availability of facility boundary maps, the research cannot be conducted when such maps don't
exist. A second limitation can sometimes also be the lack of publicly available data for some
facilities and businesses. In these circumstances, such facilities are simply excluded from the study
at this time. A complete report of all findings and the underlying research methodology also is
made available on our webpage. Our office is dedicated to conducting this data collection and
disseminating it to the public on an annual basis, with the only contingency being the availability
of funding for the study.
Dissemination of findings: Economic data findings are included in budget justifications to
Congress and are used in general communication with key stakeholders and the public. A webpage
was launched to make these findings and associated facility case studies broadly available to the
public All past and future economic benefit findings will be made publicly available on the RCRA
Hazardous Waste and Corrective Action webpage.
1025
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Til le
FY 2025 OLEM near site population analysis
l.ead Office
Office of Land and Emergency Management
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 6: Safeguard and revitalize communities
Objective 6.1: Clean up and restore land for productive uses and healthy
communities
Slarl Dale
April 2025
Completion Dale
July 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: This is a descriptive study. The purpose is to conduct a bi-annual
analysis to support evidence-based descriptions of who benefits from EPA's cleanup and
prevention work, by collecting data on the population living within three miles and within one
mile of a Superfund site, Brownfields site, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
Corrective Action (CA) site, Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) site, and Underground
Storage Tank (UST) facility that exist in thousands of communities across the United States
ranging from remote to large urban settings.
This analysis also supports EPA's America's Children and the Environment Report.1 by estimating
the number of children and their socioeconomic/demographic characteristics who live within one
mile of a RCRA CA or Superfund site that may not have had all human health protective measures
in place at the time of the analysis.
Aspects of these results are included in EPA's annual budget reviews and are included in the annual
President's Budget submitted to Congress. Results also are used in general communications with
press, other government agencies, and the public.
Question(s) to be addressed: This analysis estimates the population living within three miles and
within one mile of a Superfund site, Brownfield site, RCRA CA site, removal site, LUST site and
UST facility by:
• Race: people who self-identify as white, black, Asian, Native American, Hawaiian/pacific
islander, or other.
• Ethnicity, people of all races who self-identify as Hispanic or non-Hispanic.
• Minority: all race and ethnicity combinations except "non-Hispanic whites."
• Income: below poverty level, and incomes twice or more above poverty level.
• Education: less than high school education.
• Age: Under 5, Under 18, over 64.
• Linguistically isolated, households where all members do not speak English as a first
language or "very well."
Populations that are more minority, low income, linguistically isolated, or less likely to have a
high school education than the U.S. population as a whole, may have fewer resources with which
to address concerns about their health and environment. EPA includes these factors in population
analyses to understand the potential for these vulnerabilities in relation to cleanup sites at the
national level.
7 The Report may be accessed here: www, epa. gov/americaschildrenenvironment.
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Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: The population data will be downloaded from the US Census's
American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates and the site location data will be downloaded
from the EPA datasets listed below.
Data sets:
• Site location and status data from the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment
Exchange System (ACRES), Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS) and
RCRA Info for Brownfields, Superfund and RCRA CA, respectively. (EPA dataset).
• Site location and status data for LUST sites and UST facilities from ORD's state
LUST/UST database (EPA dataset).
• Population data from the most recent American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
(external party dataset).
Analytic approaches:
• Latitude and longitude coordinates are used to map site locations. Then 1- and 3- mile
buffers are drawn from the site location. Depending on data availability, the site location
is either a point, a modeled circular site boundary based on site acreage around a point,
or the actual site boundaries.
• Using census block group centroids and the 1- and 3- mile buffers, the population and
characteristics are estimated. If the census block centroid falls within the buffer, then the
population of that census block is included in the estimation of the near site population.
• EPA compares the near site populations to the overall U.S. population to identify
differences in the characteristics listed above.
• EPA follows the methods used in the America's Children and the Environment Report
Indicators E10 and El l.8
Tools and/or equipment: ArcGIS, R, and Excel will be used for this analysis.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Geospatial data available to map site boundaries
is limited. EPA continues to work to improve geospatial data on Superfund and RCRA Corrective
Action site boundaries. The LUST/UST data used was obtained from the USTFinder. The
USTFinder is a new web map application containing a comprehensive, state-sourced national map
of underground storage tank (UST) and leaking UST (LUST) data. USTFinder was made possible
by a large ORD data collection effort. Ability to update estimates for LUST/UST in the future
depends on whether ORD updates data in the USTFinder.
Dissemination of findings: EPA will share the results of these analyses on EPA" s OLEM program
benefits website and include the information in agency documents that are available to the public.
8 For more details on the methods, see https://www.epa.gov/ammcaschildrenenvironment/ace-enviroiiments-aiid-contaminants-
contaminated-land s#Methods.
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Office of Research and Development
Title
Environmental Justice, Cumulative Impacts, and Vulnerable Populations
Lead Office
Office of Research and Development
Link lo IP A
Strategic Plan
(ioal 2: Take decisive action to advance environmental justice and civil
lights
()l">jective 2.1: Promote environmental justice efforts at the federal, Tribal,
stale, and local levels
Start Date
October 2022
Completion Dale
September 2026
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: Environmental justice (EJ) is an integral part of EPA's mission
to protect human health and the environment. EJ is achieved when all people are fully protected
from environmental and health hazards and have equitable access to decision-making processes to
maintain a healthy environment in which to live, learn, play, and work. Low-income communities,
disadvantaged groups, and indigenous peoples are often more vulnerable to environmental health
challenges due to heightened exposure to pollutants, historical inequities, and social stressors, and
limited adaptive capacity to address emerging stressors such as climate change. Similarly,
cumulative health impacts from these chemical and nonchemical stressors vary with lifestages, as
well as inherent sensitivities. Children, older persons, and people with disabilities or pre-existing
health conditions may be most susceptible and vulnerable to climate changes and associated
environmental stressors. Coordinating research across the six National Research Programs (NRP)
will lead to a better understanding of how cumulative impacts (exposure and health effects) and
health disparities can arise from unequal environmental conditions, including impacts from climate
change and exposures to pollution, and inequitable social and economic conditions.
ORD research efforts will be designed to strengthen the scientific foundation and generate
evidence for actions at the Agency, state, tribal, local, and community levels to address cumulative
impacts and environmental and health inequalities in vulnerable populations, lifestages, and
communities with environmental justice and equity concerns. ORD's FY 2023 - FY 2026 Strategic
Research Action Plans (StRAP 4) include focus on six cross-cutting research priorities, two of
which are environmental justice and cumulative impacts. For cumulative impacts, EPA published
the peer-reviewed Cumulative Impacts: Recommendations for ORD Research9 to guide
development of StRAP 4 research. Researchers responded and are currently working on over 90
research products that address the recommendations included in that report. There are a total of
nearly 200 unique products being developed for cumulative impacts and environmental justice
combined.
Question(s) to be addressed: ORD's research will address multiple questions related to
understanding and addressing cumulative and disproportionate impacts and environmental justice
concern. These include expanding scientific understanding and generating evidence on
9 For more details on the methods, see https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-
05/CUMULATIVE%20IMPACTS%20RESEARCH-FINAL%20REPORT-EPA%20600-R-22-014A%20%2812%29.PDF.
1028
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environmental health disparities resulting from exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors.
Research also investigates intertwined social and environmental variables affecting community
resilience and vulnerability across population groups and lifestages to inform development of
policy solutions. The research also includes characterizing and assessing disproportionate
exposures, risks, and impacts across media and considering climate change. ORD will use methods
such as cumulative impact assessments to identify, compare, and evaluate evidence-based
solutions. These solutions aim to reduce impacts and improve health and environmental equity
with communities that historically have been underserved and overburdened.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: A variety of methods and approaches will be used across the
cumulative impacts and environmental justice research portfolios to assess who, where, and
how environmental health and wellbeing are disproportionately affected and identify tools,
approaches, and potential solutions for reducing these cumulative and disproportionate
impacts. These methods include systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses, surveys,
primary data collection, health/ecological/environmental impact assessments related to
specific decisions, clustering analyses, multiple regressions and other statistical approaches,
biomonitoring, biological aging, allostatic load, and analysis of large datasets. Where
appropriate, models, such as EJScreen, may be used.
Data sets: EPA will use existing and new data sets to carry out the environmental justice and
cumulative impacts research. Any datasets EPA creates or have created for us that underly
publications on these topics will be made publicly available through Science Hub. For
example, states maintain health databases which may prove useful for cumulative impacts and
environmental justice research. Additionally, as EPA becomes aware of large datasets, EPA
will explore what is in those datasets and whether the Agency can obtain those datasets for
scientific study.
Analytic approaches: Multiple scientific and statistical approaches will be used for the
cumulative impacts and environmental justice research. These include development of
indicators and indices, epidemiological and toxicology-based studies examining, for example,
allostatic load and biological aging, and exploration of the effects of non-chemical stressors on
health and wellbeing. Other statistical approaches may include clustering analyses and
multiple regressions.
Tools and/or equipment: A variety of tools and equipment will be used to carry out this
research. These include statistical software, geospatial tools, scientific equipment, and low-
cost community sensors (e.g., Purple Air).
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: This research area will produce many scientific
deliverables which required complex research planning and connection with internal partners (e.g.,
OLEM, OEJECR, OCHP, Regional Offices) and external partners and stakeholders. Throughout
the ongoing implementation of the research, varying levels of coordination, cooperation, and
collaboration have been and will be needed, which requires commitment on the part of our partners
and stakeholders. This is necessary to ensure deliverables/products address partner needs. In FY
2025, ORD will continue to develop more efficient and effective methods of project
implementation and tracking.
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Dissemination of findings: Environmental Justice and cumulative impacts research findings will
take a variety of publicly available forms including journal publications, open-access web-based
tools and models, data sets, webinars, and technical fact sheets. EPA makes these available to the
public via Science Inventory, the GeoPlatform, and on topical epa.gov webpages.
Title
Climate Change Research
l.ead Office
Office of Research and Development
Link to KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 1: Tackle the climate crisis
Objective 1.1: Reduce emissions that cause climate change
Objective 1.2: Accelerate resilience and adaptation to climate change
impacts
Slarl Dale
October 2022
Completion Dale
September 2026
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: Climate change is impacting public and environmental health and
these impacts are likely to increase and compound over time. Changing climate patterns exacerbate
the frequency, duration and intensity of wildland fires, extreme heat, flooding, drought, and
harmful algal blooms; and change transportation and energy usage, for example increases in air
conditioner use. These climate related events adversely impact air and water quality, availability
of clean water, and infrastructure among other consequences. ORD's FY 2023 - FY 2026 Strategic
Research Action Plans (StRAP 4) include focus on six cross-cutting research priorities including
climate change. Coordinating research across the six National Research Programs (NRP), this
research will improve understanding of these climate-driven changes, developing knowledge to
support science-based decision making, and supporting climate induced disaster preparation,
response and recovery, resiliency of ecosystems and the services they provide, community
resilience and sustainability, and protection of human health and the environment. ORD research
will generate evidence on the impacts of climate change on human health and ecosystems and
societal responses, evaluate the effectiveness of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation approaches and
strategies, and identify and evaluate adaptation and resilience approaches. This evidence can
inform mitigation, adaptation, and resilience decisions at multiple levels of governance including
local, tribal, state, regional, and national.
Question(s) to be addressed: ORD climate change research will address questions related to GHG
mitigation technologies and strategies (e.g., emissions reductions and carbon removal and
sequestration) alternative sources of water for safe reuse, coastal acidification and hypoxia,
forecasting and early detection of harmful algal blooms, natural infrastructure for coastal
adaptation, and building community and infrastructure resilience to climate related extreme events
and longer term stressors. In addition, ORD research will provide tools and data to assist EPA,
state, tribal, local government, and communities in predicting how air quality, water quality,
ecosystems, and human health will change as a result of the changing climate and the potential
mitigation strategies that are adopted. ORD research will address questions related to the
disproportionate impacts of climate change to inform decisions, sustainable transitions, and efforts
1030
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to decrease disparities. ORD research also will address questions related to EPA responses to
climate-related disasters, including public drinking water supply, drinking and wastewater
infrastructure recovery, debris management, and environmental contamination cleanup (oil spill,
pesticide, hazardous waste, mold, etc.). Many of these response activities benefit from capabilities
developed from research supporting disaster response and recovery.
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection methods: This research area will use multiple quantitative and qualitative
methods to produce data, methods, and tools to advance the understanding of adverse health
impacts among people, changes to air quality, changes to water quality and quantity, changes
to contaminant loading in sediments and soils, and changes to ecosystem functions and services
that are associated with changing climate. This research area also will produce methods and
tools to improve community preparation for, response to, and recovery from climate induced
disasters, as well as to improve the long-term resilience of communities to climatic change
with respect to human health and welfare. Methods used in this research area may include but
are not limited to literature reviews, computer modeling, environmental monitoring, health
data collection, clinical studies, toxicological studies, statistical analyses, text analysis,
surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
Data sets: EPA will use existing and new data sets to carry out the climate change research.
Any datasets EPA creates or has created for us that underly publications on these topics will
be made publicly available through the EPA Science Inventory. Examples of data sets to be
used include observational data used for epidemiological studies, results of toxicological
studies, air emissions data, environmental measurements, and downscaled climate modeling
outputs.
Analytic approach: Multiple scientific and statistical approaches will be used for climate
change research. These include development of indicators and indices, epidemiological and
toxicology-based studies examining, for example, interactions of climate change and air
pollution and impacts of wildland fire smoke on health, and ecological studies, including for
example place-based studies of strategies to adapt to increased risks of flooding using nature-
based solutions.
Tools and/or equipment: Multiple tools and equipment will be used for climate change
research. These include but are not limited to climate change models and outputs, air quality
models, water distribution system models, systems models, ecological models, water quality
and air sensors, satellite and other remote sensing data, and geographic information systems.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: This research area will produce scientific
deliverables which will require complex research planning, facilitation, review coordination, task
prioritization, and regular interactions with the program and regional partners (e.g., AO, OAR,
OW, OLEM, OHS, Regional Offices) to ensure deliverables/products address partner's needs. In
FY 2025, ORD will continue to develop more efficient methods of project implementation and
tracking.
Dissemination of findings: Research area findings will take a variety of publicly available forms
such as technical reports, journal publications, open-access web-based tools and models, data sets,
webinars, and technical fact sheets aimed at promoting translation of results to inform solutions.
1031
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Findings will be made publicly available through the Science Inventory. Tools also will be
available through the Global Change Explorer.
1032
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Office of Water
Title
Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program Reviews and Drinking
Water State Revolving Fund State Reviews
l.esul Office
Office of Water
l ink lo KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.1: Ensure safe drinking water and reliable water infrastructure.
Star! Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: EPA annually conducts reviews of agencies with Public Water
System Supervision (PWSS) primacy (55 reviews) and reviews of each state Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund program (51 reviews).
Questions to be addressed: These reviews assess if primacy entities are effectively implementing
the PWSS program to oversee community water system compliance with the Safe Drinking Water
Act and evaluate if states are effectively implementing the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
program to facilitate public water system compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA). Questions addressed include:
• Are primacy entities effectively implementing the range of activities in the PWSS program
to oversee community water system compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act?
• Are states effectively implementing the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program to
facilitate public water system compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, addressing
public health protection and affordability, assisting disadvantaged communities with access
to funding, applying fiscal integrity and controls, effectively using Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law funds, and complying with the EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grant program
requirements?
Data collection methods: EPA PWSS review results are reported annually in each of the
individual 55 primacy agency Performance Evaluation Reports. In addition, the EPA DWSRF
review results are reported out in each individual state specific Performance Evaluation Reports
annually. The reports function similarly to base line monitoring reports for grant
programs. Because reports are state specific, there is not a national report of overall program
performance. Examples of items included in the review include:
• The results of reviews of state program files for system compliance with PWSS and DWSRF
rules and cross cutting requirements.
• The results of regional transaction testing for federal cash draws.
• State performance in key PWSS and DWSRF program metrics, such as funding to
disadvantaged communities and using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
• Success (or lack of success) in addressing past issues raised.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: Not applicable.
1033
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Dissemination of findings: EPA PWSS review results are reported annually in each of the
individual 55 primacy agency Performance Evaluation Reports. In addition, EPA DWSRF review
results are reported out in each individual state specific Performance Evaluation Reports
annually. EPA shares PWSS information on water system compliance rates across and within
states. EPA makes publicly available an annual report on the status of the national DWSRF
program. EPA also shares project and financial data at the national and state level.
Title
Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) National Community Water
System Non-Compliance Review
Lead Office
Office of Water
Link lo LP A
Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.1: Ensure safe drinking water and reliable water infrastructure.
Slarl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Nolc
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: EPA conducts a review quarterly of the PWSS National
Community Water System (CWS) health-based non-compliance data.
Question(s) to be addressed: This review assesses the trends and causes of non-compliance. This
assessment is used to inform technical, managerial, and financial state and public water system
capacity building training or future drinking water regulation needs, in support regulatory drinking
water compliance. The question addressed was:
• What are the barriers and challenges of CWS systems maintaining compliance with health-
based drinking water standards?
Data collection method and data set: Data are provided from the EPA's Safe Drinking Water
Information System (SDWIS) database. There is a non-compliance review of CWS systems with
health-based violations by regulation type, geographical distribution, and system source type.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, EPA does not anticipate any major
challenges in completing this project.
Dissemination of findings: The findings from the program reviews will be publicly shared.
Quarterly data reports are shared publicly via the SDWIS FED Data Warehouse.
Title
Clean Water State Revolving Fund State Reviews
Lead Office
Office of Water
1034
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l ink to KPA
Strategic Plan
(ioal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
()l">jective 5.1: Ensure safe drinking water and reliable water infrastructure.
Slarl Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
September 2025
Note
This project is conducted each fiscal year.
Purpose and brief description: EPA conducts annual reviews of each state Clean Water State
Revolving Fund program (51 reviews).
Question(s) to be addressed: The reviews assess if states are effectively implementing the Clean
Water State Revolving Fund program in compliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Questions these reviews address include: Are states effectively implementing the Clean Water
State Revolving Fund program in compliance with the Clean Water Act, addressing water quality
priorities and affordability, assisting disadvantaged communities with access to funding, applying
fiscal integrity and controls, effectively using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, and complying
with the EPA's State and Tribal Assistance Grant program requirements?
Data collection methods and data sets: EPA CWSRF review results are reported out in 51 state
specific Performance Evaluation Reports annually. The reports function similarly to base line
monitoring reports for grant programs. Because reports are state specific, there is not a national
report of overall program performance. Examples of items included in the review include:
• The results of reviews of state program files for compliance with CWSRF rules and cross
cutting requirements.
• The results of regional transaction testing for federal cash draws.
• State performance in key CWSRF program metrics, such as funding to disadvantaged
communities and using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
• Success (or lack of success) in addressing past issues raised.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, EPA does not anticipate any major
challenges in completing this project.
Dissemination of findings: EPA CWSRF review results are reported out in 51 state specific
Performance Evaluation Reports annually. EPA makes publicly available an annual report on the
status of the national CWSRF program. EPA also shares project and financial data at the national
and state level.
1035
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Title
FY 2025 Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program (PRP) program
assessment report
l.esul Office
Office of Water / Region 6
l ink to KPA
Strategic Plan
Goal 5: Ensure clean and safe water for all communities.
Objective 5.2: Protect and restore waterbodies and watersheds.
Start Dale
October 2024
Completion Dale
March 2026
Note
This project is being conducted over multiple fiscal years.
Purpose and brief description: EPA will assess (1) the suitability of the Management Conference
and the program's organizational structure in achieving the program's objectives; (2) the grantee's
performance related to PRP grants; and (3) the program's progress toward achieving the PRP
equity strategy goals.
Question(s) to be addressed:
• Is the Management Conference performing the required program actions?
• Are work plan commitments under the PRP grants being met?
• What percentage of BIL funds are being applied towards disadvantaged communities?
Methodological and analytical approach
Data collection method: EPA will upload the program documents (or grant deliverables)
received from the grantee into internal shared folders. EPA will review the grant deliverables
and communicate any deficiencies to the grantee. EPA will manage record keeping
spreadsheets.
Data sets:
Question No 1: Is the Management Conference performing the required program actions?
To answer question number 1, EPA will evaluate meeting notes and will develop an EPA
spreadsheet to track action items from the Management Conference meetings.
Question No 2: Are work plan commitments under the PRP grants being met?
To answer question number 2, EPA will review the PRP Annual Evaluation Report.
Question No 3: What percentage of BIL funds are being applied towards disadvantaged
communities?
To answer question 3, EPA will develop a spreadsheet and track PRP tracking Justice40
investments.
Analytic method and tool: EPA will use Microsoft Excel to compare the data and will report
in Microsoft Word.
Anticipated challenges and proposed solutions: At this time, EPA does not anticipate any major
challenges in completing this project.
1036
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Dissemination of findings: EPA will upload significant program fundings and reports to the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program's public website.
1037
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FY 2025 Evaluation and Evidence-Building Activities - Supplemental Funds
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) expanded EPA's historic role as a regulatory and
scientific agency to be a large-scale funder of critical infrastructure. In FY 2022 and FY 2023 BIL
programs at EPA designed and planned a series of evidence-building projects that address four
priority areas:
• Identification of program investments. This priority area assesses the extent to which funds
are being distributed to disadvantaged and underserved communities, including people of
color, low-income groups, Tribes, and rural communities. This data will document EPA's
progress in reversing decades of underinvestment in communities most impacted by
environmental hazards, pollution, and climate change.
• Examination of how well programs are being implemented. This priority area identifies
program implementation with a focus on target schedules and milestones, including the
development of deliverables such as products (e.g., reports), services (e.g., technical
assistance), and events (e.g., community meetings). This data can help identify
inconsistencies, bottlenecks, and gaps in the process of carrying out programs, which can
then be targeted for improvement. More broadly, understanding a program's
implementation enables EPA to identify the reasons why a program is successful.
• Documentation of program outcomes. As a priority, BIL programs seek to deliver
outcomes across various important dimensions: environmental (e.g., number of acres of
coastline restored); community-level health indicators (e.g., child asthma rates); behavior
change (e.g., individual or organizational recycling behaviors); social and economic
benefits (e.g., access to green spaces, job creation); climate change mitigation (e.g., diesel
emissions reduction); and climate change adaptation (e.g., flood risk reduction). Collecting
data about these outcomes over the next few years will enable programs to assess their
longer-term effects.
• Identification of key stakeholders and their environmental priorities. Stakeholder
engagement is prioritized to ensure that programs are involving communities and groups
who are most affected by activities and decisions of the program. Working with stakeholders
helps programs harness valuable insights and experiences about local priorities and creates
a shared vision for identifying and solving problems; such collaborations increase the
likelihood of program success.
Each BIL program has developed an evidence-building strategy to systematically collect data that
will address one or more of these priority areas, using different methods such as document reviews,
interviews, surveys, and focus groups. In FY 2024 and FY 2025, programs will collect data to
build an evidence base that can be used to improve their effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. EPA
will share summary results and information in subsequent Annual Performance Reports and will
post related evaluation reports on the Agency's evaluation website. Furthermore, significant
evaluations will be included in future Annual Evaluation Plans.
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Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) enables EPA to take aggressive action in tackling the climate
crisis. EPA's IRA-funded programs are being designed and launched during FY 2023 and FY
2024, during which time the Agency is identifying and implementing appropriate evaluation and
evidence-building activities to support program implementation and assess results. In FY 2025,
EPA will continue its efforts to use evaluation and evidence-building for IRA programs with the
following goals in mind: executing programs efficiently and effectively; promoting transparency
and building trust; maintaining accountability to taxpayers; and advancing equity priorities. EPA
will share information and results for these activities in subsequent Annual Performance Reports
and will post evaluation reports on the Agency's evaluation website. Furthermore, significant
evaluations will be included in future Annual Evaluation Plans.
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Annual Performance Report
Introduction 1041
Goal 1 1051
Goal 2 1070
Goal 3 1092
Goal 4 1102
Goal 5 1114
Goal 6 1128
Goal 7 1145
Cross-Agency Strategies 1161
American Rescue Plan Performance Report 1186
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FY 2023 Annual Performance Report
Introduction
EPA's FY 2023 Annual Performance Report (APR) describes the second year of progress toward
the FY 2022-2026 EPA Sir ate sic Plan. This APR presents results—the reliability and
completeness of which are attested to by the EPA Administrator—against the annual performance
goals and targets in the Agency's FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Congressional
Justification (CJ) as updated in the FY2024 APP and CJ. For the first time, this report also presents
an appendix on the results of work to date funded by supplemental resources, specifically the
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. Please also refer to EPA's FY 2023 Agency Financial Report
for information on financial performance results.
Organization of the FY 2023 APR
EPA's FY 2023 performance results and trend data are integrated throughout the FY 2025 APP
and the CJ in the Budget Introduction, Cross-Agency Strategy and Goal Overviews, and Program
Project Fact Sheets. The Program Performance and Assessment section (Tab 15) is the primary
component of EPA's FY 2023 APR. This section also includes EPA's FY 2025 annual
performance goal targets and any revisions to FY 2024 targets. EPA's FY 2023 performance
results and trend data are organized by strategic goal and objective and cross-agency strategy.
Results are presented in detailed multiyear tables with targets, actuals, graphs, and key takeaways
for the Agency's annual performance goals. This section adopts the terminology and color coding
used to measure progress under the EPA Continuous Improvement System, a set of practices and
tools that supports Agency employees in identifying and solving problems for optimal
performance results.
FY 2023 Highlights
EPA continued its work with state, tribal and local partners throughout FY 2023 to further the
Agency's mission to protect human health and the environment. Examples include:
• Developed a final rule under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act to facilitate
the transition to next-generation technologies by restricting the use of hydrofluorocarbons
in the foams, aerosols, and refrigeration and air conditioning sectors.
• Proposed vehicle emissions standards anticipated to avoid 10 billion tons of carbon
dioxide (C02) emissions, equivalent to more than two times the total US C02 emissions
in 2022.
• Proposed new carbon pollution standards for coal and natural gas-fired power plants that
will reduce harmful pollutants and deliver up to $85 billion in climate and public health
benefits over the next two decades.
• Provided over 7,000 hours of assistance to help communities recover/rebuild after climate-
related disasters.
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Established a Direct Implementation (DI) Center of Excellence to support actions that
ensure EPA's implementation of federal environmental laws in Indian Country is as robust
as implementing those laws outside of Indian Country.
Deployed a holistic grant and technical assistance program to support community-based
organizations, which will allow EPA to align investments and efforts to better meet the
needs of communities.
Selected 16 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers.
Each of these centers will receive at least $10 million to remove barriers and improve
accessibility to federal funds for communities with environmental justice concerns.
Revitalized enforcement, with significant increases in on-site inspections, new criminal
investigations, civil settlements, and cleanup enforcement. For example, concluded 1,791
civil judicial and administrative cases, the highest number of conclusions since 2018, with
55% addressing facilities in areas with potential EJ concerns.
Issued 203 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) orders, protecting more than 1.9 million
people, including eight emergency orders protecting about 2,000 people in small,
overburdened communities.
Finalized plan for 22 states to reduce transported air pollution. In the first summer of the
program, power plants in the 10 currently participating states decreased smog-forming
emissions of nitrogen oxides by 18%.
Proposed national drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS). When fully implemented, the rule will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce
tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.
Proposed first-time Clean Water Act (CWA) baseline water quality standards protections
for over half a million people living on over 250 Indian reservations. This proposal will
safeguard water quality on Indian reservations until tribes are able to adopt their own water
quality standards for their water bodies.
Completed 49 Superfund cleanup projects that address lead as a contaminant. Issued 36
Superfund federal facility decision documents; completed 24 remedial actions.
Cleaned up 169 brownfields, completed 1,894 brownfield site assessments, made 736
brownfield sites ready for anticipated use, and leveraged 17,441 jobs and $3.76B at
brownfield sites.
Carried out emergency response efforts across the country, including in East Palestine,
Ohio, and on Maui, Hawaii.
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act, advanced rules to better protect communities
from harmful chemicals like perchloroethylene and methylene chloride.
Made significant contributions in PFAS research, air quality standards, and climate
adaptation strategies, underlining the agency's role in leading environmental science.
Established a first of its kind National Environmental Youth Advisory Council.
Received 24th consecutive clean financial audit opinion, highlighting the EPA's
commitment to responsible and transparent financial management.
Received more than 6,600 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, closed more than
6,800 requests, and released more than 153,000 records. Reduced backlog of FOIA
requests by nearly 26%, from 950 to 704.
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FY2023 Annual Performance Goal Results
For FY 2023, EPA focused on a set of 107 annual performance goals, including annualized long-
term performance goals to achieve ambitious targets set in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan
and measures representing key work areas that support those long-term performance goals. EPA
met or exceeded 70% of the targets in their entirety for annual performance goals with FY 2023
targets and data available (58 of 84). For 14 of its annual performance goals with FY 2023 targets
and data available (17%), the Agency achieved between 75-99% of the target (including 10 where
the Agency achieved between 90-99% of the target). For 11 of its annual performance goals with
FY 2023 targets and data available (13%), EPA achieved less than 75% of the target. Reasons for
missed targets include the complexity of environmental challenges, workload issues,
resource/staffing challenges, and delays in program implementation. EPA will continue to make
progress toward its performance targets by applying Lean management principles to improve the
efficiency and cost effectiveness of its operations. More detail is available throughout the report.
FY 2023 Performance toward target by goal and strategy
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
HO
9 (ND)
Goal 1:
Climate
7(G)
Goal 2: EJ
6(G)
Goal 3:
Enforce
ment/Com
pliance
3 (ND)
=11
2 (Y)
2(G)
Goal 4: Air
2 (ND)
1=1
2 (Y)
5(G)
3(Y)
10 (G)
11 (ND)I
2 (Y)
9(G)
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
3(Y)
2(G)
2(G)
8(G)
Goal 5: Goal 6: Land Goal 7:
Water Chemicals
Strategy 1: Strategy 2: Strategy 3:
Science Children's Workforce
Health
| 2 (G) |
Strategy 4:
Partnerships
FY 2023 results were not available for 19 of the Agency's annual performance goals at the time
of publication of this report. Most of these measures track progress on air quality and EPA's
expanding work on environmental justice. Reasons for missing data include reporting lags due to
grant reporting cycles, additional time needed to collect and provide quality assurance of data from
external sources, and measures and measurement methods under development. As additional
results data are received for FY 2023 annual performance goals, the Agency will include the results
in future APRs. Finally, FY 2023 results are reported for four of the Agency's annual performance
goals for which no targets were established.1
1 (PM RUL) Number of final rules issued that will reduce GHG emissions from light duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty
vehicles; electric utility generating units; and the oil and gas industry, (PM AD12) Hours of appropriate subject matter expert
time provided by EPA to help communities adapt to climate impacts, build long-term resilience, and support the most
underserved and vulnerable communities after federally declared disasters, (PM E.TCR15) Percentage of EPA programs and
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Fiscal Year 2022 Data Now Available
EPA received final results for eight of the 15 annual performance goals that had insufficient data
for results reporting at the end of FY 2022. EPA met or exceeded targets for four of the eight2,
which support EPA's goals on climate and air quality. For three of the eight—tracking progress
on EPA's work in the areas of climate, air quality, and chemical safety—the Agency achieved
between 75-99% of the target3.
Verification/Validation of Performance Data
The Agency developed Data Quality Records (DQRs) for the long-term performance goals in the
FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan. EPA maintains the DQRs to ensure consistency and quality of
data used for assessing and reporting progress towards annual performance goals that support the
long-term performance goals. The DQRs describe the results being measured; data sources and
limitations; methods for calculating results; and controls to ensure good data quality.
FY 2022-2023 Agency Priority Goals
EPA met targets for two of the three FY 2022-2023 Agency Priority Goals (APGs) (Reducing
Hydrofluorocarbons, Communities Technical Assistance) and missed targets for one of the three
APGs (Environmental Justice/Civil Rights).
• Phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). By
September 30, 2023, annual U.S. consumption of HFCs will be 10% below the baseline of
303.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02ej consistent with the
HFC phasedown schedule in the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and
codified in the implementing regulations. A 10% reduction would decrease the U.S.
consumption limit to less than 273.5MMTC02e in 2023.
Met FY 2023 target. EPA completed 13 of 14 milestones for FY 2022-2023 with one
milestone continuing into FY 2024-2025 APG implementation; and made significant
progress towards the FY 2023 target to decrease the U.S. HFC consumption limit to less
regions that have implemented program and region-specific disability access plans, and (PM COl) Percentage of technical
assistance projects in support of environmentally sustainable and community-driven revitalization that support or expand upon
previous or ongoing federal investments.
2 (PM HFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), (PM AD09) Cumulative number of federally
recognized tribes assisted by EPA to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate
change, (PM NAAQS) Percentage of air quality improvement in counties not meeting current NAAQS, and (PM HCFC)
Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals that deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer, in
ozone depletion potential (ODP)-weighted metric tons.
3 (PM AD10) Cumulative number of states, territories, local governments, and communities (i.e., EPA partners) assisted by EPA
to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change, (PMNAAQS2) Percentage of
people with low SES living in areas where the air quality meets the PM2.5 NAAQS, and (PM P2mtc) Reductions in million metric
tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTC02e) released per year attributed to EPA pollution prevention grants.
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than 273.5 MMTCChe in 2023 with the latest data (FY 2022) showing the consumption
limit at 253.4 MMTC02e4
The AIM Act dictates a rigorous schedule for actions to be taken, including promulgating
rules to facilitate the transition to next-generation technologies and the management of
HFCs, while simultaneously implementing and revising existing rules to phase down HFC
production and consumption. EPA began implementing the first final rule under the AIM
Act to phase down U.S. production and consumption of HFCs to 85% by 2036, which is
estimated to cumulatively reduce GHG emissions by 4,600 MMTCChe between 2022 and
2050. The Agency continued implementation of the AIM Act by managing the HFC
allowance allocation program in 2022 and 2023 and preparing for the HFC phasedown in
2024 and beyond by publishing final rules to amend the production and consumption
baselines and methodology to issue allowances for 2024 through 2028. The Agency also
issued HFC production and consumption allowances for calendar year 2022 and 2023; and
retired calendar year 2022 and 2023 consumption allowances using administrative
consequences provisions in HFC Allocation Framework rule. EPA launched and co-
chaired the Interagency Task Force on Illegal HFC Trade with the Department of
Homeland Security. EPA reviewed petitions under AIM Subsection (i) within the statutory
deadline of 180 days from receipt.
• Deliver tools and metrics for EPA and its Tribal, state, local, and community partners
to advance environmental justice and external civil rights compliance. By September
30, 2023, EPA will develop and implement a cumulative impacts framework, issue
guidance on external civil rights compliance, establish at least 10 indicators to assess
EPA's performance in eliminating disparities in environmental and public health
conditions, and train staff and partners on how to use these resources.
Missed FY 2023 target. EPA completed 13 of 32 milestones for FY 2022-2023 missing the
overall target in terms of milestone completion. However, foundational progress was made
on all three strategies setting the stage for significant advancement of each strategy as EPA
continues this work with FY 2024-2025 APG implementation.
EPA has made significant progress in advancing its approach to assessing and addressing
cumulative impacts during the two-year goal period. A few examples of the Agency's
achievements include the following: EPA convened an agency-wide workgroup on
cumulative impacts. EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) developed a
research recommendations report and 94 research projects on cumulative impacts under its
Strategic Research Action Plans. The Office of General Counsel issued a Cumulative
Impacts Addendum to the EPA Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice document.
EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), ORD, and
respective EPA Regions have initiated place-based demonstration efforts in seven
communities. OEJCER conducted monthly webinars on cutting-edge development in
cumulative impacts tools and practice.
4 Reflects data reported through September 27, 2023. All reported data are certified by the reporter to be true, accurate and
complete. EPA continues to review and verify these data and may revise and update these data, as appropriate. EPA considers it
likely that these numbers will change as companies and EPA continue to review and verify the data.
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EPA experienced challenges with limited resources and competing priorities throughout
FY 2022-2023 for drafting and finalizing the draft procedural safeguards and legal
standards guidances. Delays were also experienced due to intra- and inter-agency review
on the guidances.
EPA made significant progress on its commitment to establish at least 10 indicators to
assess EPA's performance in reducing disparities in environmental and public health
conditions and engaged closely with internal and external partners such as the National
Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, federal and state governmental partners, and
communities and tribes. EPA also began development and/or confirmation of data sources,
reporting, and analysis for the indicators, and ensuring that tools were in place for
operationalizing this work.
• Clean up contaminated sites and invest in water infrastructure to enhance the
livability and economic vitality of overburdened and underserved communities. By
September 30, 2023, EPA will provide technical assistance to at least 10 communities to
help achieve clean and safe water and reduced exposures to hazardous substances.
Met FY 2023 target. EPA completed all milestones for FY 2022-2023 and met all key
indicator targets resulting in overall achievement of this APG.
Over the past two years, EPA's Office of Water (OW) and Office of Land and Emergency
Management (OLEM) have been collaborating to pilot a holistic, cross-media approach to
providing technical assistance to 10 communities. The intent was to leverage multiple
programs, legal authorities, and funding sources, and apply them in a way that provides
each community meaningful input into the planning decisions and investment of resources
for remediation and/or water infrastructure projects. Another goal was to help communities
better understand opportunities available to assist them in their environmental challenges.
Each EPA regional office selected an overburdened, underserved, or tribal community to
pilot this cross-media approach.
Through these efforts, EPA developed an online mapping application that brought together
over 40 OW and OLEM programmatic datasets for use by EPA regions to initially identify
selected communities. The community multi-media projects include activities such as
addressing lead threats in resident's yards, identifying and promoting actions to reduce lead
exposure in drinking water and addressing lead-based paint and/or engaging with a tribal
government and community to enhance their understanding and confidence in cleanup
decisions, while at the same time providing technical assistance to support key decisions
related to their long-term stability in water infrastructure.
While EPA's Water and Land staff have worked together on certain issues in the past, this
APG gave both program offices the opportunity to collaborate more closely and build
stronger lines of communication that will serve EPA better going forward. The APG has
demonstrated the value of listening and asking questions to help determine how EPA can
best assist communities, as opposed to starting off their interactions with each other by
1046
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giving presentations or explaining EPA programs. This approach will be helpful in future
community-based work, particularly with communities who have faced long-standing
environmental challenges. It also highlighted the importance of involvement of and
coordination with community representatives and other internal and external partners and
stakeholders.
Evidence and Evaluation
Summaries of FY 2023 program evaluations and contributions to EPA's portfolio of evidence are
available at https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/results. EPA uses program evaluations and other
evidence-building activities to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and/or equity of programs'
work in meeting Agency goals; identify ways to improve mission delivery; and build an evidence
base to improve decision making. This is particularly important for fostering transparency and
accountability. For example, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP)
evaluated the effectiveness of the pesticide safety training that EPA offers to farmworkers in
accordance with the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) rule, and the results of this
evaluation will be used to make improvements to the training program. As another example, every
five years, each location within the National Estuary Program (NEP) is evaluated for progress in
achieving programmatic and environmental results, producing recommendations for improvement
on areas including administration and governance, healthy ecosystems, and communication and
stakeholder engagement.
Supplemental Resources
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) also known
as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) collectively provide
EPA with more than $100 billion in supplemental funding over multiple years for a wide range of
programs. EPA is supporting the Administration's Justice40 initiative by prioritizing benefits to
underserved communities in developing requests for grant applications and in making grant award
decisions, to the extent permitted by law. Supplemental investment information including current
funding opportunities can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/invest.
The American Rescue Plan Act provided EPA with $100 million dollars to address health outcome
disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic, with which EPA is funding environmental
justice initiatives and enhanced air quality monitoring. The FY 2023 APR includes an appendix
with performance results to date. For additional information, refer to: https://www.epa.eov/arp.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides EPA with over $60 billion and represents the
largest increment of funding EPA has ever received. This law more than doubles the Agency's
annual budget each year over five years to fund water infrastructure, environmental cleanups, and
electric school buses. It also provides funding to improve recycling programs and prevent
pollution. Most of the funding in this law is being implemented through existing programs such as
the State Revolving Funds in the Office of Water and the Superfund Program in the Office of Land
and Emergency Management. Future APRs will include an appendix of IIJA results to date. For
additional information, refer to https://www.cpa.gov/iritrastructure.
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The Inflation Reduction Act provides roughly $41 billion in resources to the Agency. These
resources fund efforts such as a national-scale clean energy financing network, a climate pollution
reduction grant program, and investments to reduce air pollution at ports. Most of this funding is
being implemented through new programs in the Administrator's Office, the Office of Air and
Radiation, and the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. Future APRs will include
an appendix of IRA results to date. For additional information, refer to
https://www.epa.gov/inflation-rediiction-act.
1048
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sr<%
A
5
3)
THE ADMINISTRATOR
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
February 27, 2024
Reliability of EPA's Performance Data
I attest to the reliability and completeness of the performance data presented in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Performance Report. Because
improvements in human health and the environment may not become immediately apparent, there
might be delays between the actions we have taken and results we can measure. Additionally, we
cannot provide results data for 19 out of 107 of our performance measures for this reporting year.
Reasons for missing data include reporting lags due to grant reporting cycles, additional time needed
to collect and provide quality assurance of data from external sources, and measurement methods
under development. When possible, however, we have portrayed trend data to illustrate progress
over time. We also report FY 2022 final performance results for eight measures that became available
in FY 2023.
Ivncimtri j. i\cgaii
1049
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Key to Multiyear Table Annual Performance Goal Data Presentation
(PM #) Annual performance goal language here.*
Targets by
Fiscal Year
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
No Target
Established
13
13
12
11
9
Sites
Increase
Actual
12
11
13
10
9
Gray = No Annual
Performance Goal
Purple =
Data and
No Target
Green =
100% of
Yellow = 75-99%
of Target
Red = <75%
of Target
White (past year) = No Annual
Performance Goal; Data Available
Actuals by
Fiscal Year
White (current
or future year) =No data
This character indicates a measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Goal 1 at a Glance
Tackle the Climate Crisis: Cut pollution that causes climate change and increase the adaptive capacity of Tribes, states, territories, and
communities.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 1 Tackle the Climate Crisis
Obj 1.1 Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
$599,335
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
$472,250
Obj 1.2 Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate
Change Impacts
$61,130
Obj 1.3 Advance International and Subnational Climate
Efforts
$65,956
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective
° 13 ~ 100% of target met (G)
Number of measures by percent of target achieved 075-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
1 (NT)
1 (NT)
Z
Z
No data (ND)
No target (NT)
2 (ND)
2 (ND)
2 (Y)
3(G)
2(G)
1(G)
Obj 1.1 Obj 1.2 Obj 1.3
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective 1.1 - Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change—Aggressively reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from all sectors while
increasing energy and resource efficiency and the use of renewable energy.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
1 (NT)
1 (NT)
~ No data (ND)
1 (ND)
2 (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (Y)
2 (Y)
1 (Y)
3(G)
1(G)
| 1 (Y) | | 1 (Y) |
1 1
-------
GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Challenges:
• The AIM Act and the Executive Order on Strengthening American
Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks have rigorous schedules for
actions to be taken to reduce emissions across Illegal HFC imports
that will undermine the environmental benefits and integrity of the
HFC phasedown, and disadvantage companies complying with the
requirements. It is important that EPA continues to support the HFC
taskforce with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
• Limited resources for federal and state activities to support GHG
emission reductions and other climate goals continue to pose
program delivery challenges.
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Annual performance goal:
(PM HFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
273.5
273.5
181.5
181.5
MMTC02e
Below
Target
Actual
253.4
Data Avail
11/2024
Key Takeaways:
• The FY 2022 result reflects data reported through September 27, 2023. All reported data are certified by the reporter to be true, accurate and
complete. EPA continues to review and verify these data and may revise and update these data, as appropriate.
• Continued implementing the final rule under the AIM Act to phase down U.S. production and consumption by 85% over the next 15 years.
Prepared for the HFC phasedown in 2024 and beyond by publishing final rules to amend the production and consumption baselines and
methodology to issue allowances for 2024 through 2028. For more information, see the FY 2022-2023 Agency Priority Goal (APG) results at
https://www.performance.gov/agencies/epa/apg/goal-l/.
Metric Details: This measure tracks U.S. consumption of HFCs in million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe). One MMTC02e is
numerically equivalent to the metric required under the AIM Act. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases, many of which have global warming potentials
hundreds to thousands of times that of CO2. The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 provides EPA the domestic authority to
phase down production and consumption of HFCs. HFCs are commonly used in many sectors of the economy, including in refrigeration and air
conditioning, aerosols, solvents, fire suppression, and as foam blowing agents. The AIM Act provides the legal framework to phase down HFC
production and consumption consistent with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer that was
ratified on October 31, 2022. Phasing down HFCs globally is expected to avoid up to 0.5° Celsius of global warming by 2100. The baseline is 302.5
tons ofMMTC02e. The FY 2022 and 2023 targets are based on the HFC consumption baseline of 303.9 MMTC02e as established in a final rule
published on October 5, 2021, "Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Establishing the Allowance Allocation and Trading Program Under the
American Innovation and Manufacturing Act." Subsequently, in a final rule published on July 20, 2023, "Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons:
Allowance Allocation Methodology for 2024 and Later Years," EPA amended the consumption baseline based on corrected data. The revised
consumption baseline is 302.5 MMTC02e. Beginning in 2024, the phasedown consumption steps will be measured from this HFC consumption
baseline. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction. This measure tracked progress toward a FY 2022-2023 APG and
tracks progress toward a FY 2024-2025 APG.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2026, promulgate final rules to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from light duty,
medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles; electric utility generating units; and the oil and gas industry.
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RUL) Number of final rules issued that will reduce GHG emissions from light duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles; electric
utility generating units; and the oil and gas industry.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
n n
Target
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Rules
Above
Target
Actual
1
1
Key Takeaways:
• Finalized a rulemaking that sets new, more stringent standards to reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year
2027.
• This final rule will reduce NOx emissions from the in-use fleet of heavy-duty trucks by almost 50% in 2045 and will result in widespread air
quality improvements across the U.S., especially in areas already overburdened by air pollution and diesel emissions.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of final rules that will reduce GHG emissions published in the Federal Register. EPA will reduce
emissions that cause climate change through regulations on GHG emissions including CO2 and methane from light duty, medium-duty, and heavy-
duty vehicles; electric utility generating units; and the oil and gas industry.
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2026, EPA's climate partnership programs will reduce expected annual greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions by 545 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe). EPA's climate partnership programs reduced 518.6
MMTCChe of annual GHG emissions in 2019.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM CPP) Million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced annually by EPA's climate partnership programs.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
486.9
500.7
513.9
509.3
MMTCChe
Above
Target
Actual
505.6
518.6
529.6
469.9
Data Avail
11/2024
Data Avail
11/2025
Key Takeaways:
• In FY 2021 (latest available data), EPA's climate partnership programs reduced 469.9 MMTCChe.
1055
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
• In 2022, with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), EPA transitioned the Natural Gas Star Partnership, ending the partnership
agreements and annual reporting elements of the program, while retaining a focus on technology transfer and stakeholder engagement. The sunset
of the Natural Gas Star Partnership resulted in lower actuals and targets summed across the methane programs. EPA continues to partner with
operators making ambitious voluntary commitments to methane emissions mitigation and transparency through the Methane Challenge
Partnership.
• Over 30 years, EPA's climate partnership programs have helped Americans save more than $500 billion and achieve more than 6 billion metric
tons of GHG emissions reductions.
Metric Details: This measure tracks GHG reductions from EPA's climate partnership programs. The programs included are: ENERGY STAR
Products, Residential, Commercial Buildings, and Industrial programs; Green Power Partnership; AgSTAR Program; Coalbed Methane Outreach
Program; Landfill Methane Outreach Program; Methane Challenge Programs; SF6 Emission Reduction Partnerships for Electric Power Systems;
Responsible Appliance Disposal; GreenChill; and SmartWay. These programs work hand-in-hand with the private sector and others to achieve more
GHG reductions than would be possible through federal regulations alone. These programs seek out and overcome market barriers, drive policy at the
state and local level, and capture and channel marketplace ingenuity towards climate action. Note: In 2022, with the passage of the IRA, EPA
transitioned the Natural Gas Star Partnership, ending the partnership agreements and annual reporting elements of the program, while retaining a
focus on technology transfer and stakeholder engagement. The sunset of the Natural Gas Star Partnership resulted in lower actuals and targets
summed across the methane programs. EPA continues to partner with operators making ambitious voluntary commitments to methane emission
mitigation and transparency through the Methane Challenge Partnership. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventorv-
us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks.
1056
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Other Core Work
Annual performance goals:
(PM CRT) Number of certificates of conformity issued that demonstrate that the respective engine, vehicle, equipment, component, or
system conforms to all applicable emission requirements and may be entered into commerce.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
5,200
5,000
5,000
4,700
4,700
4,900
4,900
4,900
Certificates
Above
Target
Actual
4,869
4,711
4,843
5,351
5,196
4,844
Key Takeaways:
• The total number of certificates issued by EPA in FY 2023 was nearly at the target, missing the goal by less than 60 certificates.
• EPA continues to issue vehicle and engine certificates of conformity in a timely manner and on pace with the number of requests received.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of certificates of conformity issued in a given year. The Clean Air Act requires that engines, vehicles,
equipment, components, or systems receive a certificate of conformity which demonstrates compliance with the applicable requirements prior to
introduction into U.S. commerce. EPA reviews all submitted requests and issues certificates of conformity when the manufacturer demonstrates
compliance with all applicable requirements. This measure illustrates EPA's annual certification workload. The number of certification requests is
determined by the manufacturers' product planning and will fluctuate from year to year. EPA strives to issue vehicle and engine certificates of
conformity in a timely manner and on pace with the numbers of requests received.
(PM REP) Percentage of Annual Greenhouse Gas Emission Reports verified by EPA before publication.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
in I-
Target
65
98
98
98
100
Percent
Above
Actual
97
96
95
99
97
97
Numerator
7,821
7,867
7,722
7,935
7,877
7,891
Reports
Denominator
8,061
8,165
8,126
8,029
8,141
8,130
i digei
Key Takeaways:
• EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) has consistently maintained a high percentage of verified reports prior to annual
publication. While EPA did not meet the ambitious target in FY 2023, the result is in line with program expectations and will help advance the
Agency's understanding of GHG emissions.
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
• The quality of GHGRP data at time of submittal continues to improve due to the data system and verification process changes that have increased
real-time data quality feedback to industry reporters over time.
Metric Details: The GHGRP, established in 2009, covers 41 sectors that account for more than 8,100 reports summarizing annual GHG emissions
and supply. Both facilities and suppliers are required to report their data annually by March 31. After submission of the data, EPA conducts a
verification review that lasts approximately 150 days and includes a combination of electronic checks, staff review, and follow-up with facilities to
identify potential reporting errors that are corrected before publication. The 150-day period includes 60 days for EPA to review reports and identify
potential data quality issues, 75 days for reporters to resolve these issues, and 15 days for EPA to review responses or resubmitted reports. EPA
typically publishes the data by early October each year. These data support federal and state-level policy development and allow EPA to share GHG
emissions and supply data with industry stakeholders, state and local governments, academia, the research community, and the public in general.
There are no targets in FYs 2019-2021 because this measure was not included in these Annual Performance Plans. For more information, see:
www, epa. gov/ ghgreporting.
(PM RD3) Percentage of ORD climate-related research products meeting partner needs.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
93
94
94
94
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
100
Numerator
1
25
Products
Denominator
1
25
Key Takeaways:
• Met partner needs for 100% of climate-related research products included in the annual partner satisfaction assessment. A key driver behind this
result was the high degree of partner involvement during the product development as stated by respondents in the survey.
• The report "Managing Climate Refagia for Cold Water Fishes Under an Expanding Raman Footprint" performed the best of all climate products
with ORD partners, having received a perfect score for the products quality, usability, and timeliness. (Report available at:
https://esaiournals.onlinelibrarv.wilev.com/doi/10.1002/fee.22Q6).
• EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) has increased the number of climate products assessed and will continue to do so as it
implements the FY 2023-2026 Strategic Research Action Plan (available at: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-
vears-2023-2026).
Metric Details: Partner satisfaction is assessed through a robust survey process. The annual survey engages key users of ORD products. Survey
respondents assess the scientific rigor of research products (quality), product relevance (usability), and timeliness of product delivery. This measure
assesses the subset of ORD's research products specifically related to climate.
1058
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective 1.2: Accelerate Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts-
Tribes, states, territories, and communities to the impacts of climate change.
-Deliver targeted assistance to increase the resilience of
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R) | |
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (Y)
3(G)
1 (NT)
2 (ND)
3(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Completed 177 priority actions to integrate climate adaptation into
core work, exceeding the target of 100. Significant accomplishments
include:
o The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA)
issued a new "Climate and Enforcement Strategy" to incorporate
climate adaptation and resilience into all enforcement and
compliance activities.
o Programs are integrating climate adaptation into rulemaking
processes.
o Programs and regions are integrating climate adaptation into
financial assistance agreements to ensure the outcomes of
investments are resilient to the impacts of climate change, with an
immediate focus on Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds.
o EPA's Supply Chain Risk Management Plan includes actions to
protect against the risks posed by climate change.
• Provided financial and technical assistance to help tribal, state,
community and other partners take action to adapt to climate change.
o EPA's "Schools as Community Cleaner Air and Cooling Centers"
project is supporting upgrades to school facilities to make them
safe spaces for students during extreme heat and wildfire smoke
events.
o In partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), EPA is supporting development of climate-disaster
"resilience hubs" in communities to provide safe shelter, while
upgrading the locations with solar panels and energy efficiency
improvements.
o A new Office of Research and Development Integrated Climate
Sciences Division was established to provide place-based technical
support to all 10 regional offices and the communities they serve.
1059
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
o Communities are using EPA's climate science and mapping tools
to clean up long-standing pollution at Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) and Superfund sites and to ensure cleanups
are resilient to climate change impacts,
o Tribes use funds from the Tribal General Assistance Program
(GAP) to develop climate change adaptation plans. EPA is
working closely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to
coordinate funding for adaptation plan implementation.
Challenges:
• A major FY 2024 challenge is refining measures and approaches to
more effectively tracking the outcomes of EPA's climate adaptation
projects in communities.
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, implement all priority actions in EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan and the 20
National Program and Regional Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans to account for the impacts of the changing climate on human
health and the environment.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM AD07) Number of priority actions completed in EPA's Climate Adaptation Action Plan and Program and Regional Implementation
Plans.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
L
Target
100
100
105
105
Priority
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
151
177
Key Takeaways:
• Programs and regions completed 177 priority actions to integrate climate adaptation into core work, including enforcement, rulemaking, and
financial assistance.
• The Office of Children's Health Protection has developed a plan and will begin reporting in FY 2024. This will increase the target by 5.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of priority actions implemented in support of EPA's October 2021 Climate Adaptation Action Plan
through the 20 Program and Regional Office Climate Adaptation Implementation Plans. The Action Plan commits EPA to five Priority Actions per
year by 10 of EPA's program offices and 10 regional offices. EPA projected 100 actions per year for FY 2022 and FY 2023, and 105 per year for FY
2024-2026 for a total of 515 actions by FY 2026. The Implementation Plans identify EPA's specific Priority Actions to: 1) integrate climate
adaptation planning into EPA programs, policies and rulemaking processes; 2) consult and partner with tribes, states, territories, local governments,
environmental justice organizations, community groups, businesses and other federal agencies to strengthen adaptive capacity and increase the
resilience of the nation, with a particular focus on advancing environmental justice; 3) implement measures to protect the Agency's workforce,
facilities, critical infrastructure, supply chains and procurement processes from the risks posed by climate change; and 4) modernize EPA financial
assistance programs to encourage climate-resilient investments across the nation. The FY 2022 actual is corrected from 155 in the FY 2022 Annual
Performance Report.
(PM AD08) Number of EPA national program offices that have developed adaptation training for programs and staff.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
i
Target
4
10
Offices
Above
if
Actual
4
10
Target
U
1061
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Key Takeaways:
• Ten program and regional offices have completed 17 training events to build the capacity of EPA staff and partners to administer EPA programs.
This training will help EPA staff and partners use climate data to improve program and community resilience.
• Beginning in FY 2024, this measure is replaced by PM AD 13 which tracks an expanded set of training tools including videos, websites, and other
interactive methods for increasing climate literacy and building capacity instead of tracking the EPA programs.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the development of training by EPA's national program and regional offices on how current and future climate impacts should be considered
in specific program activities, such as direct program implementation, regulation development, permitting, inspections, enforcement, partnerships, research, grants, loans, and
technical assistance. EPA currently has an introductory training module for new employees which will be revised in FY 2024.
(PM AD13) Number of capacity building trainings, tools, and events, developed or hosted by EPA, that serve a unique purpose, unique
audience, and/or provide new or updated information.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
27
32
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
17
Metric Details: This measure tracks the cumulative number of climate adaptation capacity building trainings, tools, and events (Climate Capacity Building Actions), developed or
hosted by EPA, to address how current and future climate impacts should be considered in EPA or delegated program activities. Capacity building can be related to direct program
implementation, regulation development, permitting, inspections, enforcement, partnerships, research, grants, loans, or technical assistance. The Climate Capacity Building
Actions can be for internal staff or to build joint capacity with EPA's state, local, and tribal co-regulators. The baseline is 17 Climate Capacity Building Actions completed in FY
2022-2023.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, assist at least 400 federally recognized Tribes to take action to anticipate, prepare
for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM AD09) Cumulative number of federally recognized tribes assisted by EPA to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover
from the impacts of climate change.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
150
330
370
Tribes
Above
Target
Actual
110
Data Avail
3/2024
1062
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Key Takeaways:
• Preliminary data as of October 2023 show 289 tribal partners have taken action to increase their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate
change after EPA assistance. Final data will be available in March 2024 when EPA receives grantees' progress reports from partners.
• FY 2022 and FY 2023 investments in building tribal climate resilience are reflected in the number of tribes that have taken action to respond to
the impacts of climate change. Investments from IIJA, IRA, ongoing appropriations, and focused staff efforts have all contributed to this
progress.
• Through tribal discussions, EPA has learned from tribal leaders about barriers they face applying for and managing federal financial resources.
Addressing these barriers will continue to be a priority for EPA and other federal agencies in FY 2024.
• Tribal and cross-agency partnerships are critical for continued progress. For example, EPA and BIA are coordinating and leveraging their tribal
grants programs to strengthen the adaptive capacity of tribes while avoiding duplication of effort.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the cumulative number of federally recognized tribes EPA provides with financial assistance, technical
assistance, or training that then take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change. Actions may include
but are not limited to developing a climate adaptation plan; identifying potential impacts; assessing vulnerability; planning; applying for additional
funding; adoption of adaptation measures such as green infrastructure; improved coordination with other key organizations (e.g., a state or federal
partner); estimation of financial impacts; or more effective remedy selection in a hazardous waste cleanup program. Results are cumulative from a
starting value of 0 on September 30, 2021.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, assist at least 550 states, territories, local governments, and communities, especially
communities that are underserved and disproportionately at risk from climate change, to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or
recover from the impacts of climate change.5
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM AD 10) Cumulative number of states, territories, local governments, and communities (i.e., EPA partners) assisted by EPA to take
action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
250
300
500
525
Partners
Above
Target
Actual
242
Data Avail
3/2024
Key Takeaways:
5 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, assist at least 450 states, territories, local governments, and communities, especially communities that are underserved and disproportionately at risk from
climate change, to take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change."
1063
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
• Preliminary data as of October 2023 show 453 state, territorial, local government, and community partners have taken action to increase their
adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change after EPA assistance. Final data will be available in March 2024 when grantees' progress
reports are received from partners.
• FY 2022 and FY 2023 investments in building climate resilience in communities are reflected in the number of communities that have taken
action to respond to the impacts of climate change. Investments from IIJA and IRA, ongoing appropriations, and focused staff efforts have all
contributed to the Agency's success.
• EPA is aware of the need to focus on building climate adaptation capacity in communities that currently have lower capacity to accept funding or
manage programs. This will continue to be a priority in FY 2024.
• The Office of Water is driving many of these outcomes with investments in water infrastructure, wetland restoration, and green infrastructure.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the cumulative number of states, territories, local governments, and communities EPA provides with financial
assistance, technical assistance, or training that then take action to anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, or recover from the impacts of climate change.
Actions may include but are not limited to: developing a climate adaptation plan; identifying potential impacts; assessing vulnerability; planning;
applying for additional funding; adoption of adaptation measures such as green infrastructure; improved coordination with other key organizations
(e.g., a state or federal partner); estimation of financial impacts; or more effective remedy selection in a hazardous waste cleanup program. Results
are cumulative from a starting value of 0 on September 30, 2021.
(PM AD11) Number of tribal, state, regional, and/or territorial versions of the Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center (ARC-X) or
similar systems universities and other partners, with EPA support, have committed to develop.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
/
~
f
Target
3
6
7
8
Systems
Above
Target
Actual
1
7
Key Takeaways:
• An Indiana state4evel version of the ARC-X system has already been launched by the University of Indiana. Commitments to develop state4evel
versions have also been made for Pennsylvania by Drexel University, Louisiana by Loyola University, and North Carolina by the North Carolina
Office of Recovery and Resiliency.
• Commitments to develop international versions of the ARC-X system have been made for Sao Paulo, Brazil (by CETESB, the State of Sao Paulo
Environmental Company), Sierra Leone (by Fourah Bay College), and Glasgow (by the University of Strathclyde).
Metric Details: This measure tracks the cumulative number of ARC-X or similar systems universities, or other parties, have committed to develop to
support tribal, state, regional, international, and/or territorial partners. ARC-X is an interactive EPA online resource designed to help local
1064
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
government officials in communities across the United States and internationally anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, and recover from the impacts of
climate change. It also is a portal to EPA tools and resources on climate adaptation. ARC-X provides users with an integrated package of information
tailored specifically to their needs, based on where they live and the issues of concern to them. The system is available at: https://www.epa.gov/arc-x.
The information provided in these resource centers will help communities understand and prepare for the impacts of climate change. In addition,
regional or local systems may expand resources to encompass the full breadth of climate adaptation issues, even those beyond EPA's mission.
Results are cumulative from a starting value of 0 on September 30, 2021.
(PM AD12) Hours of appropriate subject matter expert time provided by EPA to help communities adapt to climate impacts, build long-
term resilience, and support the most underserved and vulnerable communities after federally declared disasters.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
n
Target
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Hours
N/A
Actual
9,763
7,130
Key Takeaways:
• Ongoing work from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands (2017) continues to be a substantial investment of resources from
EPA.
• Resources from EPA were required to support new and ongoing disaster recovery efforts. These included efforts to recover from Hurricane Ian,
which hit Florida in September 2022, and the FY 2023 wildfires in Hawaii and New Mexico.
• While reduced from previous years, interagency coordination efforts from the recovery from Hurricane Sandy in the mid-Atlantic region (2012)
are ongoing.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA contributions to supporting local communities' efforts to rebuild in a manner that increases community
resiliency and adaptive capacity as they recover from federally declared disasters. This does not include clean-up or immediate response activities, but
rather supports communities to build back in ways that help anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to climate change. There are no targets for this measure
as the number of federal declared disasters where EPA assistance is requested varies by year. As the number of climate disasters increases so do the
demands on EPA time to assist in the recovery. Across the country, communities are experiencing more climate impacts and the communities
increasingly look to EPA to ensure safe recovery of community health, infrastructure, and environmental systems. Recovery efforts for major disasters
can extend for many years. This increases the number of hours EPA spends supporting communities as they recover and help the communities become
more resilient to future climate-related disasters. The data on the number of hours spent post disaster will help EPA plan for and provide the support
communities need to rebuild.
1065
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Objective 1.3: Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts-
provide leadership on the global stage to address climate change.
-Collaborate with Tribal, state, local, and international partners and
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
2(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• EPA secured agreement for new climate activities with Canada and Mexico
at the 30th Council Session of the North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (CEC) including: 1) a project on sharing
approaches and best practices to adaptation planning and implementation;
2) a new initiative on fast mitigation strategies for short-lived climate
pollutants, with a particular focus on addressing methane; 3) a third cycle
of the EJ4Climate grant program to support underserved and vulnerable
communities and Indigenous communities on the front lines of climate
change and; 4) a new cycle of the North American Partnership for
Environmental Community Action (NAPECA) grant program to engage
and empower Indigenous communities in climate adaptation.
• Following three years of international cooperation that was launched by
EPA, the International Standards Organization (ISO) completed a project
to standardize greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting for freight and passenger
transportation. This new standard provides a global framework for credible,
accurate calculation and evaluation of transportation-related climate
pollutants. Such transparency provides market leverage to reduce carbon
from goods movement and informs national and international policy. The
new ISO standard 14083, Quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas
emissions arising from transport chain operations, is now available for
global adoption (https://www.epa.gov/vcs/using-international-standards-
assess-greenhouse-gases-transportation).
• EPA Administrator Regan represented the United States at the G20
Environment Ministers Meeting where a consensus agreement on High
Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-Based
Economy was adopted. The document describes joint action on the ocean-
climate nexus, climate adaptation and resilience, climate mitigation, and
achieving successful outcomes at COP28
(http://www.g20.utoronto.ca/2023/230728-environment.html#annex).
1066
-------
Challenges:
• Multiple White House priorities on climate engagement and
competing priorities for other issues, such as trade. EPA has had
to rapidly shift efforts and in some instances is not able to provide
follow on assistance.
• Inability to hire new EPA staff and/or not received Congressional
requested funding.
1067
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GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Long-Term Performance Goal - By September 30, 2026, implement at least 40 international climate engagements that result in an individual
partner commitment or action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, adapt to climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that
promotes equity.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM E13a) Number of climate engagements that result in an individual partner commitment or action to reduce GHG emissions, adapt to
climate change, or improve resilience in a manner that promotes equity.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
8
10
10
10
Engage-
Above
Actual
8
10
ments
Target
Key Takeaways:
• Many countries and organizations have reached out to EPA to partner on climate activities, showing strong international interest, such as with
Egypt, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Taiwan. Note, China activities are not included in EPA
resources at present.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of senior level EPA international actions implemented annually that result in the provision of tools
that when utilized by partners can result in equitable GHG emissions reductions, adaptation to climate change, or improvements in resilience.
Climate change is a global issue that has far-reaching human health, social, economic, and biodiversity impacts on the planet, with direct adverse
effects in the United States. EPA represents the U.S. Government in climate-related multilateral meetings and treaty negotiations, such as Montreal
Protocol, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), G7 and G20 Environment Ministers meetings. EPA also works
directly with other countries and stakeholders through bilateral agreements and work plans to share technical expertise, implement capacity building,
and help countries address their climate gaps.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goal:
(PM E13b) Number of Border 2025 actions implemented in the U.S.-Mexico Border area to improve water quality, solid waste management
and air quality including those that address climate change, and advance emergency response efforts.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
1
Target
3
10
10
10
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
6
10
1068
-------
GOAL 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis
Key Takeaways:
• EPA co-hosted a two-day exercise in Eagle Pass, Texas to help agencies in both countries jointly prepare for environmental emergencies. The
event was co-hosted by EPA, Mexico's Federal Attorney of Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), Mexico's National Coordination for Civil
Protection (CNPC), and the Cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.
• EPA and Mexico's Secretariat for Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) co-hosted a webinar on e-Waste Recycling to discuss best
practices for e-waste recycling and challenges with e-waste management.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA actions to provide tools and capacity building activities that when utilized by partners can result in
improved water quality, solid waste management and air quality. These include actions to address climate change and advance emergency response
efforts along the two-thousand-mile border between the United States and Mexico.
1069
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Goal 2 at a Glance
Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights: Achieve tangible progress for historically overburdened and
underserved communities and ensure the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in
developing and implementing environmental laws, regulations and policies.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 2 Take Decisive Action to Advance
Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Obj 2.1 Promote Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and
Local Levels
$385,320
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
$151,662
Obj 2.2 Embed Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies,
and Activities
Obj 2.3 Strengthen Civil Rights
Enforcement in Communities with
Environmental Justice Concerns
$181,950
$51,708
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective nl00% of target met
Number of measures by percent of target achieved 'Vf "wV/'
° ~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
Obj 2.1
I Me) I
Obj 2.2
I i(G) I
Obj 2.3
1070
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State and Local Levels—Empower and buihl capacity
of underserved and overburdened communities to protect human health and the environment.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
knt)
1 (ND)
2(G)
5 (ND)
5(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• EPA is now in the deployment stages of releasing all newly designed grant
and technical assistance programs that will provide an array of options for
communities to easily access technical and financial support matched to
their needs and capacity.
• One of these new grant programs has established the national network of
Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers to provide foundational
capacity building support to thousands of communities across the United
States.
• Established a Direct Implementation (DI) Center of Excellence to support
actions that ensure EPA's implementation of federal environmental laws in
Indian Country is as robust as implementing those laws outside of Indian
Country.
• Championed the release by the White House of the "Guidance for Federal
Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge," recognizing
Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge
that contribute to the scientific, technical, social, and economic
advancements in EPA's collective understanding of the natural world.
• EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) is making steady
progress toward the FY 2026 environmental justice Long-Term
Performance Goal.
Challenges:
• Hiring sufficient staff across all headquarters and regional environmental
justice units to support the implementation of all financial and technical
assistance programs.
• Competing demands among multiple environmental justice initiatives, as
well as Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA) commitments.
• Although progress has been made in securing necessary software licenses,
EPA still needs to rapidly develop use of the platform to support process
1071
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
execution, stakeholder engagement, and coordination across EPA
programs and regional offices.
• Tribes continue to request that EPA develop mechanisms to
ensure that EPA funds build long-term programs for
environmental protection, and not only fund immediate needs and
short-term projects as the IIJA/IRA funding is currently designed.
• EPA continues to explore ways to make EPA direct
implementation regulatory data and information available to tribes
and the public. These efforts specifically refer to work benefitting
tribes, tribal members, and others by carrying out EPA's
obligations and responsibilities under EPA statutes in Indian
Country.
• ORD research activities for the FY 2023-FY 2026 research cycle
are in progress and cannot be counted until they are completed
near the end of FY 2026.
1072
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs that seek feedback and comment from the public will provide
capacity-building resources to communities with environmental justice concerns to support their ability to meaningfully engage and provide
useful feedback to those programs.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR01) Percentage of EPA programs and regional offices that provide capacity-building resources to communities with
environmental justice concerns to improve how the public's feedback and comments influence the Agency's decision-making process.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
25
50
75
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• Refined the focus of this measure to resources that increase skills and abilities for communities with environmental justice concerns, rather than
simple information sharing.
• Will begin implementation in early FY 2024 and will be able to make up ground in FY 2024 and FY 2025 to meet annual targets.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA national program sub-offices (those that regularly seek feedback from the public) and
regional offices that provide capacity-building resources to communities with environmental justice concerns. The purpose of the measure is to
improve how the public's feedback and comments influence the Agency's decision-making process. A qualifying capacity-building resource is a
product designed to develop or strengthen skills and abilities on the topic as it relates to EPA's programs/policies/activities (e.g., training, workshops,
handbooks, train-the-trainer sessions, dedicated technical assistance programs, grants). Simple knowledge transfer or providing information resources
does not qualify for this measure. In FY 2024, EPA will establish the universe for this measure.
(PM E JCR02) Percentage of EPA programs utilizing extramural vehicles to fund organizations and individuals providing environmental
justice expertise and support to advance EPA priorities and activities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
50
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
1073
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Key Takeaways:
• Established a non-competitive grant program as the primary funding vehicle for providing financial resources to community-based non-profit
organizations, other organizations, and individuals that provide environmental justice expertise in support of EPA's priorities and activities.
• Unable to report data in FY 2023 due to staffing and workload challenges.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of EPA programs that provide financial resources to community-based non-profit organizations,
other organizations, and individuals that provide environmental justice expertise in support of EPA's priorities and activities. As part of EPA's
decision-making processes or other Agency work streams, EPA programs regularly rely upon the time, efforts, and expertise of community members,
leaders, and organizations for a variety of activities/inputs. Examples of EPA activities that organizations or individuals could provide support for
include organizing, educating, and engaging communities on environmental justice, climate justice, and other EPA priorities. EPA programs that rely
on such community support will provide funding, as appropriate, to those community members/organizations for their time, efforts, and expertise just
as they would if they needed the time, support, and expertise of a scientist or engineer. Providing funding can be achieved through use of financial
assistance instruments such as grants and cooperative agreements, procurement vehicles, or interagency agreements, depending upon the principal
purpose of the financial transaction.
(PM EJCR03) Percentage of environmental justice grantees whose funded projects result in a governmental response.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
Established
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Grantees
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• Developed a logic model framework to track outputs and outcomes such as this one over the long-term for several environmental justice grant
programs.
• Unable to report data in FY 2023 due to staffing and workload challenges.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of environmental justice grantees whose EPA-funded projects result in a governmental response
(planned and/or actualized). The governmental response can range from on-the-ground response/activity to a policy change, and it may be at the
local, state, tribal, or federal level. Tracking this measure would require incorporation of expectations for reporting into grant solicitations and
agreements, and sufficient time post-award for results to materialize.
1074
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, include commitments to address disproportionate impacts in all written agreements
between EPA and Tribes and states (e.g., grant work plans) implementing delegated authorities.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM E JCR04) Percentage of new grant workplans submitted by states that include commitments to address disproportionate impacts.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
5
25
50
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Agreements
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• In FY 2024, EPA will have additional staff available to coordinate the cross-agency work needed to prepare for and support implementation of
this measure.
• EPA will also begin using a new grant implementation workflow platform that will greatly enhance transparency, accountability, and reporting on
achievement of grant commitments.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of new grant workplans submitted by states in performance partnership agreements/performance
partnership grants (PPAs/PPGs) that include commitments to address disproportionate impacts. EPA will partner with stakeholders to determine what
qualifies as a commitment to address disproportionate impacts.
(PM E JCR05) Percentage of state-issued permits reviewed by EPA that include terms and conditions that are responsive to environmental
justice concerns and comply with civil rights obligations.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
10
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Permits
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• Explored the permit-review processes and tracking mechanisms within the different permitting programs and determined that additional work and
resources were needed to standardize and centralize tracking to operationalize this measure.
1075
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
• In FY 2024, EPA will explore other foundational measures in the permitting space that are implementable.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of state-issued permits reviewed by EPA that are explicitly responsive to environmental justice
concerns and comply with civil rights obligations. Achievement of this work is pursued through the provision of clear guidance, training, and support
by EPA programs to states and other partners.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, EPA programs with direct implementation authority will take at least 100
significant actions that will result in measurable improvements in Indian country.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM E21) Number of significant actions taken by EPA programs with direct implementation authority that will result in measurable
improvements in Indian country.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
]\
Target
No Target
Established
25
20
15
Significant
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
25
25
Key Takeaways:
• EPA created a Direct Implementation (DI) Center of Excellence with EPA Region 9 to focus on direct implementation activities in all EPA
programs and regions to identify best practices, promote uniformity and add efficiency across EPA when performing direct implementation
activities.
• EPA continues to make progress in making direct implementation regulatory data and information available to tribes on EPA public-facing data
systems.
• As a significant action, EPA trained over 800 staff on direct implementation responsibilities.
Metric Details: This measure tracks number of significant actions by EPA direct implementation programs that will assist EPA in meeting federal
trust responsibilities and provide for equitable program implementation in Indian country. Significant actions are those actions taken on an
annualized basis by an EPA program to achieve four significant direct implementation program priorities: 1) training on direct implementation for
EPA staff; 2) contributing to an Agency direct implementation report identifying barriers and making recommendations; 3) making EPA direct
implementation federal facility and entity data available on EPA's environmental justice mapping and screening tool EJScreen; and 4) identifying
actions taken to improve EPA direct implementation and progress made to remove direct implementation barriers.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all state recipients of EPA financial assistance will have foundational civil rights
programs in place.
1076
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM E JCR06) Percentage of required civil rights procedural safeguard elements implemented by state permitting agencies that are
recipients of EPA financial assistance.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
/
Target
20
40
70
90
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
33
58
Numerator
138
236
Elements
Denominator
408
408
Key Takeaways:
• The percentage of civil rights procedural safeguard elements came in above target for FY 2023 and thus the baseline coming into FY 2024 is
higher as well, with data review indicating that several state agency recipients implemented procedural safeguards elements during the course of
FY 2023. Accordingly, EPA has adjusted the targets for FY 2024 and 2025.
• Fourteen state agency recipients showed implementation of all the procedural safeguards elements reviewed, with another six state agency
recipients needing to implement only one more procedural safeguard element to have full implementation.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of civil rights procedural safeguards elements implemented by state recipients of EPA financial
assistance, calculated as the percentage of required civil rights procedural safeguards elements (8) implemented by state environmental permitting
agencies that are recipients of EPA financial assistance (51) by using the denominator of 408 (51 x 8). The numerator is the total number of civil
rights procedural safeguards elements implemented in aggregate by the state environmental permitting agencies.
(PM E JCR07) Percentage of EPA national program and regional offices that extend paid internships, fellowships, or clerkships to college
students from diverse backgrounds.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
50
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
Numerator
21
Programs
and
Regions
Denominatoi
21
1077
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Key Takeaways:
• All headquarters, national, and regional offices extended paid internships to students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. In most cases the
percentages of students' self-reported ethnicities closely mirrored the overall ethnic percentages of the U.S.
• EPA continued to conduct outreach with Minority Serving Institutions, Historic Black Colleges and Universities, and tribal and indigenous
educational institutions to market and attract students for paid internships at EPA.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of EPA national programs and regional offices that have dedicated funding to bring college
students from diverse backgrounds into the Agency on paid internships, fellowships, or clerkships.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, increase by 40% the number of Office of Research and Development (ORD)
activities related to environmental justice that involve or are applicable to Tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM RD2) Number of ORD activities related to environmental justice that involve or are designed to be applicable to tribes, states,
territories, local governments, and communities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
Established
113
113
113
Activities
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
117
Key Takeaways:
• Developed systematic ways to tag ORD activities as environmental justice-related to ensure all relevant activities are identified and tracked.
• Several ORD research activities for the FY 2023-2026 research cycle are in progress and will be counted upon completion near the end of FY
2026.
• The ORD Environmental Justice Council sponsored (or collaboratively co-sponsored) five webinars for Agency staff to advance equity and
justice in EPA research through agencywide dialogue and opportunities to build collaborations.
• Completed Phase 2 of the Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students with the goal of enhancing communities' capacity to address
environmental and public health inequities using data and publicly available tools. Distributed a prize package of $175,000 to the Phase 2
winning teams that included local community organizations along with the student team members (available at:
https://www.epa.gov/innovation/phase-2-winners-ei-video-challenge-students .
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of completed environmental justice-related ORD activities that involved communities or are
designed to be applicable to tribes, states, territories, local governments, and communities with environmental justice concerns. ORD activities
related to environmental justice are any actions, projects, research, tool development, training, etc. that are funded or conducted by ORD and
1078
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
intended to help inform and/or reach the goal of environmental justice as defined by EPA. An activity is considered to involve a tribe, state, territory,
local government, or community if ORD engages with or consults the affected entity (or entities) on the specific activity. An activity is considered to
be applicable to a tribe, state, territory, local government, or community if the results of the activity may be directly for or used by the entity (or
entities) and/or be used in decisions affecting communities or otherwise have potential to benefit a community (or communities) with environmental
justice concerns. The FY 2019-2022 baseline was established as 324 EJ-related ORD activities. The goal is a 40% increase, or 454 total EJ-related
ORD activities over FY 2023-2026. The approximate annual target for FY 2023-2026 is the average of 113 EJ activities per year {i.e., 454/4 = 113 EJ
activities/year).
(PM RD4) Percentage of ORD environmental justice-related research products meeting partner needs.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
mp
Target
93
94
94
94
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
100
Numerator
1
3
Products
Denominator
1
3
Key Takeaways:
• Met partner needs for 100% of environmental justice-related research products included in the annual partner satisfaction assessment. For
example, the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Applications to Brownfields Reuse and Redevelopment to Support Community Resiliency and
Revitalization documents the HIA conducted to evaluate the potential health impacts of proposed neighborhood revitalization of the South Main
Corridor Area in Rockford, Illinois (available at: https://assessments.epa.gov/risk/document/&deid=354883).
• ORD has increased the number of environmental justice-related research products assessed and will continue to do so as ORD implements the FY
2023-2026 Strategic Research Action Plan (available at: https://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans-fiscal-vears-2023-2026).
Metric Details: Partner satisfaction is assessed through a robust survey process. The annual survey engages key users of ORD products. Survey
respondents assess the scientific rigor of research products (quality), product relevance (usability), and timeliness of product delivery. This measure
will assess a subset of ORD's research products specifically related to environmental justice.
1079
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective 2.2: Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA's Programs, Policies, and Activities—Integrate environmental justice
and civil rights in all the Agency's work to maximize benefits and minimize impacts to underserved and overburdened communities.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Continued to build out the new national program office with hiring of
management and staff as well as coordination of a consistent regional
reorganization proposal to create consistent lines of direction and
communication across the entire environmental justice and external civil
rights enterprise.
• Worked closely with program office staff to integrate environmental justice
and external civil rights considerations in policy documents and significant
regulatory actions.
• Expanded staff capacity to participate in EPA regulatory workgroups and
identify integration points for environmental justice considerations.
• Deployed a holistic grant and technical assistance program to support
community-based organizations, which will allow EPA to align
investments and efforts to better meet the needs of communities.
• Experience having developed first ever national program and regional
office implementation plans has informed significant maturation of the
approach to future instances of national program guidance and
accompanying implementation plans. These plans cover a broad spectrum
of policies and program implementation activities.
Challenges:
• Hiring sufficient staff across all headquarters and regional environmental
justice units to support the implementation of all financial and technical
assistance programs.
• Difficulties in finalizing attainment of suitable contractor support has
significantly delayed progress on key priorities, such as the ten indicators
of disparity elimination commitment.
• Although progress has been made in securing necessary software licenses,
EPA still needs to rapidly develop use of a platform to support process
execution, stakeholder engagement, and coordination across EPA programs
and regional offices.
1080
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
• Managing environmental justice commitments across EPA
programs and regional offices is complex, as is scoping the
associated measures appropriately.
1081
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce disparities in environmental and public health conditions represented by the
indicators identified through the FY 2022-2023 Agency Priority Goal.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
For FY 2024 and FY 2025, progress on this Long-Term Performance Goal will be tracked under the Agency Priority Goal "Implement guidance,
tools, and metrics for EPA and its Tribal, state, local, and community partners to advance environmental justice and external civil rights compliance."
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, 80% of significant EPA actions with environmental justice implications will clearly
demonstrate how the action is responsive to environmental justice concerns and reduces or otherwise addresses disproportionate impacts.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR08) Percentage of significant EPA actions with environmental justice implications that respond to environmental justice concerns
and reduce or address disproportionate impacts.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
40
50
60
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Actions
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• In FY 2023, EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) worked with the Office of Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) on development of the Procedures for Chemical Risk Evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
The proposed rule strengthens EPA's process for conducting chemical risk evaluations. The rule advances President Biden's environmental
justice agenda which includes enhancements to environmental protections in communities overburdened by pollution.
• In early FY 2024, EPA will have additional staff available to develop reference materials to prepare for and support implementation and tracking
of this measure.
• EPA expects to make significant progress over the next several years, to meet the Long-Term Performance Goal target.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of actions (rules) determined to be significant under the Executive Order on Regulatory Planning
and Review (EO 12866). The Office of Policy's Office of Regulatory Policy and Management's (OP-ORPM) EPA Action Management System
(EAMS) database will be used to determine the denominator for this measure. Responding to environmental justice concerns means acknowledging
the concerns in the written decision or final regulation and, wherever feasible, including terms, conditions, mitigation, monitoring, regulatory
requirements, etc. that are responsive to the concerns expressed by communities and/or issues identified through environmental justice analysis.
1082
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Reducing or addressing disproportionate impacts in the final action means including an explanation for how the action reduces and/or mitigates
disproportionality associated with cumulative threats to public health and environmental quality.
(PM EJCR09) Percentage of EPA programs that have developed guidance on the use of environmental justice and equity screening tools.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
50
75
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• In early FY 2024, EPA will have additional staff available to develop key principles on screening as guidance for programs and regions to use to
implement this measure.
• With guidance and subject matter expertise offered to programs and regions, EPA will be able to make up ground over the next two years.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA national program sub-offices that have developed written guidance on the use of
environmental justice and equity screening tools within their programmatic context. Screening tools provide geospatial information about potential
environmental, public health, and equity issues in underserved and overburdened communities (e.g., EJScreen, Climate and Economic Justice
Screening Tool. The written guidance will be used within the program sub-office and related regional divisions.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs that work in and with communities will do so in ways that are
community-driven, coordinated and collaborative, support equitable and resilient community development, and provide for meaningful
involvement and fair treatment of communities with environmental justice concerns.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR10) Percentage of EPA programs and regions that work in and with communities that do so in ways that are community-driven,
coordinated and collaborative, support equitable and resilient community development, and provide for meaningful involvement and fair
treatment of communities with environmental justice concerns.
1083
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
I V 20IS
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
1 nits
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
25
IVivcnl
AI">o\ e
Target
Actual
\ A
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
Key Takeaways:
• Updated EPA's Public Involvement Policy (2003) as EPA's Meaningful Involvement Policy.
• In FY 2024, will begin tracking implementation of the updated policy through new performance goal EJCR19.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of EPA programs and regional offices that integrate key principles for community work (e.g.,
community-driven, coordinated, and collaborative) into core functions (e.g., regulatory development, permitting, enforcement). This approach allows
EPA to operate across programs to support projects based on community need rather than operating exclusively in programmatic silos.
(PM EJCR11) Number of established EJ collaborative partnerships utilizing key principles for community work (e.g., community-driven,
coordinated, and collaborative).
I V 2018
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
I nits
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
.ii)
Pailnuships
Above
Target
Actual
\ A
Key Takeaways:
• The focus of this performance goal will be captured in the new performance goal (EJCR19). An important component of developing meaningful
public involvement plans will be to identify partnerships, and to coordinate and collaborate with those partners to meaningfully involve
communities with environmental justice concerns.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the number of collaborative partnerships in communities supported and participated in by EPA, utilizing key
principles for community work (e.g., community-driven, coordinated and collaborative).
1084
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
(PM EJCR19) Percentage of EPA national programs and regions that have created a new meaningful involvement plan for a specific Agency
project or decision with potential impacts in communities with environmental justice concerns.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
45
60
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
Numerator
Programs
Denominator
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA national program sub-offices and regional offices that create new meaningful
involvement plans for a specific Agency project or decision with potential impacts in communities with environmental justice concerns. When
seeking ideas, input, feedback, and recommendations from the public to influence a project or decision, national program sub-offices and regional
divisions should develop a meaningful involvement plan. A meaningful involvement plan identifies the components of a well-designed process to
involve the public in the Agency's decision-making from planning the process, to designing and implementing communication materials and
involvement activities, to showing how the public influenced the project or decision. Qualifying plans will be tailored to fit the need and scale of a
particular project or decision. In FY 2024, EPA will establish the universe for this measure.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will identify and implement areas and opportunities
to integrate environmental justice considerations and achieve civil rights compliance in their planning, guidance, policy directives,
monitoring, and review activities.
1085
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR13) Percentage of EPA national programs and regions that have established environmental justice and external civil rights
implementation plans.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
Numerator
17
Regions
and
Programs
Denominator
17
Key Takeaways:
• In FY 2023, for the first time in EPA history, seven national programs and ten regions developed environmental justice and external civil rights
implementation plans. Each of these plans listed commitments under the priorities of working with communities, environmental justice and
external civil rights integration at EPA, engagement with external partners, external civil rights compliance, and other coordinated cross-agency
activities.
• EPA brought in a contractor to assist with qualitative analysis of the commitments in the 17 implementation plans, and to develop a summary
document that was posted on EPA's website. The FY 2023 Summary of the Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Implementation
Plans is available at: https://www.epa.gov/svstem/files/documents/2023-
08/FY%202023%20Summarv%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Justice%20and%20External%20Civil%20Rights%20Implementation%20Pla
ns.pdf
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA national program and regional offices that have established annual environmental justice
and external civil rights implementation plans and are tracking progress on commitments. OEJECR provides guidance on agencywide focus areas for
environmental justice integration and external civil rights compliance to include in environmental justice and external civil rights implementation
plans on an annual basis.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will implement program and region-specific language
assistance plans.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
1086
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
(PM EJCR14) Percentage of EPA programs and regions that have implemented program and region-specific language assistance plans.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
J
Target
30
35
60
80
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
0
5
Numerator
0
1
Programs
and
Regions
Denominator
23
19
Key Takeaways:
• Led action requested in November 2022 by the U.S. Attorney General for all federal agencies to review, revise, and update their limited English
proficiency (LEP) plans and policies for providing public access. Coordinated this review across EPA to update EPA Order 1000.32.
• Revised EPA Order 1000.32, which was finalized on November 3, 2023, issued by the Office of Mission Support and posted by the Department
of Justice (DOJ) on its LEP.gov webpage.
• Developed one sample plan, which is being used to develop additional program specific plans. Regions 4, 5, and 6 are leading efforts to develop a
sample regional plan to be used by all regional offices in FY 2024 and beyond.
• Development of program and region-specific plans was delayed as EPA revised the existing Order, Standard Operating Procedures, budget
methodology, etc., as requested by the Attorney General. EPA was featured as a model agency during the DOJ launch event in light of its efforts
to integrate this action in EPA's Strategic Plan and measure progress in implementing program and region-specific plans across EPA through a
Long-Term Performance Goal.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA headquarters (9) and regional offices (10) that develop and implement plans and
procedures, consistent with EPA Order 1000.32, "Compliance with Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited
English Proficiency." The Order outlines necessary steps the Agency will take to provide meaningful language access to persons with limited English
proficiency. Program and regional office plans and procedures will ensure that every EPA community outreach and engagement activity considers
the needs of community members with limited English proficiency and that EPA secures the language services necessary to provide "meaningful
access" to EPA programs and activities for individuals with limited English proficiency. EPA Order 1000.32 is available at: LEP.GOV
(https://www.lep.gov/sites/lep/files/media/document/2023-
ll/2023%20Enviromental%20Protection%20Agencv%20%28EPA%29%20Language%20Access%20Plan.pdf) and will also be posted on EPA's
internet pages.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, all EPA programs and regions will implement program and region-specific
disability access plans.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
1087
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
(PM EJCR15) Percentage of EPA programs and regions that have implemented program and region-specific disability access plans.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
Established
10
25
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
0
Numerator
0
Programs
and
Regions
Denominator
19
Key Takeaways:
• Action delayed due to staffing and workload challenges. Pursuing a contract vehicle that will be used to develop the EPA Order, policies and
procedures in FY 2024.
• Related to work on Executive Order 14091, formed a workgroup to assist in developing the issue of external disability access as a priority area.
Have identified barriers, needs, and a strategy for moving forward to develop a program.
• In the process of hiring a National Program Coordinator to lead EPA's limited English proficiency and disability access efforts.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA headquarters (9) and regional offices (10) that develop and implement plans and
procedures, consistent with guidance and an EPA Order to be issued in FY 2024 to ensure meaningful access to EPA programs and activities for
persons with disabilities. Program and regional office plans and procedures will ensure every EPA community outreach and engagement activity
considers the needs of persons with disabilities and that EPA provides persons with disabilities reasonable accommodations and appropriate auxiliary
aids and services where necessary so they may effectively participate in EPA program and activities.
1088
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Objective 2.3: Strengthen Civil Rights Enforcement in Communities with Environmental Justice Concerns
compliance with civil rights laws to address the legacy of pollution in overburdened communities.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
Strengthen enforcement of and
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1(G)
1(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
• Far exceeded targets for information sharing sessions and outreach and
technical assistance events held with overburdened and underserved
communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on external civil
rights and environmental justice issues.
• Launched the revised Pre-Award Form 4700-4 review process in January
2023. By the end of FY 2023, had entered into 113 six-month agreements
to correct deficiencies, with 36 successfully completed.
• Launched Post-Award Audit Program in March 2023, and initiated four
state audits, completing one. One agreement to correct deficiencies is
already in place.
• Completed jurisdictional review of a record 47 complaints. Accepted 10 of
those cases for investigation and resolved five.
• Entered into Informal Resolution negotiations in 21 cases - more than ever
in EPA's history.
Challenges:
• A historic number of complaint receipts in FY 2023 (49, twice the number
received in FY 2021), has delayed the initiation of additional compliance
reviews.
1089
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, initiate 45 proactive post-award civil rights compliance reviews to address
discrimination issues in environmentally overburdened and underserved communities.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR16) Number of proactive post-award civil rights compliance reviews initiated to address discrimination issues in environmentally
overburdened and underserved communities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
J
Target
3
6
4
10
Compliance
Above
A*
Actual
1
1
0
1
0
Reviews
Target
~ ~ ¦
Key Takeaways:
• EPA initiated no new civil rights compliance reviews due to ongoing resource limitations and receipt of a record number of civil rights
complaints.
• EPA is targeting 3-6 compliance reviews for initiation in FY 2024 in anticipation of additional resources.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of EPA's civil rights enforcement efforts through annual affirmative civil rights compliance
reviews of EPA funding recipients targeting critical environmental health and quality of life impacts in overburdened communities.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, complete 305 audits to ensure EPA financial assistance recipients are complying
with nondiscrimination program procedural requirements.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR17) Number of audits completed to ensure EPA financial assistance recipients are complying with federal civil rights laws.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
J
Target
25
30
30
60
Audits
Above
Target
Actual
0
0
1
Key Takeaways:
• EPA for the first time initiated post-award audits of Form 4700-4 submissions by recipients of EPA financial assistance, following on the
implementation of EPA's revised EPA's pre-award compliance review process on January 1, 2023, for applicants and recipients requesting EPA
financial assistance. EPA initiated four and completed one post-award audit in FY 2023. EPA is in the process of on-boarding contractor
assistance to initiate and conduct post-award audits in FY 2024.
1090
-------
GOAL 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of post-award audits of Form 4700-4 forms completed to ensure EPA financial assistance
recipients have in place foundational nondiscrimination program requirements as required by federal law and EPA's nondiscrimination regulation.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, complete 84 information sharing sessions and outreach and technical assistance
events with overburdened and underserved communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights and environmental
justice issues.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM EJCR18) Number of information sharing sessions and outreach and technical assistance events held with overburdened and
underserved communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights and environmental justice issues.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
J
Target
8
90
650
1,100
Sessions
and Events
Above
Target
Actual
40
30
235
Key Takeaways:
• With the creation of the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) as a program office, the universe of reporting on
this performance goal expanded to regional environmental justice divisions. This expansion has led to far exceeding the original target for this
performance goal.
• As staffing levels continue to increase for OEJECR and regional environmental justice divisions, it is likely that target-setting and actual numbers
will continue to increase exponentially.
Metric Details: Starting in FY 2022, this measure tracks the cumulative number of EPA's OEJECR engagements with overburdened and underserved
communities and environmental justice advocacy groups on civil rights and/or environmental justice issues with impacts on communities with
environmental justice concerns. This outreach will help the Agency to better identify concerns and priorities for EPA's civil rights and environmental
justice work. This also allows for increased capacity-building and meaningful involvement opportunities for communities with environmental justice
concerns.
1091
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Goal 3 at a Glance
Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance: Improve compliance with the nation's environmental laws and hold violators accountable.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 3 Enforce Environmental Laws and
Ensure Compliance
Obj 3.1 Hold Environmental Violators and
Responsible Parties Accountable
Obj 3.2 Detect Violations and Promote
Compliance
$559,063
$244,537
$803,600
(of $10,148,733 EPA
total)
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective °f tfatrget Tet (tGL
° ' 1 ~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
Number of measures by percent of target achieved ~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
Obj 3.1
Obj 3.2
1092
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective 3.1: Hold Environmental Violators and Responsible Parties Accountable—Use vigorous and targeted civil and criminal enforcement
to ensure accountability for violations and to clean up contamination.
_ r . . ~ 100% of target met (G)
Performance toward target over time ^ ,
° ~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
Number of measures by percent of target target met(R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1(G)
3(G)
1 (Y)
2(G)
3(G)
2(G)
3(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Percentage of NPDES Permittees in Significant
Noncompliance with their Permit Limits,
FY 2018 - FY 2023
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020
Actual
FY 2021 FY 2022
^Target
FY 2023
EPA, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, has
determined that performance toward this objective is making noteworthy
progress due to numerous activities to accelerate results, notably in priority
areas, e.g., environmental justice and climate change.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
Strengthened Enforcement to Advance Environmental Justice (EJ)
• Concluded 1,791 civil judicial and administrative cases (highest number
since 2018), with 55% addressing facilities in areas with potential
environmental justice concerns.
• Issued 203 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) orders, protecting >1,9M
people, including eight emergency orders protecting -2,000 people in
small, overburdened communities.
Combatting Climate Change and integrating climate consideration in policies
• Protected communities by reducing >60M lbs. of carbon dioxide (CO2)
equivalent and ~11.9M lbs. of Volatile Organic Compounds and Hazardous
Air Pollutants.
• Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) task force provided criminal enforcement
training to >200 from partner agencies, e.g., Customs and Border Patrol,
Department of Homeland Security.
• Settlements with gas processing plants in 12 states and Indian Country
provided >$25M in penalties and injunctive relief (IR) and will reduce
thousands of tons of methane.
Protecting human health through Addressing PFAS and Lead Exposures
• Multiple cases related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
contamination of drinking water and unauthorized releases, including a
SDWA 1431 order at 3M Cordova.
• Took 107 enforcement cases to prevent community exposure to lead in pre-
1978 housing, particularly multi-unit, and subsidized housing.
Strong Enforcement Results
1093
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
• Civil actions: over $3.7B in IR, $167M in penalties, and 1.2B lbs.
of pollution reduced.
• Criminal: $536M in fines/restitution, ~$4.5M in court-ordered
environmental projects, and forfeiture of $521M in illegal
proceeds. Obtained criminal sentences of-104 years.
• Superfund response/cost recovery commitments of ~$1.1B
(including $22.6M from redevelopers); oversaw 175 federal
facility National Priorities List sites.
• Working with Mexico, Canada, and Tribes, implemented a North
America enforcement program targeting illegal trade of certain
chemicals from ships.
Challenges:
• Delays in promotions/new hire processing leave extended
vacancies, reducing inspectors in the field and hindering
knowledge transfer before departures.
• Complex cases (e.g., national companies, complex facilities) often
take longer.
1094
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce to not more than 93 the number of open civil judicial cases more than 2.5
years old without a complaint filed.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM 436) Number of open civil judicial cases more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
n
1
Target
129
120
99
99
96
95
94
Cases
Below
Target
Actual
94
74
66
65
50
Key Takeaways:
• EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) continue to move the most challenging civil judicial cases toward resolution in a timely manner,
thereby returning violators to compliance more quickly and supporting increases in pounds of pollutants reduced and pounds of waste managed.
Case teams incorporate best practices into case docket reviews (e.g., preparation of case status updates prior to docket reviews) to ensure timely
conclusion of cases. Likewise, managers promote the use of docket best practices with their case teams. Today, the number of open civil judicial
cases more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed is more than 60% lower than in 2018 when the measure was initiated.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of all open civil judicial cases that are more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed, excluding
Superfund, bankruptcy, collection action, and access order cases. By measuring and highlighting the amount of time from referral of an enforcement
case to DOJ to its conclusion, the Agency hopes to reduce the time by which violation(s) alleged in the case are corrected. Data are tracked in the
Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS). The average time from referral to complaint for a complaint filed between FY 2013 and FY 2017
was 2.5 years. The baseline for this measure is 129 cases that were more than 2.5 years old without a complaint filed as of June 30, 2018.
(PM 446) Quarterly percentage of Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permittees in significant
noncompliance with their permit limits.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Ili
Target
17.8
15.2
12.7
10.1
10.1
Percent
Below
Target
Actual
20.3
17.1
16.4
12.6
9.0
9.3
Numerator
8,310
7,015
6,941
5,330
3,942
4,168
Permittees
Denominator
40,944
41,085
42,334
42,429
44,015
44,784
Key Takeaways:
• Maintained an NPDES significant noncompliance (SNC) rate of 9.3% in FY 2023, surpassing the target of 10.1%.
1095
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
• Through the SNC National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, EPA fully utilized its compliance toolbox. This included developing a new
mechanism for prioritizing NPDES noncompliance to help EPA and states focus attention on the worst violators and conducting quarterly
meetings with all 47 NPDES authorized states focused on data sharing and ways to reduce SNC challenges. The SNC National Enforcement and
Compliance Initiative concluded in FY 2023 upon successful completion of the goal to reduce the SNC rate by half, and EPA will discontinue
this measure.
• These results would not have been possible without the effective EPA-state partnership, and the commitment that states made to the SNC
National Compliance Initiative. Furthermore, a close working partnership with the Association of Clean Water Administrators played a key role
in obtaining input from the states to help plot a successful and collaborative path for the initiative.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the NPDES SNC/Category 1 noncompliance rate among individually permitted major and non-major (minor)
NPDES permittees in the last quarter of the year. NPDES SNC/Category 1 noncompliance identifies a specific level of violation, based on duration,
severity, and type of violation, and is assessed quarterly. The numerator counts major and minor permittees that were in SNC/Category 1
noncompliance in the last quarter of the fiscal year. The denominator includes all active individually permitted NPDES permittees (except permittees
for which there is insufficient permit data/compliance tracking status in ICIS-NPDES for the data system to evaluate SNC status). The FY 2018
baseline of 20.3% represents an average based on four quarters of data.
(PM 434) Millions of pounds of pollutants and waste reduced, treated, or eliminated through concluded enforcement actions.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
k-
1j
Target
325
325
325
325
325
325
No Target
Established
No Target
Established
Millions of
Pounds
Above
Target
Actual
810
347
2,058
7,864
195
1,214
Key Takeaways:
• Results in any given year are dependent on actual case outcomes, which are variable and difficult to predict. Annual totals are often influenced by
a few large cases (e.g., in FY 2021, the exceptionally high result was due to the US Magnesium case which accounted for 90% of the total pounds
of pollutants reduced, treated, or eliminated that year).
• In FY 2023, one case (PCS Nitrogen) accounted for 94% of the total. PCS Nitrogen manufactured phosphate products in Louisiana for agriculture
from the 1960s to 2018, including phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizer, through processes that generated large quantities of acidic wastewater
and phosphogypsum. The facility is now undergoing closure and PCS will spend over $84M to reduce environmental impact and treat over IB
lbs. of waste.
Metric Details: This measure combines estimated pounds of air, water, hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and toxics/pesticides pollutants
reduced, treated, or eliminated through concluded enforcement actions. Given the fact that this measure is dependent on the settlement of a small
number of cases which are difficult to predict, it will not have targets after FY 2023.
1096
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Objective 3.2: Detect Violations and Promote Compliance— Ensure high levels of compliance with federal environmental laws and regulations
through effective compliance tools — including inspections, other monitoring activities, and technical assistance supported by evidence and
advanced technologies.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures bv percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1(G)
1(G)
1 (Y)
2(G)
3(G)
3(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of Federal On Site Compliance
Monitoring Inspections and Evaluations and Off
Site Compliance Monitoring Activities
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Actual ^^wTarget
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
Inspections
• Increased the number of on-site inspections to > 7,700, a 31% increase
over FY 2022.
• Over 60% of on-site inspections were at facilities affecting communities
with potential environmental justice (EJ) concerns, exceeding the 50% goal
set for this year.
• Credentialed new inspectors for public drinking water systems (PWS), and
increased training for all PWS inspectors with 115 sessions reaching over
450 participants.
• Initiated sampling of private drinking water wells near military installations
with known, significant per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
contamination.
• Led or accompanied states, territories, or tribes that have been approved to
implement and enforce the public water system program on nearly 120
onsite inspections and performed offsite compliance monitoring at more
than 260 Community Water Systems.
Community Engagement and Compliance Assistance
• Newly released and updated Enforcement and Compliance History Online
(ECHO) tools (Notify, Clean Air Act tool, PFAS Analytical, and Drinking
Water System Search). New and updated tools allow users to access test
results, facilitate communication, and present a comprehensive overview of
the cumulative impacts within a respective community.
• Compliance Ad\'isors assisted and trained 195 small public water systems
and 61 small wastewater treatment facilities; 84% are in communities with
potential EJ concerns.
• Prioritized "Mitigation of Climate Change" enforcement, by establishing it
as a new National Enforcement Compliance Initiative (NECI).
Evidence-Based Enforcement
1097
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
• Compliance Learning Agenda advanced its evidence-based
studies focusing on offsite compliance monitoring and the root
causes of municipal noncompliance.
• Advanced EPA Learning Agenda priority area for reducing
drinking water noncompliance by synthesizing existing tools that
identify systems of concern and confirming key characteristics
important to maintaining or improving compliance.
Challenges:
• During the past decade, the enforcement program has lost over
900 positions, nearly 30 percent of its workforce, resulting in loss
of expertise and fewer inspections.
• Despite efforts, thousands of community water systems violate
health-based standards each year, exposing millions to potential
health risks. Many states and tribes have limited capacity to
address these violations.
1098
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, send 75% of EPA inspection reports to facilities within 70 days of inspection.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM 444) Percentage of EPA inspection reports sent to the facility within 70 days of inspection.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
75
75
75
75
75
Percent
Above
Target
n I
Actual
83
85
83
77
Numerator
4,177
1,940
4,362
5,521
Reports
Denominator
5,037
2,287
5,237
7,129
Key Takeaways:
• Ongoing cooperation between EPA headquarters and regional offices continues to ensure that the majority of inspection reports are completed by
EPA within 60 calendar days and sent to facilities within 70 calendar days of an inspection.
• As EPA inspectors have resumed a more active field presence post-pandemic and have conducted more on-site inspections, there was an expected
decrease in the completion of inspection reports within the timeframe as compared with prior years; however, the results are still above the target.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of inspection reports completed and sent to the facility within 70 calendar days of an inspection.
Improving the timeliness of EPA inspection reports allows facilities to address compliance issues more quickly. The 75% goal recognizes that it may
not always be possible or appropriate to provide an inspection report within 70 days because of the nature and complexity of the compliance and
enforcement program.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, conduct 55% of annual EPA inspections at facilities that affect communities with
potential environmental justice concerns.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
1099
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
(PM 450) Percentage of EPA inspections at facilities affecting communities with potential environmental justice concerns.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
r
Target
45
50
50
55
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
57
61
Numerator
3,333
4,700
Inspections
Denominator
5,861
7,750
Key Takeaways:
• EPA conducted nearly 61% of all inspections at facilities affecting communities with potential environmental justice concerns, surpassing the
target of 50%. The Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) and internal tools have been enhanced to make this inspection data easily
accessible to all Agency staff and management, ensuring that communities most in need of environmental protection are receiving appropriate
attention and review.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA on-site inspections conducted by credentialed EPA inspectors at facilities affecting
communities with potential environmental justice concerns. The total includes facilities with one environmental indicator triggered at the 80th
percentile at the national level (80th percentile/one index trigger) on EPA's environmental justice mapping and screening tool EJScreen, and other
areas flagged through an enhanced review. The baseline for this measure is 27% based on an average of FY 2017- FY 2019 results (pre-COVID
levels).
Other Core Work
Annual performance goal:
(PM 409) Number of federal on-site compliance monitoring inspections and evaluations and off-site compliance monitoring activities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
Inspections
&
Evaluation
s
Above
Target
Actual
10,600
10,300
8,500
10,800
13,900
13,100
Key Takeaways:
• EPA conducted approximately 7,750 on-site inspections (-1,850 more than in FY 2022) and 5,350 off-site compliance monitoring activities.
1100
-------
GOAL 3: Enforce Environmental Laws and Ensure Compliance
• EPA has been able to conduct more on-site inspections since the end of the COVID pandemic, while still utilizing off-site compliance monitoring
activities where appropriate (e.g., review of responses to information requests to assess compliance; review of facility monitoring reports and/or
sampling data). Since the focus shifted back to on-site inspections which often take more time, the overall compliance monitoring number is
down but still well above the target.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA inspections and off-site compliance monitoring activities to determine whether a facility or group of facilities
is in compliance with applicable law.
1101
-------
GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Goal 4 at a Glance
Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities: Protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 4 Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
$809,826
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
Obj 4.1 Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution
and Health Impacts
$705,062
Obj 4.2 Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor
Air
$104,764
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective ~TsSyo onargeTmefm
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1102
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
3(G)
100
3 (ND)
1(G)
Objective 4.1: Improve Air Quality and Reduce Localized Pollution and Health Impacts—Reduce air pollution on local, regional, and
national scales to achieve healthy air quality for people and the environment.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Finalized the first rulemaking of EPA's Clean Trucks Plan, which focuses
on reducing emissions from smog and soot beginning in model year 2027.
• Provided Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA), funding support for
cutting-edge clean technologies that reduce emissions from diesel-powered
mobile sources and focused on reducing emissions in and around ports
through EPA's Ports Initiative.
• Finalized two rules determining that 27 nonattainment areas failed to attain
the 2008 and 2015 ozone standards by their attainment dates.
• Released Clean Air Markets Program Data (C AMPD) 1.1 and Clean Air
Power Sector Programs: Facility Level Comparisons 2022 annual and
ozone season emission data and trends, and Clean Air Power Sector
Programs: Power Plant Emissions Trends for the third quarter of 2022,
showing decreases in all tracked pollutants.
• Issued a proposed rule to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for fine particle pollution (PM2.5) by revising the level
of the primary (health based) annual PM2.5 standards from 12 ug/m3 to
within the range of 9.0 to 10.0 ug/m3
• Published "Our Nation's Air: Status and Trends Through 2022" in June
2023
• Issued the final Good Neighbor Plan, which secures significant reductions
in ozone-forming emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from power plants
and industrial facilities.
• Proposed rule to reduce toxic air pollution from the synthetic organic
chemical industry and the polymers and resins industry, including highly
toxic chemicals ethylene oxide (EtO) and chloroprene, as well as smog-
forming volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Also proposed a rule to
reduce EtO emissions from commercial sterilizing facilities.
• Proposed updated Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal-
fired power plants to further reduce - by 67% - the emissions limit for
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Comparison of Growth Areas and Declining Emissions
1970-2022
Gross Domestic Product
Vehicles Miles Traveled
~-7
Population
i
Energy Consumption
Aggregate Emissions
i i
1103
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
filterable particulate matter for existing coal-fired power plants.
The standards also include a 70% reduction in the emissions limit
for mercury from existing lignite-fired sources.
• Reported calculated ozone-depleting substances (ODS) production
and consumption under Montreal Protocol and Clean Air Act
(CAA) requirements, including issuing allowances for certain
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as part of the 2020-2023
"servicing tail" and developing a proposed rule to update
recordkeeping and reporting.
Challenges:
• Insufficient resources for federal implementation of the NAAQS
and other CAA requirements at the headquarters and regional
level poses program delivery challenges such as timely processing
of State Implementation Plans (SIPs).
1104
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce ozone season emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from electric power
generation sources by 21% from the 2019 baseline of 390,354 tons.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM NOX) Tons of ozone season NOx emissions from electric power generation sources.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
injp
Target
355,000
344,000
332,000
332,000
Tons
Below
Target
Actual
443,764
389,170
341,082
359,124
324,285
293,519
Key Takeaways:
• Nationwide power plant ozone season emissions data for 2023 show a marked 9 percent decrease compared to 2022, demonstrating some of the
most significant reduction levels of the last few years.
• These decreases in emissions were due primarily to changes in the mix of fossil fuel-fired generation and improved emission rate performance.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the ozone season NOx emissions from sources in five of EPA's nationwide and multi-state air pollution control
programs: an annual NOx trading program and three ozone season NOx trading programs operated by EPA on behalf of 27 states in the eastern U.S.
under Title I of the CAA, as well as a national NOx emissions reduction program for the power sector operated by EPA under Title IV of the CAA,
the Acid Rain Program. NOx are precursors for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O3). Researchers have associated PM2.5 and
O3 exposure with adverse health effects in toxicological, clinical, and epidemiological studies. Lowering exposure to PM2.5 and O3 contributes to
significant human health benefits. The ozone season corresponds to the warm summer months when ozone formation is highest (May 1 - September
30). Reductions in NOx emissions during the ozone season help areas attain ambient ozone standards. For more information, see:
https://www.epa.gOv/power-sector/progress-report-emissions-reductions#osnox.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, improve measured air quality in counties not meeting the current National Ambient
Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) from the 2016 baseline by 10%.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM NAAQS) Percentage of air quality improvement in counties not meeting current NAAQS.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Jlf
Target
7
8
9
10
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
3
7
8
10
8
Data Avail
11/2024
1105
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Key Takeaways:
• EPA continues to make progress toward achieving the 2026 long term performance goal.
• Long-term progress is due to emissions reductions from State Implementation Plans and other regulatory control programs.
• Meteorology and exceptional events, like wildfires, can contribute to year-to-year variability in this measure.
Metric Details: This measure shows progress in reducing pollutant concentrations in counties not meeting one or more current NAAQS relative to
the 2016 calculated baseline. The CAA requires EPA to set the NAAQS for six "criteria" pollutants considered harmful to public health and the
environment. These national standards form the foundation for air quality management. The measure is presented as the aggregate percentage change
in design value concentrations - a statistic that describes the air quality status of a given location relative to the NAAQS - since the baseline year.
The aggregate percentage change is weighted by the number of counties violating the NAAQS for each pollutant in the baseline year, so more weight
is given to pollutants with more violating counties. Four criteria pollutants (ozone, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and lead) are part of this measure. All counties
met the NAAQS for carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in 2016, so those two criteria pollutants are not considered in this measure.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, strive to ensure all people with low socio-economic status (SES) live in areas where
the air quality meets the current fine particle pollution (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM NAAQS2) Percentage of people with low SES living in areas where the air quality meets the PM2.5 NAAQS.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
90
93
97
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
82
82
81
85
83
Data Avail
11/2024
Numerator
52,044,172
51,560,102
48,678,558
50,304,779
49,634,175
People
Denominator
63,150,683
62,687,368
60,053,454
59,241,268
59,614,742
Key Takeaways:
• EPA continues to make progress toward achieving the 2026 long term performance goal.
• Long-term progress is due to emissions reductions from State Implementation Plans and other regulatory control programs.
• Meteorology and exceptional events, like wildfires, can contribute to year-to-year variability in this measure. The 'Actual' values in recent years
are likely influenced by higher concentrations in areas affected by wildfires.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of people with low SES, defined as two times the poverty level, living in counties with monitors
measuring concentrations of PM2.5 that meet the 2012 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. Long- and short-term exposures to fine particles can
1106
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
harm people's health, leading to heart attacks, asthma attacks, and premature death. In the baseline period of 2006-2008, 43% of the low SES
population lived in counties that met both PM2.5 NAAQS. Changes since that time reflect the effectiveness of strategies designed to reduce fine
particle pollution.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, ensure U.S. consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) is less than 76.2
tons per year of ozone depletion potential.
1107
-------
GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM HCFC) Remaining U.S. consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals that deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer,
in ozone depletion potential (ODP)-weighted metric tons.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Jdq_—
Target
76.2
76.2
76.2
76.2
Metric
Tons
Below
Target
Actual
434.1
224.2
-110.8
-20.8
-6.36
Data Avail
10/2024
Key Takeaways:
• The FY 2022 result (latest available data) is negative because exports and destruction together exceeded production and imports in calendar year
2022.
• The measure demonstrates how the U.S. continues to meet its obligations as a Party to the Montreal Protocol.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the United States' annual consumption of HCFCs in ODP-weighted tons. Consumption means the amount of
HCFC produced, plus imports, minus exports, minus destruction, and minus amounts produced or imported for transformation. As a Party to the
Montreal Protocol, the U.S. must incrementally decrease HCFC consumption and production, culminating in a complete HCFC phaseout in 2030.
The current annual consumption cap of the U.S. for all HCFCs is 76.2 ODP-weighted metric tons, down from the 2015-2019 target of 1,520 ODP-
weighted metric tons per year. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/ods-phaseout/phaseout-class-ii-ozone-depleting-substances.
1108
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Objective 4.2: Reduce Exposure to Radiation and Improve Indoor Air-
air quality, especially for vulnerable populations.
-Limit unnecessary radiation exposure and achieve healthier indoor
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
3(G)
1 (Y)
2 (Y)
1(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of Lung Cancer Deaths Prevented
through Lower Radon Exposure,
FY 2018 - FY 2025
2,400
2,000
1,600
1,200
800
400
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Increased adoption and use of clean, and cleaner, fuels and cookstoves
around the world by developing an International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) Institutional Stove Standard, organized a round-
robin stove testing initiative with 11 regional labs, developed guidance on
Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation, and held
country consultations on NDC monitoring, reporting, and verification.
• The situation in Ukraine has underscored the importance of federal agency
collaboration to increase preparedness for international radiological
emergencies, including support for communications to U.S. citizens
domestically and abroad, should there be a nuclear incident. EPA
developed radiological emergency public messaging materials delivered to
the National Security Council, developed a website design template for
sharing data and information, and advanced internal notification and
preparedness procedures.
• Continued effective oversight of the Department of Energy (DOE) Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for transuranic radioactive waste from DOE
facilities, conducting stakeholder engagement sessions in New Mexico in
March 2023, and completing a quality assurance review at WIPP and 9 site
inspections at DOE facilities, ensuring that waste is being managed safely
for long term disposal at WIPP.
• Implemented new competitive funding program to improve public health
protection against wildfire smoke by enhancing preparedness in
community buildings.
Challenges:
• Critical sustained investments are needed to address the high public health
risks associated with poor indoor air.
• Americans typically spend approximately 90% of their time indoors
resulting in exposure to many air pollutants being many times higher
indoors than outdoors. Nearly every ambient air pollutant infiltrates
1109
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
indoors, and there are significant sources of those same ambient
air pollutants indoors as well as unique indoor sources of
pollutants.
• The pandemic, wildfire smoke, and widespread water and mold
issues from storms and flooding have all dramatically raised
public concern about poor indoor air quality and increased the
need for more comprehensive technical assistance and responses
to these issues.
• EPA's critical suite of field radiological equipment and
instrumentation needs updating/replacement to ensure the highest
level of radiological emergency preparedness (2008 was last
modernization effort).
• There are limited resources to address radiation monitoring
(RadNet) IT and radiochemistry lab modernization efforts and
actions to improve security posture pursuant to Agency
requirements as identified by past audits and inspections.
1110
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, prevent 2,250 lung cancer deaths annually through lower radon exposure as
compared to the FY 2020 baseline of 1,684 prevented lung cancer deaths.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM LCD) Number of lung cancer deaths prevented through lower radon exposure.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction n n
iiT
Target
1,881
1,981
2,083
2,162
Deaths
Prevented
Above
Target
Actual
1,482
1,578
1,684
1,795
1,894
1,970
Key Takeaways:
• EPA nearly met the FY 2023 target (missing by just 0.5%) and is making progress toward preventing 2,250 lung cancer deaths annually by 2026.
• The 2021-2025 National Radon Action Plan (http://radonleaders.org/resources/nationalradonactionplan) will further support increased efforts to
find, fix and prevent high indoor radon levels in homes and buildings and prevent annual lung cancer deaths.
Metric Details: This measure tracks lung cancer deaths prevented annually by reducing radon exposure, calculated using estimates of the number of
homes in the U.S. with radon levels above the EPA action level of 4pCi/L (picocuries per liter) that have been mitigated and the number of new
homes that have been built with radon resistant features. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the United
States. Exposure to radon indoors is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. EPA estimates there are 21,000 avoidable lung
cancer deaths annually attributable to indoor radon exposure and more than seven million homes in the U.S. are at or above the EPA radon action
level. For more information, see https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5499/health-effects-of-exposure-to-radon-beir-vi: and
https://www.epa.gov/sites/ default/files/2015-05/documents/402-r-03-003.pdf.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goals:
(PM RAD2) Percentage of radiation emergency response program personnel and assets that meet functional readiness requirements
necessary to support federal radiological emergency response and recovery operation.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
90
92
92
92
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
92
87.7
87.1
1111
-------
GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Key Takeaways:
• EPA narrowly missed the target due to the loss of scientific (field and laboratory) personnel, and the Mobile Environmental Radiation Laboratory
being outdated and out of commission. EPA is actively hiring to replace key personnel and will continue to upgrade equipment as funds are
available and where it makes the most senser
• EPA participated in key government exercises and is actively engaged in contingency planning for supporting responses to any foreign
radiological incidents stemming from active warfare in Ukraine.
Metric Details: This measure tracks percent readiness of EPA headquarters, laboratory and field support elements including assets and equipment,
procedures and programs, licenses and accreditations, personnel, qualifications, exercise participation, and training. Percent readiness is calculated by
the total score earned during an annual assessment of elements divided by the total points assigned to those elements.
(PMIA) Number of programs, equipped to support the infrastructure, delivery and sustainability of comprehensive asthma care.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
nil
f
Target
1,800
2,855
3,005
3,155
Programs
Above
Target
Actual
1,232
1,645
2,132
2,446
2,705
2,954
Key Takeaways:
• EPA is working to ensure that all people with asthma have access to programs that deliver comprehensive asthma care and improve indoor air
quality.
• EPA is providing technical assistance to equip all asthma stakeholders (e.g., individuals, state and community-based healthcare, housing and
school systems) to carry out straightforward and proven solutions that create healthier indoor environments.
• EPA's asthma community network has more than 5,000 members supporting asthma programs across the country.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA delivery of technical assistance, tools, and grant support to equip community-based programs and the
organizations that support them to deliver evidence-based, comprehensive asthma care. Twenty-four million Americans, including 4.2 million
children, have asthma. Low income and minority children suffer disproportionately. In-home environmental interventions reduce health care
utilization and improve quality of life for people with asthma. No targets were established in FYs 2018-2021 because this measure was not included
in EPA's Annual Performance Plan. For more information, see: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/.
(PM CS) Millions of demonstrably improved (field or lab tested) cookstoves sold.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
/
Target
50
60
Millions of
Above
I
Actual
50
20
Cookstoves
Target
JU
1112
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GOAL 4: Ensure Clean and Healthy Air for All Communities
Key Takeaways:
• EPA missed the target as a result of the Government of India ending their Ujjwala campaign which was disseminating approximately 35 million
Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) stoves per year.
• EPA is retiring this measure after FY 2023 due to the termination of the campaign. EPA will track a new measure beginning in FY 2024, Number
of countries with household energy in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC's). The new measure aligns with current efforts.
Metric Details: This measure tracked millions of demonstrably improved cookstoves sold worldwide. More than three billion low-income people
around the world, including 600,000 low-income Americans, cook their food and/or heat their homes with open fires or rudimentary stoves. The
resulting exposure to extraordinarily high levels of indoor air pollution causes 3.2 million premature deaths worldwide, primarily among women and
girls. Emissions from household energy/cookstoves are the largest controllable source of the short-lived climate pollutant black carbon (>50%) and
cookstove emissions also include methane and carbon dioxide (CO2). EPA leads the development of cookstove standards through the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and works with partners to rapidly increase the sustained use of demonstrably clean and efficient cookstoves
and fuels, with approximately 48 million improved stoves sold in 2019. For more information, see: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-
sheets/detail/household-air-pollution-and-health.
(PM NDC) Number of countries with household energy in their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions or Paris Climate Plans).
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
115
Countries
Above
Target
Actual
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of countries that have put household energy emissions reductions in their NDCs. More than three
billion low-income people around the world, including 600,000 low-income Americans, cook their food and/or heat their homes with open fires or
rudimentary stoves. The resulting exposure to extraordinarily high levels of indoor air pollution causes 3.2 million premature deaths worldwide,
primarily among women and girls. Emissions from household energy/cookstoves are the largest controllable source of the short-lived climate
pollutant black carbon (>50%) and cookstove emissions also include methane and CO2. EPA launched the Clean Cooking & Climate Consortium
with the Clean Cooking Alliance, Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Climate & Clean Air Coalition, Stockholm Environment Institute, and United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to work with country governments on reducing climate emissions from household
energy sources in low-to-middle income countries to achieve climate goals as part of their NDCs. The Consortium is providing national governments
with evidence and guidance on how best to articulate, plan, and meet the cooking-related goals in their NDCs; to access opportunities for
implementation support and potential funding, and providing guidance on program design and implementation, as well as measurement, reporting,
and verification (MRV) for clean cooking initiatives.
1113
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Goal 5 at a Glance
Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities: Provide clean and safe water for all communities and protect our nation's waterbodies from
degradation.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 5 Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All
Communities
Obj 5.1 Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable
Water Infrastructure
$3,624,028
$5,182,663
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
Obj 5.2 Protect and Restore Waterbodies and
Watersheds
$1,558,634
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
Obj 5.1
1114
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective 5.1: Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure—Protect public health from the risk of exposure to regulated
and emerging contaminants in drinking and source waters by improving the reliability, accessibility, and resilience of the nation's water
infrastructure to reduce the impacts of climate change, structural deterioration, and cyber threats.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
5(G)
1(G)
1(G)
1(G)
2(G)
1 (ND)
2 (ND)
1 (Y)
3(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of Community Water Systems Still in
Noncompliance with Health-based Standards
since March 31, 2021
1,800
1,200
600
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds provided
$13.12 (CWSRF: $8.76B; DWSRF: $4.36B) in water infrastructure project
financing (including state and federal money) to help fund over 1,675
wastewater and 1,197 drinking water projects.
• The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program closed 22
transactions totaling over $3. IB in loans, financing nearly $7B for water
infrastructure projects and creating over 35,000 jobs. Disbursed over $1.5B
to implement critical projects.
• Released the 7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and
Assessment, which established allotment formulas for the DWSRF and
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Lead Service Line
Replacement funding.
• 93% of the population served by community water systems (CWSs)
(including 84% of the population in Indian Country served by CWSs)
received drinking water that met all applicable health-based drinking water
standards.
• Made Emergency Determination under Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
1442(b) and awarded the City of Jackson, MS $2.7M in grants to stabilize
their drinking water system, an additional $115.5M in grants, and $44M in
supplemental emergency funds.
• Provided over $63M in Small Underserved Disadvantaged Communities
Grants to aid drinking water compliance, $30M to remove lead in drinking
water, $58M for the Lead Testing and Remediation in Schools and
Childcare Program, and $1.89B for Emerging Contaminants in Small and
Disadvantaged Communities Grants.
• Proposed drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS).
1115
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
• Provided hands-on technical support for communities to assess
their needs, identify potential solutions, and develop funding
applications.
Challenges:
• The 20-year national DWSRF-eligible drinking water
infrastructure need is estimated to be $625B; including 9.2 million
Lead Service Lines which will cost $50-80B to replace.
• PFAS and other emerging contaminants create new challenges for
developing toxicity data and risk assessments.
• Over 80% of CWSs serve fewer than 3,300 persons. These
systems are often challenged to maintain technical, managerial,
and financial capacity, and address cybersecurity threats.
• Adversary states and actors are exploring options for cyberattacks
to critical U.S. infrastructure including drinking water and
wastewater treatment systems.
• Water systems will be subject to more disruptive events from
increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to
climate change.
1116
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce the number of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-
based standards since March 31, 2021, from 752 to 500.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM DW-02) Number of community water systems still in noncompliance with health-based standards since March 31, 2021.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Mrr
Target
875
640
450
425
400
CWSs
Below
Actual
1,718
1,128
1,048
654
537
466
Target
Key Takeaways:
• While EPA has already achieved the Long-Term Performance Goal of fewer than 500 CWSs still in noncompliance, the pace of reduction has
slowed because the remaining CWSs are more challenging, potentially requiring significant infrastructure or source water investments.
• Limited technical, managerial, and financial capacity, which is the second largest cause of CWSs in violation, can lead to unaddressed
deficiencies in water systems. Drinking water systems, especially small systems, often have limited technical expertise to address operational
issues as well as increasing cybersecurity threats.
• To help address violations, EPA regional drinking water programs and enforcement programs are reviewing quarterly updates on CWSs with
violations and working with states on actions to address noncompliance. EPA also sends quarterly reports on CWSs with violations to the United
States Department of Agriculture for their awareness of systems in their purview.
• EPA Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) programs are providing free hands-on support for communities to assess their needs, identify
potential solutions, and develop funding applications (see https://www.epa.gov/water-infrastructure/water-technical-assistance-waterta). EPA also
has a number of long-standing technical assistance programs that support communities in identifying water challenges, developing plans, building
capacity, and developing application materials to access water infrastructure funding. These programs include the Area-Wide Optimization
Program (AWOP), Creating Resilient Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative, and EPA's cybersecurity assistance program.
• Ninety-three percent of the population served by CWSs received drinking water met all applicable health-based drinking water standards.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of CWSs still in noncompliance with the health-based National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
(maximum contaminant level or treatment technique) during any part of the year, relative to the group in noncompliance as of September 30, 2017. A
CWS is a public water system that supplies water to the same population year-round. There are approximately 50,000 CWSs in the U.S. The total
includes CWSs in Indian country. As of September 30, 2023, 466 of the original 3,508 systems were still in non-compliance with health-based
standards. Data are derived from the Safe Drinking Water Information System Federal Data Warehouse (SDWIS-FED), which contains information
about violations by public water systems as reported to EPA by the primacy agencies (tribes and states with EPA-delegated enforcement
responsibility). EPA's technical assistance focuses on non-compliant water systems in underserved communities. Similarly, SDWA prioritizes non-
compliant water systems for funding under various programs, including those implementing IIJA funding. EPA expects progress on this measure to
1117
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
decelerate because many of the remaining systems have complex compliance issues or may require capital infrastructure improvements to help
address noncompliance. While Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding will support these systems, infrastructure projects can take
many years to complete.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce the number of community water systems in Indian country still in
noncompliance with health-based standards since March 31, 2021, from 110 to 70.
1118
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM DWT-02) Number of community water systems in Indian Country still in noncompliance with health-based standards since March 31,
2021.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
\
Target
100
55
35
30
CWSs
Below
V
Actual
74
54
Target
Key Takeaways:
• Fifty-four CWSs remained in non-compliance with health-based standards in Indian Country. EPA regularly monitors CWSs with violations and
works with partners on actions to bring those systems back into compliance. EPA works closely with the Indian Health Service to target funding
to tribal water systems with infrastructure needs to improve water quality and delivery.
• Eighty-four percent of the population in Indian Country served by CWSs received drinking water met all applicable health-based drinking water
standard.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of tribal CWSs still in noncompliance with the health-based National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations (Maximum Contaminant Level or treatment technique) during any part of the year, relative to the group in non-compliance on March 31,
2021. There are approximately 730 tribal CWSs. Data are derived from SDWIS-FED, which contains information about violations by public water
systems as reported to EPA by the primacy agencies (EPA regional offices and tribes with EPA-delegated enforcement responsibility).
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, leverage an additional $45 billion in non-federal dollars through EPA's water
infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM INFRA-01) Billions of non-federal dollars leveraged by EPA's water infrastructure finance programs (CWSRF, DWSRF and WIFIA).
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
8.0
8.0
8.0
8.0
9.0
9.5
9.5
9.5
Billions of
Dollars
Above
Target
Actual
9.7
10.3
10.2
12.1
14.6
11.4
1119
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Key Takeaways:
• EPA's CWSRF, DWSRF, and Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) programs exceeded the annual target by leveraging over
$11.4 billion in non-federal dollars for water infrastructure projects. This success was in part due to the ongoing effective state management and
EPA oversight of the SRFs.
Metric Details: This measure tracks funds leveraged by the three primary water infrastructure programs. These programs represent the largest federal
source of funds to address this critical component of the nation's drinking water and clean water infrastructure. Non-federal funds include loans made
from recycled loan payments, bond proceeds, state match, interest earnings, and co-funding from non-SRF sources. EPA will increase the amount of
non-federal funds leveraged by providing communities with tools, training, and resources to help plan for infrastructure improvements and identify
funding opportunities. The Agency will ensure a focus on climate resiliency and equity by revising loan guidelines, program guidance and providing
technical assistance. SRF data are tracked in the SRF Data System.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, in coordination with other federal agencies, provide access to basic sanitation for an
additional 36,500 American Indian and Alaska Native homes.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM WWT-02) Number of American Indian and Alaska Native homes provided access to basic sanitation, in coordination with other
agencies.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
1
_
Target
6,098
6,098
Homes
Above
n
Actual
6,398
3,561
9,114
4,007
N/A
N/A
Target
JU
-
u
Key Takeaways:
• Data for this measure were provided by the Indian Health Service (IHS). IHS started tracking this data in a different way, and EPA will no longer
be able to report on this measure. EPA has retired this measure as of November 2023. EPA is exploring an alternative measure which would also
use IHS data.
Metric Details: This measure tracked American Indian and Alaska Native homes provided with wastewater treatment infrastructure through
Congressionally appropriated funds, in coordination with other agencies. To show progress toward this measure, EPA intended to use the number of
homes that received improved wastewater sanitation services as reported through the Indian Health Service (IHS) Sanitation Tracking and Reporting
System (STARS). There were 378,211 American Indian and Alaska Native homes in the IHS database as of FY 2022 (most currently available data).
For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-svstems/clean-water-indian-set-aside-program. In 2022, IHS started
tracking this data in a different way, and EPA will no longer be able to report on this measure. EPA is exploring an alternative measure which would
also use IHS data.
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, provide 2,203 Tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities with technical,
managerial, or financial assistance to improve operations of their drinking water or wastewater systems.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PMINFRA-06) Number of tribal, small, rural, or underserved communities provided with technical, managerial, or financial assistance to
improve system operations.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
V
Target
339
542
1,100
1,300
Communiti
es
Above
Target
Actual
187
1,668
Data Avail
4/2024
Key Takeaways:
• Preliminary FY 2023 data (not shown in the above table) shows the target for this measure was exceeded by over 1,600 communities. An increase
in funding enabled the grantees to provide more technical assistance across the country. While EPA expects these results to continue, the Agency
has updated its reporting guidance for grantees which might reduce reported results in future years.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of tribal, small, or rural communities, or communities with environmental justice concerns, provided
with EPA technical, managerial, or financial assistance through on-site visits or training to effectively operate drinking water systems or wastewater
treatment systems. Data are collected through grantee reports.
(PM DW-07) Number of drinking water and wastewater systems, tribal and state officials, and water sector partners provided with security,
emergency preparedness, and climate resilience training and technical assistance.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
I
Target
2,000
3,500
4,500
4,500
Systems
and
Partners
Above
Target
Actual
3,939
3,895
Key Takeaways:
• While most resilience trainings and technical assistance are voluntary for water systems, EPA has been conducting significant outreach and
training for community water systems on compliance with America's Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Section 2013 requirements, a need
critical to addressing these challenges. AWIA Section 2013 requires CWSs serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update Risk and
Resilience Assessments (RRAs) and Emergency Response Plans (ERPs).
1121
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater (water sector) utilities, tribal and state officials, and
water sector partners provided by EPA with practical tools, training, and technical assistance to increase resilience to extreme weather events (e.g.,
drought, flooding, wildfires, hurricanes), malevolent acts (e.g., cyberattacks), and climate change. EPA assistance promotes a clear understanding of
climate change and potential long-term adaptation options for decision-making related to water utility infrastructure operations and financing.
Training and technical assistance targets participation of underserved communities.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goal:
(PMINFRA-07) Number of lead service line replacements funded.
I V 2018
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
222,000
500,000
Lead
Service
Lines
Above
Target
Actual
Metric Details: This measure tracks the estimated cumulative number of lead service line replacements funded through drinking water funding programs beginning in FY 2024,
primarily through IIJA and DWSRF funds, but also WIFIA and the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water and Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grant
programs. This measure captures the impact of EPA's work providing technical assistance to states and communities (e.g., increasing awareness, supporting State Revolving Fund
application development in disadvantaged communities) to ensure the equitable distribution of lead service line replacements funds. DWSRF data are derived from the estimated
number of lead service line replacements funded by assistance agreements provided by state SRF programs. Data for the WIFIA and the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water and
Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grant programs will be collected internally. A lead service line connects a water main to a building inlet. A lead
service line may be owned by the water system, the property owner, or both. Based on available data, EPA estimates that in recent years on average, 73,000 lead service lines have
been funded annually. EPA estimates there are 9.2 million lead service lines in the country.
1122
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Objective 5.2: Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds
protective of the health and needs of all people and ecosystems.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (Y)
1 (Y)
1 (Y)
3(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of Existing EPA-issued NPDES Individual
Permits in Backlog, FY 2018 - FY 2025
500
400
300
200
100
0
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Actual ^^^Target
Address sources of water pollution and ensure water quality standards are
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• At the end of FY 2023, states and territories had 15,432 square miles of
priority areas covered by Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), other
restoration plans, or protection approaches.
• In FY 2023, EPA restored or improved 46 waters that were previously
impaired due to nonpoint sources.
• Reduced the backlog of EPA's new National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) permit applications by 89 percent, and the
backlog of existing NPDES permits by 65 percent, compared with the
March 2018 baseline.
• Issued a final rule to update the regulatory requirements for water quality
certification under Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401.
• Proposed a rule to promulgate federal baseline water quality standards
(WQS) for waters on over 250 Indian reservations that do not have WQS in
effect under the CWA.
• Proposed a rule to strengthen the wastewater discharge standards for coal-
fired power plants.
• Proposed a rule that would streamline and clarify the requirements and
steps necessary for states and tribes to administer programs protecting
waterways from discharges of dredged or fill material without a permit
under CWA Section 404.
• Issued a Final Determination under CWA Section 404(c) to prohibit and
restrict the use of certain waters in the Bristol Bay watershed as disposal
sites for the discharge of dredged or fill material associated with mining the
Pebble deposit, Southwest Alaska (Bristol Bay).
Challenges:
• A changing climate is affecting how water systems respond to pollution
due to changes in temperature, flow, and sediment.
• More frequent natural events (e.g., hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires) will
increase nonpoint source pollution loading.
1123
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Nutrient pollution affects upwards of 50 percent of lakes and
streams. Total phosphorus levels are increasing in rivers, streams
and lakes across the country. Excess nutrients contribute to
harmful algal blooms, low oxygen "dead zones," and high levels
of nitrates that contaminate waters while also damaging the
economy. Impervious surfaces can generate increased flows of
stormwater pollutants, degrading water quality and threatening
public health.
1124
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, increase by 41,000 square miles the area of watersheds with surface water meeting
standards that previously did not meet standards.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM SWP-01) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with surface water meeting standards that previously did not meet standards.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
A
Target
8,000
8,000
17,100
7,900
Square
Above
r
Actual
20,511
7,121
Miles
Target
JU
Key Takeaways:
• Missed target because fewer Clean Water Act Section 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report (IR) submissions were finalized this year than
anticipated. IRs are due on April 1 of even numbered years, but they usually come in slowly throughout the two-year period. There was a
significant push to get the lists in on time. Last year, EPA received an influx of lists, leaving fewer lists to come in this year, hence the lower
results.
Metric Details: This measure tracks improvements in impaired waters as reported on state CWA Section 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Reports. States
report on their water quality assessments every two years. Water quality standards attainment means that: 1) the impairments have been effectively
removed due to actions including water quality restoration efforts, more complete monitoring to better understand waterbody conditions, or
appropriate changes in water quality standards; and 2) the waterbody now either fully supports the use or meets the water quality criterion for that
particular pollutant or stressor for which it had been impaired. EPA will ensure watersheds will continue to meet the standards by assessing for equity
and climate impacts. Data are tracked in EPA's Assessment, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Tracking and Implementation System
(ATTAINS). As states continue to perform assessments, they continue to identify additional impaired waters. As of July 28, 2022, the baseline was
504,605 square miles of watersheds with surface water not meeting standards. This is an update to the draft baseline of 425,198 square miles that was
included in the FY 2023 Budget. This measure has transitioned from using the old National Hydrology Dataset Plus (NHDPlus) V2 catchments to the
new a NHDPlus HR-VF-Gen catchment layer. Targets are based on receipt of IRs due to EPA every even year, with some reporting delayed to other
years.
(PM SWP-02) Annual increase in square miles of watersheds with previously impaired surface waters due to nutrients that now meet
standards for nutrients.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
2,100
1,400
1,400
650
Square
Above
Actual
12,833
904
Miles
Target
1125
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
Key Takeaways:
• Missed target because fewer state 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report submissions were finalized this year than anticipated. IRs are due on April 1 of
even numbered years, but they usually come in slowly throughout the two-year period. There was a significant push to get the lists in on time.
Last year, EPA received an influx of lists, leaving fewer lists to come in this year, hence the lower results.
Metric Details: This measure tracks improvements in impaired waters due to nutrients as reported on state CWA Section 303(d)/305(b) IRs. As of
July 28, 2022, the universe is 157,485 square miles of watershed area with surface water that are not meeting standards due to nutrients.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goals:
(PM NPDES-03) Number of existing EPA-issued NPDES individual permits in backlog.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
360
280
230
250
210
200
210
Permits
Below
Target
itr
Actual
456
373
333
284
229
194
Key Takeaways:
• EPA issued or terminated a total of 94 existing permits in FY 2023, which reduced the backlog of existing EPA-issued NPDES permits by 11
percent in FY 2023, and by 65 percent since March 2018.
• EPA headquarters and regions worked closely to identify challenges and develop solutions to complex permitting issues, such as those related to
CWA Section 401 water quality certifications, Waters of the United States, CWA Section 316(b) cooling water intake mitigation, state legal
authority, water quality-based effluent limitations for selenium, nutrients and other parameters, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS, to aid
in the issuance of high-quality permits. These efforts will also help prevent future permits from becoming backlogged.
Metric Details: This measure tracks existing EPA-issued NPDES individual permits that are administratively continued for 180 days or more.
Permits are removed from the backlog as soon as the Agency issues, denies, or terminates a permit. The baseline for this measure is 547 as of March
2018. For FY 2024 and FY 2025, EPA expects the backlog to remain relatively constant. Factors that could potentially influence permit backlog
reduction in the next two years are a significantly larger number of permits set to expire, inability to promptly backfill permit writers and other
critical staff due to competing priorities, technical and complex permit issues, and the addition of new Agency priorities. EPA will continue to
monitor progress on reducing the backlog and will reassess targets, as needed. Data are tracked in EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System
(ICIS)-NPDES Database.
1126
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GOAL 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities
(PM TMDL-03) Square miles of priority areas covered by TMDLs, other restoration plans, or protection approaches.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
7,940
19,280
TBD
Square
Miles
Above
Target
Actual
15,432
Key Takeaways:
• EPA greatly exceeded the target, likely due to a number of reasons. There has been a large focus on increased communication between states,
regions, and headquarters. Regions and states have made great progress in updating ATTAINS in a timely manner and the new Priorities Module
in ATTAINS has helped to make tracking of progress more streamlined. The measure's 2-year schedule has allowed for more pragmatic planning
by the states and the ability to keep a plan in development for full credit has allowed for greater flexibility.
Metric Details: This measure tracks square miles of priority areas covered by TMDLs, other restoration plans, or protection approaches included in
state commitments submitted to EPA by September 30, 2022. The universe is 22,685 square miles. This measure does not require a final plan to be in
place to count toward the result; states can choose whether each plan will be in place or in development at the end of the two-year period. States will
be able to meet targets with a mix of plans in development and plans in place depending on their initial commitments. EPA uses a weighting factor of
0.5 for plans in development. Data are tracked in ATTAINS. This is a two-year bridge measure developed by EPA in collaboration with the
Association of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA), to begin after completion of the Section 303(d) Vision 1.0 measure (PM TMDL-02). After
completion of this two-year measure, EPA will transition into a Vision 2.0 measure beginning in FY 2025. The Vision 2.0 measure will also include
a longer-term planning component to align with the timeline of the Vision. This new Vision 2.0 measure will begin in FY 2025 and end in FY 2032.
The measure will be calculated in the same way as the bridge measure in the sense that states will choose waterbody/parameter combinations to
develop plans for and EPA will calculate a universe in square miles of catchment. The eight years will consist of four two-year periods. Each two-
year period will be measured separately, with a new universe as states decide which waterbody/parameter combinations to develop plans for during
that period. EPA will use a Prioritization Framework to document the long-term planning process for the eight years. EPA will calculate the new FY
2025 universe for this measure in FY 2024. A target for FY 2025 will not be available until the new universe is calculated. To calculate the FY 2025
target, EPA will multiply the universe by 0.35.
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Goal 6 at a Glance
Safeguard and Revitalize Communities: Restore land to safe and productive uses to improve communities and protect public health.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 6 Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Obj 6.1 Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses
and Healthy Communities
Obj 6.2 Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental
Contamination
Obj 6.3 Prepare for and Respond to Environmental
Emergencies
$1,382,925
$311,402
$218,345
$1,912,672
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
r
1 (NT)
3(Y)
1
6(G)
Obj 6.1
2(G)
Obj 6.2
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
2(G)
Obj 6.3
1128
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective 6.1: Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities—Clean up and restore contaminated sites to protect
human health and the environment and build vibrant communities, especially in underserved and overburdened areas.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
1(Y)
7(G)
1 (Y)
4(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Brownfields Accomplishments,
FY 2018 - FY 2023
2,400
2,000
1,600
1,200
800
400
0
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Brownfields Sites RAU
Brownfields Properties Assessed
Brownfields Properties Cleaned Up
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Exceeding annual milestones for 3/5 Long-Term Performance Goals
(LTPGs) toward FY 2026 Strategic Plan targets:
o Cleaned up 169 brownfields, completed 1,894 site assessments, made
736 sites ready for anticipated use, and leveraged 17,441 jobs and
$3.76B.
o Made 117 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
corrective action sites ready for anticipated use. Also completed
construction on 48 remedies at corrective action facilities and achieved
designated performance standards at 58 facilities,
o Completed 49 Superfund cleanup projects that address lead as a
contaminant.
o Issued 36 Superfund federal facility decision documents; completed 24
remedial actions.
• EPA is made progress on one LTPG compared with FY 2022 but continues
to face challenges due to external influences.
o Added 13 Superfund sites with human exposures under control but
retracted 16 sites (-3 net) and made 14 additional sites ready for
anticipated use, but similarly retracted 3 sites due to additional
investigations (11 net). Both results represent a significant
improvement over FY 2022. Completed 69 remedial actional projects.
• Completed 6,597 Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) cleanups
that meet risk-based standards, accomplishing -90% of the expected result.
• Work on all measures benefits from monthly review with OLEM senior
leadership, and quarterly review with regional program divisions.
Challenges:
• EPA and the states face challenges such as technically difficult cleanups,
no viable responsible parties or cleanup funding, legislative limitations on
liability, and variations in cleanup standards and adoption of risk-based
corrective action.
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
• The remaining sites across all programs are increasingly
complicated, requiring more personnel, funds, and expertise to
complete cleanup actions.
• EPA will award approximately $275 million in additional
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding in FY 2024 for
brownfields, creating increased oversight and reporting
responsibilities.
• There is the potential for higher cost Superfund actions due to
increased costs for lead (Pb) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) removals.
1130
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, bring human exposures under control at an additional 60 Superfund sites.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM 151) Number of Superfund sites with human exposures brought under control.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
LlII
Target
8
12
10
10
12
12
12
12
Sites
Above
Target
nucra^.
Actual
32
17
20
13
-14
-3
Key Takeaways:
• Brought human exposures under control at an additional 13 Superfund sites, but these accomplishments were offset by 16 retractions.
• Retractions were primarily due to additional sampling for PFAS concentrations in drinking water and new vapor intrusion pathway
investigations. Additional retractions were due to lead (Pb) contamination.
Metric Details: This measure documents progress achieved in controlling unacceptable human exposures to contamination at both private and federal
facility Superfund sites and denotes a site-wide accomplishment. The human exposure determination at a site can change over time as conditions
across portions (operable units) of a site change. EPA regional offices enter human exposure determinations and supporting data into the Superfund
Enterprise Management System (SEMS). Results reflect a net accomplishment as sites can shift between human exposure under control to human
exposure not under control or human exposure insufficient data. The status change often occurs when a previously unknown exposure pathway (e.g.,
vapor intrusion) or contaminant is discovered, and a reasonable expectation exists that people could be exposed or that there is insufficient data to
make such a determination until further investigation takes place. As of October 2023, there were 1,533 Superfund sites with human exposures under
control out of a total of 1,848 sites where human exposure is tracked.
(PM S10) Number of Superfund sites made ready for anticipated use site-wide.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
51
51
51
51
25
15
10
7
Sites
Above
Target
Actual
51
48
34
26
-48
11
Key Takeaways:
• An additional 14 sites were made ready for anticipated use, but these accomplishments were offset by three retractions.
• The retractions resulted from a rigorous review that identified sites that no longer met protectiveness requirements due to detection of PFAS and
other emerging contaminants, aging remedies, and new exposure pathways requiring new institutional controls.
1131
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
• As most eligible sites have already achieved sitewide ready for anticipated use (SWRAU) status, the remaining sites potentially face more
significant obstacles to SWRAU achievement. Several sites retracted from SWRAU in FY 2022 have re-entered the potential universe of
SWRAU sites and are likely to regain status in coming years.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA's progress in cleaning up and preparing Superfund sites (both private and federal facility) for reuse site-
wide, while ensuring human health and environmental protection. To be considered 'eligible' for SWRAU achievement, a site must be on the final
National Priorities List (NPL) or designated as a non-NPL Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) site and have achieved Construction Complete
status. A site is considered SWARU if it meets three criteria: 1) The site has a current Human Exposure status of current human exposures under
control and all protective remedies in place or long-term human health protection achieved. 2) For media that affect current and future land uses, all
cleanup goals in the Record(s) of Decision (RODs) or other remedy decision document(s) must be met so that there are no unacceptable risks. 3) All
controls required for achieving protectiveness (engineered as well as institutional) are identified in the ROD(s) or other remedy decision document(s)
such as an Explanation of Differences or ROD Amendment and are in place. EPA documents the SWRAU determination directly in SEMS once a
site meets all required criteria and the appropriate EPA regional personnel have approved the determination. Since 2018, SWRAU accomplishments
and the inventory of eligible sites have decreased. The number of SWRAU eligible sites is currently estimated at 253 sites following a FY 2023 final
reporting on targets. Many of the remaining eligible sites face increasingly difficult challenges to achieve SWRAU, primarily related to institutional
controls implementation and emerging contaminants. Cleaning up contaminated land reduces the environmental and health effects of exposure to
contamination in communities, especially overburdened communities, and contributes to the Administration's Justice40 goal.
(PM 170) Number of remedial action projects completed at Superfund sites.*
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
95
95
80
80
80
75
75
75
Projects
Above
Target
Actual
87
89
91
75
74
69
Key Takeaways:
• Issues that contributed to missing the target include changes to the scope of work, addressing PFAS contamination, potentially responsible party
(PRP) processing delays, remedy redesign, supply chain issues, and larger reports that require increased review time. These issues and others
routinely arise and will likely continue to be impediments in future years.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of remedial action projects completed at Superfund sites. Cleaning up contaminated land reduces the
environmental and health effects of exposure to contamination in communities, especially overburdened communities, and contributes to the
Administration's Justice40 goal. By tracking the completion of a discrete scope of Superfund cleanup activities (for both private and federal facility
sites), this measure documents incremental progress in reducing risk to human health and the environment. Multiple remedial action projects may be
necessary to achieve sitewide construction completion. EPA captures this data in SEMS.
* This measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
1132
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
(PM 137) Number of Superfund removals completed.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred n
Direction
Target
175
175
141
141
183
183
183
183
Removals
Above
Target
Actual
242
233
197
150
195
194
Key Takeaways:
• The removal program anticipates a decline in the number of removals in the early part of FY 2024 due to an extremely busy FY 2023 (e.g., East
Palestine train derailment, Maui wildfires, responses to severe weather, other sizeable disaster responses). Emergency response staff (e.g., On-
Scene Coordinators, Community Involvement Coordinators, and Public Information Officers) have been deployed to disaster sites, and once they
complete work on these responses, they will need to take time to recover and refocus work on other areas of the removal program (e.g., sites
cleanup).
Metric Details: This measure tracks Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) removal-related
hazardous waste cleanups, known as Superfund removal actions, including those that are Superfund-lead and PRP-lead. There is no pre-established
universe of removal sites, as removal actions take place after a release has occurred. Data are tracked in SEMS.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, complete 225 Superfund cleanup projects that address lead as a contaminant.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM 155) Number of Superfund cleanup projects completed that address lead as a contaminant.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
45
45
45
45
Projects
Above
Target
Actual
56
45
49
Key Takeaways:
• Exceeded the target by completing 49 response action projects, consisting of 33 removal and 16 remedial projects.
Metric Details: This measure documents progress to reduce exposure to lead and associated health impacts by reporting the completion of cleanup
actions that include lead as a contaminant. Response action projects include removal and remedial actions that address lead as a contaminant. The
universe of applicable remedial actions consists of those at all final and deleted NPL sites and sites with SAA agreements. There is no pre-established
universe of removal sites, as removal actions take place after a release has occurred. Removals are time-critical and emergency in nature. Remedial
1133
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
cleanups take multiple years to complete. Much of the data for this performance measure comes from PRPs and federal facilities and the
government's program offices cannot control when it is submitted.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, clean up an additional 650 brownfields properties.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM B32) Number of brownfields properties cleaned up.*
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction ^
ir
Target
130
130
160
160
160
Properties
Above
Target
Actual
143
190
183
168
173
169
Key Takeaways:
• Fifty percent of cleanups completed occurred in communities that were in census tracts identified disadvantaged by the Climate and
Environmental Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of properties that have been cleaned up to a regulatory risk-based standard using EPA brownfields
funding, as reported by cooperative agreement recipients into the Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) database.
Cleaning up contaminated land reduces the environmental and health effects of exposure to contamination in communities, especially overburdened
communities, and contributes to the Administration's Justice40 goal. Reusing brownfields enables communities to pursue economic growth without
expanding their environmental footprint. There are no targets in FYs 2019-2021 because this measure was not included in those Annual Performance
Plans.
* This measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
(PM B30) Number of brownfields sites made ready for anticipated use.*
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
684
684
684
684
600
600
600
600
Sites
Above
Target
Actual
861
910
809
616
662
736
Key Takeaways:
• EPA continues to exceed targets due to enhanced and prompt reporting. This is a continued benefit from the data cleanup efforts completed in FY
2022.
• Fifty-one percent of sites made ready for anticipated use occurred in communities that were in census tracts identified by CEJST as
disadvantaged.
1134
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of properties/sites benefiting from EPA brownfields funding that have been assessed and determined
not to require cleanup, or where cleanup has been completed and institutional controls are in place if required, as reported by cooperative agreement
recipients. This activity results in additional sites available for productive reuse.
* This measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
(PM B29) Number of brownfields properties assessed.*
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
1
lip
Target
1,300
1,400
1,650
1,650
1,650
Properties
Above
Target
Actual
1,919
1,693
1,772
1,682
1,637
1,894
Key Takeaways:
• EPA continues to exceed targets due to enhanced and prompt reporting. This is a continued benefit from the data cleanup efforts completed in FY
2022.
• Forty-five percent of assessments completed occurred in communities that were in census tracts identified by CEJST as disadvantaged.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of properties that have been environmentally assessed for the first-time using EPA brownfields
funding, as reported by cooperative agreement recipients. There are no targets in FYs 2019-2021 because this measure was not included in those
Annual Performance Plans.
• This measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, make an additional 425 RCRA corrective action cleanups Ready for Anticipated
Use.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM RSRAU) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities made ready for anticipated use.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
75
91
117
133
114
100
85
70
Facilities
Above
Target —
Actual
117
127
169
146
124
117
1135
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Key Takeaways:
• There is a decreasing universe of sites, and many of the remaining sites are complex and require significant resource contributions.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of RCRA corrective action facilities made ready for anticipated use (RAU). To be determined RAU,
facilities must meet the following criteria: human exposure under control; final cleanup goals achieved for media that would affect the anticipated
use; and if needed, controls in place to ensure long-term protectiveness. Information is entered into the RCRAInfo database by authorized states
and/or EPA regional offices overseeing cleanups. EPA is on track to achieve the Long-Term Performance Goal. The targets decrease as a majority of
RCRA facilities requiring corrective action are completed and the remaining facilities are more challenging. There were 3,983 facilities subject to
RCRA corrective action at the end of FY 2023, of which 1,940 had not yet been determined RAU.
(PM CA5RC) Number of RCRA corrective action facilities with final remedies constructed.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
n r
Target
98
98
73
55
55
44
44
Facilities
Above
1
r
Actual
70
80
64
57
55
48
Target
uu
IU L
JL
Key Takeaways:
• Several facilities experienced delays completing final remedies by the end of FY 2023. Many of these will be completed in FY 2024. In addition,
the pipeline of available facilities is narrowing and the facilities remaining have complex issues such as groundwater or financial concerns.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of RCRA corrective action facilities that have final remedies constructed such as a groundwater
treatment system, designed to achieve long-term protection of human health and the environment. This measure tracks a mid-term step in the
progression toward completing facility cleanup. Targets are selected based on the number of sites in the pipeline with construction planned or
underway.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, conduct an additional 35,000 cleanups at Leaking Underground Storage Tank
facilities.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM 112) Number of LUST cleanups completed that meet risk-based standards for human exposure and groundwater migration.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
—V
Target
11,200
11,200
11,200
11,200
7,439
7,125
6,970
6,815
Cleanups
Above
Actual
8,128
8,358
7,211
7,271
6,536
6,597
Target
1 uuu
1136
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Key Takeaways:
• EPA improved on FY 2022 performance, but still fell short of the FY 2023 target. These targets were aspirational when set and the program looks
to make up ground on the FY 2026 goal.
• The program faces several challenges at the sites including supply chain issues and others that are region-specific. Headquarters frequently
coordinates with regional counterparts to address specific issues and problem-solve where applicable.
• As the backlog of remaining cleanups declines, confirmed releases also decline and state resources continue to be constrained, making cleanup
completions increasingly challenging.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of completed cleanups of petroleum-contaminated confirmed releases, also known as LUST
cleanups. The totals include cleanups reported by states as well as EPA cleanups in Indian country. Cleanups in Indian country represent
approximately 0.2% of total cleanups completed. Data are tracked in the LUST4 database. Targets are ambitiously based on 12% of the prior year's
estimated backlog of remaining cleanups. The backlog will continue to reduce over time so the targets will correspondingly reduce. Forecasted
backlog reduction is based on five years of data trends through FY 2020. As of FY 2023, there were 573,296 cumulative confirmed releases, out of
which there were 515,859 LUST cleanups completed.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goal:
(PM COl) Percentage of technical assistance projects in support of environmentally sustainable and community-driven revitalization that
support or expand upon previous or ongoing federal investments.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
Established
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
72
Numerator
31
Projects
Denominatoi
43
Key Takeaways:
• EPA initiated a technical assistance partnership with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and the Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle
Technologies Office to help communities with lower income and zero-car households benefit from Federal investments in clean transportation
alternatives. This work helped Gonzales, Louisiana build capacity to apply for funding through the Community Fueling Infrastructure grant
1137
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
program. The funding supports electric vehicle mobility options that will not be eligible under the National Electric Vehicle Initiative given its
primary emphasis on electric vehicle charging stations.
• This measure sunsets in FY 2023 and will be replaced by PM OCR02, which aligns better with program influence.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the percentage of community revitalization technical assistance projects with communities that have had
programmatic or financial investments from federal programs within the past five years. These investments include those of EPA or other federal
agencies. This subsequent technical assistance can help maximize the previous investment by supporting its implementation or expanding upon it by
helping the community make related improvements. These efforts can help coordinate and align federal engagements and create connections that will
spur ongoing utilization of smart growth tools and best practices toward environmental protection and economic development.
(PM OCR02) Cumulative number of communities that, as a result of OCR assistance, have been able to attract new investment and/or enact
policies that produce improved public health and environmental outcomes.
I V 2018
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
I n its
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
1 Islahl i sheet
TIM)
Comiminili
cs
Above
Target
Actual
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of technical assistance engagements by EPA's Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) with
communities that have had programmatic or financial investments from federal programs within the past five years. These investments include those
of EPA or other federal agencies. This subsequent technical assistance can help maximize the previous investment by supporting its implementation
or expanding upon it by helping the community make related improvements. These efforts can help coordinate and align federal engagements and
create connections that will spur ongoing utilization of smart growth tools and best practices toward environmental protection and economic
development.
1138
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective 6.2: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination—Prevent environmental pollution by preventing releases, reducing
waste, increasing materials recovery and recycling, and ensuring sustainable materials management practices.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1(G)
1(G)
1 (Y)
1 (NT)
1(G)
2(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of Updated Permits Issued at
Hazardous Waste Facilities, FY 2018 - FY 2025
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Actual ^^MTarget
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• EPA made steady progress toward accomplishing Objective 6.2:
o Increased the percentage of updated permits at Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities to 74% from a starting point of
71%. 114 additional permits were renewed in FY 2023.
o Recorded the lowest number of confirmed releases at Underground
Storage Tank (UST) facilities (4,354) since the program began,
indicating success of the release prevention program.
• In April 2023, EPA released the Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic
Pollution, which is the second in a series to dedicated to building a circular
economy. EPA received over 91,000 comments. Future circular economy
strategies will focus on organics, electronics, the built environment, and
textiles. In September 2023, EPA announced 84 selections for the first
round of Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grants for all states,
territories, and the District of Columbia, as well as 25 communities, which
were funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as
additional funding provided by annual appropriations. These recycling
grants will help communities in implementing the actions in the National
Recycling Strategy.
Challenges:
• Risks of reduced capacity due to staff turnover and shifting prioritizations
for federal, state, tribal and local environmental land and emergency
management programs. These impacts potentially decrease EPA's ability
meet projected targets due to training and recruitment time lags, as well as
the potential loss of expert technical knowledge.
1139
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, increase the percentage of updated permits at RCRA facilities to 80% from the FY
2021 baseline of 72.7%.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM HW5) Number of updated permits issued at hazardous waste facilities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction 11
1
Target
64
64
105
100
90
100
105
117
Permits
Above
Target
Actual
109
124
104
130
107
114
Key Takeaways:
• Exceeded the target, with 114 updated permits. This raised the percentage of updated permits from 71% to 74%, putting the Agency on a path to
achieve the 80% goal at the end of FY 2026. There are fewer permits coming up for renewal in FY 2025 and FY 2026.
• These results are challenging to forecast since there are several factors that can be difficult to project, including newly proposed facilities and
facilities that no longer need a permit.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of RCRA hazardous waste permit updates or clean-closures in the universe of permitted facilities
using EPA's RCRAInfo system. This does not include all permit maintenance since permit modifications cannot be projected and are not included.
The related Long-Term Performance Goal refers to the overall percentage of RCRA facilities with permits that are not past expiration and have been
updated though a permit renewal (or are not past the permit term/expiration). Maintaining up-to-date permits ensures that permitted facilities have
consistent and protective standards to prevent release. This will ensure permits reflect updated standards, remain protective under changing
conditions due to climate change, and provide meaningful community involvement in the permitting process over time. Proper standards for waste
management can protect human health, prevent land contamination/degradation and other releases, and avoid future cleanups and associated costs.
EPA directly implements the RCRA Program in Iowa and Alaska and provides leadership, work-sharing, and support to the remaining states and
territories authorized to implement the permitting program. There are about 1,300 permitted hazardous waste facilities in the workload as of October
2023.
(PM UST01) Number of confirmed releases at UST facilities.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction n n
r
Target
No Target
Established
5,150
5,075
4,700
4,625
Releases
Below
Actual
5,654
5,375
4,944
4,991
4,568
4,354
I arget
1140
-------
GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Key Takeaways:
• Fewest number of annual confirmed releases in the history of the program, for a second consecutive year. Continued implementation of the 2015
regulation changes and maintenance of three-year inspection cycle are leading factors in this reduction.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of confirmed releases discovered at UST facilities during the year. The Leaking Underground
Storage Tank (LUST) Prevention Program provides funding to tribes and states to prevent releases from the 536,503 federally regulated USTs by
ensuring compliance with federal and state laws through inspections and other activities (data as of FY 2023). Preventing UST releases is more
efficient and less costly than cleaning up releases after they occur. The three-year inspection cycle is a requirement from the Energy Policy Act of
2005. The 2015 revisions strengthen the 1988 federal UST regulations by increasing emphasis on properly operating and maintaining UST
equipment. This includes such items as sump and spill bucket testing, walkthrough inspections, and leak detection functionality testing. The revisions
help prevent and detect UST releases, which are a leading source of groundwater contamination. The two facets of the program (every facility
inspected every three years and new requirements) work in tandem to ensure that the number of confirmed releases continues to decline.
1141
-------
GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Objective 6.3: Prepare for and Respond to Environmental Emergencies—Prevent, prepare, and respond to environmental emergencies and
support other agencies on nationally significant incidents, working with Tribes, states, and local planning and response organizations.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• EPA continues to significantly exceed annual benchmarks for Objective
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
2(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
6.3:
o Increased the average percentage of emergency response and removal
exercises incorporating environmental justice to 53% from an FY 2022
average of 49%. In FY 2023, conducted 98 such exercises and
participated in 86 additional trainings.
• Performance exceeded expectations to the point where EPA increased the
FY 2024 target to 40%.
Challenges:
• A significant proportion of the required training sessions must be held in
person for successful completion.
1142
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, ensure that 40% of annual emergency response and removal exercises that EPA
conducts or participates in incorporate environmental justice.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM ER02) Percentage of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in that incorporate environmental
justice.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
r
Target
14
30
40
40
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
49
53
Numerator
80
98
Exercises
Denominat
or
164
185
Key Takeaways:
• This accomplishment is largely due to EPA adapting work plans to this new Administration priority.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in that incorporate
solutions to or address environmental justice challenges. The following mechanisms are used to incorporate solutions to or address environmental
justice challenges in exercises: involving facilities in locations that affect communities with environmental justice concerns; including an entity with
environmental justice concerns as a participating organization; including environmental justice concerns or communities in the exercise scenario; and
including scenario injects that incorporate environmental justice concerns or entities. Incorporating solutions to or addressing environmental justice
challenges includes addressing language, mobility, or financial barriers or engaging community-based leadership. The estimated baseline for this
measure is 12.5%, based on FY 2021 data.
(PM ER01) Number of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
120
120
120
120
Exercises
Above
Actual
120
164
185
Target
Key Takeaways:
• Exceeded the target by conducting or participating in 152 emergency response and removal exercises.
1143
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GOAL 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of emergency response and removal exercises that EPA conducts or participates in, including: 1)
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) exercises which are exercises specific to CERCLA
requirements or contaminants. These can include participation in exercises with Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) or Risk
Management Plan (RMP) facilities with emphasis on CERCLA hazardous substance releases. 2) Oil spill preparedness exercises including tabletop,
functional and full scale, and Government-Initiated Unannounced Exercises (GIUEs). These include internal exercises to ensure readiness and
external training and readiness exercises. 3) Homeland Security exercises at which EPA staff participated. And 4) Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) exercises in which EPA staff participated. The baseline is 120 exercises in FY 2021. Annual targets for this measure maintain this
level of effort.
1144
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Goal 7 at a Glance
Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment: Increase the safety of chemicals and pesticides and prevent pollution at the source.
FY 2023 Enacted Budget (in thousands) by goal and objective
Goal 7 Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the
Environment
Obj 7.1 Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety
$367,637
$455,317
(of $10,148,733
EPA total)
Obj 7.2 Promote Pollution Prevention
$87,681
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (ND)
Obj 7.1
1 (Y)
Obj 7.2
1145
-------
GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective 7.1: Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety—Protect the health offamilies, communities, and ecosystems from the risks posed by
chemicals and pesticides.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
3 (ND)
7(G)
KYI
9(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Percentage of Risk Assessments Supporting Pesticide
Registration Decisions for New Active Ingredients that
Consider the Effects Determinations or Protections for
Federally Threatened and Endangered Species,
FY 2020 - FY 2025
100
80
60
40
20
0
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022 FY 2023
FY 2024 FY 2025
~ Actual
•Target
EPA, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, has
highlighted this objective as a focus area for improvement due to missed
targets in key program areas where significant funding and resource challenges
have impeded progress.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 5 (New Chemicals):
Completed risk assessments for 270 notices and 202 applications for
exemptions, and risk management for 145 notices and 208 applications for
exemptions. Proposed 78 and finalized 61 Significant New Use Rules
(SNURs). These actions manage potential risk by identifying conditions to
be placed on the use of a new chemical before it is entered into commerce.
• TSCA Section 6 (Existing Chemicals): Proposed four rules to address
unreasonable risks, submitted one more rule for interagency review, issued
six final and one draft revised unreasonable risk determinations, developed
revised rule for conducting risk evaluations, and released for public
comment and peer review principles for evaluating cumulative risks and an
approach for using the principles in evaluating certain phthalate chemicals.
• Lead: Proposed revisions to the Dust Lead Hazard Standards and Dust
Lead Clearance Levels to strengthen requirements for the removal of lead-
based paint hazards in pre-1978 buildings and childcare facilities. If
finalized, the rule will reduce lead exposures for 250,000 to 500,000
children under age 6 per year. Helped protect overburdened and
underserved communities by delivering 25 trainings on lead-safe work
practices.
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA):
Completed 15 registration reviews and 10 draft risk assessments and
opened 25 review dockets.
• Endangered Species Act (ESA): All pesticide risk assessments in support
of new active ingredient regulatory decisions included ESA effects
determinations or protections of federally endangered and threatened
1146
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
species. For draft risk assessments supporting registration review
decisions, 78% included ESA effects determinations or
protections.
• Agricultural Work Protection Standard (WPS) Rule: Provided
15,155 farmworkers with annual training. Average level of
content knowledge post-training was 97%.
Challenges:
• For FY 2023, the President asked for an increase of $59.2M and
175 FTEs for TSCA. EPA received only $17.8M. As a result,
EPA was unable to meet statutory deadlines.
• Resource challenges also affected statutory timeframes for EPA's
pesticide registration and registration review decisions, and full
implementation of ESA.
• Information technology challenges prevented EPA from issuing
Data Call-Ins (DCIs) for information needed to re-evaluate active
ingredients under pesticide registration review.
1147
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, complete at least eight High Priority Substance (HPS) TSCA risk evaluations
annually within statutory timelines compared to the FY 2020 baseline of one.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM TSCA4) Number of HPS TSCA risk evaluations completed within statutory timelines.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
J
Target
0
0
1
6
Evaluation
s
Above
Target
Actual
1
0
0
0
Key Takeaways:
• Although EPA issued no final risk evaluations in FY 2023 (as planned), EPA issued six final and one draft unreasonable risk determinations
amending the previous administration's TSCA risk evaluations of the first 10 chemicals. The original risk evaluations did not assess air, water, or
disposal exposures to the general public. These assessments are important, particularly for "fenceline" communities—those located near
industrial facilities.
• EPA faces challenges including enacted funding not meeting resource requests, evolving science such as evaluation of cumulative risk, combined
exposures across multiple conditions of use, and additional exposure pathways and legal challenges. Taking this into account, EPA anticipates
issuing one final risk evaluation in FY 2024, six in FY 2025, and seven in FY 2026.
• EPA proposed a rule to improve alignment of the risk evaluation process with applicable court decisions and the statutory text (reflecting the
Agency's experience implementing the risk evaluation program following enactment of the 2016 TSCA amendments), and to allow for
consideration of future scientific advances in the risk evaluation process. EPA also is designing a sustainable prioritization and data gathering
process, streamlining the peer review process, and working toward finalization of a TSCA fees rule reflecting the actual costs of the program.
These improvements will help EPA meet targets for this measure in the future.
Metric Details: This measure tracks HPS chemical risk evaluations completed annually for existing chemicals within statutory timelines. Risk
evaluations are needed to protect human health and the environment from unnecessary risks. TSCA requires risk evaluations for HPS to be completed
within 3.5 years of the date the chemical is prioritized. TSCA requires that upon completion of a HPS risk evaluation, EPA must designate at least
one additional HPS to take its place, thus ensuring that at least 20 EPA-initiated HPS risk evaluations are underway at all times. A baseline of one
HPS risk evaluation was completed within statutory timelines to protect human health and the environment from unnecessary risk in FY 2020. For
more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-evaluations-existing-chemicals-under-tsca.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, initiate all TSCA risk management actions within 45 days of the completion of a
final existing chemical risk evaluation.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
1148
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
(PM TSCA5) Percentage of existing chemical TSCA risk management actions initiated within 45 days of the completion of a final existing
chemical risk evaluation.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
100
100
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
100
Numerator
6
Actions
Denominatoi
6
Key Takeaways:
• EPA initiated risk management actions corresponding to all of EPA's final revised unreasonable risk determinations completed in FY 2023
amending the previous administration's TSCA risk evaluations (the FY 2023 revisions included assessments of air, water, or disposal exposures
to the general public not previously assessed).
• The completion of final rules will create additional responsibilities for EPA to realize the intended protections to human health and the
environment.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of existing chemical risk management rulemakings initiations, defined as the point at which EPA
convenes the Agency workgroup following the tiering process for the rulemaking, within 45 days of publishing the final risk evaluation. TSCA
Section 6(a) requires EPA to issue a proposed risk management rule for a chemical substance no later than one year after the date on which the final
risk evaluation is published, and to publish a final rule no later than two years after the publication date of the final risk evaluation. Prompt initiation
of risk management actions after the completion of risk evaluations is necessary for protecting human health and the environment from chemical
risks. A baseline of 100% of existing chemical TSCA risk management actions were initiated within 45 days of the completion of a final existing
chemical risk evaluation in FY 2020. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-
management-existing-chemicals-under-tsca#process.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, review 90% of risk management actions for past TSCA new chemical substances
reported to the 2020 Chemical Data Reporting Rule (CDR) compared to the FY 2021 baseline of none.6
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM TSCA6a) Percentage of past TSCA new chemical substances decisions with risk management actions reviewed.
0 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, review 90% of past risk mitigation requirements for TSCA new chemical substances decisions compared to the FY 2021 baseline of none."
1149
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
5
25
30
90
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
16
Numerator
40
Decisions
Denominat
or
258
Key Takeaways:
• Reviews were initially delayed as EPA worked against competing demands to establish its database of past new chemicals decisions to review.
Once that work was completed, EPA completed reviews of 40 chemicals in FY 2023.
• EPA completed actions that will clarify and improve the efficiency of the new chemical review process. These include release of the new
chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Framework for Pre-manufacture Notices (PMNs) and Significant New Use Notices
(SNUNs) under review, and proposal of the "720" New Chemicals Procedural Rule.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of past risk management decisions for TSCA new chemical substances that were reported under
the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) Rule, that EPA reviews for adherence/non-adherence with these requirements. EPA will use the 2020 CDR
report which covers calendar years 2016 to 2019. Initial upfront work is required to prepare three data sources for comparison, which may take up to
one year to complete (by December 2022). EPA puts measures in place to protect human health and the environment by identifying conditions to be
placed on the use of a new chemical before it is entered into commerce. EPA will review compliance with established restrictions in TSCA Section 5
Consent Orders or SNURs by cross-walking action requirements with information reported under the CDR rule. Instances of non-compliance will be
relayed to EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance for additional actions. This could include additional virtual records auditing, on-
site audits, issuance of compliance advisories or guidances, requests for information/subpoenas, and modifications/updates to TSCA Section 5
Consent Orders, SNURs, or other requirements, as appropriate. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-
toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/basic-information-review-new.
(PM TSCA6b) Percentage of TSCA new chemical substances with risk management actions reported to the 2020 CDR reviewed for
adherence/non-adherence with TSCA Section 5 risk management actions that are determined to adhere to those requirements.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
N/A
25
30
90
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
70
Numerator
28
Substances
1150
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Denominat
or
40
Key Takeaways:
• The percentage of new chemical substances reviewed that adhered to TSCA Section 5 risk management action requirements significantly
exceeded OCSPP's estimate of what the results of its review would reveal.
• When the results of the reporting crosscheck indicate that a company may not be addressing the requirements of a SNUR or order, EPA will
determine if further enforcement action is warranted.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of new chemicals substances reported under the 2020 CDR reviewed for adherence/non-
adherence with TSCA Section 5 risk management actions that are determined to be in adherence with reported risk mitigation requirements of the
actions. For more information, see: https://www.epa.gov/reviewing-new-chemicals-under-toxic-substances-control-act-tsca/basic-information-
review-new.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, recertify before the expiration date 36% of lead-based paint Renovation, Repair,
and Painting (RRP) firms whose certifications are scheduled to expire compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 32%.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RRP30) Percentage of lead-based paint RRP firms whose certifications are scheduled to expire that are recertified before the expiration
date.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
32
33
34
34
Percent
Above
Target
J[
Actual
17
19
40
36
31
31
Numerator
1,134
1,185
9,006
6,524
2,874
2,308
RRP Firms
Denominat
or
6,855
6,091
22,384
18,158
9,423
7,529
Key Takeaways:
• Recertification numbers vary year to year due to external factors such as the high level of turnover (companies closing and opening) in the
industry.
• Interest rate increases over the past year have reduced residential construction activity and hindered growth for remodelers, which could have
depressed recertifications.
1151
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of expiring lead-based paint firm certifications renewed before the expiration date. Number of
recertifications can vary widely from year to year due to external factors. This industry has a high level of turnover (companies closing and opening).
Higher numbers for this measure reflect interest in the industry for continuing to provide these critical services. Federal law requires all RRP firms
working in housing, or facilities where children are routinely present, built before 1978, to be certified. Firms must apply to EPA for certification to
perform renovations or dust sampling. To apply, a firm must submit a completed application and fee to EPA online. EPA RRP firm certifications are
good for five years. Firms must apply for recertification at least 90 days before the firm's current certification expires. Data are tracked in the Federal
Lead-based Paint Program database. Data include recertifications from jurisdictions where EPA administers the RRP Program. These data do not
include recertifications from tribes or states with delegated programs. The baseline of 32% is based on the average recertification rate during the final
six months of FY 2021 due to unusual circumstances in the first half of the fiscal year.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, complete pesticide registration review for 78 cases.7
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM FIFRA3a) Number of pesticide registration review cases completed.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
|
\-
Target
15
8
4
5
Cases
Above
Target
Actual
16
15
Key Takeaways:
• EPA exceeded the target because cases moved more quickly through the registration review process than initially expected. These cases moved
quickly because they were not dependent on data for risk assessment requested from pesticide registrants through DCIs and/or were considered
lower risk and required less risk mitigation.
• Information technology system issues might delay draft risk assessments (DRAs) due to delays in issuing DCIs to pesticide registrants, which
could limit EPA's ability to complete review cases in the future. EPA is addressing these issues as part of an overall IT upgrade for development
in FY 2024. The legacy system used previously to generate DCIs no longer functions.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of pesticide registration review completions for cases with initial registration after October 1,
2007, or a final decision in the first cycle of registration review. EPA must review each registered pesticide every 15 years to determine whether it
still meets the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) standard for registration and to ensure that pesticides already in the
marketplace do not pose unreasonable adverse effects on people or the environment based on current science standards. A total of 78 registered
pesticides have 15-year cycle due dates that fall within the timeframe of the performance goal.
7 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, complete 78 pesticide registration review cases with statutory due dates that fall after October 1, 2022." Hie December 2022 omnibus bill extended the
deadline for completing pesticide registration review for cases registered prior to October 1,2007, from October 1,2022 to October 1, 2026.
1152
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
(PM FIFRA3b) Number of pesticide registration review dockets opened for registration review cases.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
|
f
Target
25
20
25
28
Dockets
Above
Actual
35
25
Target
Key Takeaways:
• EPA exceeded the target because of a short-term change in priorities which expanded the scope of cases to be reviewed. These docket
openings did not require DCIs to be issued.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of docket openings for pesticide registration review cases with initial registration after
October 1, 2007, or a final decision in the first cycle of registration review. Every registered pesticide must complete registration review every 15
years. Docket openings are the first stage of the registration review process and offer the first opportunity for the public to provide comment. The
baseline is 11 docket openings in FY 2020.
(PM FIFRA3c) Number of draft risk assessments completed for pesticide registration review cases.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
k
Target
9
16
4
4
Draft
Assessmen
ts
Above
Target
Actual
25
10
Key Takeaways:
• Missed target due to IT system issues. The module that allows EPA to issue and track DCIs for additional information and data to support the
reevaluation of registered pesticides by current scientific standards resides in a legacy IT system. During FY 2022 and 2023, this module ceased
to function, preventing the issuance of DCIs, and thus EPA is unable to receive or process the registrant data for risk assessment.
• The ability to issue and track DCIs is being developed as part of an overall IT upgrade and is a priority for development in FY 2024.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of draft risk assessments completed for pesticide registration review cases with initial
registration after October 1, 2007, or a final decision in the first cycle of registration review. Every registered pesticide must complete registration
1153
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
review every 15 years. The draft risk assessment presents EPA's preliminary risk findings to the public and provides opportunity for public comment.
The baseline is five draft risk assessments completed in FY 2020.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, consider the effects determinations or protections of federally threatened and
endangered species for new active ingredients in 90% of the risk assessments supporting pesticide registration decisions compared to the FY
2020 baseline of50%.8
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM ESA1) Percentage of risk assessments supporting pesticide registration decisions for new active ingredients that consider the effects
determinations or protections for federally threatened and endangered species.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
£
Target
40
80
90
90
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
50
62
100
100
Numerator
8
8
14
12
Risk
Assessments
Denominator
16
13
14
12
8 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, consider the effects determinations or protections of federally threatened and endangered species for new active ingredients in 90% of the risk
assessments suPPorting pesticide registration decisions for new active ingredients compared to the FY 2020 baseline of 50%."
1154
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Key Takeaways:
• EPA was able to consider effects on endangered species for all new active ingredients it registered in FY 2023. This was a top priority in EPA's
FY 2022 workplan toward achieving better protections for endangered species (see https://www.epa.gov/svstem/files/documents/2022-
04/balancing-wildlife-protection-and-responsible-pesticide-use final.pdf).
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of risk assessments for pesticide registration decisions for new active ingredients that incorporate
Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements to ensure federal actions do not jeopardize the continued existence of federally threatened or
endangered species or damage their critical habitat. Historically, EPA has not incorporated ESA determinations into its regulatory decisions other
than determinations of "no effects" (mostly for biopesticides), due to the lengthy process of ESA consultation with the Services (U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service). EPA will more routinely incorporate ESA effects determinations into its regulatory
decisions and ensure protection for listed species earlier in the consultation process through label mitigation. The FY 2020 baseline year included a
relatively higher percentage of determinations of "no effects" for biopesticide new active ingredient registration decisions in relation to overall new
active ingredient registration decisions. Biopesticide determinations of "no effects" are estimated to apply to 70-80% of new active ingredient
registration decisions in any given fiscal year. The remainder includes conventional pesticides, antimicrobial pesticides, and biopesticides for which
determinations of "no effects" cannot be made.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, consider the effects determinations or protections of federally threatened and
endangered species in 50% of the risk assessments supporting pesticide registration review decisions compared to the FY 2020 baseline of
27%.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM ESA2) Percentage of risk assessments supporting pesticide registration review decisions that include effects determinations or
protections of federally threatened and endangered species.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
d Ik
Target
20
30
20
50
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
27
79
78
Numerator
29
27
7
Risk
Assessments
Denominator
107
34
9
1155
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Key Takeaways:
• EPA exceeded its FY 2023 target primarily because of the small number of risk assessments completed for the registration review program in FY
2023. The higher percentage in FY 2022 was a result of ESA assessment due to ESA-related litigation and pilot implementation.
• Additionally, EPA was able to make several ESA "no effects" determinations in cases where it was not expecting to conduct a risk assessment
but found through the planning process that no effects were expected from a particular active ingredient.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of risk assessments for pesticide registration review decisions that incorporate ESA
determinations, including decisions subject either to the statutory deadline of October 2026 for the first cycle of registration review or to a 15-year
schedule of review under the second cycle. Implementation of this process for pesticide registration review decisions will follow implementation for
new active ingredient pesticide registration decisions. Some cases in the first cycle of registration review are currently involved in litigation due to
EPA's failure to incorporate ESA considerations. EPA calculated the FY 2020 baseline of 27% based on the portion of all actions in registration
review during FY 2020 for conventional pesticides, biopesticides, and antimicrobial pesticides that included either a determination of "no effects" or
measures that are intended to reduce exposure to listed species. The risk assessments that considered endangered species in FY 2020 were cases
where EPA made a determination of "no effects" on listed species based either on the absence of potential exposure or the absence of toxicological
harm. EPA calculated the FY 2020 baseline assuming 107 completed risk assessments of which 29 included determinations of "no effects" on listed
species.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, support Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) pesticide safety training
for 20,000 farmworkers annually compared to the FY 2018-2020 annual average baseline of 11,000.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM WPSla) Number of farmworkers receiving EPA-supported WPS pesticide safety training.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
V-
Target
20,000
12,000
13,000
13,000
Farm-
Above
Actual
12,716
15,155
workers
Target
u
Key Takeaways:
• The grantee overseeing WPS training under the cooperative agreement was able to slowly build back toward normal operations by recruiting and
maintaining a total of 33 participating community non-profit organizations in 31 states.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of farmworkers trained under EPA cooperative agreements in accordance with the Agricultural WPS
rule. The purpose of the WPS is to reduce pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. The WPS offers
occupational protections to over 2 million agricultural workers and pesticide handlers who work at over 600,000 agricultural establishments. WPS
1156
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
pesticide safety training is an annual requirement. An average of 11,000 individuals had the EPA-supported WPS training from FY 2018-2020,
which reflects a sharp drop-off in training in FY 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(PM WPSlb) Percentage of pesticide safety content knowledge demonstrated by farmworker/trainees upon completion of EPA-supported
WPS pesticide training.
I V 2018
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
I n its
Preferred
Direction
Target
i)5
i)5
i)5
IVivcnl
Above
Actual
l)0
97
Target
Key Takeaways:
• This result indicates that farmworkers continue to have a high level of understanding of the content administered in the annual WPS training of
farmworkers, per post-training survey results.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the average level of knowledge of the pesticide safety content demonstrated by farmworkers/trainees at the
conclusion of EPA-supported WPS pesticide training, based on pre- and post-survey questions administered to trainees. The baseline of 95% is based
on post-training assessments conducted annually from FY 2018-2020.
1157
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Objective 7.2: Promote Pollution Prevention—Encourage the adoption of pollution prevention and other stewardship practices that conserve
natural resources, mitigate climate change, and promote environmental sustainability.
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Added 22 chemicals to the Safer Choice Ingredients List and certified 208
new products to carry EPA's Safer Choice label.
• Awarded 32 recurring pollution prevention grants to states and tribes to
help businesses adopt source reduction practices and technologies, with
emphasis on addressing climate change impacts and environmental justice.
Challenges:
• While Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding has been an
important resource for pollution prevention programs, funding for the Safer
Choice Program continues to be a challenge. Implementation of pollution
prevention grants for technical assistance to businesses was significantly
delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in lower than expected
emission reductions.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
2 (Y)
1 (NT)
1 (ND)
1 (Y)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
1158
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, reduce a total of 6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe)
released attributed to EPA pollution prevention grants.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM P2mtc) Reduction in million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCChe) released per year attributed to EPA pollution
prevention grants.*
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction n
n —
Target
No Target
Established
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.2
MMTCChe
Above
Target
Actual
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.1
1.0
Data Avail
10/2024
Key Takeaways:
• EPA missed the FY 2022 target due to the cumulative impact of COVID-induced delays on the implementation of technical assistance to
businesses. The inclusion of three COVID-affected years in the four-year rolling measurement period is reflected in the results,
• Quality Assurance (QA) review of FY 2022 results for a small number of grants was deferred to the FY 2023 reporting cycle as a result of
reporting and staffing issues. These results will be included in FY 2023 reporting.
Metric Details: This measure tracks MMTCChe reductions from all Pollution Prevention Grant Program activities. MMTCChe is calculated by using
an online tool to convert standard metrics for electricity, green energy, fuel use, chemical substitutions, water management, and materials
management into MMTCChe (https://www.epa.gov/p2/pollution-prevention-tools-and-calculators). Annual results are the total reported by grantees
in a single year plus the contributions from the previous three years. This method accounts for recurring benefits of a pollution prevention action, not
just in the year it was implemented, but also in future years. Pollution prevention grants are "two-year" grants with an optional third year for follow-
up reporting and case study development. These grants have annual reporting but with a one-year reporting lag due to the grant reporting cycle.
• This measure is also used to track progress in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, EPA's Safer Choice program will certify a total of 2,300 products compared to the
FY 2021 baseline of 1,892 total certified products.9
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
9 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, EPA's Safer Choice program will certify a total of 2,300 products compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 1,950 total certified products."
1159
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GOAL 7: Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment
(PM P2sc) Number of products certified by EPA's Safer Choice program.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
r
Target
1,950
2,000
1,792
1,795
Products
Above
Target
Actual
1,958
1,989
1,929
1,892
1,835
1,788
Key Takeaways:
• As a result of continuing resource challenges that began during the last administration, the Safer Choice Program focused on providing services
and support to current program partners.
• In recent years, Congressional appropriations committee reports in enacted budgets have directed EPA to fund and operate the Safer Choice
Program consistent with prior years.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the total number of products certified by the Safer Choice program at the end of the year. Safer Choice is a
voluntary program that helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human
health and the environment. Certified products are verified by EPA to meet the Safer Choice Standard through initial certification, annual audits, and
recertification every three years. The total includes Design for the Environment-certified antimicrobial products and total number of products
certified. Disinvestment from the program by the previous administration caused a drop in the number of certified products. In FY 2021-2023, the
Safer Choice Program prioritized maintenance of existing partnerships and was not able to invest in broadening the number of certified products and
new product sectors. Data are tracked in EPA's Safer Choice database. For additional information, see: https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice.
1160
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Cross-Agency Strategies at a Glance
EPA's FY 2023 enacted budget, in thousands, included $1,710,685 of $10,148,733 total for cross-agency mission and science support. This funding
was allocated across strategic goals and objectives in the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
FY 2023 Performance toward target by objective
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
2 (R)
3(Y)
8(G)
2(G) | 2(G) |
2(G)
Strategy 1 Strategy 2 Strategy 3 Strategy 4
1161
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Strategy 1: Ensure Scientific Integrity and Science-Based Decision Making—Deliver rigorous scientific research and analyses to inform
evidence-based decision-making.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (NT)
1(G)
1(G)
1(G)
1 (ND)
1(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Percentage of ORD Research Products Meeting
Partner Needs, FY 2018 - FY 2025
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Actual ^^wTarget
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Delivered an updated draft scientific integrity policy to the White House. The draft
policy introduced a new federal definition of Scientific Integrity (SI) and enhanced
several policy elements critical to fostering a culture of SI.
• Continued work on the final updated SI policy planned for release in mid-
2024, using a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
(OSTP) framework report published in January 2023. The draft policy has
undergone formal consultation with tribes, engagement with and comment
by EPA employee unions, and significant legal review.
• Completed a whiteboard training video on SI at EPA that will be distributed
throughout the Agency with the updated SI policy.
• Added SI language to the FY 2024 required critical element for EPA
supervisors for performance reviews.
• Deputy Scientific Integrity Officials (DSIOs) throughout the Agency
implemented 24 additional actions to strengthen SI.
• EPA's Scientific Integrity Official was elected co-chair of Subcommittee on
Scientific Integrity (SOSI) of the Committee on Science, National Science
and Technology Council.
• Received six allegations of potential loss of SI and responded to 28 requests
for advice.
• Reported previous SI survey results, making 20 reports so each
division/region could review their results.
• Met partner needs for 96% of research products included in the annual
customer satisfaction assessment (see graph pictured on the left).
• Led the Agency on community-based participatory science under the
Executive Orders on Equity, including completing the Participatory Science
Policy Guidelines and Checklist.
• Published 20 draft or final human health toxicity assessments (e.g.,
Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), Provisional Peer-Reviewed
Toxicity Values (PPRTVs)), informing decision-making.
1162
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Challenges:
• 36.6% of EPA's research and development staff are retirement
eligible. EPA will be delayed in meeting research goals if unable to
sustain a trained and skilled workforce. To address this, EPA's
Office of Research and Development (ORD) is improving hiring
efficiencies and enhancing succession management practices.
• Achieving an appropriate response rate threshold to provide
adequate data to evaluate delivered ORD Products, causing the
Agency to extend the survey open period.
1163
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, increase the annual percentage of Office of Research and Development (ORD)
research products meeting partner needs to 95% from a baseline of 93% in FY 2021.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RD1) Percentage of ORD research products meeting partner needs.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
No Target
Established
77
80
81
93
94
94
94
Percent
Above
Actual
77
79
80
94
94
96
Numerator
171
154
120
60
77
278
Products
I arget
Denominator
222
196
150
64
82
290
Key Takeaways:
• Met partner needs for 96% of research products included in the annual partner satisfaction assessment, based on an annual customer survey of 50
randomly selected ORD research products. The FY 2023 survey was provided to 201 federal and 80 non-federal respondents and had a 63%
response rate.
• The results suggests that 100% of ORD Research Products were delivered to the partner when it was needed, whereas 13% of ORD Research
Products could have been improved in terms of usability and 5% could have been improved in terms of quality.
• The number of products evaluated in FY 2023 was expanded dramatically over the previous fiscal years, as more products were completed and
delivered to ORD partners from the FY 2019-2022 Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP) cycle. ORD expects the number of delivered
products to decline in FY 2024 as new products are initiated under the new StRAP cycle.
Metric Details: Partner satisfaction is assessed through a robust survey process. The annual survey engages key users of ORD products. Survey
respondents assessed the scientific rigor of research products (quality), product relevance (usability), and timeliness of product delivery. Products are
randomly selected from the universe of products identified as delivered during the previous fiscal year in the Research Approval Planning
Implementation Dashboard (RAPID). Per information collection request stipulations, each year ORD surveys 50 randomly selected products of the
universe of products that were delivered. The numerator is a statistical inference from the survey results calculated via a stratified sample design to
account for the proportion of products delivered by ORD and then applied to the entire universe of products. The denominator is the total universe of
products.
1164
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, implement 131 actions for scientific integrity objectives that are certified by Deputy
Scientific Integrity Officials in each EPA program and region.10
10 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, implement 126 actions for scientific integrity objectives that are certified by Deputy Scientific Integrity Officials in each EPA program and region." At
beginning of FY 2023, there were 21 DSIOs, currently there are 22 DSIOs.
1165
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM RD5) Number of actions implemented for EPA scientific integrity objectives.
I V 2018
I V 2019
I V 2020
I V 2021
I V 2022
I V 2023
I V 2024
I V 2025
I nils
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
No Target
Established
:i
f 1
f 1
44
Actions
AI"to\ e
Target
Actual
N/A
f 1
Key Takeaways:
• EPA completed 24 actions for SI objectives, exceeding the target of 21. The total includes actions by the new Office of Environment Justice and
External Civil Rights.
• Highlights include: increased training and outreach efforts across the Agency; launch of a scientific integrity award in EPA Region 10; addition
of scientific integrity sections in Idaho and Washington state performance partnership grants; discussion of SI during state events by Region 4;
implementation of an SI Awareness Week in Region 8; and inclusion of an SI statement in all of the Office of Water's Performance Work
Statements.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual number of actions completed by EPA DSIOs to implement the scientific integrity objectives that
implement the EPA Scientific Integrity Policy (https://www.epa.gOv/sites/default/files/2 cuments/scientific integrity policy 2Q12.pdf).
From FY 2023 - FY 2026, each DSIO will certify completion of two actions for each of the three scientific integrity objectives: scientific integrity is
highly visible at EPA (Objective 1); all of EPA embraces and models scientific integrity (Objective 2); and robust mechanisms protect and maintain
EPA's culture of scientific integrity (Objective 3). DSIOs are members of the Scientific Integrity Committee representing each EPA program office
and region. There were 21 DSIOs at the beginning of FY 2023, and there are 22 DSIOs currently.
1166
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Strategy 2: Consider the Health of Children at All Life Stages and Other Vulnerable Populations-
health of children at all life stages and other vulnerable populations in implementing our programs.
-Focus on protecting and improving the
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (ND)
1(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
O
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Nine of 10 EPA regions implemented projects that are durable, replicable,
widespread, and focused on disadvantaged communities. Region 8
provided outreach and education related to wildfire smoke in Montana.
Region 7 provided material to farmworkers on lead risks to children, and
pesticides safety. Region 2 helped the Virgin Islands Department of Health
acquire testing kits to address elevated lead levels in St. Croix drinking
water.
• Completed 298 actions that concern children's environmental health,
exceeding the goal of 163. These include:
o Rules, such as the Final Heavy-Duty Vehicles Standard, expected to
result in 18,000 fewer cases of childhood asthma and 1.1 million fewer
lost school days by 2045;
Reports, such as the Climate Change and Children's Health and Weil-
Being Report, which quantifies health risks to children from climate
change impacts and the extent to which these disproportionately fall on
overburdened and underserved children; and
Risk determinations under the Toxic Substances Control Act for
whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to
health or the environment.
Proposed more protective standards for the removal of lead-based paint
hazards in pre-1978 buildings and childcare facilities to protect children
and communities from the harmful effects of exposure to dust-lead.
Charged Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) on
children's health indicators, received recommendations, issued response,
and developed implementation plan for the next three years. Coordinated
charge to CHPAC on climate change and children; received over 150
recommendations.
Supported the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units to provide
education and awareness around keeping children safe from the impacts of
o
o
1167
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
climate change as well as chemical exposures during emergencies,
like the East Palestine, OH train derailment.
• Supported Schools as Community Clean Air and Cooling Centers
and released fact sheets for parents, principals, facilities managers,
and teachers to keep children safe during extreme heat and/or
wildfire smoke events.
• Co-led the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks
and Safety Risks to Children. Engaged 17 departments and
agencies and other federal partners to advance four priority areas:
asthma disparities; lead exposures; chemical exposures; and
climate emergencies and disasters.
Challenges:
• Environmental and public health statutes differ in the extent to
which they require protection of children and sensitive
populations, presenting challenges in aligning approaches across
program offices.
1168
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, assess and consider environmental health information and data for children at
all life stages for EPA actions that concern human health.11
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM CHOI) Number of EPA actions that concern human health that include assessment and consideration of environmental health
information and data for children at all life stages to the extent relevant data are available.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
50%
163
166
TBD
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
N/A
298
Key Takeaways:
• Actions include rules, risk assessments, guidance, reports, and workshops where children's health data and information was considered in the
decision making.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of EPA actions (e.g., rules, risk assessments, exposure assessments, economic and benefits analyses,
research and other products, program implementation guidances, enforcement and compliance efforts and activities, grants, training, partnerships,
fact sheets, internal capacity building work, and other communication materials) that have a human health impact and for which children's
environmental health information and data was considered and assessed, to the extent relevant data are available. The intent of this measure is to
demonstrate improvements in complying with EPA's 2021 Policy on Children's Health (https://www.epa.gov/children/epas-policy-childrens-health),
which calls for EPA to protect children from environmental exposures by "consistently and explicitly considering early life exposures and lifelong
health in all human health decisions." In FY 2022, the measure was a percentage. EPA will set the FY 2025 target based on FY 2024 results and will
include this target in the FY 2026 Budget.
(PM CH02) Number of EPA regional offices with stakeholder engagement on children's environmental health designed to provide durable,
replicable, and widespread results.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
r
Target
3
6
9
10
Regional
Above
Actual
6
9
Offices
Target
D
LI
Key Takeaways:
11 Changed from "By September 30, 2026, assess and consider environmental health information and data for children at all life stages for all completed EPA actions that concern human health."
1169
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
• EPA exceeded its target due to EPA leadership's increased emphasis on sustainability of engagements as critical to the success of the Cross-
Agency Strategy. In addition, several Regions partnered with Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (a network of children's
environmental health experts working in communities^, which helped ensure that the projects were durable, replicable and widespread.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of EPA regional offices that have developed and are implementing stakeholder engagement activities
on children's environmental health that support joint planning, collaboration, or action; identify and address community-scale issues; build
federal/state/local "whole-of-government" partnerships; and/or address health disparities. EPA aims to increase outcome-driven stakeholder
participation and program visibility. The activities under this measure must be underway in disadvantaged communities for more than one year
(durable), include outreach or training materials that could be adapted by other regions or communities (replicable), and involve more than one EPA
region or program office and/or community (widespread).
1170
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Strategy 3: Advance EPA's Organizational Excellence and Workforce Equity-
effective and mission-driven workplace.
-Foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce within an
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
I 1 (ND) I
I \
FY 2018
_1]Y]_
I 1(G) I
FY 2020
JJY]_
I 1(G) I
FY 2021
3(Y)
FY 2022
8(G)
FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Percentage of EPA Contract Spending Awarded
to HUBZone Businesses, FY 2018 - FY 2025
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
0.0%
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
~ Actual
¦Target
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• Improved 236 operational processes, exceeding the target, with
contributions from all 10 regions and nine program offices.
• Completed 100% of EPA's FY 2023 climate resiliency goals. Met targets
by completing a total of seven facility climate adaptation assessments and
initiating a priority climate resiliency project within 24 months of the
assessment at one EPA-owned facility.
• Completed two milestones toward the Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and
Accessibility (DEIA) "Leading and Sustaining" Maturity Level.
• Completed succession management planning and workforce analyses
across all major EPA organizations. The results will be used to inform and
develop policies and approaches that equip EPA employees with the
needed competencies, knowledge and most up-to-date tools to advance
EPA's mission.
• Secured a contract vehicle for information technology (IT) development to
automate EPA's major permitting programs.
• Received 24th consecutive clean financial audit opinion, highlighting the
EPA's commitment to responsible and transparent financial management.
Challenges:
• Missed some annual targets for cybersecurity Long-Term Performance
Goals, but laid the groundwork for more robust compliance with
cybersecurity requirements by prioritizing enterprise-level coordination
and incorporation of critical feedback from system owners.
• Missed target for permitting processes automated, due to a delay in
automating the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)'s
Financial Assurance tool.
• Missed target for percentage of EPA contract spending awarded to
HUBZone businesses, but continued progress to increase dollars awarded
to HUBZone businesses under the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan.
1171
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, EPA will be in full compliance with the five high-priority directives in Executive
Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM MFA) Percentage of EPA applications in compliance with multifactor authentication requirements.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
if
Target
75
85
100
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
48
79
Numerator
223
321
Applicatio
ns
Denominator
463
406
Key Takeaways:
• Missed target due to variance in technical requirements for implementing multifactor authentication compliance, as well as competing priorities
across EPA programs which administer the required cybersecurity improvements.
• Made progress by closer coordination with system owners as well as greater visibility of system compliance through the IT Portfolio Review
Dashboard.
• On track to complete 100% compliance in FY 2024.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA implementation of one of the five priority requirements of Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's
Cybersecurity (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/12/executive-order-on-improving-the-nations-
cybersecurity/). Multifactor authentication confirms user identify and ensures only authorized users have access to Agency systems and information.
(PM DAR) Percentage of EPA data at rest in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
90
95
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
93
Numerator
110
Systems
Denominator
118
Key Takeaways:
1172
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
• Better than expected progress in part due to closer coordination with system owners as well as greater visibility of system compliance through the
IT Portfolio Review Dashboard.
• Remaining systems have legacy issues that may take additional time to resolve.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA implementation of one of the five priority requirements of Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's
Cyber security. Encrypting data at rest ensures any unauthorized individual who has gained access to EPA's network or any of its information systems
will still be unable to read the data in any meaningful and potentially destructive or malicious way. The August 2022 baseline for this measure is
83%.
(PM DIT) Percentage of EPA data in transit in compliance with encryption requirements.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
90
98
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
98
Numerator
116
Systems
Denominator
118
Key Takeaways:
• Better than expected progress in part due to closer coordination with system owners as well as greater visibility of system compliance through the
IT Portfolio Review Dashboard.
• Remaining systems have legacy issues that may take additional time to resolve.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA implementation of one of the five priority requirements of Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's
Cyber security. Encrypting data in transit ensures that any unauthorized individual who has gained the ability to monitor network traffic will be
unable to read and interpret data in a meaningful and potentially destructive or malicious way. The August 2022 baseline for this measure is 82%.
(PM ZTA) Percentage of "Zero Trust Architecture" projects completed on time.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
50
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
2
1173
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Key Takeaways:
• Identified two projects to complete to inform future zero trust architecture (ZTA) work: a Gap Assessment Analysis and a ZTA Roadmap.
• Needed additional time to complete the ZTA Roadmap to respond to the greater than anticipated feedback to the draft plan and address the needs
of key stakeholders. The result is a more robust Roadmap.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA implementation of one of the five priority requirements of Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's
Cybersecurity. The "Zero Trust Architecture" security model eliminates implicit trust in any one element, node, or service and instead requires
continuous verification of the operational picture via real-time information from multiple sources to determine access and other system responses.
Once implemented, the various components of Agency network infrastructure will be more resistant to unauthorized access. Each year, EPA
determines the final portfolio of ZTA implementation projects that will be completed under this annual performance goal and the associated
deadlines. EPA will work to achieve the deadlines 100% of the time.
1174
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
(PM ALR) Implementation of advanced event logging requirements (EL3) across EPA networks.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
ELI
EL3
EL3
EL 3
Tier
Above
Target
Actual
EL0
EL0
Key Takeaways:
• Missed target due to the variance in technical requirements to implementing Enterprise Logging compliance, as well as competing priorities
across EPA programs which implement logging requirements.
• EPA is revising its project schedule to meet compliance, including a Logging Sprint in Q1 of FY 2024.
• EPA is actively engaging with system owners to resolve noncompliance issues.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA implementation of one of the five priority requirements of Executive Order 14028 - Improving the Nation's
Cyber security. EPA will implement the highest event logging tier of "Advanced" (EL3) across EPA networks and infrastructure as established by
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-21-31 - Improving the Federal Government's Investigative and Remediation Capabilities
Related to Cyber security Incidents.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, award 4% of EPA contract spending to small businesses located in Historically
Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) compared to the FY 2018-2020 average annual baseline of 2.2%.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM SB1) Percentage of EPA contract spending awarded to HUBZone businesses.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
Target
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.7
Percent
Above
Target
bJ
Actual
2.4
2.2
2.0
4.9
3.1
3.1
Numerator
37.5
35.0
30.3
75.6
59.6
69.3
Millions of
Dollars
Denominator
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,500
1,900
2,265
Key Takeaways:
• Continued to increase in the amount of dollars awarded to HUBZones since the establishment of this Long-Term Performance Goal. This
demonstrates the continuing incremental effectiveness of initiatives to expand contracting opportunities for HUBZone firms, including to
provision of training on the HUBZone mechanism and developing HUBZone vendor lists tied to procurement opportunities.
1175
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Metric Details: This measure tracks the percentage of EPA prime contracting dollars awarded to firms designated as certified HUBZone small
business awardees in the Federal Procurement Data System. To qualify for certification as a HUBZone firm, the small business must: 1) be at least
51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens, a Community Development Corporation, an agricultural cooperative, or an Indian tribe; 2) maintain its
principal office within a HUBZone; and 3) hire at least 35% of its workforce from a HUBZone area. HUBZones are generally defined to include
urban and rural communities with low income, high poverty, or high unemployment.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, initiate all priority climate resiliency projects for EPA-owned facilities within 24
months of a completed facility climate assessment and project prioritization.
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM CRP) Percentage of priority climate resiliency projects for EPA-owned facilities initiated within 24 months of a completed facility
climate assessment and project prioritization.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
100
100
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
Numerator
1
Projects
Denominator
1
Key Takeaways:
• EPA has successfully initiated its first priority climate resiliency project at the Agency-owned Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling
Division Laboratory in Gulf Breeze, FL.
Metric Details: This measure tracks initiation of climate adaptation projects at EPA-owned facilities following a climate assessment. EPA will
prioritize identified projects based on multiple factors - ability to execute, impact on facility resiliency, cost, etc. - and initiate projects within 24
months of identification as a priority.
(PM CAA) Number of EPA-owned facility climate adaptation assessments completed.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
/
Target
2
7
11
14
Assessmen
Above
/
Actual
1
7
ts
Target
fU
1176
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Key Takeaways:
• Completed the 2023 goal of five Climate Resiliency Assessments reports, as well as finishing the remaining 2022 Climate Resiliency Assessment
reports. Additionally, EPA finalized its All Facility Hazard Map and the schema voting for EPA's Test and Evaluation facility in Cincinnati, OH.
• Economic conditions have created long lead times for services and materials, and higher construction costs are making projects more difficult to
fund due to constraints in the enacted budget levels in the Buildings and Facilities appropriation. The FY 2025 President's Budget requests
sufficient resources to advance these projects.
Metric Details: This measure tracks completion of climate adaptation assessments at EPA-owned facilities with planned long-term occupancy that
will determine which facilities require investments to protect against climate change. Climate resiliency assessments enable EPA to identify facility-
specific vulnerabilities and proactively identify projects that will increase resiliency and fortify facilities against climate-related events.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, EPA will achieve the highest Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA)
Maturity Level of "Leading and Sustaining" as defined by the November 2021 Government-wide Strategic Plan to Advance DEIA in the
Federal Workforce and achieve all EPA goals identified in the Agency's Gender Equity and Equality Action Plan.
1177
-------
CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM DEIA) Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (DEIA) actions completed toward Maturity Level "Leading and Sustaining"
achieved.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
2
4
6
Actions
Above
Target
Actual
2
Key Takeaways:
• Established the Office of Inclusive Excellence, a priority action in the DEIA Strategic Plan, to lead the implementation of DEIA efforts across the
Agency.
• Launched the DEIA Data Catalog. The Data Catalog includes information available to all employees on diversity, Federal Employee Viewpoint
Survey results, Management Directive 715 (MD-715) Reports to promote equal employment opportunities, and restricted access data on
workforce demographics and applicant flow data.
Metric Details: This measure tracks completion of the eight Strategic Actions in the EPA DEIA Strategic Plan. Each completed action signifies
progress toward achieving the highest DEIA Maturity Level of "Leading and Sustaining."
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, automate all priority internal administrative processes.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM GOP A) Number of priority internal administrative processes automated.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
1
1
3
Processes
Above
Target
Actual
1
Key Takeaways:
• Completed transformation of Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) process from manual/email-driven to an
automated process. Rejected submissions were reduced from 15.6% to 1.5%, indicating improved quality and increased efficiency.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the completion of processes to complete priority administrative forms and/or processes to full automation for
improved internal data collection and utilization. EPA is prioritizing 10 identified internal administrative processes to be automated by 2026 but is
tracking all efforts to automate administrative processes. Previous examples of administrative process automation include: transitioning OGE-450
1178
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Financial Disclosure Forms from electronic documents to a centralized reporting database; transitioning paper-based employee performance
to USA Performance; and transitioning Headquarters Transit Subsidy requests from a paper form to a digital approval workflow.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, automate the major EPA permitting programs.
1179
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Annual performance goals that support this long-term performance goal:
(PM PAT) Annual percentage of EPA permitting processes automated.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
No Trend
Data
Target
10
30
30
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
8
Numerator
1
Permitting
Processes
Denominator
13
Key Takeaways:
• EPA secured a contract vehicle for IT development for permit automation. Supplemental funding through the Inflation Reduction Act is
supporting permit automation work along with regular appropriations.
• The Office of Water completed the automation of its Permit Tracking System to facilitate and track EPA's review of state-issued National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
• Automation of the Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)'s Financial Assurance tool was delayed due to the proprietary nature of
the tool, which made it necessary to take more time to secure an appropriate contract vehicle to do the work. OLEM expects to complete its tool
by the end of March 2024.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the Agency's progress toward bringing EPA into the 21st century by transitioning EPA's major permitting
programs from paper to electronic processes. EPA will advance the paperless transformation through automation of permit application, review, and
issuance processes for EPA's permitting programs. This will reduce processing time on issuing permits, decrease the time between receiving
monitoring data and engaging in enforcement actions, and foster transparency by allowing communities to search, track, and access permitting
actions easily. Further, permit automation will enable the integration of climate change and environmental justice considerations into permit
processes and ensure that they are addressed within the terms and conditions of the permit. For the regulated community, permit automation will
allow for a simplified, streamlined, and transparent permitting process which will result in time and costs savings. EPA identified a universe of 13
eligible processes.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, improve 1,000 operational processes.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
(PM OP1) Number of operational processes improved.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
I]
K
Target
25
50
72
500
200
200
200
200
Operationa
Above
J
Imp
Actual
N/A
66
502
507
208
236
1 Processes
Target
u u u
Key Takeaways:
• Exceeded target thanks to contributions from all 10 EPA regions and nine program offices The Office of the Chief Financial Officer and the
Office of Air and Radiation achieved the most of any program offices, at 39 and 33 improvements respectively. Region 6 was the highest regional
contributor, achieving 18 process improvements.
• Each region and program office completed executive sponsored improvement projects, accounting for a significant portion of the total number of
processes improved.
• EPA continues to explore ways to encourage more improvement, including replication of best practices and processes that have already been
improved.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the number of EPA operational processes improved through the application of Lean principles improving the
efficiency and cost effectiveness of the Agency's operations. An operational process is a sequence of activities that results in the delivery of a
service. Process improvements efforts are intended to empower frontline staff, engage leadership, drive innovation, improve operations, and create a
better customer experience. A process improvement is counted when a baseline measure is exceeded by a reasonable amount, as determined by EPA
program or regional office leadership. While a standard percentage improvement is not required, teams are encouraged to have stretch goals to
promote breakthroughs. Process improvements result from a variety of tools (e.g., kaizen events, special senior leadership projects, other problem-
solving activities) and often include standard work (e.g., standard operating procedures) and visual management (visible placement of information
and indicators that quickly convey the status of the process) to help ensure the improvement is sustained and can be shared to promote benchmarking
when appropriate.
Other Core Work
Annual performance goal:
(PM CF2) Number of Agency administrative systems and system interfaces.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
ill
Target
24
22
22
19
17
17
Systems
and
Interfaces
Below
Target
Actual
30
30
24
21
20
17
1181
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Key Takeaways:
• Decommissioned three systems: Contract Payment System, EasyLite invoice payment system, and Small Purchase Information Tracking System.
• Integrated the work of these systems into EPA's financial system and created a tighter integration between EPA's Acquisition System, Compass
(EPA's financial management system), and Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform.
• This measure is retired after FY 2023. EPA has achieved its goal to reduce the number of small administrative systems by 43%.
Metric Details: This measure tracked the number of administrative systems or system interfaces EPA actively operates. Administrative systems
support execution of the Agency's administrative functions such as accounting, grants management, and contracts management. System interfaces
are connections among administrative systems where data are shared. Reducing the number of administrative systems and system interfaces has a
positive impact on streamlining operational processes and drives the integration of financial transactions across multiple administrative systems,
reducing manual entry, improving data quality, and allowing EPA to input and access data more easily and standardize reporting as payment
processing is moved to a federal shared service provider.
1182
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Strategy 4: Strengthen Tribal, State, and Local Partnerships and Enhance Engagement—Collaborate and engage effectively with Tribal
nations in keeping with the Federal Government's trust responsibilities, state and local governments, regulated entities, and the public to protect
human health and the environment.
Performance toward target over time
Number of measures by percent of target achieved
~ 100% of target met (G)
~ 75-99% of target met (Y)
~ <75% of target met (R)
~ No data (ND)
~ No target (NT)
1 (Y)
1(G)
2(G)
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Counts are of measures that exist in FY 2023. Chart does not include measures that
previously existed but were eliminated prior to FY 2023.
Number of FOIA Responses in Backlog,
FY 2018 - FY 2025
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
l~r—-
Summary of progress toward strategic objective:
• For the EPA Learning Agenda priority area on grant commitments met, developing
a set of measures broadly relevant across multiple EPA grant and media programs
to enable EPA to collect and report on performance in a consistent way
• Conducted an extensive nationwide 5-month consultation with tribes on
proposed revisions to the 2011 EPA Policy on Consultation and
Coordination with Indian Tribes and the supplementary 2016 Guidance for
Discussing Tribal Treaty Rights.
• Championed the release by the White House of the "Guidance for Federal
Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge," recognizing
Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge
that contribute to the scientific, technical, social, and economic
advancements to the collective understanding of the natural world.
• Reduced the backlog of overdue Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requests by nearly 26%. Received more than 6,600 FOIA requests, closed
more than 6,800 requests and released more than 153,000 records.
Challenges:
• Additional tools and training will be needed for EPA staff to implement the
EPA Tribal Consultation Policy revisions under development and expand
tribal treaty rights consultations to national level consultations.
FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
]Actual
•Target
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, consider Tribal treaty rights as part of all EPA Tribal consultations that may affect
Tribal treaty rights.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM EC41) Percentage of EPA tribal consultations that may affect tribal treaty rights that consider those rights as part of the consultation.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
r
Target
20
25
80
100
Percent
Above
Target
Actual
100
100
Numerator
19
10
Tribal
Consultations
Denominator
19
10
Key Takeaways:
• EPA continues to consider tribal treaty rights during all tribal consultations on EPA decisions and actions affecting tribes.
• EPA is revising its Tribal Consultation Policy to further emphasize and expand upon the recognition of tribal treaty rights during consultations.
Metric Details: This measure tracks the annual percentage of EPA tribal consultations that may affect tribal treaty rights that consider those rights as
part of the consultation, consistent with the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes: Guidance for Discussing Tribal Treaty
Rights (https://www.epa.gov/tribal/epa-policv-consultation-and-coordination-indian-tribes-guidance-discussing-tribal-treatv) which establishes clear
Agency standards for consultations when an EPA action or decision may affect tribal treaty rights. Data are collected in EPA's Tribal Consultation
Opportunities Tracking System, a publicly accessible database used to communicate upcoming and current EPA consultation opportunities to tribal
governments that documents EPA consultations using the tribal treaty rights guidance. The system provides a management, oversight, and reporting
structure that helps ensure accountability and transparency.
Long-Term Performance Goal: By September 30, 2026, eliminate the backlog of overdue Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) responses,
compared to the FY 2021 baseline of 1,056.
Annual performance goal that supports this long-term performance goal:
(PM F02) Number of FOIA responses in backlog.
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Units
Preferred
Direction
IDdhk
Target
845
712
474
236
Responses
Below
Target
Actual
2,761
2,128
1,395
1,056
950
704
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CROSS-AGENCY STRATEGIES
Key Takeaways:
• EPA received more than 6,600 FOIA requests, closed more than 6,800 requests and released more than 153,000 records. EPA reduced its backlog
of overdue FOIA requests by nearly 26%.
• EPA issued a final rulemaking to modernize its FOIA regulations, make FOIA more affordable, and expedite the release of information for
communities with environmental justice concerns.
• EPA procured and implemented the FOIAXpress software system to replace FOIAonline.
Metric Details: This measure tracks EPA's responsiveness to the public by measuring progress toward reducing EPA's backlog of responses to FOIA
requests. Overdue responses are indicated in FOIAXpress as pending beyond the statutory deadline of 20 working days for simple requests, 30 days
or longer for unusual circumstances (e.g., complex requests), or another timeframe to which the requestor has agreed. EPA receives approximately
7,000 FOIA requests annually.
1185
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American Rescue Plan Performance Report - Cumulative results as of September 30, 2023
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 provided EPA with $100 million dollars to
address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic, with which EPA
is funding environmental justice initiatives and enhanced air quality monitoring.
EPA identified performance measures for major categories of funding under ARP. For FY 2023,
EPA is reporting results for 18 measures across nine areas of support. EPA will report on five
additional measures in FY 2024. Results show EPA is deploying ARP funding to support public
health in numerous communities and reaching many new communities in doing so.
EPA posts financial status by funding categories (including total funding, obligations, and
remaining funding) quarterly on its website.
Additional information is available at: https://www.epa.eov/arp
In FY 2024, a section similar to this will be included for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, when
more robust performance results are available. For more information, see
https://www.epa. gov/invest.
Environmental Justice Grants and Technical Assistance
EPA provides environmental justice grants and technical assistance directly to community-based
organizations, federally recognized tribes, state governments, local governments, and U.S.
territories for projects that support underserved communities and build partnerships to address
local environmental and public health issues. EPA allocated a total of $16.65 million in ARP
funding to environmental justice grants and technical assistance through the Environmental
Justice Small Grants Program, the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving
Cooperative Agreement Program, the State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement
Program, and other technical assistance.
Measures Results to date
Number of partnering organizations participating in projects 491
Number of recipients 150
Number of new recipients 125
Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) funding
EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) Program—authorized under sections 791
through 797 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16131 through 16137)—funds grants
and rebates that protect human health and improve air quality by reducing harmful emissions
from diesel engines. EPA allocated a total of $7 million to fund electric school bus rebates in
underserved communities. Selected applicants received $300,000 for each bus replacement, and
applicants could request up to four new buses.
Measures Results to date
Number of tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduced over the lifetime of the Reporting in FY
affected buses 2024
1186
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Measures
Results to date
Number of tons of particulate matter (PM2.5) reduced over the lifetime of Reporting in FY
the affected buses 2024
Number of tons of carbon dioxide (C02) reduced over the lifetime of the Reporting in FY
affected buses 2024
Civil and Criminal Enforcement
EPA's Civil and Criminal Enforcement Program ensures compliance with environmental
requirements. When warranted, EPA may take civil or criminal enforcement to ensure
compliance with environmental laws. EPA allocated a total of $5.13 million to support civil and
criminal enforcement.
Measures Results to date
Number of air and drinking water inspections in or near overburdened and Reporting in FY
underserved communities 2024
Number of views of environmental crime victim outreach ads on social 17,129,834
media
Brownfields
EPA's Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Program—authorized under section
104(k)(7)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9604(k)(7)(A))—helps communities and other stakeholders to understand the
risks and challenges posed by brownfield sites and to learn how to safely assess, clean up,
revitalize, and reuse brownfields properties. TAB grant recipients (also known as TAB
providers) serve as an independent resource and can provide expert technical assistance and
guidance to help communities. EPA allocated $5 million to fund TAB cooperative agreements
for organizations serving as technical assistance providers for activities targeted towards
underserved communities.
Results to date
543
1,370
Children's Health
Measures
Number of new communities receiving technical assistance
Number of communities receiving technical assistance
EPA works to protect children from environmental exposures by consistently and explicitly
considering early life exposures and lifelong health in all human health decisions. Children who
live in pollution-overburdened or underserved communities may have reduced biological
resilience and ability to recover from exposure to environmental hazards (see:
https://www.epa.eov/sYStem/files/documents/20 E021-policv-on-childrens-health.pdf).
EPA allocated $4.85 million to fund children's health programs.
Measures Results to date
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs): Number of 362
underserved communities trained
PEHSUs: Number of community outreach activities 159
PEHSUs: Number of health and public health providers trained (in 1,258
1187
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Measures Results to date
environmental medicine)
Children's Healthy Learning: Number of cooperative agreements awarded 10
Children's Healthy Learning: Number of children served by projects Reporting in FY
conducted under a cooperative agreement 2024
Drinking Water
EPA's drinking water initiatives in rural and tribal areas ensure that assistance is provided to
communities through specific regional projects. A total of $4.7 million was allocated to fund 13
technical assistance programs to improve drinking water and compliance monitoring in urban,
rural, and tribal areas.
Measures Results to date
Number of drinking water systems supported that serve overburdened and 391
underserved communities
Number of tribal drinking water systems supported 242
Community Technical Assistance
EPA's community technical assistance efforts support community-driven solutions to
collaboratively build community capacity to address air and drinking water issues in underserved
communities. A total of $2.15 million was allocated for this work.
Measures Results to date
Number of underserved communities served 70
Number of partnerships supported 1 16
Tribal Engagement (Public Participation)
EPA supports federally recognized tribal governments to establish or modify public participation
programs where fair treatment and meaningful participation priorities have been affected by the
COVID-19 pandemic. EPA allocated $1.6 million to support tribal public participation efforts.
After receiving six eligible applications totaling $500 thousand in awards, EPA allocated and
used the remaining funds to support three competitive grant awards for enhanced air quality
monitoring for tribes.
Measures Results to date
Number of communities engaged by supported public participation 21
programs
Number of public participation processes (a) developed and/or (b) 3
modified by supported tribal programs
Direct Awards for Continuous Monitoring of PM 2.5 and other Common Air Pollutants
Of the $100 million in ARP funding, $50 million was allocated to improve ambient air quality
monitoring for communities across the United States and to address adverse and disproportionate
health outcomes from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that $50 million, $22.5 million
was given in direct awards to air agencies for continuous monitoring of fine particles and the five
1188
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other criteria pollutants covered by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards under the Clean
Air Act.
Measures
Number of grant projects awarded
Results to date
126
Grant Competition for Community Air Monitoring
Of the $100 million in ARP funding, $50 million was allocated to improve ambient air quality
monitoring for communities across the United States and to address adverse and disproportionate
health outcomes from pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that $50 million, $20 million
was awarded through a grant competition seeking proposals from community groups; state, tribal
and local government air agencies; and other eligible entities.
Measures Results to date
Number of competitive grant projects awarded 52
1189
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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Appendix
Acronyms for Statutory Authority 1191
Coordination With Other Federal Agencies 1196
FY 2025 Estimated Cybersecurity Resources 1237
EPA Budget by National Program Manager and Major Office 1239
EPA Response to OIG Top Management Challenges 1242
Challenge 1: Mitigating the Causes and Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change. 1242
Challenge 2: Integrating and Implementing Environmental Justice 1243
Challenge 3: Safeguarding the Use and Disposal of Chemicals 1244
Challenge 4: Promoting Ethical Conduct and Protecting Scientific Integrity 1247
Challenge 5: Managing Grants, Contracts, and Data Systems 1248
Challenge 6: Maximizing Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations.... 1248
Challenge 7: Overseeing, Protecting, and Investing in Water and Wastewater Systems.
1250
EPA User Fee Programs 1252
Eliminated Programs 1256
Expected Benefits of E-Government Initiatives 1257
FY 2025 Administrator's Priorities 1262
EPA Consolidations, Reorganizations, Realignments, or Other Transfer of Resources . 1264
FY 2025 Environmental Justice Estimated Program Budget1 1266
FY 2025 STAG Categorical Program Grants 1267
Making Litigation Costs Transparent - Equal Access for Justice Act (EAJA) 1276
Office of Enforcement Compliance Assurance Travel by Program Project 1278
On-Site Inspections and Off-site Compliance Monitoring Compliance Activities from
EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System 1279
Physicians' Comparability Allowance (PCA) Plan 1281
Program Projects by Program Area 1286
Proposed FY 2025 Administrative Provisions 1297
Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act 1301
Working Capital Fund 1354
1190
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Environmental Protection Agency
Acronyms for Statutory Authority
The following is not an exhaustive list of [U.S.] statutory authorities but includes those commonly
referred to by acronym in this document.
ACE: Air, Climate, and Energy
ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
ADEA: Age Discrimination in Employment Act
AEA: Atomic Energy Act, as amended, and Reorganization Plan #3
AHERA: Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
AHPA: Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act
AIM: American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2019
ANCSA: Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
APA: Administrative Procedures Act
ARP: American Rescue Plan
ARRA: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
ASHAA: Asbestos in Schools Hazard Abatement Act
ASTCA: Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act
AWIA: America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018
BEACH Act of 2000: Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act
BRERA: Brownfields Revitalization and Environmental Restoration Act
BUILD Act: Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act
CAA: Clean Air Act
CAAA: Clean Air Act Amendments (1970 and 1990)
CARES: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
CCA: dinger Cohen Act
CERCLA: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (1980)
CFOA: Chief Financial Officers Act
CICA: Competition in Contracting Act
CRA: Civil Rights Act
CSA: Computer Security Act
CWA: Clean Water Act (1972)
1191
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CWPPR: Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act of 1990
CZARA: Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments
CZMA: Coastal Zone Management Act
DERA: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act
DPA: Deepwater Ports Act
DREAA: Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act
DWWIA: Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021
ECRA: Economic Cleanup Responsibility Act
EFOIA: Electronic Freedom of Information Act
EISA: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
EO: Executive Order
EPAct: Energy Policy Act of 2005
EPAA: Environmental Programs Assistance Act
EPCA: Energy Policy and Conservation Act
EPCRA: Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (1986)
ERDDAA: Environmental Research, Development and Demonstration Authorization Act
ESA: Endangered Species Act
ESECA: Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act
FACA: Federal Advisory Committee Act
FAIR: Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act
FASA: Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (1994)
FAST: Fixing America's Service Transportation Act
FCMA: Fishery Conservation and Management Act
FEPCA: Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act of 1972, enacted as amendments to FIFRA
FFATA: Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
FFDCA: Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
FFMIA: Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996
FGCAA: Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act
FIFRA: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (1972)
FISMA: Federal Information Security Modernization Act
FITARA: Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act
1192
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FLPMA: Federal Land Policy and Management Act
FMFIA: Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (1982)
FOIA: Freedom of Information Act
FPA: Federal Pesticide Act
FPAS: Federal Property and Administration Services Act
FQPA: Food Quality Protection Act (1996)
FRA: Federal Register Act
FSA: Food Security Act
FSMA: Food Safety Modernization Act
FTTA: Federal Technology Transfer Act
FUA: Fuel Use Act
FWCA: Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
FWPCA: Federal Water Pollution and Control Act (also known as the Clean Water Act [CWA])
GISRA: Government Information Security Reform Act
GMRA: Government Management Reform Act
GPRA: Government Performance and Results Act (1993)
GPRAMA: Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010
HMTA: Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
HSWA: Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, enacted as amendments to RCRA
IGA: Inspector General Act
IIJA: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
IPA: Intergovernmental Personnel Act
IPIA: Improper Payments Information Act
IRA: Inflation Reduction Act
ISTEA: Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
IT: Information Technology
ITMRA: Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996-aka Clinger/Cohen Act
MCRBMA: Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act
MGT: Modernizing Government Technology Act
MPPRCA: Marine Plastic Pollution, Research and Control Act of 1987
MPRSA: Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act
1193
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NAWCA: North American Wetlands Conservation Act
NEEA: National Environmental Education Act
NEPA: National Environmental Policy Act
NHPA: National Historic Preservation Act
NISA: National Invasive Species Act of 1996
ODA: Ocean Dumping Act
OPA: Oil Pollution Act of 1990
OWBPA: Older Workers Benefit Protection Act
PBA: Public Building Act
PFCRA: Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act
PHSA: Public Health Service Act
PIIA: Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019
PLIRRA: Pollution Liability Insurance and Risk Retention Act
PPA: Pollution Prevention Act
PR: Privacy Act of 1974
PRA: Paperwork Reduction Act
PREA: Pesticide Registration Extension Act of 2012 (also known as PRIA 3)
PRIA: Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2003
PRIA 4: Pesticide Registration Improvement Extension Act of 2018
PRIA 5: Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022
PRIRA: Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act
QCA: Quiet Communities Act
RCRA: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, enacted as amendments to SWDA.
RFA: Regulatory Flexibility Act
RICO: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
RLBPHRA: Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act
SARA: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986
SBLRBRERA: Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization and
Environmental Restoration Act
SBREFA: Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996
SDWA: Safe Drinking Water Act
1194
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SICEA: Steel Industry Compliance Extension Act
SMCRA: Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
SOS 2.0: Save Our Seas Act 2.0
SPA: Shore Protection Act of 1988
SWDA: Solid Waste Disposal Act
TSCA: Toxic Substances Control Act
UMRA: Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
UMTRLWA: Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Land Withdrawal Act
USMCA: United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act
USTCA: Underground Storage Tank Compliance Act
VIDA: Vessel Incidental Discharge Act
WIFIA: Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
WIIN: Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act
WQA: Water Quality Act of 1987
WRDA: Water Resources Development Act
WSRA: Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
WWWQA: Wet Weather Water Quality Act of 2000
1195
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Coordination With Other Federal Agencies
Air and Radiation Programs
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Implementation
EPA cooperates with other agencies to achieve goals related to ground level ozone and particulate
matter (PM), and to ensure the actions of other agencies are compatible with state plans for
attaining and maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Agency
works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USD A), Department of the Interior (DOI),
and Department of Defense (DOD) on issues such as prescribed burning at silviculture and
agricultural operations. EPA, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) also work with state and local agencies to integrate transportation
and air quality plans, reduce traffic congestion, and promote livable communities.
Air Quality in the Agricultural Sector
To improve EPA's understanding of environmental issues in the agricultural sector, the Agency
works with USD A and others to improve air quality while supporting sustainable agriculture. The
collaborative approach to the agriculture sector includes scientific assessment, outreach and
education, and implementation/compliance.
Regional Haze
EPA works with the National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and DOI in
implementing its regional haze program and operating the Interagency Monitoring of Protected
Visual Environments (IMPROVE) visibility monitoring network. The operation and analysis of
data produced by this air monitoring system is an example of the close coordination of efforts
between EPA and state and tribal governments.
Air Quality Assessment, Modeling, and Forecasting
For pollution assessments and transport, EPA works with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) on technology transfer using satellite imagery. EPA further distributes
NASA satellite products and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
air quality forecast products to states, local agencies, and tribes to provide a better understanding
of daily air quality and to assist with air quality forecasting. EPA also works with the Department
of the Army on advancing emission measurement technology and with NOAA for meteorological
support for our modeling and monitoring efforts. EPA collects real-time ozone and PM
measurements from state and local agencies, which are used by both NOAA and EPA to improve
and verify Air Quality Forecast models.
EPA's AirNow Program (the national real-time Air Quality Index reporting and forecasting
system) works with the National Weather Service (NWS) to coordinate NOAA air quality forecast
guidance with state and local agencies for air quality forecasting efforts and to render the NOAA
model output in EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI), which helps people determine appropriate air
quality protective behaviors. In wildfire situations, EPA and USFS work closely with states to
deploy monitors and report monitoring information and other conditions on AirNow. The AirNow
Program also collaborates with NPS and USFS in collecting air quality monitoring observations,
1196
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in addition to over 130 state, local, and tribal air agency observations, and with NASA in a project
to incorporate satellite data with air quality observations.
EPA, USDA, and DOI established a collaborative framework to address issues pertaining to
wildland fire and air quality. The agreement recognizes the key roles of each agency, as well as
opportunities for collaboration. For example, the partnership explains that the agencies seek to
reduce the impact of emissions from wildfires, especially catastrophic wildfires, and the impact of
those emissions on air quality as well as highlighting opportunities for information sharing and
collaboration.
Mobile Sources
EPA works with DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the
coordinated national program establishing standards to improve fuel efficiency for light-duty and
heavy-duty vehicles. Specifically, EPA, in coordination with DOT's fuel economy and fuel
consumption standards programs, implements vehicle and commercial truck greenhouse gas
standards.
To address criteria pollutant emissions from marine and aircraft sources, EPA works
collaboratively with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as with other federal agencies, such as the U.S. Coast
Guard (USCG) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). EPA also collaborates with the
USCG in the implementation of Emission Control Area (ECA) around the U.S., and with Mexico
and Canada in the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) to evaluate
the benefits of establishing a Mexican ECA.
To better understand the sources and causes of mobile source pollution, EPA works with the
Department of Energy (DOE) and DOT to fund applied research projects including transportation
modeling projects. EPA also works closely with DOE on refinery cost modeling analyses to
support clean fuel programs, evaluation of petitions for small refinery hardship exemptions under
the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) Program, and coordination regarding fuel supply during
emergency situations.
For mobile sources program outreach, the Agency participates in a collaborative effort with DOT's
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to educate the public and communities about
the impacts of transportation choices on traffic congestion, air quality, climate change, and human
health. These partnerships can involve policy assessments and toxic emission reduction strategies
in different regions of the country. EPA works with DOE, DOT, and other agencies, as needed, on
the requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act
of2007, such as the Renewable Fuel Standard. EPA also has worked with other agencies on biofuel
topics through the Biomass Research and Development Institute.
To develop air pollutant emission factors and emission estimation algorithms for military aircraft,
ground equipment, and vehicles, EPA partners with the DOD. This partnership provides for the
joint undertaking of air-monitoring/emission factor research and regulatory implementation.
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Air Toxics
EPA works closely with other health agencies such as the CDC, National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) on health risk characterization for both toxic and criteria air pollutants. The
Agency also contributes air quality data to CDC's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program,
which is made publicly available and used by various public health agencies.
Addressing Transboundary Air Pollution
In developing regional and international air quality projects, and in working on regional
agreements, EPA works with the Department of State (DOS), NOAA, NASA, DOE, USD A, U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), and with regional organizations. In addition, EPA has partnered with other organizations
and countries worldwide, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the
European Union (EU), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),
the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), CEC, Canada, Mexico, China,
and Japan. EPA also partners with environment and public health officials and provides technical
assistance through UNEP to facilitate the development of air quality management strategies to
other major emitters and/or to key regional or sub-regional groupings of countries.
Stratospheric Ozone
EPA works closely with DOS and other federal agencies in international negotiations among
Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, with the goal of
protecting the ozone layer and through managing ozone depleting substances (ODS) it controls.
EPA also supports several multilateral environmental agreements to simultaneously protect the
ozone layer and climate system working closely with the DOS and other federal agencies,
including but not limited to the Office of Science Technology and Policy (OSTP), Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ), Department of Commerce (DOC), OMB, USDA NOAA, and
NASA.
EPA works with other agencies, including the Office of the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) and DOC, to analyze potential trade implications in stratospheric protection regulations
that affect imports and exports. EPA has coordinated efforts with the Department of Justice (DOJ),
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Treasury (U.S. Treasury), and other
agencies to curb the illegal importation of ODS.
Indoor Air and Radon
EPA works closely with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), DOE, the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) to reduce risks from poor air quality in homes and schools. EPA also
partners with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to provide guidance and technical assistance
to improve school environments through indoor air quality (IAQ) improvements. EPA, CDC, and
HUD have leadership roles in the public-private strategic partnership to advance radon risk
reduction (National Radon Action Plan). EPA co-leads the Federal Asthma Disparities Work
Group under the President's Task Force and leads the Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor
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Air Quality—these two coordinating bodies serve to increase communication, coordination, and
collaboration across the federal family to address IAQ risk reduction.
Radiation and Radiation Preparedness and Response
EPA works primarily with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), DOE, and DHS on
multiple radiation-related issues. EPA has ongoing planning and guidance discussions with DHS
on emergency response activities, including exercises responding to nuclear related incidents. As
the regulator of DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), EPA is charged with coordinating with
DOE to ensure the facility is operating in compliance with EPA regulations. EPA is a member of
the Interagency Radiation Source Protection and Security Task Force, established in the Energy
Policy Act, to improve the security of domestic radioactive sources. EPA also is a working member
of the interagency Nuclear Government Coordinating Council (NGCC), which coordinates across
government and the private sector on issues related to security, communications, and emergency
management within the nuclear sector. EPA is a charter member of the Interagency Nuclear Safety
Review Board which was established to review the nuclear safety analysis for launching space
nuclear systems. EPA works with DOD, DOE, NASA, NRC, DOS, and DOT to coordinate the
safety review and launch emergency response plans for commercial and non-commercial launches
of space nuclear systems.
For emergency preparedness, EPA coordinates with other federal agencies through the Federal
Radiological Preparedness Coordinating Committee and the Advisory Team for Environment,
Food and Health which provides federal scientific advice and recommendations to state and local
decision makers, such as governors and mayors, during a radiological emergency. EPA participates
in planning and implementing exercises including radiological anti-terrorism activities with the
HHS, NRC, DOE, DOD, and DHS.
EPA is a charter member and co-chairs the Interagency Steering Committee on Radiation
Standards (ISCORS), which was created at the direction of Congress. Through its activities,
member agencies are kept informed of cross-cutting issues related to radiation protection,
radioactive waste management, and emergency preparedness and response. ISCORS also helps
coordinate U.S. responses to radiation-related issues internationally.
During radiological emergencies, EPA works with expert members of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA). EPA also works with OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) on two
committees: the Radioactive Waste Management Committee (RWMC) and the Committee on
Radiation Protection and Public Health (CRPPH). Through participation on the CRPPH, EPA is
successful in bringing U.S. perspectives to international radiation protection policy.
Climate Change
To carry out a diverse range of regulatory and partnership programs to help tackle the climate
crisis, EPA works with several federal agencies, including the Department of HUD, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), DOE, NASA, USD A, DOS, USAID, DOI, and DOT.
Climate protection partnership programs, government-wide, stimulate the development and use of
renewable energy technologies, energy efficient products, and other strategies that will help reduce
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greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This effort is led by EPA and DOE with significant involvement
from the USD A, HUD, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The Global Methane Initiative (GMI) is a U.S.-led, international public-private partnership that
brings together over 40 partner governments and over 1,000 public and private sector organizations
to advance methane recovery and use methane as a clean energy source. EPA works with DOS on
the GMI, building on the success of EPA's domestic methane programs and focusing on advancing
methane reductions from agriculture, coal mines, landfills, oil and gas systems, and municipal
wastewater.
EPA also will support DOS as the technical lead in developing projections and compiling
information on GHG mitigation policies and measures as part of the upcoming U.S. Biennial
Report and National Communication as required by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate
Change. EPA will support the State Department and National Science Foundation with applying
applicable goals and GHG mitigation policies in the review of environmental evaluations for non-
Governmental activities in Antarctica consistent with Antarctica Treaty Commission
commitments.
EPA also is working with NASA to study and prototype capabilities for a greenhouse gas
monitoring and information system that will integrate data from a variety of sources with a goal
of making data more accessible and usable to federal, state, and local governments, researchers,
the public, and other users.
Research Supporting the Air and Radiation Program
EPA continues to coordinate with other agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
HHS, CDC, NOAA, DOE, USD A, and USFS to develop effective and sustainable approaches to
manage air pollution and climate change risks.
ENERGY STAR
In 2009, EPA and DOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that redefined roles and
responsibilities to address implementation challenges and capitalize on the strengths of each
agency. Prior to 2009, both EPA and DOE were implementing the Program for different products,
resulting in inconsistent approaches, duplicative efforts, and market confusion. The 2009
Memorandum of Understanding was designed to solve such problems raised by industry
stakeholders. EPA is the ENERGY STAR brand manager and is accountable for maintaining the
integrity of the label. For ENERGY STAR products, EPA is responsible for setting product
performance levels, educating consumers and businesses, and supporting the efforts of
manufacturers, retailers, and utilities. EPA also oversees third-party certification and verification
testing. EPA also is responsible for the ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction,
Commercial, and Industrial programs, including ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
For ENERGY STAR products, DOE develops test procedures for ENERGY STAR products and
contributes to verification testing of appliances and equipment. DOE sets minimum, mandatory
energy efficiency standards for some products through a regulatory process. EPA and DOE work
closely to share data and analyses, synchronize timing, and coordinate requests to industry in the
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development of both the voluntary ENERGY STAR specifications and the DOE minimum
efficiency standards. DOE also is responsible for implementing Home Performance with
ENERGY STAR.
Water Programs
Collaboration with Public and Private Partners on Water Infrastructure Preparedness, Response
and Recovery
EPA coordinates with other federal agencies, primarily DHS, CDC, FDA, and DOD, on biological,
chemical, and radiological contaminants of high concern, and how to detect and respond to their
presence in drinking water and wastewater systems. EPA works with the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) and DHS, particularly with respect to ensuring the timely dissemination of
threat information through existing communication networks. Additionally, throughout the
pandemic, EPA worked with DHS and other federal agencies to coordinate aspects of information
sharing, disseminate personal protective equipment, address shortages of treatment chemicals,
provide for equipment and qualified water system operators, and recognize water system operators
and associated contract personnel as critical workers.
EPA works with US ACE and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to refine
coordination processes among federal partners engaged in providing emergency response support
to the water sector, including maintaining clear roles and responsibilities under the National
Disaster Recovery Framework. In addition, EPA continues to work with FEMA, USACE, and
other agencies, on the Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force regarding water
resources and floodplain management.
As the Agency in charge of water sector security, EPA works with DHS Cyber and Infrastructure
Security Agency (CISA) and other government agencies on the Industrial Control System (ICS)
working group to develop an ICS interagency Strategy and Implementation Plan. EPA also
collaborates with CISA on various working groups and cybersecurity issues such as roles and
responsibilities, ICS supply chain, cyber workforce, cybersecurity standards, and cyber response.
Drinking Water Programs
EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) established an Interagency Agreement to coordinate
activities and information exchange in the areas of unregulated contaminants occurrence, the
environmental relationships affecting contaminant occurrence, protection area delineation
methodology, and analytical methods. This effort improves the quality of information to support
risk management decision-making at all levels of government, generates valuable new data, and
eliminates potential redundancies. EPA also collaborates with HUD, HHS, DOI and USDA to
develop strategies to decrease drinking water lead exposure in homes. The partnership promotes
the exchange of information, leverages funding, and reviews processes to facilitate better-informed
and coordinated decisions and investments.
In addition, EPA collaborates with DHHS to better understand, characterize, and manage public
health risks from Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs), with activities spanning from
assessing CDC's waterborne disease surveillance data related to legionella and other biofilm-
related pathogens to partnering with FDA on antibiotic resistance-related issues. EPA collaborates
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with multiple federal agencies to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) issues
including DOD, DOE, USD A, FDA, DHHS, the NIH, the Consumer Product Safety Commission,
the Small Business Administration (SBA), NASA, FAA, and the Executive Office of the President
(EOP).
Infrastructure Support for Tribal Water Systems
EPA coordinates the multi-agency tribal Infrastructure Task Force (ITF), created to develop and
coordinate federal activities in delivering water infrastructure, wastewater infrastructure and solid
waste management services to tribal communities. The ITF is the formal mechanism for
interagency coordination among EPA, DHHS's Indian Health Service (IHS), HUD, USD A, and
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
Drinking Water and Wastewater Work in Indian Country
EPA works under a five-federal agency MOU to better coordinate the federal government's efforts
in providing access to safe drinking water and basic wastewater facilities for tribal communities.
EPA, DOI, DHHS, USD A, and HUD work as the Federal Tribal Infrastructure Task Force (TITF)
to use their combined authorities to maintain a framework to enhance interagency efficiency and
coordination, and to cultivate greater cooperation in carrying out their tribal infrastructure
responsibilities. Since 2007, the TITF has: maintained procedures necessary for a common
understanding of the programs pertaining to funding infrastructure construction, solid waste
management efforts, and technical assistance to tribes; worked together to improve the capacity of
tribal communities to operate and maintain sustainable infrastructure; enhanced the efficient
leveraging of funds; worked directly with tribes to promote an understanding of federal programs;
identified ways to improve construction, operation, and maintenance of sustainable infrastructure;
and worked to allow and facilitate the exchange of data and information amongst partners.1
Sustainable Rural Drinking and Wastewater Systems
EPA and USD A work together to increase the sustainability of rural drinking water and wastewater
systems to ensure the protection of public health, water quality, and sustainable communities. The
two agencies facilitate coordinated funding for infrastructure projects that aid in the compliance
of national drinking water and clean water regulations.
National Water Sector Workforce Development
EPA and the Departments of Education, Interior, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs (VA) are
building on existing collaborations, exploring new opportunities and actions, and identifying
potential additional federal programs and partners to support the Nation's water sector
professionals.
Coordination with Department of Defense on Analytical Methods for Detecting PFAS
EPA's Clean Water Act (CWA) analytical methods program is collaborating with DOD on their
efforts to develop an analytical method for detecting certain PFAS compounds in wastewater.
1 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/triba1/federal-infrastructure-task-force-improve-access-safe-
drinking-water-and-ba sic-sanitation.
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Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)
EPA participates in quarterly and ad hoc meetings with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), DOE,
DOI, DOT, and DOJ to share information on carbon capture and storage developments. In
addition, EPA serves as a liaison to DOE's National Risk Assessment Partnership to advance its
work in developing tools to improve collective understanding of risk at CO2 storage projects and
inform science and risk-based decision-making at geologic sequestration projects; and to explore
opportunities to integrate the partnership work into EPA's Class VI permitting process. EPA also
will collaborate with DOE and CEQ on several reports and other initiatives related to carbon
sequestration requested by Congress, including developing a report on UIC Class VI permitting.
Through the CAA §309 review program, EPA is collaborating with DOE and other agencies as
needed to assist with identifying potential impacts and ways to avoid and minimize those impacts
from CO2 storage projects.
Research to Support Water Programs
Other federal and non-federal entities conduct research that complements EPA's research on
priority contaminants in drinking water. Cooperative research efforts have been ongoing with the
American Water Works Association, Water Research Foundation, and other stakeholders to
coordinate drinking water research where the private sector is conducting research in areas such
as analytical methods, treatment technologies, and the development and maintenance of water
resources. EPA also has worked with the USGS to evaluate performance of newly developed
methods for measuring microbes in potential drinking water sources.
Interagency coordination in research also is occurring in developing sediment criteria. Here, EPA
has joint research initiatives with NOAA and USGS for linking monitoring data and field study
information with available toxicity data and assessment models for developing sediment criteria.
EPA also conducts studies with the USGS to monitor the occurrence of contaminants of emerging
concern (CECs). Research efforts to monitor the effects of chemical mixtures continue, increasing
our understanding of wastewater effluent impacts to human and aquatic health and prioritizing
future research on developing solutions for the removal of CECs in wastewater treatment
operations.
Source Water Collaborative
EPA participates in the Source Water Collaborative along with USDA (NRCS, Farm Service
Agency (FSA), USFS), USGS, and 25 other national organizations. The goal of the collaborative
is to protect sources of drinking water by combining the strengths and tools of its member
organizations. EPA provides funding to support these efforts.
Source Water Protection and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
To combat HABs and hypoxia, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control
Amendments Act of 2014 (HABHRCA)(supports the scientific understanding and the ability to
detect, predict, control, mitigate, and respond to HABs and hypoxia. This legislation established
the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on HABHRCA (IWG-HABHRCA). It tasked the group
with coordinating and convening federal agencies to discuss HAB and hypoxia events in the U.S.,
and to develop action plans, reports, and assessments of these situations. The IWG-HABHRCA is
co-chaired by representatives from EPA and NOAA, and it is composed of the following member
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agencies and departments: CDC, FDA, NIEHS, USACE, USGS, BOEM, NPS, FWS, NASA,
USD A, DOS, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
2018 Farm Bill Source Water Protection Provisions
EPA collaborates with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), state and
utility partners to develop implementation strategies and guidance to comply with the 2018 Farm
Bill provisions. These provisions dedicate at least 10 percent of total funds available for
conservation programs (apart from the Conservation Reserve Program) to be used for source water
protection. In addition, the Agency partners with NRCS to foster collaboration at the state and
local levels to identify priority source water protection areas in each state to address agriculture-
related impacts to drinking water sources. EPA also is collaborating with USFS in developing
strategies to implement the 2018 Farm Bill (Title VIII, Subtitle D, Section 8404) Source Water
Protection provisions requiring a "Water Source Protection Program" on National Forest Service
(NFS) lands. EPA is supporting USFS by fostering partnerships with state, utilities, and other water
stakeholders.
National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI)
The Agency works with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which
implements Farm Bill conservation programs that can help control nonpoint source pollution. The
National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) partnership with USDA focuses federal resources on
agricultural sources of pollution in select watersheds in every state. Between FY 2017 and FY
2022, over $43.3 million in Clean Water Act section 319 funding was invested in NWQI
watersheds, which was matched by over $52.4 million in nonfederal funding.2 These conservation
efforts have reduced sediment loss from cropland by >1.2 million tons, reduced phosphorous loss
by >3.4 million pounds and reduced nitrogen loss by >15.2 million pounds.
Gulf Hypoxia Task Force
EPA, as the federal chair of the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force, works with member federal agencies
(USDA, NOAA, USGS) and twelve member states to continue implementation of the 2008 Gulf
Hypoxia Action Plan. A key goal of the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan is to improve water quality in
the Mississippi River Basin and reduce the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico by
implementing existing and innovative approaches to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in
the Basin and the Gulf. The Hypoxia Task Force is developing basin-wide metrics, while Task
Force member states are using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act resources to implement
nutrient reduction strategies, partner with land grant universities, report on measures to track
progress, and identify a need for adaptive management. State support for effective nutrient
reduction in the Gulf is coordinated with other Hypoxia Task Force federal member agencies, such
as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Geological Survey, in high-priority watersheds.
Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program
The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program, established by section 6217 of the Coastal Zone
Act Reauthorization Amendments, addresses nonpoint source pollution problems in coastal
waters. Section 6217 requires states and territories with approved Coastal Zone Management
Programs to develop Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs. In its program, a state or
territory describes how it will implement nonpoint source pollution controls, known as
2 Data as of February 20, 2024.
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management measures. This program is administered jointly with the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
The EPA Deepwater Horizon (DWH) Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
(NRDA) Program works closely with federal (NOAA, DOI, USDA) and state (5 Gulf states)
NRDA co-Trustees to evaluate, select, and implement projects to restore Gulf of Mexico natural
resources injured by the DWH oil spill. This restoration effort provides the opportunity for EPA
and co-Trustees to collaborate on a wide variety of issues across the Gulf that are important to the
federal co-Trustees including water quality, nutrient reduction, fisheries, wetlands, marine debris,
coastal resilience, monitoring, and adaptive management.
The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) regulates the disposition of any
material in the ocean unless expressly excluded under MPRSA. Under the MPRSA, EPA is
responsible for establishing criteria for reviewing and evaluating permit applications, as well as
issuing MPRSA permits for materials other than dredged material (for example, MPRSA
emergency, research, general, and special permits). This will include addressing MPRSA
permitting requests for climate mitigation approaches including ocean-based carbon dioxide
removal activities or ocean-based solar radiation management activities. In the United States, the
primary material (in terms of volume) disposed of in the ocean is dredged material, which is
sediment that is excavated or otherwise removed from our nation's waterways. The removal of
sediment supports a network of coastal ports and harbors that are used for commercial,
transportation, national defense and recreational purposes. Under the MPRSA, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for issuing ocean dumping permits and federal project
authorizations, using EPA's environmental criteria. All MPRSA permits and federal project
authorizations for ocean dumping of dredged material are subject to EPA review and written
concurrence. EPA and USACE together develop site management and monitoring plans for each
designated ocean dredged material disposal site. In the United States, the MPRSA implements the
requirements of the London Convention, where EPA collaborates with the State Department,
USACE, USACE, USCG, DOE, NOAA, DOD, Navy, NASA, and DOI.
Vessels
EPA works closely under the Clean Water Act to jointly regulate vessels of the armed forces with
the Department of Defense through the Department of the Navy. EPA works closely with the U.S.
Coast Guard to regulate incidental discharges from commercial vessels - EPA establishes
discharge standards that become effective once the Coast Guard issues implementing regulations
under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership
EPA leads the Urban Waters Federal Partnership with over 15 federal partner agencies, including
DOI and USDA, to support 21 Urban Waters locations. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership
reconnects urban communities, particularly those that are overburdened or economically
distressed, with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and
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collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts to improve our nation's waters and
promote their economic, environmental, and social benefits.
Wetlands
EPA works closely with USACE to oversee and implement the Clean Water Act section 404
permitting program. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act establishes a program to regulate the
discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands. EPA
develops and interprets policy, guidance, and environmental criteria used in evaluating permit
applications; determines scope of geographic jurisdiction and applicability of exemptions; and
reviews and comments on individual permit applications. EPA also coordinates with the Fish and
Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on certain permitting actions.
Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup
EPA works on the Coastal Wetlands Initiative in partnership with a number of federal agencies
involved in coastal wetlands conservation, including FWS, NMFS, DOT, USGS, USD A, and
USACE. The goal of the Interagency Coastal Wetlands Workgroup is to reduce and reverse the
trend of coastal wetland loss. The workgroup has developed a series of recommendations to
address coastal wetland loss grouped under five themes: increasing the acreage of wetlands
restored in coastal watersheds; reducing loss of coastal wetlands to development; reducing loss of
coastal wetlands associated with silviculture in the Southeast; supporting the collection,
enhancement, and dissemination of landscape-scale wetland monitoring data; and conducting
targeted outreach and stakeholder engagement.
Coral Reef Task Force
EPA partners with other federal agencies in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF).
The USCRTF was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order to lead U.S. efforts to
preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The USCRTF includes federal agencies, states,
territories, commonwealths, and Freely Associated States. The USCRTF helps build partnerships,
strategies, and support for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs.
National Water Quality Monitoring Council (NWQMC)
EPA partners with other federal agencies, states and other organizations to promote water quality
monitoring. The NWQMC includes representatives from NOAA, Forest Service, NRCS, FWS,
NPS and participation from USGS. A key deliverable of the NWQMC is the National Monitoring
Conference. The NWQMC established a Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI)
workgroup to advance inclusion of JEDI issues in programming and expand representation of
Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or
questioning, intersex, asexual, and more (LGBTQ+) in the conference.
National Aquatic Resource Surveys
EPA partners with other federal agencies, states, territories, and tribes in implementation of NARS,
a national monitoring network producing statistically representative assessments on the condition
of the nation's rivers and streams, lakes, wetlands, coastal estuaries, and Great Lakes nearshore
waters. Federal agencies that have participated in NARS include NRCS, NPS, FS, BLM, and
USGS.
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Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish
FDA and EPA collaborate to issue advice regarding eating fish and shellfish that are lower in
mercury and other contaminants. This advice is for those who might become pregnant, are
pregnant, or are breastfeeding as well as parents and caregivers who are feeding children. It can
help people make informed choices about the types of fish that are nutritious and safe to eat.
National Water Reuse Action Plan Development and Implementation
EPA continues to lead the National Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) in close partnership with
our Federal Partners across the full spectrum of water users. Since 2020, the effort has grown to
include 157 organizations and 69 coordinated actions, with publicly available products that expand
water reuse expertise and address implementation challenges. The Water Reuse Interagency
Working Group, formally established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with participants
from more than ten federal agencies, demonstrates leadership through WRAP implementation and
is celebrating its second year of coordinating and developing tools, actions and resources to
advance water reuse. The Working Group will release a report to Congress in 2024 that presents
key information and outcomes related to its duties and outlines anticipated future activities.
Federal Partners include components of the Executive Office of the President, HHS, DHS, GSA,
US AID, USD A, DOD, DOE, DOI, and the State Department.
Land and Emergency Management Programs
Brownfields
EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Programs partner with the NPS's River, Trails and
Conservation Assistance Program to support Groundwork USA and individual Groundwork Trust
organizations in their efforts to engage youth in brownfields redevelopment and community
revitalization.
Superfund Remedial Program
The Superfund Remedial Program maintains ongoing coordination and collaboration with
ATSDR, NIEHS, HUD, and USACE as well as with the Federal Mining Dialogue and the Federal
Remediation Technologies Roundtable, two multi-agency consortia. Interaction with these entities
enhances program implementation through activities that are mutually beneficial, such as
information sharing and resource leveraging. For example, ATSDR has a statutory mandate to
complete health assessments on sites listed on EPA's National Priorities List while EPA conducts
site characterization and remediation. Moreover, EPA site managers work with their ATSDR
counterparts to coordinate public human health messaging. For NIEHS, EPA collaborates and
coordinates academic research related to contaminant toxicities, site characterization and
remediation and risk communication. EPA collaborates with HUD on residential risk evaluation
and mitigation, while the Agency's work with USACE spans a wide range of technical,
management and acquisition support functions to implement or oversee responsible party
Superfund project implementation for the remedial and removal programs. EPA's participation in
the Federal Mining Dialogue has established the Agency's role in a multi-agency (e.g., DOE, DOI,
etc.) partnership to address abandoned hard rock mining sites on federal and mixed ownership
lands. Membership in the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable facilitates EPA's
collaboration with multiple federal entities, such as DOD, NASA, DOT, to advance the use of
innovative technologies to clean up hazardous waste contamination. EPA also co-chairs with DOE
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and DOD a subgroup of the PFAS Interagency Policy Committee (IPC) on PFAS cleanup and
disposal. The purpose is to foster inter-agency collaboration and communication to accelerate
PFAS cleanups. USDA, EPA, SB A, OMB/OIRA, DHS, DOT/FAA, OSTP and CEQ also
participate in this IPC subgroup and CEQ leads the IPC group.
Superfund Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Program
EPA's Superfund Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Program coordinates with other Federal
Agencies (OFAs); state, tribal, and local governments; and communities to implement its statutory
responsibilities to ensure protective and efficient cleanup and reuse of federally contaminated land
on the Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket and the NPL. Successful
coordination requires strong partnerships and enhanced engagement by having regularly scheduled
and ad hoc meetings that target and resolve critical programmatic issues, emphasize selection and
implementation of protective cleanups, and recognize site reuse opportunities and successes. EPA
has committed to early engagement with our partners that focus on issues with a problem-solving
and action-oriented approach.
The Program also coordinates with national organizations that help to improve engagement such
as the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (ASTSWMO), the
Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC), and the Environmental Council of the
States (ECOS). ASTSWMO has a Federal Facilities Research Center Subcommittee that promotes
and enhances state and territory involvement in the cleanup and reuse of contaminated federal
facilities and fosters information exchange by and between states, territories, and OF As. This
includes identifying and researching emerging issues related to state and federal cleanup programs
at federal facility sites, producing and disseminating resource documents and tools, and working
with EPA and OF As on a variety of federal facility issues and forums. Current topics of interest
include addressing contaminants of emerging concern like PFAS; ensuring Applicable or Relevant
and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) are identified and implemented; coordination with
civilian federal agencies; Performance-Based Contracting; and participating in the implementation
and oversight of the Munitions Response Program. ITRC is a state-led coalition working to reduce
barriers to the use of innovative air, water, waste, and remediation environmental technologies and
processes. ITRC produces documents and training that broaden and deepen technical knowledge
and expedite quality regulatory decision making while protecting human health and the
environment. EPA, along with OF As and industry representatives, works through ITRC in defining
continuing research needs through its teams including on topics of relevance and benefit to federal
facility sites, like PFAS, chemicals of emerging concern, and performance-based optimization of
pump and treat systems.
Through the establishment of a national cleanup dialogue with the DOE and the states in
coordination with ECOS, EPA supports special emphasis engagement for nuclear weapons sites,
the largest and costliest portfolio of remaining federal facilities cleanup work. The Dialogue
enhances ongoing working relationships in the cleanup of DOE Environmental Management sites
and focuses on topics of mutual relevance and highest priority to ensure timely advancement of
protective cleanups. The Dialogue exemplifies how collaboration can advance DOE sites and
foster an understanding of challenges and successes nationally.
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EPA also participates with OF As and states on the Munitions Response Dialogue (MRD), partners
with DOD research and development programs on munitions management and environmental
restoration. Current MRD activities include EPA, DOD, Federal Land Management Agencies, and
states updating and harmonizing previous munitions risk/hazard assessment methodologies. The
MRD's goal is to achieve consensus on an updated munitions risk/hazard assessment
methodology. EPA also co-chairs the Intergovernmental Data Quality Task Force (IDQTF) with
DoD and DOE. The IDQTF works to ensure that environmental data are of known and documented
quality and suitable for the intended use.
EPA actively participates in the Defense Environmental Restoration Program and Formerly Used
Defense Sites (FUDS) forums hosted by the DOD. DOD's gathering of State and Federal
regulators offers a unique opportunity to partner, share information, and facilitate more efficient
and effective management of DoD's cleanup program. Recent forums focused on emerging issues,
best practices, and lessons learned, as well as new policies and technology investments to
maximize efficiencies and minimize the time it takes to complete cleanup at active, Base
Realignment and Closure installations, and FUDS. Similar forums hosted by DOD service
components provide EPA and states further opportunities for engagement, often focused on topics
tailored to the unique aspects of the response programs of the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Accelerate Work to Clean-up Contaminated Lands Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
(ANCSA)
EPA with the other federal agencies (DOI, DOD and others as needed) will use a whole-of-
government approach to clean up and address lands that were contaminated when transferred under
the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). Agencies will strengthen collaboration
between the Federal government, the State of Alaska, Alaska Native Corporations, Tribes, and
Alaska Native Organizations to improve data and transparency through the creation of a joint
inventory and public facing dashboard; prioritize assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites;
and initiate cleanup of sites that have not yet been addressed.
RCRA Waste Minimization and Recycling: Supporting Sustainable Materials Management and a
Circular Economy for All
Natural resource extraction and processing make up approximately 50 percent of total GHG
emissions. Under RCRA, EPA provides data, information, guidelines, tools, and technical
assistance on resource conservation, recycling, and resource recovery. As part of this work, EPA
focuses on increasing the conservation and recovery of municipal solid waste (e.g., plastics,
aluminum, paper, food waste) and industrial waste (e.g., construction and demolition materials) to
advance a circular economy. EPA is working closely with other federal agencies to implement
EPA's 2021 National Recycling Strategy, the 2020 Save our Seas Act 2.0, and the 2021
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), as well as to develop, finalize and implement
additional strategies on plastics, food waste and organics, critical minerals and electronics, textiles,
and the built environment.
The Save our Seas Act 2.0, passed by Congress in December 2020, demonstrates bipartisan
congressional support and provides EPA with authority to further act on domestic recycling and
address plastic waste through new grant programs, studies, and extensive federal coordination.
EPA is coordinating with DOE, several offices within the DOC (NIST, NOAA, USTR and ITA),
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and USAID to implement the Save our Seas 2.0 Act, with particular emphasis on addressing the
global plastic pollution challenge. In FY 2023, EPA released the Draft National Strategy to
Prevent Plastic Pollution and anticipates implementing the final strategy in FY 2025.
EPA works collaboratively with USD A, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to
reduce food waste in support of the national goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50 percent
by 2030. In FY 2024, EPA released the Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste
and Recycling Organics in partnership with USD A and FDA and anticipates implementing the
final strategy in FY 2025. EPA also provides national estimates of food waste generation and
management and convenes, educates, and supports communities seeking to reduce food waste.
The IDA was enacted on November 15, 2021. The IIJA provides funding for the Waste
Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program grants under section 302(a) of the Save Our
Seas 2.0 Act as well as education and outreach grants focused on improving material recycling,
recovery, management. The IIJA also establishes new programs focused on battery recycling and
directs EPA to develop a model recycling program toolkit, increase coordination on federal
procurement guidelines, and provide assistance to the educational community to incorporate
recycling best practices into school curriculum. EPA coordinates closely with DOE on the
development of battery recycling best practices and the voluntary labeling program, as DOE also
received significant new IIJA funding to advance battery recycling.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Programs
The RCRA Corrective Action Program coordinates closely with OF As, primarily DOD and DOE,
which have many corrective action sites. A top agency priority is to help federal facilities meet the
Program's goals of investigating and cleaning up hazardous releases. EPA also coordinates with
other agencies on cleanup and disposal issues posed by PCBs under the authority of the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Emergency Preparedness and Response
EPA plays a major role in reducing the risks that accidental and intentional releases of harmful
substances and oil discharges pose to human health and the environment. EPA's leadership in
federal preparedness begins with co-chairing the National Response Team (NRT) and the 13
Regional Response Teams (RRTs) with the USCG. These teams, which have member participation
from 15 total federal agencies (EPA, USCG, DOS, DOD, DHS/FEMA, DOE, USD A, DHHS
(including CDC, NIOSH, and ATSDR), DOI, DOC, DOT, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), DOJ, and the U.S. Department of Labor [DOL]
[including OSHA]), provide guidance and deliver federal assistance to state, local, and tribal
governments to plan for and respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other major
environmental incidents. This requires coordination with many federal, state, and local agencies.
The Agency participates with other federal agencies to develop national planning and
implementation policies at the operational level.
The National Response Framework (NRF), under the direction of DHS, provides for the delivery
of federal assistance to states to help them deal with the consequences of terrorist events, acts of
malfeasance, as well as natural and other significant disasters. EPA maintains the lead
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responsibility for the NRF's Emergency Support Function #10 (covering inland hazardous
materials and petroleum releases) and participates in the Federal Emergency Support Function
Leaders Group which addresses NRF planning and implementation at the operational level.
EPA supports the Weapons of Mass Destruction Strategic Group (WMDSG) crisis-action team
intended to coordinate the United States Government's efforts to successfully resolve a WMD
threat and support interagency senior leader decision making. The WMDSG is comprised of over
50 SMEs representing over 15 different departments and agencies. The WMDSG is on call
24/7/365 to respond to the FBI's Strategic Information and Operations Center (SIOC) within two
hours. The WMDSG - led by the FBI - provides enhanced coordination by focusing on
information sharing and operation synchronization. The WMDSG helps maintain situational
awareness by working directly with FBI Counterterrorism Division (CTD) regarding investigative
activities, and the National Assets Command Post (NACP) regarding crisis operations.
EPA participates as a member of the FEMA Domestic Emergency Support Team (DEST) which,
during a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) incident or credible threat, serves to provide expert
advice, guidance, and support to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Assistant Director in
Charge (ADIC) or Special Agent in Charge (SAC). The Consequence Management Coordination
Unit (CMCU) is a national level incident support element responsible for strategic consequence
management decision support to the FEMA Administrator, the FBI WMDSG, and provides
support to the DEST.
The National Biodefense Strategy (NBS) provides a single coordinated effort to orchestrate the
full range of activity that is carried out across the United States Government to protect the
American people from biological threats. The National Security Presidential Memorandum
(NSPM)-14 strategy explains how the United States Government will manage its activities more
effectively to assess, prevent, detect, prepare for, respond to, and recover from biological threats
by coordinating its biodefense efforts with those of international partners, industry, academia, non-
governmental entities, and the private sector. The Biodefense Steering Committee, chaired by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, and comprising the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency,
will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the execution of the strategy and its
implementation plan, and ensuring federal coordination with domestic and international
government and non-governmental partners. EPA regularly works with the Biodefense Steering
Committee to address questions from the White House Security Council.
EPA supports the DHS Science and Technology Directorate through Interagency Agreements to
conduct bench-scale research and full-scale field studies to improve the nation's ability to respond
to and recover from terrorist incidents. These multi-year, interagency efforts include critical efforts
to improve consequence management of wide-area biological events, chemical warfare agent
attacks, and radiological incidents.
EPA continues to provide critical assets and expertise as members of DHS's nuclear incident
response team (NIRT). EPA maintains mission capable systems and personnel trained to respond
to a nuclear incident. EPA coordinates and collaborates with the DOE as part of NIRT. EPA and
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DOE participate in joint exercises and data exchanges to ensure our national programs provide
equivalent capabilities during response activities.
EPA continuously monitors DOD investments and technological developments as they mature
from basic research through advanced manufacturing for potential transition to civilian
applications and reducing or eliminating duplication of efforts. Through the DOD- sponsored
multi-agency aligned irregular warfare support directorate program, EPA submits and reviews
partner agency requirements to identify synergistic efforts throughout all of government. EPA is
providing DOD organizations laboratory sampling capacity for chemical warfare demilitarization
operations at army depots. EPA can mobilize units to these army depots and perform Chemical
Agent Standard Analytical Reference Material (CASARM) Quality Assurance Plan compliant
analytical services, which illustrates the strong partnership and alignment with the organizations.
Chemical Accident Prevention and Response
Under CAA Section 112(r), EPA administers the Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations
designed to prevent and respond to chemical accidents at fixed facilities that use or store more than
a threshold quantity (TQ) of listed highly toxic or flammable substances in a process. In
administering these regulations, EPA collaborates closely with other federal agencies, including
DOL, DOT, DHS, and others. An important nexus for this collaboration is the National Working
Group on Chemical Safety and Security, which includes participation by EPA, DOL/OSHA, DHS,
DOT, and BATF. The Working Group was initially formed as a result of Executive Order 13650
- Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security - which tasked federal agencies with various
actions to further improve chemical facility safety and security in coordination with facility owners
and operators. Through the Working Group, EPA works with federal agency partners to share
information, develop fact sheets and guidance, and coordinate regulatory and policy actions
relating to chemical safety and security. EPA also conducts additional regular coordination with
DOL and OSHA, which administer the OSHA Process Safety Management standard, a regulation
that shares common provisions with EPA's RMP regulations.
Under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, EPA administers regulations
that establish the list of extremely hazardous substances for community emergency response
planning, as well as regulations that establish chemical inventory and release reporting
requirements. In administering these regulations, EPA works closely with DOT, DHS, FEMA,
and other agencies that are involved in planning for chemical emergencies. For example, EPA
collaborates with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop the
Computer Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) software suite and Tier II
Submit software, which provide free computer software tools to help fire departments, local
emergency agencies and other stakeholders manage chemical inventory information and develop
and implement emergency response plans.
Oil and Chemical Spills
EPA is responsible for maintaining the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan (NCP), which sets out the federal government's blueprint for responding to oil
and hazardous substance spills. More specifically, the NCP details federal responsibilities and
procedures for preparing for and responding to discharges of oil or releases of hazardous
substances, pollutants, or contaminants in inland and coastal zones of the U.S. EPA is authorized
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to amend the NCP in consultation with other federal agencies. Under the NCP, EPA serves as the
pre-designated On-Scene Coordinator for oil discharges and hazardous substance releases in the
inland zone. As part of its responsibilities, EPA also maintains a list—called the Product
Schedule—of dispersants and other chemical and bioremediation products that may be authorized
for use during an oil spill.
EPA helps agencies such as FWS and the USCG and works in coordination to address oil
discharges nationwide. EPA also assists agencies with judicial referrals when enforcement of
violations becomes necessary. In addition, EPA and the USCG work in coordination to address oil
spills nationwide. Under the authorities provided by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
(FWPCA) or Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA develops oil discharge response, prevention, and
preparedness regulations. EPA also provides compliance monitoring activities to enforce these
regulations and coordinates with USCG, DOT, and BSEE in their implementation.
EPA serves as member of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research
(ICCOPR) established under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. ICCOPR coordinates a comprehensive
program of oil pollution research, technology development, and demonstration among federal
agencies in cooperation and coordination with external entities, such as industry, universities,
research institutions, state governments, and other nations, as appropriate. Comprised of 16 federal
agencies, ICCOPR is chaired by USCG, with EPA having served in a rotating Vice Chair capacity.
ICCOPR develops priorities for oil spill research across the federal government on a 6-year cycle
and prepares biennial reports to Congress on research activities and key interagency committee
activities.
Strengthen Human Health and Environmental Protection in Indian Country
EPA, DOI, DHHS, USDA, and HUD work through several MOUs as partners to improve
infrastructure on tribal lands. All five federal partners have committed to continue federal
coordination in delivering services to tribal communities. The Infrastructure Task Force has built
on prior partner successes, including improved access to funding and reduced administrative
burden for tribal communities through the review and streamlining of agency policies, regulations,
and directives as well as improved coordination of technical assistance to water service providers
and solid waste managers through regular coordination meetings and web-based tools.
Homeland Security
EPA's Homeland Security, Preparedness and Response Program continues to develop and
maintain agency assets and capabilities to respond to and support nationally significant incidents
with emphasis on those involving chemical warfare agents. The Program implements a broad range
of activities for a variety of internal and multi-agency efforts consistent with the NRF and the
Homeland Security Presidential Directives that EPA leads or supports. This includes being the
lead analytical agency for environmental sampling during a CWA incident. EPA also coordinates
its preparedness activities with DHS, FEMA, FBI, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
Research to Support Homeland Security
EPA collaborates with numerous agencies on Homeland Security research to leverage funding
across multiple programs and produce synergistic results. EPA's Homeland Security Research
Program and OLEM work with DHS provide science-based information and options to support
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decisions made in its role as a lead agency responsible for cleanup during a Stafford Act declaration
under ESF-10 and as the lead agency for water infrastructure. EPA also works with the DOD and
its sub-organizations in its research work related to biological and chemical warfare agents.
Further, EPA participates in a tri-agency research partnership (Technical Coordination Working
Group [TCWG]) with the DOD and DHS that focuses on chemical and biological defense needs
and gaps. TCWG activities include information sharing; joint science and technology research
projects; and complementing policies. EPA also collaborates with the CDC in conducting
biological agent research.
EPA works with these aforementioned entities and others to address areas of mutual interest and
concern related to both homeland security cleanup and water infrastructure protection issues. The
Program conducts joint research with USDA and DOI focusing on addressing homeland security
threats at the intersection of the environment/public health and agriculture/natural resources. EPA
also works with DOE to access and conduct research at the DOE's National Laboratories
specialized research facilities, such as to establish the Water Security Test Bed and develop
analytical capabilities for biological and chemical agents in environmental matrices.
Research to Support Land and Emergency Management Programs
EPA has complementary and joint programs with DOI (e.g., USGS, BLM), DOE, HHS (e.g.,
NIEHS), DO A (e.g., USFS), US ACE, NOAA, and many others to minimize duplication, maximize
scope, and maintain a real-time information flow for land remediation, sustainable materials
management, human and environmental health, and other wellbeing issues. EPA coordinates its
research to support a range of environmental priorities at other federal agencies, including work
with DOD in its Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and the
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, and work with DOE and its Office of
Health and Environmental Research. EPA also conducts collaborative laboratory research with
DOD, DOI, and USGS to improve characterization and risk management options for dealing with
subsurface contamination. Additionally, EPA works through the Environmental Research Institute
of the States (ERIS) and its Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC) in defining
continuing research needs through its teams on topics including PFAS, radionuclides, and
brownfields. EPA leverages the leadership support provided by OSTP's National Science and
Technology Council to coordinate our research and activities with other federal agencies.
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Programs
Coordination for General Issues Relating to Chemical Safety
EPA established an Interagency Policy Group comprised of other federal agencies with interest
and expertise in chemical issues to hold periodic meetings to obtain input on significant actions
such as the TSCA risk evaluations, rules, and potential existing chemical candidates for
Prioritization under TSCA. The agencies on the Interagency Policy Group include: CPSC, DOD,
OMB, NASA, DOL, SBA, NIH, FDA, and CDC. EPA has utilized this group to review TSCA
materials including, but not limited to, documents related to the scoping of existing chemicals for
risk evaluation. Additionally, EPA has initiated regular engagement with both NIOSH and OSHA
to discuss occupational exposure assessments and risk management.
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EPA also engages in biannual meetings with the OMNE Committee,3 which includes the OSHA,
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), NIOSH, and theNIEHS. The OMNE Committee
exists to provide a venue for federal agencies to share information and coordinate activities
regarding proposed rules, risk assessments, and risk management strategies for controlling
exposure to chemicals.
Furthermore, EPA is actively engaged in multiple working groups related to the National
Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) including the US - EU Community of Researchers for
Nanotechnology, the Interagency Nano-plastics group, the Nanotechnology Signature Initiative
for Sensors and the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) working
group.
Interagency Testing Committee
TSCA section 4(e) created the TSCA Interagency Testing Committee (1TC) as an independent
advisory committee to the Administrator of the U.S. EPA. The ITC was created to make
recommendations to the EPA Administrator on prioritizing and selecting chemicals for testing or
information reporting to meet the coordinated data needs of its member U.S. Government
organizations. These chemicals are added to the "Priority Testing List". The ITC meets every six
months to discuss testing needs and transmits any recommended revisions to the Priority Testing
List to the EPA Administrator for action and publication in the Federal Register. In addition to
EPA, statutory members of the ITC include CPSC, CEQ, DOC, FDA, NIEHS, NIOSH, NSF, and
OSHA. Liaison members include ATSDR, DOD, DOI and USD A.
Federal Lead Action Plan
Established by Executive Order 13045, the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks
and Safety Risks to Children comprises 17 federal departments and offices and is co-chaired by
the Secretary of DHHS and the EPA Administrator. In December 2018, through cross-
governmental collaboration, the Task Force unveiled the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood
Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Federal Lead Action Plan). The Federal Lead
Action Plan is a blueprint for reducing lead exposure and associated harms by working with a
range of stakeholders, including states, tribes, and local communities, along with businesses,
property owners and parents. In 2019, EPA released the Implementation Status Report for EPA
Actions under the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and
Associated Health Impacts4 and Progress Report on the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood
Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts.5 In FY 2025, the Agency will continue to lead
those goals and actions, coordinate with federal, state, tribal and community partners to amplify
the impacts, and report on activities and implementation, as appropriate.
Participation in International Agreements addressing Chemicals and Pesticide Management
To participate effectively in international agreements addressing chemicals and pesticide
management (e.g., the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Minamata
3 The OMNE Committee is named for the first letter in each participating agency's name.
4 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
04/documents/leadimplementationbooklet april2019.pdf.
5 For additional information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
10/documents/lead action jilan booklet_v8_004.pdf.
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Convention on Mercury, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedures for
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, the Strategic Approach to
International Chemicals Management, CODEX Alimentarius, and a wide range of multilateral,
regional, and bilateral free trade agreements), EPA coordinates with other federal agencies, such
as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), DOS, DOC, USDA, DOE, FDA, and
DHHS on a regular basis to develop the policy views and positions of the United States.
EPA also coordinates with other parts of the U.S. Government, including the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), NIH, and CPSC, on more technical international
matters related to the safety and management of chemicals and pesticides. At the regional and
global levels, EPA engages in bilateral cooperation and information exchange with a wide range
of countries and regional organizations, such as the European Union (EU), Canada, China,
Australia, Japan, Brazil, and many others.
In addition to participating in the U.S. Government trade development process, EPA also
specifically engages in trilateral cooperation with Canada and Mexico through the U.S.-Mexico-
Canada (USMCA) Free Trade Agreement, particularly with respect to the provisions related to
agriculture, technical barriers to trade, and environment, among others. Such engagement is
designed to promote further trade and regional cooperation among the three governments through
targeted efforts and technical working groups. EPA is engaged within the USMCA's CEC on a
project to build transparency on industrial chemical releases and transfers of waste to support
increased data compatibility, digital tools for analyzing waste handling practices and identification
of potential compliance issues and strategies to promote pollution prevention opportunities. More
broadly, EPA is working within the USMCA's CEC on projects to identify strategies to address
pollutants, especially short-lived climate pollutants, encourage nature-based solutions and other
pollution prevention approaches, and support community resilience and climate adaptation
strategies.
EPA has a longstanding program of cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) on various topics of mutual concern such as the development of
guidance, methods, tools, and sharing of best practices in the areas of risk assessment and risk
management of chemicals and pesticides. For example, EPA serves as the National Coordinator
for the United States in support of the OECD Test Guidelines Program's mutual acceptance of
data work, which aims to reduce the need to repeat health effects studies due to incompatible test
protocols. Additionally, among others working groups and committees, EPA is engaged in the
OECD Working Group on Pesticides (WGP), which shares pesticide registration work and develop
tools to monitor and minimize pesticide risk to human health and the environment, and with the
Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee, which oversees eleven working groups and other
subsidiary bodies in the chemicals and pesticide arenas. In addition, EPA chairs the OECD
Working Party on Risk Management, which share information relating to activities relevant to
regulatory and non-regulatory risk management efforts.
Capacity Building and Technical Assistance
EPA also participates significantly with other agencies and international organizations in the
development, coordination, and delivery of capacity-building and technical assistance. For
example, EPA is collaborating with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the Inter-American
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Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture to address the many inquiries from foreign countries on
pesticide registrations, standard setting processes, maximum residue level (MRL) harmonization,
and risk assessment procedures. The Agency also collaborates with USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service on research on foreign animal disease to determine decontamination and
waste management strategies following large outbreaks impacting livestock (e.g., African Swine
Fever, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
Certification and Training, Worker Protection, IPM, and Environmental Stewardship
EPA will continue to coordinate with USD A, DOD, DOI, DOE, tribes, territories, and states to
implement Certification Plans for pesticide applicators who use the riskiest pesticides. EPA
provides technical guidance and assistance to the states and tribes in the implementation of all
pesticide program activities, such as protecting workers, promoting Integrated Pest Management
and environmental stewardship. EPA also provides support through grants, cooperative
agreements, or interagency agreements with states, tribes, and other partners, including
universities, non-profit organizations, other federal agencies, pesticide users, environmental
groups, and other entities, as necessary, to assist in strengthening and implementing EPA's
pesticide activities, such as worker protection, pollinator protection and certifying pesticide
applicators.
Assessing Potential Pesticide Risks with Supplemental Data
EPA relies on data from DHHS and USDA to supplement data from the pesticide industry to assist
the Agency in assessing the potential risks of pesticides in the diets of adults and children.
Specifically, EPA uses National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) food consumption
survey data developed by the DHHS, as well as pesticide residue data in food commodities
generated by the USDA in its Pesticide Data Program (PDP) as inputs for dietary risk assessment.
Endangered Species & Pollinator Protection
EPA will continue collaborating with the USDA, FWS, and NMFS on protecting endangered and
threatened species and improving methods for assessing potential risks and effects of pesticides to
them. EPA, in cooperation with USDA, other federal agencies, state agencies, tribes, territories,
and other entities, will continue to address pesticide risks to bees and other pollinators which are
critical to our environment and the production of food crops.
Public Health Protection and Initiatives
EPA regularly consults and collaborates with DHHS, USDA, FDA, and DOD on pesticide actions
that may have implications for public health. Additional efforts are being made to implement a
framework intended to expand the federal government's process for assessing the risk that certain
antibacterial or antifungal pesticides may pose to the effectiveness of human and animal drugs.
Homeland Security - Protecting Food & Agriculture Sectors
EPA collaborates with the agencies such as DOD, DHS, DHHS, USDA, FDA, FEMA, and other
federal, tribal, and state organizations on a variety of homeland security issues as part of the
Government Coordinating Council (GCC) For Food and Agriculture. The issues focus on
protecting the public and food and agriculture sector from various threats (e.g., biological agents,
diseases, or natural disasters) which are vital to critical functions of the government and private
sector. EPA collaborates with these organizations on many issues such as research pertaining to
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effective disinfectants for high threat microorganisms, planning for response to various potential
incidents, training and development of policies and guidelines. Technical and analytical support is
provided to EPA Regions and states specific to enforcement and litigation of possible illegal
pesticides and/or contamination of registered products. In addition to GCC efforts, EPA continues
to partner with the OSHA, NIOSH, and CPSC on risk assessment and risk mitigation activities.
Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) and State and Tribal Stakeholder Groups
One of the Agency's methods for receiving input on pesticide issues has been the Pesticide
Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC), a Federal Advisory Committee, that brings together a
broad cross-section of knowledgeable stakeholders from organizations that represent divergent
views in order to discuss pesticide regulatory, policy, and implementation issues. The PPDC
includes members from federal and state governments, industry/trade associations, pesticide user
and commodity groups, consumer and environmental/public interest groups, and others. The
PPDC provides a structured environment for meaningful information exchanges and discussions,
and keeping the public involved in decisions that affect them. Dialogue with outside groups is
essential for the Agency to remain responsive to the needs of its many partners. EPA also works
extensively with the Association of American Pest Control Officials and the Tribal Pesticide
Program Council to maximize communication with states, tribes, and territories on pesticide
implementation issues.
General Research to Support Chemical Safety
EPA participates in a multi-agency effort under the Tox21 Consortium. Tox21 pools chemical
research, data and screening tools from multiple federal agencies including the NIH and FDA.
EPA has contributed a chemical library, currently exceeding 4,000 chemicals, to the Tox21 testing
program.6'7 Nearly all of this library includes data from EPA's Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast™),
an effort that utilizes existing resources to develop faster, more thorough predictions of how
chemicals may affect human and environmental health. The Tox21 Consortium has screened
thousands of chemicals with more than 70 assays, resulting in more than 120 million data points
which can inform decision making regarding the safety of chemicals. The full Tox21 library
comprises approximately equal sized contributions from the EPA, the National Toxicology
Program (NTP), and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).
EPA is committed to working collaboratively with federal, state, tribal and local partners to address
the challenges posed by PFAS. Efforts include working with other federal agencies to address
scientific challenges such as the lack of published toxicity data for most PFAS chemicals. The
results will be used to identify categories of PFAS chemicals having similar structural and
toxicological properties that may inform the development and strength of predictive toxicological
models. EPA anticipates increased interagency collaboration on PFAS research and development
efforts through an OSTP-led interagency working group, established as required by the FY 2021
National Defense Authorization Act.
6 Collins, F.S., Gray, G.M., and Bucher, J.R. (2008). Transforming environmental health protection. Science, 319, 906-907. doi:
1.0.1.1.26/science, 1.1.5461.9.
7 Tice. R.R.. Austin. C.P.. Kavlock. R.J.. and Bucher. J.R. (201.3). Improving the human hazard characterization of chemicals: a
Tox21. update. Environmental Health Perspectivei 5-765. doi: 1.0.1.289/ehp. 1.205784.
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EPA's chemical safety research strongly supports the development of New Approach Methods
(NAMs), which improve the Agency's understanding of chemical toxicity. EPA research informed
development of a guidance document, published in June 2023,8 on the use of developmental
neurotoxicity NAMs data in Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) case
studies. This work was done in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) and other international regulatory partners.
Research to Support Agencywide Risk Assessment Activities
EPA collaborates globally with other federal agencies on research to accelerate the pace of
chemical risk assessment and to provide greater regulatory certainty for the public. EPA is working
with Health Canada and the European Joint Research Center on the development and testing of
new non-animal approach methodologies to evaluate chemicals quickly and cost-effectively for
safety. These new approach methods are a critical part of implementing the TSCA Strategic Plan
to reduce, refine, and replace the use of vertebrates in toxicity testing and evaluation. EPA also
commenced work with Health Canada and ECHA to promote sharing of non-confidential chemical
safety information with the intent of advancing chemical evaluations across regulatory
jurisdictions. This collaborative approach will help EPA and other federal agencies screen,
prioritize, and evaluate chemicals, and promote implementation of alternative methods to replace
vertebrate animal testing under TSCA. Finally, EPA is engaged in multiple OECD chemical safety
groups that share information, expertise, and research results related to chemical safety.
Ultimately, these international efforts will work towards creating transparent data requirements for
industry and reducing the regulatory uncertainty of multiple regulatory environments globally.
EPA consults and collaborates routinely with other federal agencies to improve the rigor and
consistency of the science and practice of risk assessment. EPA engages on the science of
individual assessments, such as the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessments. EPA
also coordinates, respectively, with: ATSDR, through an MOU on the development of
toxicological assessments; NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program, on assessment
methodology, software, and assay development platforms; FDA on advisories and reports; and
DOD on assessment development methods. EPA serves as advisors to federal and international
agencies and departments (e.g., IARC, EFSA, Health Canada, WHO, ATSDR) to review and
provide scientific input on risk assessment related topics. In addition, EPA collaborates with other
federal agencies on complex human health assessment science topics through workshops,
including those managed by National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
(NASEM). EPA also participates in the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of
Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) to work towards increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of
U.S. federal agency test method review, eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, sharing
experience among U.S. federal regulatory agencies, and reducing, refining, and replacing the use
of animals in testing.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (EPP collaborates closely with partner
federal agencies in developing, refining, and issuing EPA's Recommendations of Specifications,
Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. Through FY 2023 these recommendations have
8 For more information on the OECD guidance document, see: https://www.oecd.org/env/ehs/testing/developmental-
neurotoxicity.htm.
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been maintained and updated to include 48 private sector standards and ecolabels that cover 30
product and service categories commonly acquired through federal purchasing. These
recommendations help federal procurement officials determine which private sector standards and
ecolabels, among sometimes dozens within a single purchase category, are appropriate and
effective in meeting federal procurement goals and mandates for environmental performance. The
EPP Program's work has generated significant cost savings and environmental benefits to the
federal government.
EPA also coordinates federal procurement programs that integrate environmental performance into
procurement, including building software tools for seamlessly integrating sustainable procurement
conditions and language into government procurement solicitations and contracts. Environmental
benefits calculators help federal agencies document the environment performance and benefits
associated with their sustainable procurement. Working with the General Services Administration,
the EPP Program assists in identifying and highlighting best-in-class existing blanket purchase
contracts to further support and streamline efforts by federal procurement officials to meet federal
environmental and cost effectiveness goals, putting tools into the hands of federal procurement
officials, and collaborating with federal agencies such as the General Services Administration,
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Departments of Defense and Energy, and
others.
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Programs
General Enforcement Coordination
The Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program coordinates closely with:
• Department of Justice (DOJ) on all civil and criminal environmental enforcement matters. In
addition, the Program has coordinated with other agencies on specific environmental issues as
described herein.
• The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in
preventing and responding to accidental releases and endangerment situations.
• Department of Interior's (DOI) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Department of Health and
Human Service's (DHHS) Indian Health Service (IHS) on issues relative to compliance with
environmental laws in Indian country.
• The Department of Commerce (DOC) and Small Business Administration (SBA) on the
implementation of the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Act (SBREFA). In addition, it has
collaborated with the SBA to maintain current environmental compliance information at
Business.gov, a website initiated as an e-government initiative in 2004, to help small businesses
comply with government regulations. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on cases that require
defendants to pay civil penalties, thereby assisting the IRS in assuring compliance with tax
laws.
• United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on Clean Water Act (CWA) wetlands
compliance issues.
• USACE on Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) sites.
• Department of Transportation's (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration on pipeline spills.
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the regulation of animal feeding
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operations and on food safety issues arising from the misuse of pesticides and shares joint
jurisdiction with the Federal Trade Commission on pesticide labeling and advertising.
• The U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) to target potential noncompliance with the TSCA lead-
based paint regulations to reduce service members' and their children's exposure to lead-based
paint in privatized military housing.
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to collaborate on ensuring
compliance with lead-based paint regulations in pre-1978 housing.
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigrations and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) in the compliance with and enforcement of FIFRA and its implementing
regulations at immigration and detention facilities owned/operated by ICE and ICE contractor
facilities.
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on
compliance with and enforcement of imported products regulated under the Clean Air Act
(CAA), American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act), Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and Toxics Substances Control Act (TSCA).
• The General Service Administration's Technology Transformation Services to advance
modernization of IT solutions.
International Trade
EPA works with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on implementing the secure
International Trade Data System (ITDS) across all federal agencies and on chemical and pesticide
imports, hazardous waste and Cathode Ray Tube exports, imports of internal combustion vehicles
and engines that do not meet Clean Air Act requirements, implementation of the American
Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, as well as on a variety of other import/export issues
under the various statutes.
Coordination on Issues Involving Shared Jurisdiction
EPA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) share jurisdiction over general-purpose
disinfectants used on non-critical surfaces and some dental and medical equipment surfaces. EPA
and FDA also collaborate and share information on Good Laboratory Program inspections to avoid
duplication of inspections and maximize efficient use of limited resources. EPA, FDA, and the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) jointly regulate drinking water safety on airlines via the
Aircraft Drinking Water Rule. EPA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) entered into a new Memorandum of Understanding in 2024, to establish a framework for
consultation, information-sharing, and collaboration on civil enforcement, thereby strengthening
this partnership and ensuring efficient use of resources to reduce childhood lead exposures and
associated health impacts. The Agency has coordinated with the United States Coast Guard
(USCG) under the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, and on discharges of pollutant from ships
and oil spills under the CWA. EPA also works with DOI on CWA permit enforcement on the
Outer Continental Shelf, as well as both the Interior and Transportation Departments on
enforcement of CWA requirements for offshore facilities.
Criminal Enforcement
EPA's Criminal Enforcement Program coordinates with FBI, CBP, DOL, U.S. Treasury, DHS,
DOI, USCG, and DO J and with international, state, tribal, and local law enforcement organizations
in the investigation and prosecution of environmental crimes. EPA also works with DOJ to
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establish task forces that bring together federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement
organizations to address environmental crimes. EPA has an Interagency Agreement with DOJ's
Environment and Natural Resources Division to develop the first federal Environmental Crime
Victim Assistance Program. This allows both agencies to meet their statutory obligations under
the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA) and the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act (VRRA), to
make sure that environmental crime victims are notified of and accorded their rights under the
CVRA and VRRA. In addition, the Program has an Interagency Agreement with the DHS to
provide specialized criminal environmental training to federal, state, local, and tribal law
enforcement personnel at the Federal Law Enforcement Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia.
Monitoring the Environmental Compliance of Federal Agencies
Most environmental statutes require departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the U.S.
government to comply with environmental requirements just like any other regulated entity. EPA
and states inspect federal facilities and take enforcement actions, as appropriate. In addition,
Executive Order 12088 on Federal Compliance with Pollution Control Standards requires federal
agencies to comply with pollution control standards and directs EPA to monitor compliance by
federal agencies with all environmental laws and provide technical assistance. The Federal Facility
Enforcement Program coordinates with other federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to ensure
compliance by federal agencies with all environmental laws. EPA works with the Federal Facilities
Environmental Stewardship and Compliance Assistance Center (FedCenter)
("www.fedcenter.gov), which is governed by a board of more than a dozen contributing federal
agencies. FedCenter works with federal agencies to plan Federal Environmental Symposiums to
encourage collaboration, information sharing, stewardship, and improved environmental
compliance across the federal government. EPA is working with other Agencies through
FedCenter to address Administration priorities including PFAS and Environmental Justice (EJ).
EPA also partners with other federal agencies to identify ways to expedite cleanup of Superfund
sites and prevent and address regulatory compliance issues.
EPA has commenced several specific collaborative efforts to work one-on-one with other federal
agencies to help foster productive relationships through environmental compliance outreach
efforts. EPA has developed partnerships with other federal agency headquarters offices including,
for example, HHS, BIA, DoD, USCG, DHS, the Department of Energy (DOE), the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Veterans Health Administration and the
Department of Interior to discuss EPA's National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives (NECI)
and explore ways EPA can best help federal agencies remain aware of their environmental
compliance status and requirements nationwide. EPA has instituted a monthly dialogue with DoD
to help address compliance issues in privatized military housing with a particular focus on
compliance with TSCA lead-based paint requirements.
In the context of EPA's NECIs, the Agency proactively addresses potential significant
noncompliance by sending letters to federal agencies highlighting facility noncompliance so
facilities can expeditiously take the necessary actions to address the compliance issues. EPA also
has issued multiple compliance advisories under, for example, the Safe Drinking Water Act and
the Clean Water Act, to other federal agencies providing information on their compliance status,
NECIs and other enforcement initiatives.
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Superfund Enforcement
coordinates with Other Federal Agencies (OF As) in their use of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) enforcement authority. This includes the
coordinated use of such authority at individual hazardous waste sites that are located on both non-
federal land (generally EPA jurisdiction) and federal lands (generally other agency jurisdiction).
As required by Executive Order No. 13016, other departments and agencies must receive
concurrence from EPA before use of CERCLA Section 106 authority.
EPA coordinates closely with Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMAs), such as the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) and the Unites States Forest Service (USFS), at mixed ownership
sites {i.e., those sites located partially on privately-owned land and partially on federally owned
land) pursuant to Executive Order No. 12580. EPA frequently enters into Memorandums of
Understanding (MOUs) with FLMAs designed to provide a framework for agencies to coordinate
response actions. EPA meets with DOI, USD A, and other agencies as part of the Federal Mining
Dialogue, to discuss developments arising out of the CERCLA work at such sites. EPA leads the
Federal Mining Dialogue's Enforcement Subcommittee.
EPA also coordinates with DOI, USDA, DOC, DOE, and DOD to ensure that appropriate and
timely notices, required under CERCLA, are sent to the Natural Resource Trustees notifying them
of potential damages to natural resources. EPA also coordinates with Natural Resource Trustees
on natural resource damage assessments, investigations, and planning of response activities under
Section 104 of CERCLA. When an enforcement action is initiated at a site where hazardous
substances are found to have caused damages to natural resources, EPA coordinates with the
Trustees by including them in negotiations with potentially responsible parties concerning the
releases that have caused those damages.
EPA's Superfund Federal Facilities Enforcement Program ensures that: (1) all federal facility sites
on the NPL have interagency agreements, also known as Federal Facility Agreements (FFAs) with
enforceable cleanup schedules; (2) FFAs are monitored for compliance and enforcement taken,
where appropriate; (3) federal sites are transferred to new owners in an environmentally
responsible manner; and (4) compliance assistance is available to the extent possible. This program
also ensures that federal agencies comply with Superfund cleanup obligations "in the same manner
and to the same extent" as non-federal entities. To enable the cleanup and reuse of such sites, the
Federal Facilities Enforcement Program also has coordinated on creative solutions that help restore
facilities, so they can once again serve an important role in the economy and welfare of local
communities, and the country. EPA also has established a partnership with the Environmental
Council of the States (ECOS) and DOE, the DOE Dialogue, to build relationships and tackle
enduring challenges at DOE cleanup sites.
International and Tribal Affairs Programs
Supporting Global Policy to Reduce Pollution and Harmful Chemicals
EPA is working in close coordination with the Department of State, USAID, NOAA, and other
key Agencies on the development of a global agreement on plastic pollution. These partnerships
help identify domestic activities that EPA can implement to reduce plastic pollution and leakage
into the marine environment. In addition, EPA continues to provide technical assistance to reduce
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plastic pollution through the Agency's Trash Free Waters program.
EPA has a strong network of partners working to achieve reductions in global mercury use and
emissions, particularly when adverse U.S. impacts would be likely. EPA works closely with the
DOS in leading the technical and policy engagement for the U.S. in the Minamata Convention on
Mercury and the multi-stakeholder Global Mercury Partnership. In addition, EPA collaborates
with several federal agencies including USGS and US AID to advance robust implementation of
the Minamata Convention by other countries. EPA also continues to share information through the
Arctic Council on reducing releases of mercury which disproportionally impact indigenous arctic
communities.
EPA also works with USD A, OMB, and FDA on the on reducing food waste which includes
international cooperation on measuring food waste reductions and pilot activities that can create
market opportunities for U.S. technologies and innovation.
Tackling the Climate Crisis, Accelerating Environmental and Economic Justice
EPA works with international partners, such as foreign governments and international
organizations, to deploy assistance that can strengthen on the ground action to tackle the climate
crisis, reduce transboundary pollution that impacts local communities and travels through the
environment to impact other communities across the globe, and that strengthen fundamental
environmental rule of law. An important example of this work is EPA's efforts to identify
environmental best practices and standards in the critical minerals supply chain. This work entails
significant dialogue and coordination. EPA also leads engagement on key issues in the Group of
Seven (G7) and the Group of Twenty (G20) through environment ministerial meetings which
negotiates key outcomes on issues such as climate change, food waste, marine litter, resource
efficiency, air quality and pollution prevention. EPA's engagement with international financial
institutions, United Nations (UN) entities, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation
(OECD).
Supporting Environmental Priorities in Global Trade Policy and Implementation of
Environmental Cooperation Agreements
EPA is a member of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, the Trade Policy Review Group, and
relevant subcommittees - interagency mechanisms that provide advice, guidance, and clearance to
USTR in the development of U.S. international trade and investment policy.
EPA continues its participation in the North American Commission for Environmental
Cooperation (CEC), which provides regional and international leadership to advance
environmental protection, human health, and sustainable economic growth in North America. EPA
also will continue work on implementation of the Environment Chapter of the United States-
Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and other free trade agreements. EPA also continues active
participation in the United States Trade Representative (USTR)-led Interagency Environment
Committee for Monitoring and Environment (IECME) established to promote Mexican and
Canadian compliance with their environmental obligations. In addition, EPA continues to work
with partners (including the U.S. Treasury, State Department, USAID, and the U.S. International
Development Finance Corporation), to improve environmental governance of U.S. funded
international development projects.
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Addressing Transboundary Pollution
EPA collaborates with countries around the world to address foreign sources of pollution in
coordination with DOS, USAID, DOJ, Treasury, and others. EPA works closely with DHHS to
advance recognition of environmental risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and how
to mitigate the risks, including from lead and mercury. In addition, EPA continues to strengthen
its activities in the Arctic by working with Alaska, tribes, federal agencies, and the private sector
to build international support for U.S. environmental policy objectives with the Arctic countries
and continues to engage in Arctic Council cooperation pursuant to parameters set out by the
Nationals Security Council and the Department of State. These objectives cover a range of topics,
including reducing harmful air emissions and exposure to mercury. Further, EPA collaborates with
DOS, the Government of Canada, tribes, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to address
transboundary water pollution caused by historic and current mining practices in the Kootenai
watershed.
EPA continues to work in partnership with Mexico's National Water Commission (CONAGUA)
and the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) to reduce
the wastewater pollution in the Tijuana River, its tributaries, and the Pacific Ocean. In FY 2022,
EPA and CONAGUA signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) identifying projects to be implemented
in the short- and long-term to stem the flow of transboundary pollution in the San Diego/Tijuana
region. Concurrently, the USIBWC and CILA (USIBWC's counterpart in Mexico) signed Minute
328 as the first step in binational implementation of the SOI, including operations and maintenance
cost-sharing for the proposed expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment
Plant (ITP). EPA actively participates in monthly meetings with USIBWC and CONAGUA to
track progress on projects and advance the commitments made in these two binational agreements.
Working in Indian Country
EPA is an active participant in the White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA).
The WHCNNA is an interagency principals-level council established in June 2013 in response to
requests from tribal leaders across Indian country for a Cabinet-level council to uphold treaty and
trust obligations, support the Nation-to-Nation relationship, and improve tribal engagement and
consultation. The Biden-Harris Administration reconvened the WHCNAA and established six sub-
committees: Climate Change, Tribal Homelands, and Treaties; Health; Education; Economic
Development, Energy, and Infrastructure; Public Safety and Justice; and International Indigenous
Issues.
EPA serves as the co-lead (with DOI and USDA) on the Climate Change, Tribal Homelands, and
Treaties Committee. Within this Committee, EPA is a co-lead on the Climate Adaptation
Subcommittee. Indigenous Knowledge (IK)-related work, also referred to as Traditional
Ecological Knowledge, remains a priority within the WCHNAA Climate Change, Tribal
Homelands, and Treaties Committee. EPA is active in the National Science and Technology
Council (NSTC) Subcommittee on Indigenous Knowledge.
EPA also serves as the co-lead (with DOI and the DOS) on the WCNAA International Indigenous
Issues Committee. Within this Committee, EPA is co-lead on three subcommittees, including
Human Rights and Environmental Justice, Cross Border Issues, and Climate Crisis.
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Additionally, EPA is involved as a participant on the WHCNAA Health Committee and the
Economic Development, Energy, and Infrastructure Committee.
Central Planning, Budgeting and Finance Programs
Working with Federal Partners on Improving Management and Accountability throughout the
Federal Government
EPA coordinates appropriately with Congress and other federal agencies, such as the U.S.
Treasury, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and GSA. EPA participates and makes
active contributions to standing interagency management committees, including:
• the Chief Financial Officers Council, which focuses on improving resources management and
accountability throughout the federal government.
• the Performance Improvement Council, which coordinates and develops strategic plans,
performance plans, and performance reports as required by law.
• OMB-led E-Government initiatives, such as the Financial Management and Budget
Formulation and Execution Lines of Business.
• the Bureau of Census-maintained Federal Assistance Awards Data System.
• the President's Management Council, which oversees developing and implementing Cross-
Agency Priority (CAP) goals; and
• the Evaluation Officer Council, which serves as a forum to exchange information with the
broader Federal evaluation community.
Provide Government-to-Government Employee Relocation Services
EPA provides government-to-government employee relocation services via interagency
agreements through EPA's Federal Employee Relocation Center (FERC) as a Working Capital
Fund (WCF) activity. EPA-FERC provides "one-stop shop" domestic and international relocation
services to other federal agencies to increase operational efficiency and save the government
money. Relocation services are currently provided internally to all EPA offices, and externally to
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
(ATF), Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), United States
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs
(HHS-OGA), United States Agency of Global Media (USAGM), and Federal Bureau of Prisons
(BOP).
Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Programs
Environmental Justice
Presidential EO 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad enhanced and
expanded several important means of interagency coordination and collaboration related to
environmental justice. EO 14008 elevated the existing Interagency Working Group on
Environmental Justice, formerly chaired by EPA, to the White House Environmental Justice
Interagency Council (IAC), chaired by the CEQ. This executive order also established a White
House Environmental Justice Advisory Council (WHEJAC) to provide advice and
recommendations to the IAC and CEQ on environmental justice recommendations for the entirety
of the executive branch of the federal government. The IAC will be the primary venue for inter-
agency coordination of executive branch federal activities related to environmental justice.
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Through the Justice40 Initiative, also mandated in EO 14008, the IAC will work to achieve the
goal that forty percent of federal benefits from certain federal programs flow to disadvantaged
communities and will publish an annual public performance scorecard on implementation by
federal agencies. The IAC will likewise coordinate recommendations on further updates to EO
12898 and provide leadership to interagency efforts to address current and historic environmental
injustices. As stipulated in EO 14008, EPA will provide all support necessary for administration
of the WHEJAC and is one of three agencies charged with providing support to CEQ for
administration of the IAC. EPA also will play a prominent membership role within the IAC as a
participating agency.
Mission Support Programs
Working with Federal Partners on Improving Management and Accountability throughout the
Federal Government
EPA provides leadership and expertise to government-wide activities in various areas of human
resources, grants management, contracts management, suspension and debarment, and homeland
security. These activities include specific collaboration efforts through:
• The Chief Human Capital Officers Council, a group of senior leaders that discuss human
capital initiatives across the federal government.
• The Legislative and Policy Committee, a committee comprised of other federal agency
representatives who assist OPM in developing plans and policies for training and development.
• The Chief Acquisition Officers Council, the principal interagency forum for monitoring and
improving the federal acquisition system. The Council also is focused on promoting the
President's specific initiatives and policies in all aspects of the acquisition system.
• The Award Committee for E-Government (E-Gov) provides strategic vision for the portfolio
of systems/federal wide supporting both federal acquisition and financial assistance. Support
also is provided to the associated functional community groups, including the Procurement
Committee for E-Gov, the Financial Assistance Committee for E-Gov, and the
Intergovernmental Transaction Working Group.
• The Grants Quality Service Management Office (QSMO) leads efforts to transform the federal
grants management process by focusing on standardization and modernization of grants
systems to increase efficiency and reduce burden for grant applicants, recipients, and the
federal grants workforce; and better leveraging the buying power of the government to access
high-quality shared solutions and reduce costs. The Grants QSMO supports the work of
OMB's Office of Federal Financial Management and Office of the Federal Chief Information
Officer and GSA's Office of Shared Solutions and Performance Improvement.
• The Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC), a representative committee
of federal agency leaders in suspension and debarment. The Committee facilitates lead agency
coordination, serves as a forum to discuss current suspension and debarment related issues,
and assists in developing unified federal policy. Besides participating in the ISDC, EPA: (1)
provides instructors for the National Suspension and Debarment Training Program offered
through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and (2) supports the development of
coursework and training on the suspension and debarment process for the Inspector General
Academy and the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
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• The Financial Management Line of Business (FMLoB) has been expanded to also encompass
the Grants Management Line of Business. The combined FMLoB, with U.S. Treasury as the
managing partner, will more closely align the financial assistance and financial management
communities around effective and efficient management of funds. EPA also participates in the
Grants.gov Users' Group, as well as the Federal Demonstration Partnership which is designed
to reduce the administrative burdens associated with research grants.
• The Interagency Committee on Federal Advisory Committee Management (Committee
Management Officer Council) provides leadership and coordination on federal advisory
committee issues and promotes effective and efficient committee operations government-wide.
In addition to serving on the Council, EPA works with the GSA Committee Management
Secretariat to establish and renew advisory committees, conduct annual reviews of advisory
committee activities and accomplishments, maintain committee information in a publicly
accessible online database, and develop committee management regulations, guidance, and
training. Further, EPA participates on the GSA Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)
Attorney Council Interagency Workgroup to keep abreast of developments in the statutory
language, case law, interpretation, and implementation of the FACA.
• The Interagency Security Committee (ISC) is the leading organization for nonmilitary federal
departments and agencies in establishing policies for the security and protection of federal
facilities, developing security standards, and ensuring compliance with those standards. EPA
participates in the ISC as a primary member and in sub-committees and workgroups to
facilitate EPA's compliance with ISC standards for facilities nationwide.
• The OPM Background Investigations Stakeholder Group (BISG) is a collaborative
organization that is derived from the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004. The BISG is comprised of senior security officials across the federal government who
are responsible for the submission, adjudication and/or oversight of personnel security
programs. EPA works with this group to discuss topics regarding background investigations,
focusing on standardizing and improving the Agency's personnel security program.
• EPA manages the Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program's interagency
agreements with other federal agencies. The interagency agreements are with the White
House/CEQ, the CDC/ATSDR, and the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. SEE
enrollees provide administrative, technical, and professional support to these agencies for
projects relating to pollution prevention, abatement, and control.
• EPA's Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) partners with other Federal agencies,
including the USPTO, NOAA, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to serve
as Presiding Officers for proceedings to adjudicate complaints brought before the partner
organizations. This collaboration allows partner organizations the ability to provide
constitutionally guaranteed legal due process and review without staffing and supporting their
own Offices of Administrative Law Judges, while EPA's judges expand their experience and
knowledge in the area of administrative law. The services OALJ provides to other agencies are
reimbursed by the borrowing organization.
Work with the Department of Interior's Interior Business Center
In FY 2025, EPA will continue working with DOI's Interior Business Center (IBC), an OPM- and
OMB-approved Human Resources Line of Business shared service center. IBC offers HR
transactional processing, compensation management and payroll processing, benefits
administration, time and attendance, HR reporting, talent acquisition systems, and talent
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management systems. EPA also continues its charter membership on the OPM HR Line of
Business (LoB) Multi Agency Executive Strategy Committee (MAESC), providing advice and
recommendations to the Director of OPM as well as additional government-wide executive
leadership, for the implementation of the HR LoB vision, goals, and objectives.
Partnering with GSA on the US Access Program
EPA continues partnering with GSA on the USAccess Program for Personal Identity Verification
cards and identity credential solutions, which provides an efficient, economical and secure
infrastructure to support its credentialing needs, and migrations to the Enterprise Physical Access
Control System, allowing the Agency to control access in EPA space, including restricted and
secure space.
Environmental Information Programs
To support EPA's overall mission, the Agency continues to collaborate with federal, state, and
tribal agencies on a variety of initiatives focused on making government more efficient and
transparent in protecting human health and the environment. EPA's Environmental Information
programs are primarily involved in the information technology (IT), information management
(IM), and information security aspects of the projects on which it collaborates.
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council
The CIO Council is the principal interagency forum for improving practices in the design,
modernization, sharing, and performance of federal information resources. The Council develops
recommendations for IT/IM policies, procedures, and standards; identifies opportunities to share
information resources; and assesses and addresses the needs of the federal IT workforce.
The Chief Data Officer (CDO) Council
The CDO Council was established by statute in the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking
Act of 2018. The Council's vision is to improve government mission achievement and increase
the benefits to the Nation through improvement in the management, use, protection, dissemination,
and generation of data in government decision-making and operations.
eRulemaking
The eRulemaking Program is a Federal E-Government shared LoB that manages the Federal
Docket Management System (FDMS) and Regulations.gov. The Program provides the public with
one-stop access to electronic dockets and the ability to electronically comment on proposed
rulemakings and de-regulatory actions for multiple federal agencies.
The National Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN)
EPA's EN Program and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are coordinating on using the
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. This coordination will lead to automated processing
of over eight million EPA-related electronic filings needed to clear legitimate imports and exports. With
the move from paper filings to electronic filings combined with automated processing through ACE, filing
time can be reduced from weeks/days to minutes/days. This significant processing improvement directly
impacts the movement of goods into commerce and the economy while helping to ensure compliance with
environmental and CBP laws and regulations. It also helps the U.S. Government keep pace with the speed
of business.
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Automated Commercial Environment/International Trade Data System (ACE/ITDS)
ITDS is the electronic information exchange capability, or "single window," through which
businesses will transmit data required by participating agencies for the import or export of cargo.
ACE is the system built by CBP to ensure that its customs officers and other federal agencies have
the information they need to decide how to handle goods and merchandise being shipped into or
out of the United States. It also will be the way those agencies provide CBP with information about
potential imports/exports. ITDS eliminates the need, burden, and cost of paper reporting. It also
allows importers and exporters to report the same information to multiple federal agencies with a
single submission and facilitates movement of cargo by automating processing of the import and
exports. ITDS provides the capability for industry to consolidate reporting for commodities
regulated by multiple agencies. For these consolidated reports, the industry filers will receive the
appropriate status response when their filings meet each agency's reporting requirements. Once
all agency reporting requirements have been met, filers can receive a coordinated single U.S.
government response to proceed into the commerce of the United States.
EPA has the responsibility and legal authority to make sure pesticides, toxic chemicals, vehicles
and engines, ODS, and other commodities entering and hazardous waste exiting the country meet
its human health and environmental standards. EPA's ongoing collaboration with CBP on the
ACE/ITDS effort will improve the efficiency of processing these shipments through information
exchange between EPA and CBP and automated processing of electronic filings. As resources
permit, EPA will continue to work with CBP to automate the manual paper review process for
admissibility so that importers and brokers (referred to collectively as Trade) can know before
these commodities are loaded onto an airplane, truck, train, or ship if their shipment meets EPA's
reporting requirements. Because of this automated review, Trade can greatly lower its cost of doing
business and customs officers at our nation's ports will have the information on whether shipments
comply with our environmental regulations. EPA will continue to collaborate with CBP to support
regulatory changes and integrate with new ACE capabilities for streamlining the import and export
processes for America's businesses.
Geospatial Information
EPA works with 31 federal agencies through the activities of the Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) and the OMB Geospatial Line of Business (Geo LoB). EPA also participates
in the FGDC Steering Committee. A key component of EPA's work with FGDC is developing and
implementing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the National GeoPlatform. The
key objective of the NSDI is to make a comprehensive array of national spatial data - data that
portrays features associated with a location or tagged with geographic information and can be
attached to and portrayed on maps - easily accessible to both governmental and public
stakeholders. Use of this data, in tandem with analytical applications, supports several key EPA
and government-wide business areas. These include ensuring that human health, demographics
and environmental conditions are represented in the appropriate contexts for targeting and decision
making; enabling the assessment, protection, and remediation of environmental conditions; and
aiding emergency first responders and other homeland security activities. EPA supports geospatial
initiatives through efforts such as EPA's GeoPlatform, the Exchange Network, National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Assist, EJScreen, the EPA Metadata Editor, Facilities Registry
System (FRS) Web Services, and My Environment. EPA also works closely with its state, tribal,
and international partners in a collaboration that enables consistent implementation of data
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acquisition and development, standards, and technologies supporting the efficient and cost-
effective sharing and use of geographically based data and services.
Federal Executive Boards
The Federal Executive Boards Line of Business will be established in FY 2023. This LoB will
provide more support to regional Federal Executive Board staff members. In line with the Biden
Administration's initiatives, the Federal Executive Boards support and strengthen the Federal
Workforce, including by serving as a forum for communication and collaboration among Federal
agencies outside of Washington, DC.
The Administrator's Office
Regulatory Management and Economic Analyses
EPA's Policy Office (OP) interacts with federal agencies during its rulemaking activities. Per
governing statutes and agency priorities, OP submits "significant" regulatory actions to OMB for
interagency review prior to signature and publication in the Federal Register. In addition, OP
coordinates EPA's review of other agency's regulatory actions submitted to OMB for review.
Under the Congressional Review Act, rules are submitted to each chamber of Congress and to the
Comptroller General of the United States. For regulations that may have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities, OP collaborates extensively with SBA and OMB.
OP also collaborates with other federal regulatory and natural resource agencies to collect data
used in economic benefit-cost analyses of environmental regulations and policies and to foster
improved interdisciplinary research and reporting. Activities include representing EPA on
interagency workgroups or committees tasked with measuring the economic benefits and costs of
federal policies and programs. Occasionally, OP also provides technical reviews of other agencies
research and analyses. In addition, OP's Office of Federal Activities, engages early with the lead
federal agency and supports CEQ for significant regulatory actions that require compliance with
National Environmental Policy Act via an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In so doing,
EPA provides technical assistance, as needed, to help scope and develop the draft EIS,
recommending ways to avoid and minimize impacts to improve environmental outcomes.
Children's Health
The Administrator of EPA and the Secretary of DHHS co-chair the President's Task Force on
Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children. The Task Force comprises 17 federal
departments, agencies, and White House offices. A senior staff steering committee, co-chaired by
the Director of EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection (OCHP), coordinates interagency
cooperation on Task Force priority areas, including lead, asthma disparities, climate change,
emergencies, and disasters. As part of this effort, OCHP coordinates with other agencies to
improve government-wide support in implementing children's health legislative mandates and
outreach, including providing children's environmental health expertise on interagency activities
and coordinating EPA expertise. OCHP also coordinates with ATSDR to support provision of
training and hands on consultations with doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to
address issues of potential exposures of children to environmental contaminants, such as lead and
asthma triggers including mold and vermin. OCHP also works the Interagency Policy Council's
groups on Maternal Health and Child Development, as well as with other federal agencies to
address emerging risks to children's environmental health and supports federal interagency
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information exchange and cooperation, such as on lead and wildfires. This work supports not only
Presidential Executive Order (EO) 13045: Protection of Children from Environmental Health
Risks and Safety Risks, but also addresses climate change and environmental justice under
Presidential EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
Climate Adaptation and Resilience
Presidential EO 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad created the National
Climate Task Force which facilitates the organization and deployment of a government-wide
approach to combat the climate crisis. EPA is one of 25 federal agencies participating in the Task
Force, where the Agency focuses on increasing resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate
change, including protection of public health and conservation of our lands, waters, oceans, and
biodiversity.
EPA works with other federal agencies through the U.S. Global Change Research Program's
(USGCRP's) Federal Adaptation and Resilience Group to coordinate federal research related to
climate resilience and adaptation. EPA is collaborating with USGCRP/Subcommittee on Global
Change Research (SGCR) on Climate Literacy, including development of the USGCRP's new
"Climate Literacy Guide'.
EPA participates in CEQ's "Tiger Team" developing performance measures on adaptation for all
federal agencies. EPA participates in the new Climate Resilience Sub-IPC overseeing the
development of the National Climate Resilience Framework. EPA participates in numerous
Interagency Work Groups (IWGs) related to resilience and adaptation, including the Coastal
Workgroup, OMB's Infrastructure Resilience Work Group, the Climate Adaptation Subcommittee
of the White House Council on Native American Affairs, and the CEQ Federal Climate Adaptation
Plan Network.
EPA works closely with NOAA, in number of efforts: EPA's Integrated Climate Sciences Division
(ICSD) collaborates with NOAA's Regional Climate Service Centers to improve the provision of
practical real-time and projected climate information and services to communities nationwide;
NOAA, EPA and HHS are co-leads of the Extreme Heat IWG; NOAA staff have been detailed to
EPA to support the development of "climate layers" in EJScreen; and NOAA collaborates with
EPA geographic programs in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Puget Sound, Long Island Sound,
Gulf of Mexico, Lake Champlain, Southeast New England, South Florida, Pacific Northwest
Forest.
EPA chairs the Subgroup on Tribal Climate Adaptation to enable a whole-of-government approach
to supporting tribes as they anticipate, prepare for, adapt to, and recover from the devastating
impacts of climate change. EPA collaborates with DOI/BIA to leverage funding for Tribes as well
as developing a "Money Map" platform for Tribes to identify all federal resources specifically
available to them. EPA also engages the NIST's Climate Resiliency Program to share experiences,
expertise, and support areas of mutual interests.
National Climate Task Force
The Administrator of EPA is a member of the National Climate Task Force. The Task Force shall
facilitate the organization and deployment of a Government-wide approach to combat the climate
1232
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crisis. This Task Force shall facilitate planning and implementation of key Federal actions to
reduce climate pollution; increase resilience to the impacts of climate change; protect public
health; conserve our lands, waters, oceans, and biodiversity; deliver environmental justice; and
spur well-paying union jobs and economic growth. As necessary and appropriate, members of the
Task Force will engage on these matters with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments;
workers and communities; and leaders across the various sectors of our economy.
National Environmental Policy Act
EPA's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementation Program implements the
environmental requirements of NEPA and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to review other
federal agency environmental impact statements (EIS) and NEPA regulations. Through a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CEQ,9EPA regularly supports and assists CEQ in
the development of guidance and technical tools. This work also includes engaging with officials
throughout the federal government and across EPA while supporting EPA's lead NEPA Official.
EPA has special authority and responsibilities under CAA section 309 to review and publicly
comment on NEPA environmental analyses for major projects across the federal government. This
work is expected to increase substantially in scope and importance based on projected increases in
energy development and infrastructure projects.
EPA focuses on early engagement with other federal agencies consistent with NEPA principles
and uses interagency cooperation for early identification of issues and potential solutions to reduce
impacts and improve environmental outcomes. EPA's expertise helps other agencies analyze
complex NEPA issues. Through our review of other federal agencies' EISs and the tools and
training provide, EPA facilitates the robust consideration of impacts related to climate change and
EJ; further, EPA plays a critical role in identifying ways to mitigate environmental impacts,
including on overburdened and underserved communities.
Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act Title 41 Coordination
The Office of Federal Activities (OF A) coordinates across 13 other federal agencies, the Federal
Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC), the Council on Environmental Quality, and
the Office of Management and Budget to coordinate on permitting and meet EPA's Permitting
Action Implementation Plan goals. EPA uses its EPA Permitting Action Implementation Plan to
help address the expansion of permitting for major infrastructure projects, expanded FAST-41
covered sectors, and to address seven critical elements of the Plan:
• Accelerating smart permitting through early cross-agency coordination.
• Establishing clear timeline goals and tracking key project information.
• Engaging in early and meaningful outreach and communication with states, tribes,
territories, and local communities.
• Improving agency responsiveness, technical assistance, and support.
• Using agency resources and the environmental review process to improve environmental
and community outcomes.
• Ensuring staffing levels are adequate to address anticipated environmental review and
permitting-related workloads.
9 1977 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CEQ and EPA addressed the allocation of responsibilities between the
two agencies for assuring government-wide implementation of NEPA. This includes the operational duties associated with the
administrative aspects of EISs. Through this MOU, EPA became the official recipient for all copies of EISs.
1233
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• Addressing, elevating, and resolving schedule delays, disputes and other issues impacting
the environmental and permitting process in a timely manner.
Community Revitalization and Sustainable Communities
OP participates in several Interagency Working Groups (IWG) and Interagency Policy Committees
(IPC), including the Rural Prosperity IPC, Urban Equity IPC, Food Strategy IPC, and the Coal and
Powerplant Communities IWG. These interagency efforts support improving community
outcomes on a range of issues including climate resilience, economic transition, diversification,
prosperity, and environmental protection. These work groups have grown out of recent executive
orders and policy initiatives taken on by the Administration. OP works collaboratively with
national program offices and EPA regions to support their involvement in these interagency efforts
so that the full range of EPA equities are at the table and engaged to advance Administration
priorities.
As part of the Coal and Power Communities Interagency Work group (IWG), OP is working
closely with the eleven other federal agencies to support coal, oil and gas, and power plant
communities to create good-paying union jobs, spur economic revitalization, remediate
environmental degradation, and support energy workers. OP is actively participating in the IWG's
working group activities, including community engagement, integration, policy, and investments.
OP also supports the efforts of the IWG by engaging with EPA's regional offices (particularly R3
and R5) as well as national programs to support the Administration's efforts to help coal and power
plant communities transition their economies.
The EPA Administrator co-chairs the Extreme Heat IWG and OP's Associate Administrator is co-
leading the work group with colleagues from HHS and NOAA with over a dozen federal agencies
and White House participation. OP also works alongside OAR, ORD, and OEJ to contribute
knowledge and experience on green infrastructure, effective communication, and climate
adaptation approaches to help communities reduce the occurrence and impact of heat islands and
extreme heat (advancing both climate adaptation and mitigation).
OP works with EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation,
the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office and the National Renewable Energy Lab to explore
interagency approaches that advance the Administration's priorities and Presidential commitments
on electric vehicles. This work has a specific emphasis on helping communities identify policies
and funding opportunities that ensure charging infrastructure and clean transportation policies
support more equitable outcomes in low-income neighborhoods in both rural and urban areas.
OP has several inter-agency efforts on priority projects funded through the American Rescue Plan.
OP works with DOT and HUD to ensure that infrastructure funding investments advance
communities' visions and priorities. OP also works with federal partners to advance community-
level efforts to simultaneously advance community priorities and climate goals. Both of these
projects model the application of a community-driven approach to efficiently advance agencies'
mission. They also demonstrate an effective way to advance the goals outlined in EO 14008 on
addressing the climate crisis and environmental justice.
1234
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OP is the lead on EPA's Memorandum of Agreement with FEMA, which allows the two agencies
to work together to help communities become safer, healthier, and more resilient. The agencies
collaborate to help communities hit by disasters rebuild in ways that protect the environment,
create long-term economic prosperity, and enhance neighborhoods. FEMA and EPA also help
communities incorporate strategies, such as green infrastructure, into their hazard mitigation plans
and direct development away from vulnerable areas. EPA and FEMA are using the lessons they
learn from working together under this agreement and with other federal agencies to better
coordinate assistance to communities on hazard mitigation planning, climate adaptation actions,
and post-disaster recovery. OP coordinates closely with all 10 Regions and many National
Programs on this partnership.
Through an interagency agreement with GSA, OP continues updating the Smart Location
Calculator and Smart Location Database to give the federal government more information to guide
decisions about locating new federal investments. GSA and EPA also are collaborating on
technical assistance around a new site selection support tool to help GSA and other federal
agencies make decisions on where to site new government facilities informed by the cost local and
state governments would likely incur to provide infrastructure and services. The tool will be based
on known relationships between the built environment and the cost to provide infrastructure for a
site and related costs for operation and maintenance over time. EPA also has historically
coordinated with GSA on their Good Neighbor Program by helping communities leverage major
federal investments, such as courthouses or ports of entry, to focus on downtown revitalization. In
FY 2025, EPA will continue work with GSA and Nogales, AZ to evaluate strategies to leverage
the Federal investments in the land port of entry to support community goals for downtown and
neighborhood revitalization.
OP has in the past and continues to coordinate with agencies and departments that work in
communities across the country. This has been through formal and semi-formal arrangements like
the HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities (PSC) and Strong Cities, Strong
Communities (SC2). Further, OP has a number of Interagency Agreements (IA) and Memoranda
of Agreements to partner with other agencies on technical assistance in areas like disaster recovery,
capacity building at the community level, and economic revitalization that supports improved
environmental and human health results. Partnering agencies include and have included: USDA
(Rural Development, Forest Service, Agricultural Marketing Service), DOT, FEMA, GSA, HUD,
HHS, Appalachian Regional Commission, Northern Border Regional Commission, Delta Regional
Authority, and EDA. These agencies often participate in community workshops that OP offers
through technical assistance programs such as: Local Foods, Local Places, Building Blocks, and
Recreation Economy for Rural Communities.
Interagency Policy Committees
EPA participates in interagency groups and collaborates with federal partners on the
implementation of Executive Orders including EO 14017 on America's Supply Chains, Climate
Innovation, Climate and Economics, and the US-EU Summit on Trade and Technology Council.
EPA is working with NSC, NEC, CEQ, DOC, DOE, DOD, State, and other agencies on supply
chain issues associated with semiconductors, critical minerals, EV batteries, and other critical
materials. EPA also actively participates on the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council,
1235
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the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment and the Interagency Policy
Committee (IPC) on Workforce Development and the White House Gender Policy Council.
Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
The Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP) is the coordinating body for the Federal
Statistical System and plays a leading role in implementing the Evidence Act and advancing the
Federal Data Strategy. The ICSP sets strategic goals for modernizing agency statistical practices
and products and advances those goals through cross-agency collaborations on strategic initiatives.
EPA will continue to work with the ICSP to advance the Federal statistics and availability of robust
information to support evidence-based policy.
The Inspector General
Work with the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)
EPA's Inspector General is a member of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and
Efficiency (CIGIE), an organization comprised of federal Inspectors General (IGs), GAO, and the
FBI. The CIGIE coordinates and improves the way IGs conduct audits, investigations, and internal
operations. The CIGIE also promotes joint projects of government-wide interest and reports
annually to the President on the collective performance of the IG community.
Activity Coordination, Information Exchange, and Training
EPA's OIG coordinates criminal investigative activities with other law enforcement organizations
such as the FBI, Secret Service, and DOJ. In addition, the OIG participates with various inter-
governmental audit forums and professional associations to exchange information, share best
practices, and obtain or provide training. The OIG also promotes collaboration among EPA's
partners and stakeholders in its participation of disaster response and its outreach activities.
Collaborative Work with Inspectors General and Other Partners
EPA's OIG initiates and participates in collaborative audits, program evaluations, and
investigations with OIGs of agencies with an environmental mission such as the DOI, USD A, as
well as other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as prescribed by the IG Act, as
amended.
Statutory Duties
As required by the IG Act, EPA's OIG coordinates and shares information with the GAO. EPA's
OIG currently serves as the Inspector General of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard
Investigations Board (CSB). EPA's OIG will continue to perform its duties with respect to the
CSB until otherwise directed.
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FY 2025 Estimated Cybersecurity Resources
NIST Framework
Function10
FY 2025 President's
NIST Capability10
Budget
(Dollars in Millions)
Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation
(CDM)
$0,000
Non-CDM Information Security
Continuous Monitoring
$10,251
Mobile Device Management
$0,865
Identify
Authorization and Policy
$19,734
Standards Development and
Propagation
$0,610
Data Categorization and Classification
$0,019
Supply Chain Risk Management
(SCRM) and Acquisitions Management
$0,931
Other Identify Capabilities
$0,049
Identify Total
$32,459
Trusted Internet Connections
$0,906
Credentialing and Access Management
$0,347
Insider Threat
$0,000
System Security Testing and Analysis
$4,381
Security Training
$1,244
Cloud Security
$1,961
Protect
Data Safeguarding
$2,545
Secure Data Transmission
$3,624
Research & Development
$0,227
Counterintelligence
$1,142
Zero Trust Network Architecture
$2,106
Security Log Management
$1,400
Secure Patch Management
$2,618
Other Protect Capabilities
$1,530
Protect Total
$24,031
Anti-Phishing and Malware Defense
$0,915
Data Loss Prevention
$0,406
Detect
Intrusion Prevention
$0,000
Endpoint Detection and Response
$0,292
Other Detect Capabilities
$0,261
Detect Total
$1,874
10 These estimates are presented using the National Institute of Standards and Technology Framework functions and capabilities.
For more information, please see: https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/CSWP/NIST.CSWP.04162018.pdf.
1237
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NIST Framework
Function10
FY 2025 President's
NIST Capability10
Budget
(Dollars in Millions)
Incident Management and Response
$3,659
Respond
Prosecution and Investigation of Cyber
Intrusions
$0,610
Other Respond Capabilities
$0,642
Respond Total
$4,911
Disaster Recovery
$0,583
Recover
Incident Recovery
$0,512
Incident Notification
$0,915
Other Recover Capabilities
$0,158
Recover Total
$2,168
Cybersecurity Total
$65,443
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EPA Budget by National Program Manager and Major Office
Dollars in Thousands
I'Y 2025 President's liiidi>el
\P\]
M;i jor OITkv
P;i\ (SK) \on-P;i\ (SK) Tol;il (SK) I'l l".
AO
Immediate Office
£8,663
56,490
515,153
48.1
Office of Administrative and Executive Services
53,200
51,343
54,543
14.6
Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations
58,983
5917
59,900
45.4
Office of Public Affairs
56,114
5343
56,457
35.2
Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education
52,153
511,118
513,271
12.5
Office of Policy
531,924
519,652
551,576
164.2
Office of Children's Health Protection
52,999
53,476
56,475
13.9
Office of Civil Rights
53,995
5518
54,513
22.5
Office of Executive Secretariat
54,124
5154
54,278
21.7
Office of Homeland Security
52,858
51,647
54,505
13.1
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
52,131
51,114
53,245
9.5
Science Advisory Board
53,479
51,230
54,709
18.4
Regional Resources
554,534
529,279
583,813
289.5
AO Total
S135,157
$77,281
S212,438
708.6
OEJECR
Immediate Office
59,086
580,001
589,087
49.7
Office of Resource Management and Communications
52,000
5100
52,100
12.0
Office of Community Support
57,498
5100,001
5107,499
42.0
Office of Policy, Partnerships and Program Development
511,286
581,025
592,311
64.8
Office of External Civil Rights Compliance
59,282
52,765
512,047
48.7
Regional Resources
527,800
518,369
546,169
155.5
OI.IIiCR Total
S66,952
S282,261
S349,213
372.7 ..
OAR
Immediate Office
511,312
5235,699
5247,011
56.9
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
587,430
5188,823
5276,253
462.7
Office of Atmospheric Protection
558,952
5222,911
5281,863
308.9
Office of Transportation and Air Quality
579,921
5213,660
5293,581
400.1
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
539,653
556,222
595,875
207.5
Regional Resources
5143,129
5200,202
5343,331
777.0
() \K 1 otal
S420,397
SI,117,517
S 1,537,914
2,213.1
OCFO
Immediate Office
53,249
511,062
514,311
17.0
Office of Budget
58,260
52,998
511,258
40.2
Office of Planning, Analysis and Accountability
54,779
5361
55,140
25.0
Office of Technology Solutions
59,254
527,521
536,775
43.4
Office of Resource and Information Management
53,155
51,659
54,814
16.5
Office of the Controller
526,403
52,936
529,339
130.7
OCFO eEnterprise
5956
5598
51,554
5.0
Office of Continuous Improvement
51,912
5510
52,422
10.0
Regional Resources
529,051
52,497
531,548
160.0
CM I OTotal
1687,019
S50,142
S 137,161
447.8
OCSPP
Immediate Office
52,594
51,405
53,999
12.2
Office of Pesticide Programs
570,313
553,509
5123,822
369.0
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
591,193
566,553
5157,746
477.6
Office of Program Support
538,282
53,714
541,996
185.5
Regional Resources
526,586
545,397
571,983
151.8
C)C M>I> Total
S228,968
$170,578- -
S399,546
1,196.1
OECA
Immediate Office
57,415
54,893
512,308
40.4
Office of Civil Enforcement
536,085
528,159
564,244
172.6
Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics, and Training
575,208
514,837
590,045
339.9
Office of Compliance
525,385
559,004
584,389
127.5
Federal Facilities Enforcement Office
53,493
51,910
55,403
17.2
Office of Site Remediation Enforcement
51,651
5693
52,344
8.6
Regional Resources
5246,754
564,866
5311,620
1,347.7
C)l ( A Total
S395,991
SI 74,362
S570,353
2,053.9
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M»M
Major Olliiv
Psix (Sk)
\on-l>;i\ (SK)
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in:
OGC
Immediate Office
£57
£40
£97
10.6
Air and Radiation Law Office
£743
£3
£746
40.5
Pesticides and Toxic Substances Law Office
£819
£2
£821
20.8
Solid Waste and Emergency Response Law Office
£1,666
£131
£1,797
17.3
Water Law Office
£522
£114
£636
22.2
Resource Management Office
£574
£3
£577
8.7
Civil Rights and Finance Law Office
£672
£4
£676
27.1
Ethics Office
£14
£22
£36
2.7
General Law Office
£322
£15
£337
26.8
National FOIA Office
£48
£554
£602
9.2
Cross-Cutting Issues Law Office
£619
£9
£628
17.4
Alternate Dispute Resolution
£165
£6
£171
0.9
Other Legal Support
£50,515
£10,472
£60,987
34.1
Regional Resources
£39,458
£1,378
£40,836
174.0
()(.( 1 iiiiil
S96.I94
SI2.~53
SI0X.94"
412.3
OIG
Immediate Office
£1,347
£316
£1,663
7.0
Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
£2,469
£579
£3,048
12.8
Office of Counsel
£2,469
£579
£3,048
12.8
Office of Audit
£22,892
£5,365
£28,257
119.0
Office of Information Technology
£4,489
£1,052
£5,541
23.3
Office of Mission Support
£3,366
£790
£4,156
17.5
Office of Strategic Analysis and Results
£2,693
£631
£3,324
14.0
Office of Special Review and Evaluation
£11,222
£2,631
£13,853
58.3
Office of Investigations
£13,242
£3,104
£16,346
68.8
()I(J Total
S64,189
S 1.5,047
S79,2j(i
333.5
OITA
Immediate Office
£1,598
£201
£1,799
8.0
Office of International Affairs
£10,740
£17,064
£27,804
53.8
Office of Management and International Services
£2,595
£2,591
£5,186
13.0
American Indian Environmental Office
£7,390
£3,220
£10,610
37.0
Regional Resources
£25,526
£112,865
£138,391
141.6
(>l 1 \ .Total
S47,849
SI 35,941
S 183,790
253.4
OLEM
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
£3,368
£7,466
£10,834
16.2
Office of Land and Emergency Management Assistant Administrator
and Deputy Assistant Administrator
£6,590
£2,036
£8,626
30.0
Office of Communication, Partnership, and Analysis
£1,804
£889
£2,693
9.3
Office of Superfiind Remediation and Technology Innovation
£1,786
£2,195
£3,981
10.1
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery
£31,022
£31,752
£62,774
160.0
Office of Underground Storage Tanks
£4,293
£3,251
£7,544
22.6
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
£3,114
£13,200
£16,314
16.6
Office of Emergency Management
£14,067
£46,726
£60,793
69.0
Regional Resources
£166.793
S720.572
R887.365
919.1
OI .IM luiiil
s2J2.Sj"
S828.08"
SI.060.924
1.252.9
1240
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M»M
Mu jor Ol'lliv
P;i\ (SK) Noii-Phx (SK) Tol;il (SK) I'l l!
OMS
Immediate Office
£4,187
54,483
58,670
21.6
Office of Resources and Business Operations
57,736
513,567
521,303
39.9
Office of Engagement and Program Management
58,569
53,800
512,369
44.2
Office of Chief Sustainability Officer
51,114
5591
51,705
6.0
Office of Administrative Law Judges
52,676
5175
52,851
13.8
Environmental Appeals Board
52,326
5175
52,501
12.0
Office of Acquisition Solutions
550,859
57,541
558,400
262.1
Office of Grants and Debarment
514,830
51,341
516,171
76.5
Office of Site Management and Operations
513,416
558,425
571,841
69.2
Office of Real Property, Safety and Security
511,264
5381,706
5392,970
58.1
Office of Inclusive Excellence
55,777
51,791
57,568
29.8
Office of HR Strategy
515,354
513,095
528,449
79.2
Office of Human Capital Operations
532,802
54,817
537,619
169.2
Office of Information Technology and Operations
5931
59,219
510,150
4.8
Office of Digital Services & Technical Architecture
56,301
54,637
510,938
32.5
Office of Information Management
515,529
545,983
561,512
80.1
Office of Information Security & Privacy
53,703
528,054
531,757
19.1
Office of Records, Administrative Systems and eDiscovery
58,938
521,778
530,716
46.1
Regional Resources
596,957
557,701
5154,658
534.3
(IMS Total
S303,269
Sf>58,879
8962,148
1,598.5
ORD
ORD Headquarters
554,042
568,201
5122,243
284.9
Center for Computational Toxicology & Exposure
550,491
538,082
588,573
266.7
Center for Environmental Measurements & Modeling
574,640
566,093
5140,733
393.7
Center for Public Health & Environmental Assessment
575,457
556,652
5132,109
396.6
Center for Environmental Solutions & Emergency
549,772
541,431
591,203
264.2
Office of Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement
513,856
558,472
572,328
73.2
Regional Resources
521,102
57,640
528,742
122.1
OKI) Total
S339,360
S33f>,571
S675,931
1,801.4
OW
Immediate Office
513,969
58,806
522,775
66.2
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
541,961
5134,122
5176,083
216.5
Office of Science and Technology
527,491
532,191
559,682
133.6
Office of Wastewater Management
531,178
5211,415
5242,593
156.6
Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
523,689
538,079
561,768
116.3
Regional Resources
5247.574
S3 905 577
fe4.153.151
1.386.2
(>\\ lotal
S385.8(i2 S4.33U. 1 9ll S4.~Ki.052 2.II"?.4
Reimbursable FTE*
2.425.8
Total Agencv Kr»niiiirN
s2.S04.044 SS.IS').(.O') M0.993.(i53 1". 145.4
*This includes the FTE for the Superfund Enforcement, Remedial, and Emergency Response and Removal accounts that
are proposed to be transitioned from annual appropriations to Superfund Tax receipts.
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EPA Response to OIG Top Management Challenges
The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the
environment. The Office of Inspector General's (OIG) FY 2024 Top Management Challenges
report highlights risks that the EPA regularly tracks progress through its robust performance
management process and the EPA FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. The EPA will continue to focus
on the following seven challenge areas to drive continued progress and change in the ongoing
environmental and human health challenges. In addition, as mentioned in the management
challenge descriptions, the FY 2025 President's Budget request includes resources to assist in
expanding work in a number of these areas and other key priorities. The responses below provide
a summary of the major topics.
Challenge 1: Mitigating the Causes and Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change.
Agency Response. The EPA is working to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions through an
integrated approach of regulations, partnerships, and technical assistance. The Agency is taking
multiple actions to limit carbon dioxide (C02) and methane emissions as well as working to reduce
high-global warming potential greenhouse gases (GHG), like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), that
will help the U.S. realize near-term climate benefits. These actions include but are not limited to:
• Issued American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act rules to phase down production
and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent by 2036: final rules to amend the production and
consumption baselines and methodology to issue allowances for 2024 through 2028; a final
rule to facilitate the transition to next-generation heating and cooling technologies; and a
proposed rule to maximize reclamation and minimize releases of HFCs.
• Proposed emissions standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles (phase 3) for model
year 2027 and beyond to avoid nearly 10 billion tons of C02 emissions, twice more than total
U.S. C02 emissions in 2022.
• Issued proposed rules to limit GHG emissions from new and existing power plants under
section 111(b) and (d) of the CAA.
• Issued proposed rule to reduce emissions of methane and other harmful air pollution from new
and existing sources in the oil and natural gas industry.
• Issued a proposal to amend reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under
the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program (GHGRP) consistent with directives in the Inflation
Reduction Act (IRA).
• Launched Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program under the IRA, awarding $250 million
in planning grants to states, Tribes, and major cities and announcing the Notice of Funding
Opportunity (NOFO) for $4.6 billion in implementation grants.
• Launched the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) under the IRA, which will award, by
the end of FY 2024 and in accordance with its statutory deadline, nearly $27 billion across
three competitive grants competitions: the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund, the $6
billion Clean Communities Investment Accelerator, and the $7 billion Solar for All
competition.
The EPA works with federal, state, Tribal, and local government agencies and key GHG emitting
sectors to tackle the climate crisis and deliver environmental and public health benefits for all
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Americans. The EPA builds partnerships, provides tools, and verifies and publishes GHG data,
economic modeling, and policy analysis, all of which increase the understanding of climate
science, impacts, and protection. The EPA also extends this expertise internationally and plays
critical roles in shaping and advancing international agreements and solutions. This international
collaboration helps to both improve public health and air quality in the U.S. and level the global
playing field for American businesses.
The EPA is maintaining its strong commitment to help strengthen the nation's adaptive capacity
and resilience, with a particular focus on advancing EJ. The Agency is ensuring its programs,
policies, rulemaking processes, enforcement and compliance assurance activities, and operations
consider current and future impacts of climate change and how those impacts disproportionately
affect certain communities.
Consistent with Executive Order 14008, the EPA has made advances implementing the
agencywide priorities identified in the Climate Adaptation Action Plan. It is integrating climate
adaptation into rulemaking processes, including regulations and permitting. It also is modernizing
its financial assistance programs to encourage climate-resilient investments across the nation. The
immediate focus is on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the IRA, to ensure
that the outcomes of investments made with those funds are resilient to the impacts of climate
change.
The EPA is embedding climate adaptation into enforcement activities. The Agency's enforcement
and compliance assurance program Includes climate adaptation and resilience in case conclusions
whenever appropriate and providing technical assistance to achieve climate-related solutions and
build climate change capacity among the EPA's staff and our state and local partners.
In addition to implementing measures to protect the Agency's workforce, facilities, and critical
infrastructure from climate change risks, the EPA also partners with other federal agencies to build
the nation's resilience to the impacts of climate change. The Agency contributed to the
development of the National Climate Resilience Framework, which was released at the White
House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities. The EPA is now supporting
implementation of the Framework to partner with states, Tribes, territories, local governments,
community groups, EJ organizations, and businesses to strengthen adaptive capacity and increase
the resilience of the nation, with a particular focus on advancing EJ.
Responsible Agency Official(s): Betsy Shaw, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and
Radiation; Victoria Arroyo, EPA Senior Climate Adaptation Official; David Widawsky, Director,
Office of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Challenge 2: Integrating and Implementing Environmental Justice.
Agency Response. In FY 2023, the EPA continued to build out its newest national program, the
Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR). The Program, founded in
September 2022, brought together the Office of Environmental Justice, the Office of General
Counsel's External Civil Rights Compliance Office, and the Office of General Counsel's
Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center. Consistent with the EPA FY 2022-2026 Strategic
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Plan and fueled by historic investment for the EPA and through the IRA for the Environment
and Climate Justice block grants, the OEJECR is providing an unprecedented level of support
throughout the EPA to: 1) engage and support communities; 2) work with and support external
partners such as states, Tribes, and local government ; and 3) bring a stronger structural and
systemic ability to integrate EJ and comply with civil rights requirements throughout all of the
EPA's policies, programs, and activities. This approach provides support for communities and
their partners to advance solutions to on-the-ground challenges and the integration of EJ and
civil rights throughout other levels of government while also advancing the integration of EJ and
civil rights within the EPA's policies, programs, and actions.
The OEJECR currently is working, along with all other EPA programs, on the next iteration of
its National Program Guidance to carry actions successfully to the end of the current strategic
plan. Efforts are in conjunction with the EPA's updated Equity Action Plan (EAP), crafted and
published in accordance with Executive Order 14091. Among other priorities, the EAP
specifically prioritizes developing a comprehensive framework for considering cumulative
impacts in relevant EPA decisions and operationalizing that framework in EPA's programs and
activities.
The EPA also continues to provide direct support to the White House Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) as it leads implementation of EO 14008 and EO 14096. In particular, the EPA
continues to support the management of the White House Environmental Justice Interagency
Council (IAC) and regularly engages and supports the CEQ's staff in leading the IAC on
Environmental Justice, as well as providing advice based upon the Agency's experience on
specific elements such as development of the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and
the EJ Scorecard.
Also reflecting the EPA's federal leadership role, the Agency is working directly with other
federal agencies to coordinate and align efforts through the IIJA, commonly referred to as the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the IRA, and annual appropriations by serving as co-chair with
the Department of Transportation for the federal Thriving Communities Network (TCN). This
effort is especially critical as so many agencies, through the Justice40 Initiative, look for ways
to ensure that the benefits of their programs and investments reach disadvantaged communities.
The EPA complements these efforts by providing direct support to build the capacity of those
disproportionately impacted communities to push from the bottom up and connect with the
resources of numerous federal agencies. Since its inception, the TCN has grown from four initial
federal agencies to a current total of nine.
Responsible Agency Official: Theresa Segovia, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
Challenge 3: Safeguarding the Use and Disposal of Chemicals.
Agency Response: The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21 st Century Act, enacted in
2016, dramatically increased the EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorities,
responsibilities, and workload. Despite this significant increase in responsibility, appropriations
for the TSCA program were flat for the first six years and had minor increases since. In FY 2023,
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the EPA requested $124.2 million and received $82.6 million, which is being used across the
EPA's TSCA program to support an additional 65 full time equivalents. In November 2021, the
EPA's OIG estimated that the EPA's capacity needed to increase by 140 percent to meet the
deadlines for the existing chemical risk evaluations ongoing at that time. The FY 2023
appropriations for the TSCA represented a 39 percent increase from 2020 levels, far less than the
OIG estimated was needed. Without resources commensurate with the Lautenberg Act's
expectations, the TSCA implementation may remain a challenge for EPA.
The EPA's approach to improving implementation of the Lautenberg Act is twofold. First, the
EPA will continue to seek sufficient resources, including ensuring that the TSCA's fees reflect the
true costs of implementation. The EPA is investing more resources in recruitment and more timely
hiring of scientists with expertise in various human health risk assessment disciplines. This is
needed in part to provide senior level scientific peer review of chemical risk assessment products
earlier in the risk evaluation process. In November 2022, the Agency published a supplemental
notice of proposed rulemaking on fees for administering the TSCA. As of November 2023, the
final fees rule is undergoing interagency review.
Second, the EPA will increasingly seek to identify and implement additional process and program
efficiencies. These efficiencies include tailoring risk evaluation steps and processes for existing
chemicals in a "fit for purpose" manner and minimizing re-work by ensuring appropriate internal
scientific peer review is occuring as the risk evaluations are completed. The EPA also is better
utilizing existing comprehensive risk assessments completed by other authoritative governmental
bodies and modifying the peer review process for risk evaluations in cases in which the Agency's
and OMB's guidance on peer review provide the EPA with appropriate options that are less
resource intensive.
For the new chemicals program, efficiencies include developing category approaches to streamline
risk assessment and regulatory decisions for similar chemicals with similar uses. In FY 2023, the
EPA continued its project to inventory, screen, and revise its existing standard operating
procedures (SOP) and guidance for new chemicals review. Also in FY 2023, the EPA released
standardized approaches for risk assessment and risk management of new alternative fuels, mixed
metal oxides (MMOs) including cathode active materials, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS). MMOs are a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and can be
used for semi-conductors and renewable energy generation and storage. Additionally, an SOP for
addressing differing scientific opinions has been in practice since 2022. The EPA proposed
amendments in FY 2023 to the new chemical procedural regulations under the TSCA that are
intended to align the regulatory text with new chemicals review provisions of the Lautenberg Act
and to improve the efficiency of the EPA's review processes.
The EPA continues to make significant strides in using its authority under the TSCA to reduce
risks posed by existing and new chemicals. In FY 2023, the EPA proposed three TSCA section six
rules to address unreasonable risks to health and submitted two additional rules to the OMB for
interagency review. The Agency also issued six final and one draft revised unreasonable risk
determinations amending the TSCA's risk evaluations to better address worker risks. The EPA
also released for public comment and peer review a set of principles for evaluating cumulative
risks under the TSCA and an approach for applying those principles to the evaluation of the
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cumulative risk posed by certain phthalate chemicals undergoing the TSCA's section six risk
evaluation.
Turning to the EPA's Pesticide Program, the prioritization of review of Pesticide Registration
Improvement Act (PRIA) actions with statutory decision timeframes over non-PRIA actions
without statutory due dates has led to a decrease in the number of non-PRIA completions in recent
years, and the development of a backlog. During this same period of time, the EPA has seen an
increase in new submissions for PRIA actions as well as renegotiation of PRIA-fee-for-service
actions or the non-PRIA backlog. Currently, there are more than 11,000 non-PRIA pesticide
actions from previous years that are still pending completion. Despite completing record numbers
of PRIA actions in the past few years, the EPA's FY 2022 renegotiation rate for PRIA actions rose
to almost 52 percent for all PRIA applications and to over 70 percent for conventional pesticides.
For comparison, five years ago in FY 2018 the PRIA renegotiation rate was 17 percent, and at the
end of FY 2021, the renegotiation rate was 34 percent.
The EPA recognizes that greater market predictability around the EPA's decision review
timeframes is one of the main objectives of the PRIA and its reauthorizations. The PRIA 5
increased fees related to the EPA's review of new applications and reevaluation of pesticides
currently in the marketplace, but due to increasing use of maintenance fees to the OIG-
recommended levels, these increased fees and appropriated funding are at best maintaining the
EPA's resource levels. The EPA is in the middle of a multi-year upgrade to its information
technology systems that, when completed, is expected to result in increased efficiency and
increased transparency to applicants about their actions pending with the EPA.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) requires the Agency to review
each registered pesticide every 15 years. The initial review is to be completed by October 1, 2026,
in the case of pesticides registered before October 1, 2007. As of April 2023, a total of 789
pesticide cases had that registration review deadline. However, the EPA has been unable to
complete all required registration review processes. As of the end of FY 2023, 614 final or interim
decisions were completed of the 789, and 717 draft risk assessments were completed. However,
court decisions relating to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have increased the scientific
complexity of the EPA's registration review decisions and dictated changes in the registration
review workplan.
To address a decades-old challenge of protecting endangered species from pesticides while
minimizing regulatory impacts to pesticide users, the first-ever comprehensive workplan,
Balancing Wildlife Protection and Responsible Pesticide Use, was released in April 2022. The
workplan describes new and creative solutions for the EPA to come into compliance with the ESA
and establishes four overall strategies and dozens of actions to adopt those protections while
providing farmers, public health authorities, and others with access to pesticides. The workplan
also sets a new vision for a successful ESA-FIFRA program that focuses on supporting the
development of safer technologies to control pests, completing timely FIFRA decisions, and
collaborating with other agencies and stakeholders on implementing the plan. The EPA released a
workplan update in November 2022, explaining how it will adopt early mitigation for the ESA's
species as part of registration review decisions. In addition to the ESA workplan, the Agency
received in the FY 2023 enacted budget additional funding of approximately $5 million in
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contracts and payroll to support 10 additional FTE to make incremental progress toward meeting
the ESA's mandates.
Responsible Agency Official: Rick Keigwin, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical
Safety and Pollution Prevention
Challenge 4: Promoting Ethical Conduct and Protecting Scientific Integrity.
Agency Response. The EPA's Scientific Integrity Policy has been in effect since 2012 and is one
of the longest standing scientific integrity policies in the federal government. In recognition of the
EPA's leadership in scientific integrity, the White House's Office of Science and Technology
Policy (OSTP) appointed the EPA's Scientific Integrity Official as a co-chair of three related
White House initiatives that implement the January 2021 Executive Memorandum on scientific
integrity and drive such policy across federal executive branch agencies. Scientific integrity at the
EPA will be further strengthened by updating the policy to meet the OSTP's requirements for
policy content, implementation, and evaluation. The EPA anticipates releasing its updated policy
later this year. The updated draft policy was released for public comment in early 2024.
The EPA is unwavering in its commitment to promptly address scientific integrity concerns and
investigate and adjudicate allegations. The Agency will continue to strengthen mechanisms to
protect and maintain a culture of scientific integrity and is on target to develop and implement
procedures to address allegations, including violations involving high-profile issues or senior
officials, including political appointees. The EPA's steadfast commitment to implementing its
Scientific Integrity Policy in support of a culture of scientific integrity, enhanced transparency,
and the protection of scientists is evidenced by Agencywide training and outreach activities that
engage employees on scientific integrity. The Agency has recognized the important role of leaders
in enhancing a culture of scientific integrity and accordingly added a scientific integrity
requirement into the performance plan requirements for its Senior Executive Service, Scientific
and Professional, and Senior-Level leaders in FY 2022 and General Schedule supervisors in FY
2024. This language requires these leaders and supervisors to be responsible for exemplifying firm
commitment to principles of scientific integrity in all relevant situations.
The EPA will continue to maintain scientific integrity's high visibility throughout the Agency
through regular outreach, including hosting an annual meeting with the EPA's employees and
launching updated training for new employees, to build upon 10 years of the Scientific Integrity
Program at the Agency. This combined with the release of the FY 2024 update to the Scientific
Integrity Policy, based on the White House's guidance, will position the EPA to maintain its
position when it comes to advancing scientific integrity within the Agency and across the federal
government.
Responsible Agency Official: Maureen Gwinn, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Research and Development
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Challenge 5: Managing Grants, Contracts, and Data Systems.
Agency Response. The EPA has identified "Grantee Engagement and Outreach: Pre- and Post-
Award Oversight of Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance" as one of the Agency's Enterprise
Risks. Significant new grant funding through the IIJA, IRA, and Congressionally Directed
Spending will result in an increase in the number of new grant applicants, including from
underserved communities and those that are first-time applicants. Effective grants management is
a key focus of the EPA's implementation of the IIJA and IRA and the Agency is undertaking
several actions to reduce fraud, waste and abuse risks to the Agency. The EPA is providing
extensive outreach, training, and technical assistance to potential new recipients of federal funding
that may find it challenging to comply with federal grants management requirements throughout
the grant lifecycle. This outreach includes live and recorded training, direct programmatic support,
and technical assistance, and publishing new policy and guidance to strengthen compliance where
needed. Further, the Agency is continuing to collaborate with the OIG on providing training to
potential grant recipients. The EPA also is working to strengthen existing post-award monitoring
and internal processes to strengthen internal controls to prevent improper payments or waste, fraud,
and abuse. Lastly, the Agency continues to make progress partnering with domestic manufacturers
and supply networks to support the implementation of the Build America, Buy America Act.
Additionally, the EPA's Office of Continuous Improvement within the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer is leading an effort to map out grants processes and systems across the Agency
to identify potential opportunities to streamline grant timeliness pre- and post-award and improve
grants data management to ensure the Agency has access to high-quality, timely data, which its
programs and stakeholders will rely on for monitoring program results. Further, to effectively
manage contracts funded by the IIJA and IRA, the EPA has a contract monitoring dashboard that
includes the percentage of those supplemental appropriation funds placed on each contract
awarded. Reviews of invoices for contracts that are funded with IIJA and IRA resources will occur
to ensure proper billing and progress are made under those contracts.
Responsible Agency Officials: Kimberly Patrick, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Mission Support; Gregg Treml, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Chief
Financial Officer
Challenge 6: Maximizing Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations.
Agency Response. The EPA recognizes enforcement as a critical part of the Agency's mission and
maintains a strong enforcement program. Under the current Administration, the EPA has increased
its focus on traditional civil and criminal enforcement tools, with particular attention on
environmental and public health threats to overburdened communities. The revitalization of the
EPA's enforcement and compliance program is underway, and in FY 2023, the program received
an increase of nearly $70 million and 112 FTEs over FY 2022 levels. In addition, the Agency
requests an increase of nearly 201 FTE in the FY 2025 President's Budget. The Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance program had an excellent FY 2023 with the most on-site inspections since
FY 2019, 70 percent more criminal cases opened than during FY 2022, and 60 percent of the
program's inspections and more than 50 percent of the case conclusions in EJ communities. The
program is positioned to have a particularly strong FY 2024, with a significant number of new
1248
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hires and building on the successes from FY 2023. In addition to the increase in FTE for the
program, the EPA has invested significant resources to purchase new equipment for our inspectors.
With respect to climate enforcement and compliance strategy, the EPA will prioritize enforcement
and compliance actions to mitigate climate change and include climate adaptation and resilience
in case conclusions, whenever appropriate. The requirements will apply across all the EPA's
enforcement and compliance efforts, including criminal, civil, federal facilities, and cleanup
actions. Earlier this year, the OECA announced six initiatives for FYs 2024 through 2027. For the
first time, the Agency is pursuing an initiative focused on mitigating climate change, as well as
initiatives addressing exposure to PFAS, and protecting communities from carcinogenic coal ash
contamination. The EPA is strengthening efforts to address hazardous air pollution in
overburdened communities by adding, also for the first time ever, a geographical focus to the
Agency's existing air toxins initiative. We are continuing existing initiatives focused on providing
safe drinking water and reducing the risk of deadly chemical accidents. (These activities also relate
to and address the Management Challenge 1, Mitigating the Causes and Adapting to the Impacts
of Climate Change).
During FY 2023, the OECA conducted -4,700 on-site inspections in areas of potential EJ concern
to increase our presence in low-income and minority communities, up from 57 percent in FY 2022
to over 60 percent in FY 2023. Where the EPA found noncompliance with environmental statutes
that were potentially impacting these overburdened and vulnerable communities, the Agency
pursued enforcement cases with the following results: initiated 957 enforcement actions, a 28
percent increase over FY 2022; concluded 986 enforcement actions, a 33 percent increase over FY
2022; assessed a total of $167 million in penalties up $7 million over FY 2022; estimated value of
$3.7 billion in injunctive relief; and commitments to reduce/treat/dispose -1.2 billion pounds of
air/toxics/water. These FY 2023 results show a continued trend to increase enforcement and
compliance efforts in overburdened communities. (These activities also relate to and address the
Management Challenge 2, Integrating and Implementing Environmental Justice).
The OIG issued multiple reports focused on improving oversight of and collaboration with states
to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations. This year, the EPA updated its
policies to reflect that states and the EPA, as co-regulators, have a shared commitment to work
together to protect human health and the environment, taking advantage of the strengths and
capabilities of both federal and state authorities.
The Agency remains actively engaged with the OIG in implementing corrective actions that will
respond to concerns raised in the reports. The OECA looks forward to working with colleagues
across the Agency, as well as state and Tribal partners, stakeholders, and the OIG in addressing
issues presented in the FY 2024 Top Management Challenges report.
Responsible Agency Official: Cecil Rodrigues, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
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Challenge 7: Overseeing, Protecting, and Investing in Water and Wastewater Systems.
Agency Response. The EPA helps to identify and better understand the needs for water
infrastructure across the country , through the Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey or the
Clean Watersheds Needs Survey. EPA funds infrastructure projects through multiple funding and
financing programs and provides technical assistance to connect communities and Tribes to federal
funding. The IIJA delivers more than $50 billion to the Agency to improve our nation's drinking
water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. Additionally, the Water Infrastructure
Improvements for the Nation Act and the America's Water Infrastructure Act established various
grant programs that improve drinking water and water quality, deepen infrastructure investments,
enhance public health and quality of life, increase jobs, and bolster the economy.
The EPA oversees programs that are specifically designed to help address technical, managerial,
and financial capacity issues that may contribute to water system non-compliance. Under the
Agency's capacity development program, the EPA works with states and Tribes to ensure there is
a framework in place for systems to acquire and maintain the knowledge, tools, and resources they
need. The Agency assists systems in identifying solutions to problems and provides access to
funding through the EPA WaterTA, which provides hands-on support for communities to assess
their needs, identify potential solutions, and develop funding applications. The Agency also has a
number of long-standing technical assistance programs that support communities in identifying
water challenges, developing plans, building capacity, and developing application materials to
access water infrastructure funding. These programs include the Area-Wide Optimization
Program, Creating Resilient Water Utilities, and EPA's cybersecurity program. The Agency's
Water Finance Center provides financing information to help local decision makers make informed
decisions for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure to protect human health
and the environment.
The EPA continues to underscore that adopting cybersecurity best practices at drinking water and
wastewater utilities is essential to protect communities from the increasing number and severity of
cyber-threats facing our nation's water systems. The Agency is taking steps to support states and
Tribes, technical assistance providers, and drinking water and wastewater systems by providing
ongoing technical assistance in the form of cybersecurity assessments, subject-matter expert
consultations, training, and funding. The EPA conducts cybersecurity assessments for utilities
through the Water Sector Cybersecurity Evaluation Program where utilities work with a
cybersecurity professional to complete an assessment using the Water Cybersecurity Assessment
Tool. The Agency offers direct technical assistance through the Cybersecurity Technical
Assistance Program for the Water Sector where primacy agencies, technical assistance providers,
and utilities can submit cybersecurity questions and receive one-on-one remote assistance (via
phone or email) from a cybersecurity subject-matter expert. The Agency offers cybersecurity
training and tabletop exercises free to the water sector and hosts workshops across the country to
assist primacy agencies with promoting cybersecurity best practices for their water and wastewater
systems.
To assist with costs, the EPA has several funding resources available to support drinking water
and wastewater systems in implementing cyber projects including the EPA managed Clean Water
State Revolving Fund, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Water Infrastructure Finance and
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Innovation Act, and the Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability
Program. In addition, EPA works with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly managed Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, and the Tribal
Cybersecurity Grant Program regarding additional funding for drinking water and clean water
cyber projects.
In addition, the Agency's Cybersecurity Incident Action Checklist provides utilities with guidance
for preparation, response, and recovery of a cybersecurity incident. The EPA, in conjunction with
the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the Department of Homeland
Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, coordinates with water systems to share
information regarding water or wastewater system cybersecurity threats.
Responsible Agency Official: Benita Best-Wong, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
Water
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EPA User Fee Programs
In FY 2025, EPA will have several user fee programs in operation. These user fee programs and
proposals are referenced below. EPA will continue to review whether fees should be assessed for
programs that provide special benefits to recipients beyond those that accrue to the public, in
accordance with OMB Circular A-25.
Current Fees: Pesticides
Fee collection authority exists under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of
1988, as amended by the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (("PRIA-5"), which was
part of the FY 2023 omnibus (P. L. 117-328) passed in December 2022. PRIA-5 reauthorizes these
fee authorities through fiscal year 2027 and adjusts fee amounts for certain registration activities.
• Pesticides Maintenance Fee (7 U.S.C. §136a-l(i))
The Maintenance Fee provides funding for the registration review programs and a certain
percentage supports the processing of applications not covered by a fee table under Section
33(b)(3)(B). PRIA-5 reauthorizes collection of this fee through FY 2027 and raises the collection
target by $11 million to an average collection of $42 million over five years of PRIA-5
authorization.
• Enhanced Registration Services (7 U.S.C. §136w-8(b))
Entities seeking to register pesticides for use in the United States pay a fee at the time the
registration action request is submitted to EPA, setting specific timeframes for the registration
decision service. This process has introduced new pesticides to the market more quickly. PRIA-5
reauthorizes collection of these fees through FY 2027 and adjusts fee amounts for certain types of
registrations. In FY 2025, EPA expects to collect approximately $26 million from this fee program.
Current Fees: Other
• Clean Air Part 71 Operating Permits Program
Title 40 CFR Part 71 § 71.9 authorizes and establishes requirements for the Clean Air Part 71
program - a comprehensive Federal air quality operating permit program for air pollution control
agencies that do not have a delegated Title V program on charging and collecting user fees, as
required by Section 502(b)(3) of the Clean Air Act. All sources subject to the operating permit
requirements of Title V shall have a permit to operate that assures compliance with all applicable
requirements. The owners or operators shall pay annual fees that are sufficient to cover the permit
program costs, in accordance with the procedures described in this section.
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• Service Fees for the Administration of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA Fees
Rule)
On June 22, 2016, the "Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act" (P.L. 114-
182) was signed into law, amending numerous sections of TSCA, including providing authority
for the establishment of a new, broader TSCA User Fee program to replace and expand the former
Section 5 Pre-Manufacturing Notification Fee. Section 26 of TSCA authorizes EPA to collect user
fees to offset 25 percent of the Agency's full costs for implementing TSCA Sections 4, 5, 6, and
14.11 Fees are charged for: issuance of Test Orders, Test Rules and Enforceable Consent
Agreements under TSCA Section 4; submission of Pre-Manufacturing Notices, Significant New
Use Notices and Microbial Commercial Activity Notices and certain submissions for exemptions
under TSCA Section 5; and development of EPA-Initiated Risk Evaluations and Manufacturer-
Requested Risk Evaluations (MRREs) under TSCA Section 6.
EPA promulgated the TSCA User Fee Rule in October 2018.12 EPA proposed revisions to the fee
rule in January 2021. Based on public comments received on the proposed rule, as well as
stakeholder engagement and an analysis by EPA of its workforce and budget to develop a more
accurate estimate of its anticipated costs to implement TSCA, in November 2022 the Agency
issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that modifies and adjusts this earlier
proposal. As of August 2023, EPA was developing a final rule the Agency expects to publish in
early CY 2024. EPA is proposing these changes to ensure that the fees collected will provide the
Agency with up to 25 percent of eligible TSCA costs consistent with direction in the FY 2022 and
FY 2023 appropriations law to consider the "full" implementation costs of TSCA. An adjustment
of the fees, via the rulemaking, would impact the estimates of fee collections below.
EPA collected $2.74 million in fee revenue in FY 2019 from Section 5 submissions. In FY 2020,
the Agency collected $3.03 million in fee revenue from Section 5 submissions as well as $2.5
million from two Section 6 MRREs for chemicals within the TSCA Work Plan (Di-isodecyl
Phthalate [DIDP] and Diisononyl Phthalate [DINP]). In FY 2021, the Agency collected $28.6
million: $3.3 million from Section 5, $24.05 million from 19 of the 20 Section 6 EPA-Initiated
Risk Evaluations, and $1.25 million from one Section 6 MRRE for a TSCA Work Plan chemical
(Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane [D4]). (The Agency invoiced $88.2 thousand for Section 4 Test
Orders in FY 2020 and FY 2021 but did not start receiving submissions until FY 2022.) Because
nearly $17 million of the collections for the 19 Section 6 Risk Evaluations was not due to be paid
until September 2, 2021, those funds were not accessible to EPA until early FY 2022. In FY 2022,
EPA collected approximately $5.1 million ($1.46 million from the remaining Section 6 EPA-
Initiated Risk Evaluations invoices, $3.5 million from Section 5 submissions, and $88.2 thousand
from invoiced Section 4 Test Order submissions) and is projected to collect $5.23 million in FY
2023 ($3.65 million in Section 5 submissions, $93.2 thousand from Section 4 Test Order invoices,
and an additional amount from one TSCA Section 6 Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluation at
$1.49 million if the MRRE request is granted) and $11.9 million in FY 2024 ($ 10.2 million in
Section 5 submissions, $125 thousand from section 4 Test Order invoices and an additional amount
from one TSCA Section 6 Manufacturer-Requested Risk Evaluation at $1.497M if the MRRE
request is granted.), all subject to potential fee level changes. In FY 2025 EPA estimates to collect
11 TSCA, as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, Section 26(b)(1) and (4)
12 For additional information, please see: fattps://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/fees-adniiiiistratioii-toxic-substaiices-coiitrol-act.
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approximately $31 million ($8.7 million in Section 5 submissions, $21.2 million from the next
round of Section 6 EPA-initiated chemical risk evaluations $125 thousand from section 4 Test
Order invoices, and an additional amount from one TSCA Section 6 Manufacturer-Requested Risk
Evaluation at $1.52M if the MRRE request is granted). Collections estimates in FY 2024 and 2025
are based on fees from EPA's November 16, 2022, supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking
that proposed revisions to the current fee schedule.... EPA will allocate FY 2021 Section 6
collections over the risk evaluation lifecycle (3-3.5 years). TSCA requires EPA to update the fees
every three years.13 Fees collected/projected to be collected in FY 2019 through FY 2021 equated
to approximately 14 percent of associated expenditures for those three fiscal years, below the 25
percent target. While TSCA allows the Agency to collect up to 25 percent of its costs for eligible
TSCA activities via fees, to date, EPA has collected roughly half of that amount due to the
insufficiencies of the current fees rule.
• Motor Vehicle and Engine Compliance Program Fee
This fee is authorized by the Clean Air Act of 1990 and is administered by the Office of
Transportation and Air Quality. Fee collections for manufacturers of light-duty vehicles, light- and
heavy-duty trucks, and motorcycles began in August 1992. In 2004, EPA promulgated a rule that
updated existing fees and established fees for newly regulated vehicles and engines. The fees
established for new compliance programs are paid by manufacturers of heavy-duty and nonroad
vehicles and engines, including large diesel and gas equipment (earthmovers, tractors, forklifts,
compressors, etc.), handheld and non-handheld utility engines (chainsaws, weed-whackers, leaf-
blowers, lawnmowers, tillers, etc.), marine (boat motors, watercraft, jet-skis), locomotive, aircraft
and recreational vehicles (off-road motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles) for in-use
testing and certification. In 2009, EPA added fees for evaporative emissions requirements for
nonroad engines. EPA intends to apply certification fees to additional industry sectors as new
programs are developed. In FY 2025, EPA expects to collect approximately $25.3 million from
this fee program based upon a projection of the original rulemaking cost study adjusted for
inflation.
• Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (P. L. 112-195) provides EPA with
the authority to establish a program to finance, develop, and operate a system for the electronic
submission of hazardous waste manifests supported by user fees. In accordance with the Act, EPA
established the e-Manifest program. EPA finalized the user fee rule, Hazardous Waste
Management System: User Fees for the Electronic Hazardous Waste Manifest System and
Amendments to Manifest Regulations, in December 2017, and the e-Manifest system launched in
June 2018.
In FY 2025, EPA will continue to operate the e-Manifest system and the Agency anticipates
collecting and depositing approximately $20 million in e-Manifest user fees into the Hazardous
Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund. Based upon authority to collect and spend e-Manifest
fees provided by Congress in annual appropriations bills, the fees will fully support the e-Manifest
13 For additional information, please see: fattps://www.epa.gov/tsca-fees/fees-adniiiiistratioii-toxic-substaiices-coiitrol-act.
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program, including the operation of the system, necessary program expenses, and future
development costs.
• Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account (WIFIA) Program Fees
The FY 2025 OMB Submission requests authorization for the Administrator to collect and obligate
fees established in accordance with Title V, subtitle C, Sections 5029 and 5030 of Public Law 113-
121, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. These funds shall be deposited
in the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program Account (WIFIA) and remain
available until expended. WIFIA fee regulations were first promulgated in FY 2017. Fee revenue
will be used for the cost of contracting with expert services such as financial advisory, legal
advisory, and engineering firms.
The requested WIFIA program fee expenditure authority would be in addition to the $8 million
request for administrative and operations expenses. Fee revenue does not take the place of the
request for WIFIA administration. The appropriated administrative level and the anticipated fee
revenue are both needed to successfully implement the WIFIA Program. In FY 2025, EPA
estimates that $10 million in WIFIA fees could be collected.
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Eliminated Programs
Eliminated Program Projects14
Water Quality Research and Support Grants (also referred to as Congressional Priorities)
(FY 2025 President's Budget: $0.0, 0.0 FTE)
This program is proposed for elimination in the FY 2025 President's Budget. Work to advance
water quality protection can be accomplished within core statutory programs funded in the Budget
request. This program focuses on water quality and water availability research, the development
and application of water quality criteria, the implementation of watershed management
approaches, and the application of technological options to restore and protect water bodies. For
training and technical assistance aspects of the Program, states have the ability to develop technical
assistance plans for their water systems using Public Water System Supervision funds and set-
asides from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). For research and development
components of the Program, EPA was instructed by Congress to award grants on a competitive
basis, independent of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program and give priority to not-
for-profit organizations that: conduct activities that are national in scope; can provide a twenty-
five percent match, including in-kind contributions; and often partner with the Agency. In addition,
this program was directed by Congress to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to invest
in agronomic research to better understand PFAS uptake into plants and animals to help reduce
PFAS exposure in our food supply farm viability. It also includes a number of Congressional
Directed Spending grants.
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water Congressionally Directed Spending
(FY 2025 President's Budget: $0.0, 0.0 FTE)
This program is proposed for elimination in the FY 2025 Budget. The purpose of this
Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) is to provide grants to specific communities to work on
specific clean water infrastructure projects. Congress has set aside funding from the State
Revolving Funds (SRFs) to fund these CDS projects, which do not move through the SRFs, and
do not recycle to facilitate future projects. Grants and work provided by this program can be
accomplished with the restoration of funding for non-CDS projects within the Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF).
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water Congressionally Directed Spending
(FY 2025 President's Budget: $0.0, 0.0 FTE)
This program is proposed for elimination in the FY 2025 Budget. The purpose of this CDS is to
provide grants to specific communities to work on specific drinking water infrastructure projects.
Congress has set aside funding from the State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to fund these CDS projects,
which do not move through the SRFs, and do not recycle to facilitate future projects. Grants and
work provided by this program can be accomplished with the restoration of funding for non-CDS
projects within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
14 Although not eliminated, funding for Superfund Enforcement, Remedial and Emergency Response and Removal programs is
proposed to be transitioned from annual appropriations to Superfund Tax receipts in FY 2025. Work will continue and FTE will
be funded through the tax receipts as reimbursable FTE and included in the annual FTE count.
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Expected Benefits of E-Government Initiatives
Budget Formulation and Execution Line of Business
The Budget Formulation and Execution Line of Business (BFELoB) allows EPA and other
agencies to access budget-related benefits and services. The Agency has the option to implement
LoB-sponsored tools, training, and services.
EPA has benefited from the BFELoB by sharing valuable information on how systems and
software being developed by the LoB have enhanced work processes. This effort has created a
government-only capability for electronic collaboration (Wiki) in which the Budget Community
website allows EPA to share budget information internally, with OMB, and with other federal
agencies. The Agency also made contributions to the Human Capital Workgroup, participating in
development of online training modules for budget activities - a valuable resource to all agency
budget staff. The LoB has developed the capability to have secure, virtual online meetings where
participants can view budget-related presentations from their workspace and participate in the
discussion through a conference line. The LoB provides regularly scheduled symposia as an
additional forum for EPA budget employees.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-99-99-99-99-3200-24
$120.0
2024
020-99-99-99-99-3200-24
$125.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-3200-24
$130.0
eRulemaking
The eRulemaking Line of Business is designed to: enhance public access and participation in the
regulatory process through electronic systems; reduce the burden on citizens and businesses in
finding relevant regulations and commenting on proposed rulemaking actions; consolidate
redundant docket systems; and improve agency regulatory processes and the timeliness of
regulatory decisions. EPA has served as the managing partner for this Line of Business; however,
in FY 2020, EPA transferred management services to the General Services Administration (GSA).
EPA continues to be involved as a partner agency.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Service Fee
(in thousands)
2023
020-99-99-99-99-0060-24
$1,380.0
2024
020-99-99-99-99-0060-24
$1,145.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-0060-24
$1,470.0
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Federal Audit Clearinghouse
In FY 2024, the Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) will transition from the U.S. Census Bureau
to the General Services Administration and has been added to the E-Gov and LoB initiatives. This
LoB supports the ongoing maintenance and modernization of the FAC. The FAC distributes single
audit reporting packages to federal agencies, supports OMB oversight and assessment of federal
award audit requirements, and maintains a public database of completed audits.15
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
2024
020-99-99-99-99-1400-24
$65.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-1400-24
$77.0
Federal Human Resources Line of Business
OPM's Human Resources Line of Business (HR LoB) provides the federal government the
infrastructure to support pay-for-performance systems, modernized HR systems, and the core
functionality necessary for the strategic management of human capital. The HR LoB offers
common solutions that enable federal departments and agencies to work more effectively, and to
provide managers and executives across the federal government an improved means to meet
strategic objectives. EPA will benefit by supporting an effective program management activity
which evaluates provider performance, customer satisfaction, and compliance with program goals.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-00-01-16-04-1200-24
$69.0
2024
020-00-01-16-04-1200-24
$69.0
2025
020-00-01-16-04-1200-24
$69.0
Federal PKI Bridge
Federal Public Key Infrastructure (FPKI) provides the government with a common infrastructure
to administer digital certificates and public-private key pairs, including the ability to issue,
maintain, and revoke public key certificates. FPKI leverages a security technique called Public
Key Cryptography to authenticate users and data, protect the integrity of transmitted data, and
ensure non-repudiation and confidentiality.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-99-99-99-99-0090-24
$46.0
2024
020-99-99-99-99-0090-24
$55.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-0090-24
$49.0
15 For additional information, please refer to: https://facweb.census.govAiploadpdf.aspx.
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Financial Management Line of Business
The Financial Management Line of Business (FM LoB) is a multi-agency effort whose goals
include achieving process improvements and cost savings in the acquisition, development,
implementation, and operation of financial management systems. By incorporating the same FM
LoB-standard processes as those used by central agency systems, interfaces among financial
systems are streamlined, and the quality of information available for decision-making is improved.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-00-01-01-04-1100-24
$96.0
2024
020-00-01-01-04-1100-24
$96.0
2025
020-00-01-01-04-1100-24
$96.0
Freedom of Information Act Portal
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Improvement Act of 2016 directed the Office of
Management and Budget and Department of Justice to build a consolidated online request portal
that allows a member of the public to submit a request for records to any agency from a single
website. DOJ is managing the development and maintenance of this National FOIA Portal. EPA
and other federal agencies were requested to contribute to this effort.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-99-99-99-99-0099-24
$36.0
2024
020-99-99-99-99-0099-24
$35.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-0099-24
$37.0
Geospatial Line of Business
The Geospatial Line of Business, an intergovernmental project managed by the Department of the
Interior, serves to improve the ability of the public and government to use geospatial information
to support the business of government and facilitate decision-making. The intent of the initiative
is to reduce costs and improves agency operations in several areas. This line of business is the
mechanism for coordinating implementation of the Geospatial Data Act and Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) guidance on Coordination of Geographic Information and
Related Spatial Data Activities and the National Geospatial Platform. The National Geospatial
Platform incorporates many national geospatial data and analytical services for federal agencies,
their partners, and stakeholders.
A primary benefit to EPA in participating in and contributing to the line of business is access to
geospatial data sets known as National Geospatial Data Assets (NDGA) supported by multiple
agencies. These datasets and services are easily accessible by federal agencies, their partners, and
stakeholders. EPA uses the National Geospatial Platform to obtain data and services for internal
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analytical purposes as well as to publish outward-facing geospatial capabilities to the public. EPA
is expected to contribute to the operation of the National Geospatial Platform in FY 2025. The
intent is to reduce base costs by providing an opportunity for EPA and other agencies to share
approaches on procurement consolidation and include shared services for hosting geospatial data,
services, and applications.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-99-99-99-99-3100-24
$225.0
2024
020-99-99-99-99-3100-24
$225.0
2025
020-99-99-99-99-3100-24
$225.0
Grants.gov
The Grants.gov initiative benefits EPA and its grant programs by providing a single location to
publish grant opportunities and application packages, and by providing a single site for the grants
community to apply for grants using common forms, processes, and systems. EPA believes that
the central site raises the visibility of its grant opportunities to a wider diversity of applicants.
The grants community benefits from savings in postal costs, paper, and envelopes. Applicants save
time in searching for agency grant opportunities and in learning the application systems of various
agencies. In order to streamline the application process, EPA offers Grants.gov application
packages for mandatory state grants (i.e., Continuing Environmental Program Grants).
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-00-04-00-04-0160-24
$262.0
2024
020-00-04-00-04-0160-24
$259.0
2025
020-00-04-00-04-0160-24
$276.0
Integrated Award Environment
The Integrated Award Environment (IAE) is comprised of a number of government-wide
automated applications and/or databases that streamline the acquisition business process across the
government and support EPA's contracting and grants programs. In FY 2012, GSA began the
process of consolidating the systems into one central repository called the System for Award
Management (SAM). Until the consolidation is complete, EPA leverages some IAE systems via
electronic linkages to EPA's Acquisition System (EAS); other IAE systems are not linked directly
to EAS but benefit the Agency's contracting staff and vendor community as stand-alone resources.
EAS uses SAM vendor data: contracting officers can download vendor-provided representation
and certification information electronically via SAM, which allows vendors to submit this
information once rather than separately for every contract proposal. Additionally, contracting
officers access the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, which
contains records on contractor performance, including past performance evaluations, and
suspensions and debarments.
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Through the IAE, contracting officers also can review Wage Determinations to obtain information
required under the Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act. EAS links to the Federal
Procurement Data System (FPDS) and SAM.gov, which includes the Contract Opportunities
platform, for submission of contract actions at the time of award. FPDS provides public access to
government-wide contract information. The Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System supports
vendor subcontracting data submission for contracts identified as requiring this information. EPA
publishes notices of proposed contract actions expected to exceed $25 thousand to the Contact
Opportunities listing. Vendors use this publicly available information to identify business
opportunities in federal contracting.
The IAE houses Assistance Listings (formerly called Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA), which provides a comprehensive description of all federal assistance including
information on eligibility, how to apply, and matching requirements for public consumption.
Further, EPA's IAE fee supports use of services for standardized obligations and award-related
information reporting for all Federal financial assistance and procurement awards as required by
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) and the DATA Act
of2014.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
020-00-01-16-04-0230-24
$720.0
2024
020-00-01-16-04-0230-24
$650.0
2025
020-00-01-16-04-0230-24
$520.0
Performance Management Line of Business
Beginning in FY 2025, EPA will contribute to the Performance Management LoB which provides
government-wide performance management capabilities to help meet the transparency
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010
(GPRAMA). The Performance Management LoB also supports government-wide performance
management efforts from data collection and governance to internal and external reporting.
Fiscal Year
Account Code
EPA Contribution
(in thousands)
2023
2024
2025
020-00-01-16-04-0900-24
$100.0
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FY 2025 Administrator's Priorities
Funding for the Administrator's priorities are allocated by program project in the FY 2025
President's Budget with a total of $2,375 million in the Environmental and Program Management
Account and $125 thousand in the Science and Technology Account.
These funds, which are set aside for the Administrator's priorities, are used to address unforeseen
issues that may arise during the year. These funds are used by the Administrator to support critical
unplanned issues and the amounts shown in the below table will be reallocated as needed, in
accordance with reprogramming limits.
FY 2025 President's Budget Funding for Administrator's Priorities
Dollars in
Appropriation
Program Project
Thousands
EPM
Acquisition Management
$150
EPM
Brownfields
$25
EPM
Civil Enforcement
$150
EPM
Civil Rights / Title VI Compliance
$75
EPM
Compliance Monitoring
$100
EPM
Criminal Enforcement
$145
EPM
Drinking Water Programs
$100
EPM
Exchange Network
$75
EPM
Federal Stationary Source Regulations
$100
EPM
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
$130
EPM
Human Resources Management
$25
EPM
International Sources of Pollution
$50
EPM
IT / Data Management
$175
EPM
Legal Advice: Environmental Program
$100
EPM
Legal Advice: Support Program
$75
EPM
NEPA Implementation
$100
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide
EPM
Risk
$150
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide
EPM
Risk
$150
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide
EPM
Availability
$100
EPM
RCRA: Waste Management
$25
EPM
Science Advisory Board
$100
EPM
State and Local Prevention and Preparedness
$100
EPM
Surface Water Protection
$50
EPM
TRI / Right to Know
$75
EPM
Tribal - Capacity Building
$50
S&T
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
$25
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S&T
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
$50
S&T
Research: Chemical Safety and Sustainability
$50
Total
$2,500
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EPA Consolidations, Reorganizations, Realignments, or Other Transfer of Resources
Office of the Administrator
In FY 2023, the Office of the Administrator (OA) submitted a reorganization proposal to
strengthen internal operations and programs to enhance and streamline its mission support
functions; improve products and services to its customers, partners, and stakeholders; and better
align resources with Administration priorities. The reorganization also realigns functions to
balance workload across OA, eliminate organizational layers, and consolidate similar or
duplicative functions to better leverage personnel and resources. This reorganization does not
affect any other EPA program office or regional office. OA anticipates completing the
reorganization in FY 2024.
Office of Air and Radiation
In FY 2023, the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) submitted a proposal to reorganize the Office
of Atmospheric Protection and the Office of Transportation and Air Quality to better align with its
workload and missions. The Office of Atmospheric Protection (OAP) reorganized three
organizational units: the Climate Change Division (CCD), the Climate Protection Partnership
Division (CPPD) and the Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD). The reorganization creates new
units in these three divisions to distribute existing and new functions more efficiently. In addition,
the title of CAMD is changing to the Clean Air and Power Division (CAPD). The Office of
Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) reorganized three organizational units: the Assessment &
Standards Division, the Compliance Division (CD), and the Transportation and Climate Division
(TCD). The reorganization consolidates and realigns work across OTAQ to better distribute
existing work and manage the increased programmatic and budget responsibilities under the
Inflation Reduction Act. This reorganization does not affect any other EPA program office or
regional office. OAR anticipates completing the reorganization in FY 2024.
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
In FY 2023, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) submitted a proposal
to reorganize the Risk Assessment Branch 8 (RAB 8) in the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)'s
Health Effects Division (HED). RAB 8, although technically housed in HED, is a dynamic branch
that supports the science needs across the entire OPP, working on multiple high-level projects
dealing with emerging science and risk assessment issues. The branch provides scientific support
to all divisions in OPP for areas where they may currently lack expertise (e.g., data analytics,
Structure-Activity Relationship and other predictive methods, physiologically-based
pharmacokinetic modeling, New Approach Methods, etc.). To increase efficiency and maximize
the FTE allocation, OCSPP plans to dissolve the structure of RAB 8 and move those staff under
the direct supervision of the divisions under which they currently work. Divisions propose to
receive staff to include the Environmental Fate and Effects Division (EFED), the Biological and
Economic Analysis Division (BEAD), the Antimicrobials Division (AD), the Biopesticides and
Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD), and the Registration Division (RD). This reorganization
1264
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does not to affect any other EPA program office or regional office. OCSPP anticipates completing
the reorganization in FY 2024.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
In FY 2024, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) plans to submit a reorganization
proposal to address important new legislation and mandates and formalize existing ones
(Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, updates to OMB Circulars A-l 1 and
A-123, and others); improve efficiency by consolidating and aligning related functions; better
explain the work of OCFO organizational units in the Agency's official functional statements;
promote operational efficiency and balance workload by flattening and streamlining OCFO's
organizational structure; and rename organizational units for greater clarity and to comply with
requirements for agency Human Resources systems and reporting.
Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
In September 2022, EPA established a new national program manager, the Office of
Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) to: bolster the integration of EJ
considerations, conflict mitigation and collaboration, and civil rights compliance across all EPA
policies, programs, and activities; support the efforts of regulatory partners to similarly integrate
EJ and fully comply with civil rights requirements; and enhance EPA's ability to meaningfully
engage with and directly support communities with EJ and civil rights concerns. This change
reflects and helps to bolster EPA efforts to fully achieve the many commitments in the FY 2022-
2026 EPA Strategic Plan, Goal 2, Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and
Civil Rights, which similarly elevates EJ and external civil rights compliance priorities.
In FY 2023, EPA submitted a reorganization proposal to ensure OEJECR can most effectively
meet its commitments and critical mission functions in an efficient manner by establishing an
Environmental Justice, Community Health, and Environmental Review Division (EJCHERD) in
each regional office. The Regional EJCHERD is to manage regional implementation of the
environmental justice program and coordination of the external civil rights program. Other core
functions include managing regional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), children's
health, and environmental education programs. This alignment of national and regional program
management functions supports effective and efficient delivery of new and expanded programs. It
also supports more effective joint planning and coordination with tribal, state, and local partners
in program delivery. This reorganization does not affect any other EPA program office or regional
office.
In addition to the regional reorganizations, OEJECR plans to implement an additional minor
reorganization in its Headquarter office in FY 2024. The primary impetus for this reorganization
is to accommodate the additional structural and supervisory needs of the national program brought
about by the introduction of numerous term-limited positions to implement the Environmental and
Climate Justice Block Grants funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as to make minor
adjustments based upon the national program's first year of operations. This proposed
reorganization does not affect any other EPA program office. OEJECR anticipates completing the
reorganization in FY 2024.
1265
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FY 2025 Environmental Justice Estimated Program Budget1
Dollars in Thousands
Appropriation
Program Activities
FY 2025 PB
Resources2
FY 2025
PB FTE3
EPM
HQ Environmental Justice (EJ) Program Management and Coordination4
$108,500.0
EPM
EJSCREEN and Information Tools
$10,900.0
EPM
White House (WH) EJ Inter-Agency Council (formerly EJ IWG) Support
and EJ coordination with Other Federal Agencies
$3,000.0
EPM
National EJ Advisory Council/WHEJ Advisory Council Support, and
Climate EJ Advisory Council
$4,000.0
107.8
EPM
Environmental Justice Community Grant Program5'6
$33,000.0
EPM
Environmental Justice Government to Government Grant Program7
$31,500.0
EPM
Community-based Participatory Research Grant Program
$15,000.0
EPM
Environmental Justice Training Program
$3,000.0
EPM
Environmental Justice Clearinghouse
$5,000.0
EPM
Environmental Justice Legal Support
$3,837.0
EPM
Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers8
$69,715.0
151.3
EPM
Regional Resources for Environmental Justice Program
$30,260.0
Subtotal of EPM EJ Resources and FTE
$317,712.0
259.1
Supcrfund
Supcrfund Environmental Justice Program Coordination''
$5,901.0
5.5
Subtotal of Superfund /:./ Resources ami / "/ /:
S 5.WLU
5.5
TOTAL
S323.6I3.0
264.6
1 The Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 instructs EPA to provide
"allocations for each component of funding for environmental justice programs". Please see page 228:
littps ://www. govinfo. gov/content/Dkg/CREC-2020-12-21/txlf/ OREG-2f ouse-bk4. odf.
2Estimated program activity resources include both payroll and non-payroll resources.
3Estimated FTE per program activity.
4The former Agency Technical Assistance, Research, Training, Education, and Communication program activity has been
incorporated into the HQ Environmental Justice (EJ) Program Management and Coordination program activity.
5In FY 2022, The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Grants Program was
renamed as the Environmental Justice Competitive Grant Program. The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program was
renamed as the Environmental Justice Community Grant Program.
6In FY 2023, EPA combined the Environmental Justice Competitive Grant Program with the Environmental Justice
Community Grant Program.
7In FY 2023, EPA renamed the State, Tribes, and Territories Environmental Justice Grants to the Environmental Justice
Government to Government Grants.
8In FY 2023, EPA renamed the Regional Outreach Centers to the Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers
(TCTACs).
9The Superfund Environmental Justice Program Coordination includes resources in support of the Agency's Superfund
Program and will include the following: coordination and support for HQ activities that align with or focus on Superfund
issues such as: efforts of the NEJAC Superfund working group, collaboration with Superfund on data enhancements for
EJScreen and other information tools, collaboration of EJ program staff with the Superfund Program on equity and justice
efforts, and coordination of regional staff with Superfund staff and Community Involvement Coordinators on place-based
EJ and Superfund issues of clean-up, risk communication, engagement, and revitalization.
1266
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FY 2025 STAG Categorical Program Grants
Statutory Authority and Eligible Uses
(Dollars in Thousands)
(¦mill Tilk-
Sliiluliirx
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i \ 2023
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-------
Making Litigation Costs Transparent - Equal Access for Justice Act
(EAJA)16 FY 2023
Date of
final fee
agreement
or court
disposition
Case Name
Court
Case
Number
Judge
Amount
of Fees
and/or
Costs
Paid
Source of
Funds
Was
amount
negotiated
or court
ordered?
Recipients
Nature of Case and Findings
Basis
Hourly
Rate of
Attorney17
Hourly
Rate of
Expert
Witness
11/14/2022
Earth Island
Institute, etal.
v. Wheeler, et
al..
United
States
District
Court for
the
Northern
District of
California
San
Francisco
Division
3:20-cv-
00670-
WHO
(N.D.
Cal.)
William H.
Orrick
$92,934
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Center for
Biological
Diversity;
Environmental
Law Clinic,
UC Berkeley
School of Law
CWA 505 claim for failure to
perform non-discretionary
duty under CWA 311 (d) to
update National Oil and
Hazardous Substances
Contingency Plan; APA claim
for unreasonable delay in
taking action on petition for
rulemaking and proposed rule
regarding revisions to the
National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Contingency Plan.
N/A
None
United
States
District
12/21/2022
Center for
Food Safety v.
EPA
Court for
the
Northern
District of
California
San
Francisco
Division
3:21-cv-
9640-
JSC
(N.D.
Cal.)
Jacqueline
Scott
Corley
$12,539
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Center for
Food Safety
APA claim of unreasonable
delay in responding to petition
filed in 2017 requesting
amendment to treated article
exemption for treated seeds.
N/A
None
03/28/2023
National
Family Farm
Coalition, etal.
v. EPA, et al.
United
States
Court of
Appeals for
the Ninth
Circuit
19-
70115
(9th Cir.)
Michael
Daly
Hawkins,
M.
Margaret
McKeown,
William A.
Fletcher
$675,000
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Center for
Food Safety
Challenge under FIFRA and
the Endangered Species Act to
EPA's 2018 amendment of
registration for use in 34
states of the herbicide
dicamba on cotton and
soybean that have been
N/A
None
16 In the FY 2019 Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6), the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations requested Department of
Interior, EPA, and the Forest Service make publicly available the EAJA fee information as specified in the explanatory statement accompanying Division G of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2017 (P.L. 115-31).
17 In prior reports EPA had erroneously included hourly rates used in the plaintiffs fee requests. Upon further review, as the final Equal Access to Justice Act settlements are negotiated, it is not
possible to provide the hourly rates reflected in the actual amounts paid.
1276
-------
Date of
final fee
agreement
or court
disposition
Case Name
Court
Case
Number
Judge
Amount
of Fees
and/or
Costs
Paid
Source of
Funds
Was
amount
negotiated
or court
ordered?
Recipients
Nature of Case and Findings
Basis
Hourly
Rate of
Attorney2
Hourly
Rate of
Expert
Witness
genetically engineered to
resist dicamba.
03/10/2023
Center for
Biological
Diversity, etal.
v. EPA, et al.
United
States
Court of
Appeals for
the Ninth
Circuit
20-
73146
(9th Cir.)
Ryan
Nelson,
Kenneth
Lee, Jed
Rakoff
$175,000
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Center for
Biological
Diversity;
Center for
Food Safety
Challenge under FIFRA and
the Endangered Species Act to
EPA's 2020 approval of
registrations for products
contain the new active
ingredient inpyrfluxam.
N/A
None
11/14/2022
Northwest
Environmental
Advocates v.
EPA
United
States
District
Court for
the Western
District of
Washington
Seattle
Division
2:20-cv-
1362-
MJP
(W.D.
Wash.)
Marsha J.
Pechman
$193,320
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Earthrise Law
Center
APA claims alleging EPA's
denial of a rulemaking
petition to promulgate aquatic
life criteria for the state of
Washington was arbitrary and
capricious.
N/A
None
03/10/2023
Rural
Coalition, etal.
v. EPA, et al.
United
States
Court of
Appeals for
the Ninth
Circuit
20-
70787 &
20-
70801
(9th Cir.)
J. Clifford
Wallace,
Danny J.
Boggs,
Michelle T.
Friedland
$260,000
EPA
Appropriations
Negotiated
Center for
Food Safety
Challenge under FIFRA and
the Endangered Species Act to
EPA's 2020 Interim
Registration Review Decision
for glyphosate.
N/A
None
1277
-------
Office of Enforcement Compliance Assurance Travel by Program Project
FY 2019 - FY 2025*
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Appr. | Program Pro je ct
Enacte d
Actuals * *
Enacte d
Actuals * *
Enacted
Actuals **
Enacted
Actuals * *
Enacted*
Actuals **
4nnualize d CR* *'
Pre s Bud****
EPM
43 - Brownfields
$16.0
$4.2
$16.0
$18.2
$3.0
$0.0
$3.0
$2.3
$3.0
$3.3
$3.0
$12.0
44 - Civil Enforcement
$2,216.0
$1,942.2
$2,197.0
$886.2
$742.0
$602.0
$742.0
$1,230.7
$2,932.0
$2,637.5
$2,932.0
$3,236.0
50 - Compliance Monitoring
$1,529.0
$1,397.2
$1,516.0
$694.8
$567.0
$301.0
$582.0
$658.0
$835.0
$1,217.5
$835.0
$2,336.0
52 - Criminal Enforcement
$1,522.0
$1,458.1
$1,522.0
$748.4
$548.0
$467.0
$548.0
$606.0
$1,518.0
$1,381.8
$1,518.0
$1,690.0
57 - Environmental Justice
$0.0
$5.3
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$4.0
$148.2
$4.0
$248.9
$4.0
$0.0
63 - Geographic Program: Chesapeake Bay
$20.0
$24.0
$20.0
$6.9
$20.0
$9.0
$20.0
$18.4
$20.0
$23.8
$20.0
$20.0
90 - NEPA Implementation
$0.0
$70.5
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
F2 - Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$238.0
$234.5
$238.0
$204.4
$84.0
$132.0
$131.0
$342.4
$207.0
$355.7
$207.0
$238.0
Total
$5,541.0
$5,136.0
$5,509.0
$2,558.9
$1,964.0
$1,511.0
$2,030.0
$3,006.0
$5,519.0
$5,868.5
$5,519.0
$7,532.0
S&T
62 - Forensics Support
$260.0
$193.1
$260.0
$115.0
$141.0
$88.0
$141.0
$170.9
$260.0
$232.2
$260.0
$478.0
LUST
44 - Civil Enforcement
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
OIL
44 - Civil Enforcement
$14.0
$8.1
$14.0
$3.1
$14.0
$6.0
$12.0
$13.4
$12.0
$9.3
$12.0
$14.0
50 - Compliance Monitoring
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
Total
$14.0
$8.1
$14.0
$3.1
$14.0
$6.0
$12.0
$13.4
$12.0
$9.3
$12.0
$14.0
SUPERFUND
50 - Compliance Monitoring
$8.0
$0.0
$8.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
$8.0
52 - Criminal Enforcement
$468.0
$236.7
$468.0
$125.8
$468.0
$399.0
$468.0
$547.3
$468.0
$579.7
$468.0
$500.0
62 - Forensics Support
$50.0
$32.9
$50.0
$17.2
$50.0
$48.0
$50.0
$65.3
$50.0
$85.9
$50.0
$57.0
C7 - Superfund: Enforcement ****
$1,145.0
$995.7
$1,143.0
$445.0
$1,143.0
$155.0
$1,143.0
$461.8
$1,143.0
$980.0
$1,143.0
$0.0
H2 - Superfund: Federal Facilities Enf
$120.0
$65.1
$120.0
$81.7
$120.0
$12.0
$120.0
$28.1
$120.0
$102.2
$120.0
$120.0
Total
$1,791.0
$1,330.4
$1,789.0
$669.7
$1,781.0
$614.0
$1,781.0
$1,102.5
$1,781.0
$1,747.8
$1,781.0
$685.0
Grand Total
$7,606.0
$6,667.6
$7,572.0
$3,346.7
$3,900.0
$2,219.0
$3,964.0
$4,292.7
$7,572.0
$7,857.7
$7,572.0
$8,709.0
The Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 instructs EPA to follow guidance as set forth in House Report 116-448. House Report 116-448 directs EPA to provide
"requested enforcement travel budget, and budgeted and actual enforcement travel spending for the previous five fiscal years". Please see page 80: https://www.congress.gOv/l 16/crpt/hrpt448/CRPT-
116hrpt448.pdf. This report fulfills this requirement.
*In FY 2020 and FY 2021, OECA's travel resources decreased due to the COVID Pandemic travel restrictions. In FY 2023 and FY 2024, the travel resources were brought back to pre-COVID levels to
resume in-person travel and inspections.
"Actuals include final obligations of New Obligation Authority (NOA) and Carryover for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA).
***EPA will re-evaluate travel as part of the Agency's FY 2024 Operating Plan activities in preparation for the FY 2024 Enacted Budget.
**** jn py 2025, the Budget proposed to transition the Superfund Enforcement program to the Superfund Tax Receipts. As a result, the Superfund Enforcement travel is proposed to be transitioned to the
Superfund tax receipts and estimates will be evaluated in FY 2025.
1278
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On-Site Inspections and Off-site Compliance Monitoring Compliance Activities from
EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System18
The table below provides the numbers in EPA's Integrated Compliance Information (ICIS) data
system for on-site inspection and off-site compliance monitoring activities from fiscal years (FY)
2018-2023.
Fiscal Year
On-Site Inspections
Off-Site Compliance
Monitoring Activities
(EPA has not set separate
targets for this category)
Total
Completed
FY 2018 actual
7,900
2,900
10,800
FY 2019* actual
Target: 7,400
Actual: 8,100
2,200
10,329
FY 2020 actual
Target: not set**
Actual: 3,600
4,900
8,500
FY 2021 actual
Target: not set**
Actual: 3,200
7,600
10,800
FY 2022 actual
Target: not set**
Actual: 5,900
8,000
13,900
FY 2023 actual
Target: not set**
Actual: 7,750
5,350
13,100
FY 2024
projection
Target: 6,050
Actual: TBD
Target: 11,000
FY 2025
projection
Target: TBD
Actual: TBD
Target: 12,000
*In 2019, EPA set targets for on-site inspections only. Previous targets were a combination of on-site inspections
and off-site compliance monitoring activities.
**Targets were not set for on-site inspections in FY 2020 through FY 2023 due to travel restrictions, uncertainty
resulting from COVID-19, and rebuilding capacity as the pandemic ends.
Caveats:
1. Definitions: Nationally consistent definitions of on-site inspections and off-site compliance
monitoring activities did not exist for our compliance monitoring program until we issued
guidance on April 24, 2020 (and updated in November 2020). As a result, earlier data may
include mis-categorized activities. EPA's April 24, 2020, memorandum provided definitions
for both on-site and off-site compliance monitoring activities, which creates more consistency
in each of the categories.
18
The Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 instructs EPA to follow guidance as
se^ forth in House Report 116-448. House Report 116-448 directs EPA to provide "separate targets for onsite inspections and
offsite compliance monitoring activities, and separate target and actuals data for onsite and offsite compliance monitoring
activities for the previous five fiscal years". Please see page 80: https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.6/crpt/hrpt448/
CRPT-116hrpt448.pdf. This report fulfills this requirement.
1279
-------
2. Incomplete Data Entry: Given that EPA has not historically required most types of off-site
compliance monitoring activities to be entered into an EPA database, these numbers are likely
incomplete. EPA's April 24, 2020, guidance for reporting key off-site compliance monitoring
activities establishes expectations for national reporting of these activities, subsequent years'
numbers are therefore more reflective of actual activities.
3. COVID-19: Restrictions on travel during the pandemic affected EPA's ability to conduct on-
site inspections in FY 2020, FY 2021 and continued partially in FY 2022. While on-site
inspection numbers dropped substantially during this time, EPA was able to increase its off-
site compliance monitoring activities. In FY 2022, as the pandemic eased, EPA was able to
begin increasing the number of on-site inspections again, and on-site inspection numbers have
continued to rise through FY 2023.
4. States Conduct Majority of Inspections: Most inspections are performed by authorized states.
For example, states performed over 35,000 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) inspections.
5. Data Mining: With modern tools, EPA collects data from monitoring reports and manifests.
EPA conducts off-site compliance monitoring to try to detect violations, including possible
violations of emission and discharge limitations. EPA uses this information to target facilities
for on-site inspections. The FY 2020 guidance will help the Agency nationally focus and track
this important off-site compliance monitoring work.
6. Totals More Reliable Than Subtotals: The sum of the two subtotals (on-site inspections +
offsite compliance monitoring activities) is a more reliable value because it smooths out some
of the variability in each subtotal. EPA believes definitions of on-site inspections and off-site
compliance monitoring activities will help make the subtotal data more reliable going forward.
7. Staffing Levels: The number of inspections the Agency completes each year generally
correlates with our annual staffing levels. During the time period reported in the table, OECA's
number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) has decreased from 2,684 in FY 2018 to 2,551 in FY
2023.
1280
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Physicians' Comparability Allowance (PCA) Plan
Department and component:
| Environmental Protection Agency
Purpose: The purpose of this document is to describe the Agency's plan for implementing the
Physicians' Comparability Allowance (PCA) Program. Per 5 CFR 595.107, the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) must approve this plan prior to the Agency entering into any
PCA service agreement. Changes to this plan must be reviewed and approved by OMB in
accordance with 5 CFR 595.107.
Reporting: In addition to the plan, each year, components utilizing PCA will include their PCA
worksheet in the OMB Justification (OMBJ), typically in September. OMB and OPM will use this
data for Budget development and congressional reporting.
Plan for Implementing the PCA Program:
1 a) Identify the categories of physician positions the Agency has established are covered by PCA
under § 595.103. Please include the basis for each category. If applicable, list and explain
the necessity of any additional physician categories designated by your agency (for
categories other than I through IV-B). List Any Additional Physician Categories Designated
by Your Agency: Pursuant to 5 CFR 595.107, any additional category of physician receiving
a PCA, not covered by categories I through IV-B, should be listed and accompanied by an
explanation as to why these categories are necessary.
Number of
Physicians
Receiving PCAs
by Category (non-
add)
Category of Physician
Position
Covered
by
Agency
(mark "x"
if
covered)
Basis for Category
2
Category I Clinical
Position
X
EPA's Office of Research and Development
(ORD) clinical physicians oversee the
medical care of study subjects. These studies
are conducted on the health effects of a
variety of common environmental pollutants
in many different human subjects. Our
primary emphasis is on cardio-pulmonary
responses, with recent interest in behavioral
responses. The Medical Officer is
responsible for the health and well-being of
research participants before, during, and after
research. Prior to research, the Medical
Officer is responsible for clinically
evaluating individuals. During research, they
are responsible for instituting preventative
measures to ensure that any procedure entails
the least risk possible. After the research, it is
1281
-------
Number of
Physicians
Receiving PCAs
by Category (non-
add)
Category of Physician
Position
Covered
by
Agency
(mark "x"
if
covered)
Basis for Category
the Medical Officer's responsibility to
evaluate an individual's health to
determine any clinical changes.
Category II Research
Position
n/a
1
Category III
Occupational Health
EPA is establishing a medical staff within
the Office of Administration, Safety and
Sustainability Division that will serve as a
focal point for pandemic planning,
occupational medical surveillance, wellness,
and will provide medical consultative
services supporting the Agency's safety and
health, disease response/outbreak, fitness for
duty, diver, automated external defibrillator,
emergency response, nerve agent antidote,
medical countermeasures, lactation, maternal
wellness, and other national programs.
Category IV-A Disability
Evaluation
n/a
1
Category IV-B Health
and Medical Admin.
X
This position serves as the principal medical
officer and environmental health scientist for
EPA's ORD. The position is responsible for
providing leadership, direction, and technical
expertise in support of organizational-wide
health and environmental planning, policy
development and implementation, and
oversight of scientific initiatives and research
efforts for ORD's Assistant Administrator
(AA) or their designee. This includes:
Strategic Research Action Plan oversight;
prioritization of environmental health
research; and counsel and oversight on
legislation, regulations and health impact
assessments related to Executive Branch
agencies on human health, air quality,
ecosystem services, toxics and risks,
environmental social sciences, and most
notably, COVID-19.
1282
-------
Physicians' Comparability Allowance (PCA) Plan (continued)
2) Explain the recruitment and retention problem(s) for each category of physician in your
agency (this should demonstrate that a current need continues to persist). § 595 of 5 CFR Ch.
1 requires that an agency may determine that a significant recruitment and retention problem
exists only if all of the following conditions apply:
- Evidence indicates that the Agency is unable to recruit and retain physicians for the
category;
- The qualification requirements being sought do not exceed the qualifications necessary for
successful performance of the work;
- The Agency has made efforts to recruit and retain candidates in the category; and
- There are not a sufficient number of qualified candidates available if no comparability
allowance is paid.
Number of Physicians
Receiving PCAs by
Category (non-add)
Category of Physician
Position
Recruitment and retention problem
2
Category I Clinical
Position
The small population of EPA Clinical Physician positions
experiences modest turnover. The value of the physicians'
comparability allowance to EPA is used as a retention
tool. The Agency is told regularly that absent the
allowance some EPA physicians would seek employment
at federal agencies that provide the allowance.
Category II Research
Position
n/a
1
Category III Occupational
Health
The value of the physicians' comparability allowance to
EPA is to be used as a recruitment and retention tool. The
Agency is told regularly that absent the allowance some
EPA physicians would seek employment at federal
agencies that provide the allowance.
Category IV-A Disability
Evaluation
n/a
1
Category IV-B Health and
Medical Admin.
The small population of EPA Health and Medical
Administrative Physician position(s) experiences modest
turnover. The value of the physicians' comparability
allowance to EPA is used as a retention tool. The Agency
is told regularly that absent the allowance some EPA
physicians would seek employment at federal agencies
that provide the allowance.
1283
-------
3) Explain how the Agency determines the amounts to be used for each category of physicians.
Number of
Physicians
Receiving PCAs by
Category (non-add)
Category of Physician
Position
Basis of comparability allowance amount
2
Category I Clinical
Position
EPA reviews the experience and technical expertise of
the candidates. Combined with other salary ranges in the
private sector and in review of other federal agencies,
the Agency tries to be within a range that allows the
Agency to retain the employees.
Category II Research
Position
n/a
1
Category III Occupational
Health
EPA reviews the experience and technical expertise of
the candidates. Combined with other salary ranges in the
private sector and in review of other federal agencies,
the Agency tries to be within a range that allows the
Agency to retain the employees.
Category IV-A Disability
Evaluation
n/a
1
Category IV-B Health and
Medical Admin.
EPA reviews the experience and technical expertise of
the candidates. Combined with other salary ranges in the
private sector and in review of other federal agencies,
the Agency tries to be within a range that allows the
Agency to retain the employees.
4) Does the Agency affirm that the PCA plan is consistent with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5948
and the requirements of § 595 of 5 CFR Ch. 1?
| Yes
1284
-------
Physicians' Comparability Allowance (PCA) Worksheet
1) Department and component:
| Environmental Protection Agency
2) Explain the recruitment and retention problem(s) justifying the need for the PCA pay
authority.
(Please include any staffing data to support your explanation, such as number and duration of unfilled
positions and number of accessions and separations per fiscal year.)
Historically, the number of EPA Research Physicians is between three and seven positions. This small
population experiences modest turnover. The value of the physicians' comparability allowance to EPA is used
as a retention tool. EPA continues to use the PCA to recruit qualified candidates to fill vacancies and to retain
these employees. Additionally, EPA will use the PCA in FY 2024 to recruit and retain a physician for the
newly formed national health and safety medical staff.
3-4) Please complete the table below with details of the PCA agreement for the following
years:
PY 2023
CY 2024
BY* 2025
(Actual)
(Estimates)
(Estimates)
3a) Number of Physicians Receiving PCAs
3
4
4
3b) Number of Physicians with One-Year PCA Agreements
0
0
0
3c) Number of Physicians with Multi-Year PCA Agreements
3
4
4
4a) Average Annual PCA Physician Pay (without PCA
payment)
$189,670
$199,154
$203,137
4b) Average Annual PCA Payment
$23,256
$23,256
$23,256
*BY data will be approved during the BY Budget cycle. Please ensure each column is completed.
5) Explain the degree to which recruitment and retention problems were alleviated in your
agency through the use of PC As in the prior fiscal year.
(Please include any staffing data to support your explanation, such as number and duration of unfilled
positions and number of accessions and separations per fiscal year.)
The Agency is told regularly that absent the allowance; some EPA research physicians would seek
employment at federal agencies that provide the allowance.
6) Provide any additional information that may be useful in planning PCA staffing levels and
amounts in your agency.
An agency with a very small number of physician positions and a low turn-over rate among them still needs
the allowance authority to maintain the stability of the small population. Those who opt for federal
employment in opposition to private sector employment still want the maximum pay available in the federal
sector. Were it not for the PCA, EPA would regularly lose some of its physicians to other federal agencies
that offer the allowance, both requiring EPA to refill vacant positions and making it more difficult for EPA to
fill those positions. Turn-over statistics should be viewed in this light.
1285
-------
Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Program Projects by Program Area
(Dollars in Thousands)
n 2H2.? I imil
WIimK
n 21124
\llllll;ili/c(l ( U
n 21125
I'lV-iilrlll'-
liud^il
Science & Technology
dean Air and Climate
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
Climate Protection
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification
Subtotal, Clean Air and Climate
Enforcement
Forensics Support
Homeland Security
Flomeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Flomeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery
Flomeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and
Infrastructure
Subtotal, Homeland Security
Indoor Air and Radiation
Indoor Air: Radon Program
Radiation: Protection
Radiation: Response Preparedness
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
Subtotal, Indoor Air and Radiation
IT / Data Management / Security
IT / Data Management
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
$6,578 $7,117
$9,968 $8,750
$8,950 $11,343
$122,243 $117,341
$147,738 $144,551
$14,152
$12,249
$26,376
$70
$2,321
$3,200
$27
$5,618
$3,489
$65,328
$15,532
$10,852
$25,347
$625 $625
$39,250 $36,824
$199
$1,683
$3,596
$278
$5,756
$3,197
$67,500
$19,987
$10,800
$10,754
$185,873
$227,414
$19,337
$34,351
$40,802
$501
$75,654
$173
$2,416
$4,802
$185
$7,576
$3,346
$72,906
n 2025
I'lr-idrnl'-
liiidurl \.
n 21124
\miiijli/cd ( R
$12,870
$2,050
-$589
$68,532
$82,863
$3,805
$23,499
$15,455
-$124
$38,830
-$26
$733
$1,206
-$93
$1,820
$149
$5,406
1286
-------
Pesticides Licensing
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability
Subtotal, Pesticides Licensing
$3,034
$2,468
$963
$6,466
$2,894
$2,334
$925
$6,153
$5,902
$4,239
$1,040
$11,181
$3,008
$1,905
$115
$5,028
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
Research: Air, Climate and Energy
$114,659
$100,448
$140,297
$39,849
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Endocrine Disruptors
Computational Toxicology
Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability (other activities)
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for
Sustainability
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
$40,119
$17,222
$23,500
$56,107
$96,828
$136,947
$39,918
$16,353
$21,606
$54,591
$92,550
$132,468
$45,746
$18,017
$23,646
$64,554
$106,217
$151,963
$5,828
$1,664
$2,040
$9,963
$13,667
$19,495
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$147,279
$137,857
$149,498
$11,641
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Research: Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
$125,346
$116,141
$143,745
$27,604
Ensure Safe Water
Drinking Water Programs
$5,474
$5,098
$7,043
$1,945
Congressional Priorities (previously named Clean and Safe
Water Technical Assistance Grants)
Congressional Priorities
Total, Science & Technology
Alaska Contaminated Lands
Alaska Contaminated Lands
Brownfields
Brownfields
$23,283
$835,028
$30,751
$802,276
Environmental Programs & Management
$3,215
$22,582
$20,000
$26,189
$0
$1,009,960
$20,012
$39,084
-$30,751
$207,684
$12
$12,895
dean Air and Climate
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs
Climate Protection
Federal Stationary Source Regulations
Federal Support for Air Quality Management
$17,268
$99,292
$29,768
$134,931
$16,554
$101,000
$30,344
$147,704
$30,743
$176,485
$47,888
$258,663
$14,189
$75,485
$17,544
$110,959
1287
-------
Stratospheric Ozone: Domestic Programs
Stratospheric Ozone: Multilateral Fund
Subtotal, Clean Air and Climate
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
Criminal Enforcement
NEPA Implementation
Subtotal, Enforcement
Geographic Programs
Geographic Program: Chesapeake Bay
Geographic Program: Gulf of Mexico
Geographic Program: Lake Champlain
Geographic Program: Long Island Sound
Geographic Program: Other
Lake Pontchartrain
S.New England Estuary (SNEE)
Geographic Program: Other (other activities)
Subtotal, Geographic Program: Other
Great Lakes Restoration
Geographic Program: South Florida
Geographic Program: San Francisco Bay
Geographic Program: Puget Sound
Subtotal, Geographic Programs
Homeland Security
Homeland Security: Communication and Information
Homeland Security: Critical Infrastructure Protection
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and
Infrastructure
Subtotal, Homeland Security
Indoor Air and Radiation
Indoor Air: Radon Program
Radiation: Protection
Radiation: Response Preparedness
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air
$6,358
$8,326
$295,943
$104,593
$109,345
$177,875
$57,374
$15,171
$250,422
$74,640
$22,550
$25,823
$36,429
$1,899
$6,546
$2,041
$10,486
$361,607
$6,806
$45,061
$48,317
$631,720
$4,592
$249
$6,059
$10,899
$2,844
$8,390
$2,111
$13,281
$6,951
$9,244
$311,797
$112,730
$102,159
$205,942
$62,704
$20,611
$289,257
$92,000
$25,524
$25,000
$40,002
$2,200
$7,000
$5,000
$14,200
$368,000
$8,500
$54,500
$54,000
$681,726
$4,692
$923
$5,188
$10,803
$3,364
$9,088
$2,650
$13,593
$72,282
$18,000
$604,061
$168,474
$317,712
$256,252
$67,829
$26,049
$350,130
$92,000
$25,600
$25,000
$40,000
$2,200
$7,000
$5,000
$14,200
$368,000
$8,500
$54,500
$54,000
$681,800
$6,119
$1,025
$5,158
$12,302
$5,147
$11,748
$3,185
$47,570
$65,331
$8,756
$292,264
$55,744
$215,553
$50,310
$5,125
$5,438
$60,873
$0
$76
$0
-$2
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$74
$1,427
$102
-$30
$1,499
$1,783
$2,660
$535
$33,977
1288
-------
Subtotal, Indoor Air and Radiation
$26,627
$28,695
$67,650
$38,955
Cross Agency Coordination, Outreach and Education
(previously named Information Exchange / Outreach)
State and Local Prevention and Preparedness
TRI / Right to Know
Tribal - Capacity Building
Executive Management and Operations
Environmental Education
Exchange Network
Small Minority Business Assistance
Small Business Ombudsman
Children and Other Sensitive Populations: Agency
Coordination
Subtotal, Cross Agency Coordination, Outreach and
Education
$14,124
$11,987
$12,619
$53,653
$8,752
$12,165
$2,225
$1,379
$6,526
$123,431
$15,446
$15,052
$14,715
$56,160
$9,500
$14,995
$2,056
$2,250
$6,362
$136,536
$24,106
$14,123
$35,088
$73,269
$8,759
$14,769
$2,018
$2,242
$7,749
$182,123
$8,660
-$929
$20,373
$17,109
-$741
-$226
-$38
$1,387
$45,587
International Programs
US Mexico Border
International Sources of Pollution
Trade and Governance
Subtotal, International Programs
$2,512
$7,214
$7,390
$17,116
$2,993
$7,323
$5,510
$15,826
$5,132
$26,183
$7,201
$38,516
$2,139
$18,860
$1,691
$22,690
IT / Data Management / Security
Information Security
IT / Data Management
Subtotal, IT / Data Management / Security
$8,188
$95,631
$103,819
$9,142
$91,821
$100,963
$23,937
$108,601
$132,538
$14,795
$16,780
$31,575
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Integrated Environmental Strategies
Administrative Law
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Civil Rights Program
Legal Advice: Environmental Program
Legal Advice: Support Program
Regional Science and Technology (proposed to be
moved to Operations and Administration)
Science Advisory Board
Regulatory/Economic-Management and Analysis
Subtotal, Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
$9,702
$5,223
$845
$10,146
$60,207
$15,922
$1,879
$4,219
$16,032
$124,175
$11,297
$5,395
$972
$12,866
$60,061
$18,957
$1,554
$4,155
$17,475
$132,732
$40,197
$6,195
$2,820
$32,227
$86,615
$20,584
$0
$4,671
$19,526
$212,835
$28,900
$800
$1,848
$19,361
$26,554
$1,627
-$1,554
$516
$2,051
$80,103
1289
-------
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
LUST / UST
$11,034
$12,021
$14,604
$2,583
Operations and Administration
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Acquisition Management
Human Resources Management
Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
Regional Science and Technology (proposed to be
moved from LSRE)
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
$85,840
$275,614
$33,034
$51,882
$28,225
$0
$281,517
$87,099
$283,330
$37,251
$51,261
$30,188
$0
$489,129
$100,595
$308,134
$42,085
$68,124
$34,745
$7,287
$560,970
$13,496
$24,804
$4,834
$16,863
$4,557
$7,287
$71,841
Pesticides Licensing
Science Policy and Biotechnology
Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk
Pesticides: Protect the Environment from Pesticide Risk
Pesticides: Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability
Subtotal, Pesticides Licensing
$1,628
$59,740
$45,217
$5,774
$112,359
$1,811
$62,125
$48,704
$7,637
$120,277
$1,642
$66,281
$75,963
$8,316
$152,202
-$169
$4,156
$27,259
$679
$31,925
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
RCRA: Corrective Action
RCRA: Waste Management
RCRA: Waste Minimization & Recycling
Subtotal, Resource Conservation and Recoveiy Act
(RCRA)
$37,176
$70,129
$9,375
$116,681
$40,512
$75,958
$10,252
$126,722
$42,105
$91,500
$15,799
$149,404
$1,593
$15,542
$5,547
$22,682
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
$153
$0
$0
$0
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
Endocrine Disruptors
Pollution Prevention Program
Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Review and
Reduction
Toxic Substances: Lead Risk Reduction Program
Subtotal, Toxics Risk Review and Prevention
$6,010
$12,568
$91,214
$11,777
$121,568
$7,614
$12,987
$82,822
$14,359
$117,782
$7,701
$29,193
$131,900
$14,597
$183,391
$87
$16,206
$49,078
$238
$65,609
Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
National Estuary Program / Coastal Waterways
Wetlands
Subtotal, Protecting Estuaries and Wetlands
$38,790
$19,656
$58,446
$40,000
$21,754
$61,754
$32,611
$26,995
$59,606
-$7,389
$5,241
-$2,148
1290
-------
Ensure Safe Water
Beach / Fish Programs
Drinking Water Programs
Subtotal, Ensure Safe Water
Ensure Clean Water
Preparation for Water Emergencies
Marine Pollution
Surface Water Protection
Subtotal, Ensure Clean Water
Congressional Priorities (previously named Clean and Safe
Water Technical Assistance Grants)
Congressional Priorities
Total, Environmental Programs & Management
$1,673
$109,958
$111,631
$0
$8,081
$213,320
$221,402
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Total, Inspector General
Homeland Security
Homeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and
Infrastructure
$25,700
$3,077,455
Inspector General
$41,521
$41,521
Building and Facilities
$3,944
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Total, Building and Facilities
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Enforcement
Criminal Enforcement
Forensics Support
$2,246
$121,607
$123,853
$0
$10,187
$224,492
$234,679
$30,700
$3,286,330
$44,030
$44,030
$6,676
$17,502 $42,076
$21,446 $48,752
Hazardous Substance Superfund
$13,244
$1,377
$890
$6,766
$1,597
$11,800
$1,017
$5,876
$7,999
$1,240
$2,391
$143,886
$146,277
$30,000
$12,724
$270,573
$313,297
$0
$4,406,988
$65,257
$65,257
$6,676
$98,893
$105,569
$13,979
$1,036
$5,901
$8,876
$1,720
$145
$22,279
$22,424
$30,000
$2,537
$46,081
$78,618
-$30,700
$1,120,658
$21,227
$21,227
$0
$56,817
$56,817
$2,179
$19
$25
$877
$480
1291
-------
Superfiind: Enforcement
Superfiind: Federal Facilities Enforcement
Subtotal, Enforcement
Homeland Security
Flomeland Security: Preparedness, Response, and
Recovery
Flomeland Security: Protection of EPA Personnel and
Infrastructure
Subtotal, Homeland Security
Indoor Air and Radiation
Radiation: Protection
$173,076
$7,725
$189,163
$36,249
$1,167
$37,415
$2,081
$171,347
$8,192
$188,778
$34,661
$1,029
$35,690
$2,472
$0
$10,481
$21,077
$57,358
$1,530
$58,888
$3,144
-$171,347
$2,289
-$167,701
$22,697
$501
$23,198
$672
Information Exchange / Outreach
Exchange Network
IT / Data Management / Security
Information Security
IT / Data Management
Subtotal, IT / Data Management / Security
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Alternative E)ispute Resolution
Legal Advice: Environmental Program
Subtotal, Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review
Operations and Administration
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Acquisition Management
Human Resources Management
Financial Assistance Grants / IAG Management
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Health and Environmental Risk Assessment
Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Subtotal, Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$1,018
$1,494
$22,040
$23,535
$758
$844
$1,602
$32,914
$74,115
$22,835
$7,382
$4,855
$142,100
$9,225
$5,476
$14,701
$18,525
$1,328
$1,062
$19,764
$20,826
$791
$599
$1,390
$31,338
$65,634
$27,247
$7,419
$4,002
$135,640
$4,901
$8,060
$12,961
$16,937
$1,328
$6,012
$19,645
$25,657
$1,841
$482
$2,323
$30,512
$72,349
$34,172
$9,303
$4,660
$150,996
$5,040
$8,060
$13,100
$17,517
$0
$4,950
-$119
$4,831
$1,050
-$117
$933
-$826
$6,715
$6,925
$1,884
$658
$15,356
$139
$0
$139
$580
1292
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Superfund Cleanup
Superfiind: Emergency Response and Removal
Superfund: EPA Emergency Preparedness
Superfund: Federal Facilities
Superfund: Remedial
Subtotal, Superfund Cleanup
$256,354
$7,696
$26,167
$612,890
$903,107
$195,000
$8,056
$26,189
$618,740
$847,985
Total, Hazardous Substance Superfund
$1,348,759 $1,282,700
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
LUST / UST
LUST Cooperative Agreements
LUST Prevention
Subtotal, Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST)
Operations and Administration
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Acquisition Management
Subtotal, Operations and Administration
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Flealthy Communities
Total, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
$594
Compliance
Compliance Monitoring
Enforcement
Civil Enforcement
Operations and Administration
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations
Oil
Oil Spill: Prevention, Preparedness and Response
Research: Sustainable Communities
Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities
$692
$17,111
$785
$661
$8,426 $9,991
$59,328 $55,040
$26,326 $25,780
$94,081 $90,811
$373 $457
$803 $754
$173 $181
$1,350 $1,392
$292 $341
$96,317 $93,205
Inland Oil Spill Programs
-$5 $649
$2,580 $2,565
$682
$17,501
$675
$0
$8,541
$37,680
$300,000
$346,221
$661,167
$690
$14,776
$65,040
$26,669
$106,485
$474
$729
$136
$1,339
$356
$108,870
$2,154
$2,699
$643
$21,624
$683
-$195,000
$485
$11,491
-$318,740
-$501,764
-$621,533
$29
$4,785
$10,000
$889
$15,674
$17
-$25
-$45
-$53
$15
$15,665
$1,505
$134
-$39
$4,123
1293
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Total, Inland Oil Spill Programs
$21,164 $22,072
State and Tribal Assistance Grants
$27,803
$5,731
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
Infrastructure Assistance: Alaska Native Villages $41,810 $39,686 $41,000
Brownfields Projects $87,833 $100,000 $114,482
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water SRF $735,951 $775,752 $1,239,895
Infrastructure Assistance: Clean Water Congressionally
Directed Spending $80,622 $863,109 $0
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water SRF $504,799 $516,845 $1,126,105
Infrastructure Assistance: Drinking Water
Congressionally Directed Spending $142,276 $609,256 $0
Infrastructure Assistance: Mexico Border $33,698 $36,386 $36,386
Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program $7,239 $100,000 $100,000
Targeted Airshed Grants $34,669 $69,927 $69,927
San Juan Watershed Monitoring (This program is
proposed for elimination in FY 2024 and FY 2025) $585 $0 $0
Safe Water for Small & Disadvantaged Communities $22,887 $30,158 $30,173
Reducing Lead in Drinking Water $32,301 $25,011 $64,479
Lead Testing in Schools $5,417 $30,500 $36,500
Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and
Sustainability $0 $7,000 $25,000
Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works $40,617 $27,000 $18,000
Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants $48,486 $50,000 $50,000
Water Infrastructure Workforce Investment $0 $6,000 $6,000
Recycling Infrastructure $2,136 $6,500 $10,005
Wildfire Smoke Preparedness $330 $7,000 $7,000
Technical Assistance and Grants for Emergencies
(SDWA) $0 $0 $2,000
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure
Resilience and Sustainability $0 $5,000 $5,000
Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program $0 $4,000 $5,000
Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability
Program $0 $0 $25,000
Small and Medium Publicly Owned Treatment Works
Circuit Rider Program $0 $0 $5,000
Grants for Low and Moderate income Household
Decentralized Wastewater Systems $0 $0 $5,000
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works $0 $0 $3,000
Stormwater Infrastructure Technology $0 $3,000 $5,000
Alternative Water Sources Grants Pilot Program $0 $0 $3,000
Enhanced Aquifer Use and Recharge $0 $4,000 $5,000
Water Sector Cybersecurity $0 $0 $25,000
Subtotal, State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) $1,821,656 $3,316,130 $3,062,952
$1,314
$14,482
$464,143
-$863,109
$609,260
-$609,256
$0
$0
$0
$0
$15
$39,468
$6,000
$18,000
-$9,000
$0
$0
$3,505
$0
$2,000
$0
$1,000
$25,000
$5,000
$5,000
$3,000
$2,000
$3,000
$1,000
$25,000
-$253,178
1294
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Categorical Grants
Categorical Grant: Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) $176,686 $182,000 $188,999 $6,999
Categorical Grant: Public Water System Supervision
(PWSS) $123,137 $121,500 $132,566 $11,066
Categorical Grant: State and Local Air Quality
Management $246,130 $249,038 $400,198 $151,160
Categorical Grant: Radon $8,958 $10,995 $12,487 $1,492
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec. 106)
Monitoring Grants $20,842 $18,512 $28,915 $10,403
Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec.
106) (other activities) $221,431 $218,488 $259,805 $41,317
Subtotal, Categorical Grant: Pollution Control (Sec.
106) $242,272 $237,000 $288,720 $51,720
Categorical Grant: Wetlands Program Development $6,122 $14,692 $22,000 $7,308
Categorical Grant: Underground Injection Control
(UIC) " $12,661 $13,164 $11,387 -$1,777
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Program Implementation $13,958 $14,027 $14,027 $0
Categorical Grant: Lead $15,501 $16,326 $24,639 $8,313
Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants $105,369 $105,000 $108,247 $3,247
Categorical Grant: Pesticides Enforcement $24,703 $25,580 $25,580 $0
Categorical Grant: Pollution Prevention $6,804 $4,973 $5,755 $782
Categorical Grant: Toxics Substances Compliance $5,005 $5,010 $6,877 $1,867
Categorical Grant: Tribal General Assistance Program $82,649 $74,750 $85,009 $10,259
Categorical Grant: Underground Storage Tanks $1,503 $1,505 $1,505 $0
Categorical Grant: Tribal Air Quality Management $16,620 $16,415 $23,126 $6,711
Categorical Grants: Direct Implementation Tribal
Cooperative Agreements $0 $0 $25,000 $25,000
Categorical Grant: Multipurpose Grants $195 $0 $10,200 $10,200
Categorical Grant: Environmental Information $7,400 $10,836 $15,000 $4,164
Categorical Grant: Beaches Protection $9,583 $10,619 $9,811 -$808
Categorical Grant: Brownfields $44,730 $47,195 $53,954 $6,759
Subtotal, Categorical Grants $1,149,986 $1,160,625 $1,465,087 $304,462
Congressional Priorities (previously named Clean and Safe
Water Technical Assistance Grants)
Congressionally Mandated Projects $17,309 $16,973 $0 -$16,973
Total, State and Tribal Assistance Grants $2,988,952 $4,493,728 $4,528,039 34,311
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Fund
Ensure Clean Water
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation $322,118 $75,640 $80,000 $4,360
Total, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Fund $322,118 $75,640 $80,000 $4,360
1295
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Subtotal, EPA
$8,752,759
$10,148,733
$10,993,653
$844,920
Cancellation of Funds
$0
-$13,300
$0
$13,300
TOTAL, EPA
$8,752,759
$10,135,433
$10,993,653
$858,220
*For ease of comparison, Superfiind transfer resources for the audit and research functions are shown in the Superfiind account.
**In addition to annual appropriated resources, the Superfiind tax revenues the Agency received in FY 2023 and expects to receive in FY 2024
and FY 2025 are not reflected here. These additional government revenues will support continued Superfiind cleanup and enforcement.
***Note that the Flazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Program is funded from fee collections.
****The FY 2023 annual appropriation for EPA included $13.3 million in rescissions. This value is maintained in the FY 2024 annualized CR
column for display purposes. The actual rescission taken under the partial year FY 2024 CR at the time of publication was $1.5 M based on
available balances.
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Proposed FY 2025 Administrative Provisions
To further clarify proposed Administrative Provisions that involve more than a simple annual
extension or propose a modification to an existing provision, the following information is
provided.
Pesticide Licensing Fees
The following proposed statutory language, which is an annual extension of existing language,
would allow PRIA registration service fees to be assessed and to remain available until expended.
PRIA registration service fees:
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is authorized to collect and obligate
pesticide registration service fees in accordance with section 33 of the Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. § 136w-8): Provided, that such fees collected shall
remain available until expended.
Notwithstanding section 33(d)(2) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA) (7 U.S.C. § 136w-8(d)(2)), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
may assess fees under section 33 of FIFRA (7 U.S.C. § 136w-8) for fiscal year 2025.
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest
The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act (Public Law 112-195) provides EPA
with the authority to establish a program to finance, develop, and operate a system for the
electronic submission of hazardous waste manifests supported by user fees. In FY 2025, EPA will
operate the e-Manifest system and the Agency anticipates collecting and depositing approximately
$20 million in e-Manifest user fees into the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund.
Based upon authority to collect and spend e-Manifest fees provided by Congress in annual
appropriations bills, the fees will be utilized for the operation of the system and necessary program
expenses. Fees will fully support the e-Manifest program, including future development costs. The
language to authorize collection and spending of the fees is provided below. Language specifying
that e-Manifest fees collected in FY 2025 will remain available until expended would simplify
aspects of budget execution.
The proposed language below updates the existing provision:
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is authorized to collect and obligate
fees in accordance with section 3024 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6939g) for fiscal
year 2025, to remain available until expended.
Change to Buildings and Facilities Per Project Threshold
The Building and Facilities threshold was last increased from $150,000 to $300,000 in FY 2023.
Since 2013, costs for construction, material, and labor have increased significantly. EPA is
proposing to reflect these cost increases by raising the per project threshold from $300,000 to
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$350,000. The purpose of this proposed increase is to adjust the threshold to keep it in line with
construction and labor costs for smaller-scale construction and repair and improvement projects.
The $350,000 threshold will apply to the S&T, EPM, OIG, Superfund, and LUST appropriations
and will allow the programs to proceed effectively and efficiently to address immediate, urgent,
and smaller-scale facility improvements and will enable the Agency to maintain adequate
operations, further mission-critical activities and implement climate sustainability and resiliency
enhancements.
The proposed language below updates the existing provision:
The Science and Technology, Environmental Programs and Management, Office of Inspector
General, Hazardous Substance Superfund, and Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund
Program Accounts, are available for the construction, alteration, repair, rehabilitation, and
renovation of facilities provided that the cost does not exceed $350,000 per project.
Student Services Contracting Authority
In the FY 2025 Budget, the Agency requests authorization for the Office of Research and
Development (ORD), the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), and the
Office of Water (OW) to hire pre-baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate students in science and
engineering fields. This authority would provide ORD, OCSPP, and OW with the flexibility to
hire qualified students that work on projects that support current priorities, programmatic
functions, and the Agency's environmental goals.
The proposed language below updates the existing provision:
For fiscal years 2025 through 2029, the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and
the Office of Water may, using funds appropriated under the headings "Environmental Programs
and Management" and "Science and Technology, " contract directly with individuals or indirectly
with institutions or nonprofit organizations, without regard to 41 U.S.C. 5, for the temporary or
intermittent personal services of students or recent graduates, who shall be considered employees
for the purposes of chapters 57 and 81 of title 5, United States Code, relating to compensation for
travel and work injuries, and chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, relating to tort claims,
but shall not be considered to be Federal employees for any other purpose: Provided, that amounts
usedfor this purpose by the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and the Office of
Water collectively may not exceed $2,000,000 per year.
Special Accounts and Superfund Tax Receipts for Aircraft to Support Superfund Response
Actions
31 U.S.C. 1343(d) generally states that appropriated funds are not available for aircraft unless "the
appropriation specifically authorizes" its use for such purpose.
The FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriation Act (P.L. 117-103) provided that "Section 122(b)(3) of
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C.
9622(b)(3)), shall be applied by inserting before the period: ", including for the hire, maintenance,
1298
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and operation of aircraft." In the absence of any indicia of permanency, this provision has been
interpreted to only be in effect for fiscal year 2022. Accordingly, EPA proposes to extend this
authority.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 (P.L. 117-328) did not provide a provision for
Superfund tax receipts available to carry out CERCLA to be used for the hire, maintenance, and
operation of aircraft. EPA proposes to add this authority for FY 2025.
Proposed Language to add to FY 2025 Budget:
For fiscal year 2025, section 122(b)(3) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9622(b)(3)) shall be applied by inserting
before the period at the end: ", including for the hire, maintenance, and operation of aircraft".
For fiscal year 2025, amounts appropriated in section 443(b) of title IV of division G of Public
Law 117-328 shall be applied by inserting ", including for the hire, maintenance, and operation
of aircraft" after "to be used to carry out the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 etseq.)".
Title 42 Hiring Authority
EPA is requesting continuance of its Title 42 Authority through FY 2030. This also would include
a cap of 25 hires for OCSPP and 75 Hires for ORD. ORD currently uses this authority to fill highly
competitive, PhD-level positions where recruiting through the GS system is not appropriate. ORD
has a robust process for managing the program, including an Operations Manual that provides
requirements on recruiting, compensation, ethics, and term renewals. OCSPP faces similar
challenges in hiring specialized talent. OCSPP is actively building the infrastructure and taking
steps to use its new Title 42 hiring authority. The EPA Title 42 delegation was amended to include
OCSPP, and it was approved by the EPA Administrator on October 17, 2022. In accordance with
Public Law 117-103, the agency must also consult with the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) before using its Title 42 hiring authority. EPA is currently undergoing consultation with
OPM on Title 42. Once EPA works through this process, it can finalize the Title 42 Order and
OCSPP can then utilize its hiring authority.
Proposed Language to add to FY 2025 Budget:
The Administrator may, after consultation with the Office of Personnel Management, employ up to
75 persons at any one time in the Office of Research and Development and 25 persons at any one
time in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention under the authority provided in 42
U.S.C. 209 through fiscal year 2030.
1299
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Working Capital Fund Authority
On December 12, 2017, the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT Act) 19 was signed
into law, authorizing CFO-Act agencies to set up information technology (IT) specific WCFs,
which allows them to fund IT modernization projects and reinvest savings for additional
modernization projects in the future. In the FY 2025 Budget, the Agency requests language be
added to clarify and ensure that EPA has the ability to utilize funds deposited into EPA's WCF
to modernize and develop the Agency's IT systems. The Agency has a well-established WCF
where nearly 80 percent of the current service offerings are IT related. Establishing a separate
IT WCF would be duplicative and more costly than to utilize the Agency's existing WCF. EPA
continues to seek the authorizing language change. EPA will clarify its existing authority and
harmonize it with the intent of what Congress envisioned in the passage of the MGT Act.
Proposed Language to add to FY 2025 Budget:
The Environmental Protection Agency Working Capital Fund, 42 U.S.C. 4370e, is available for
expenses and equipment necessary for modernization and development of information technology
of or for use by, the Environmental Protection Agency.
Other
In order to address the high administrative costs of administering potential congressionally
directed spending, EPA is requesting a general provision applicable to all community projects in
FY 2025:
For fiscal year 2025, the Administrator may reserve up to 7 percent of the total amount of funds
made available for Community Project Funding Items/Congressionally Directed Spending Items
in this title in this Act for salaries, expenses, and administration.
19 For more information on the MGT Act, please refer to Section G of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2018 (Public Law 115-91): https://www.congress.gOv/l 1.5/plaws/publ91/PLAW-l1.5publ91. .pdi".
1300
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Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act
Public Law No: 115-414, January 3, 2019
In accordance with the reporting requirements of the Good Accounting Obligation in Government
Act, Agencies are to submit reports on outstanding recommendations in the annual budget
submitted to Congress. This report includes Government Accountability Office (GAO) and EPA
Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommendations issued up through 01/31/2023 that remained
unimplemented for one year or more from the planned FY 2025 budget justification submission
date.
For the FY 2025 budget justification, the EPA developed a report listing each open public
recommendation for corrective action from the OIG and GAO, along with the implementation
status of each recommendation.
The Act also requires a reconciliation between the agency records of unimplemented
recommendations and each OIG Semiannual Report to Congress (SAR). In cooperation with the
EPA OIG, the agency performs a reconciliation and validation process prior to publication of each
SAR. The process ensures that agency's Good Accounting Obligation in Government Act reporting
aligns with the SAR.
The agency is reporting on:
• 71 open recommendations issued by the GAO between January 6, 2006, and January 31,
2023.
• 69 open recommendations issued by the EPA OIG between July 9, 2008, and January 31,
2023.
No recommendations were closed due to being unimplemented.
The information used to create this report is based on information retained the EPA's Enterprise
Audit Management System and the GAO's recommendations database available on www.gao.gov.
1301
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GAO-IG Act, Office of Inspector General Open Recommendations - As of January 31,2024
OIG Report Report Issue
OIG Report Title Number Date OIG Recommendation EPA Corrective Action and Status Target
The EPA Is Not on Track to Reach Its
National Compliance Initiative Goals
to Stop Aftennarket Defeat Devices
and Tampered Vehicles
23-E-0006
1/25/2023
2. Update the EPA's Stopping
Aftennarket Defeat Devices for
Vehicles and Engines National
Compliance Initiative strategic plan so
that the National Compliance
Initiative goals can be achieved in the
event of a pandemic or other challenge.
The Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance (OECA) will
review the lessons learned related to
conducting enforcement during the
COVID-19 pandemic and will identify
and incorporate appropriate changes
into the FY 2024-2027 NECI template
documents so that NECI goals can be
achieved - to the extent practicable -
in the event of a global pandemic or
other challenge, such as a long
duration natural disaster. Status: On
track
3/29/2024
The EPA Is Not on Track to Reach Its
National Compliance Initiative Goals
to Stop Aftennarket Defeat Devices
and Tampered Vehicles
23-E-0006
1/25/2023
3. In collaboration with EPA regions,
revise and reissue the strategic plan for
the Stopping Aftennarket Defeat
Devices for Vehicles and Engines
National Compliance Initiative. In
addition, ensure the strategic plan
includes quantifiable deliverables that
are linked to known compliance rate
baselines that promote the
success of the initiative, as well as a
mechanism to acquire and implement
post-training feedback from regions
and states.
OECA will compare the pounds of
pollution prevented in each year of the
NECI against the number from the
preceding fiscal year. Status: On track
11/29/2024
1302
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OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
The EPA Is Not on Track to Reach Its
National Compliance Initiative Goals
to Stop Aftennarket Defeat Devices
and Tampered Vehicles
23-E-0006
1/25/2023
5. Use the OIG's state questionnaire
results, as well as feedback from
regions and states, to identify and
implement a strategy to overcome
barriers and incentivize voluntary
complementary work by the states to
stop aftennarket defeat devices and
tampering.
5.c. OECA will provide the Office of
Transportation and Air Quality
(OTAQ) with the end-of-year
enforcement data for this NECI and
will encourage OTAQ to update their
emission models to account for
tampering. Status: On track.
11/29/2024
The EPA Needs to Improve the
Transparency of Its Cancer Assessment
Process for Pesticides
22-E-0053
7/20/2022
1. Issue guidance on when and how to
conduct the kinetically derived
maximum dose approach in cancer
risk assessments for pesticides.
The Office of Chemical Safety and
Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) will
update the Office of Pesticide
Programs public website to state that
EPA will rely upon the kinetic
guidance currently being developed by
the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on
Pesticide Residues (JMPR) as EPA's
guidance on when and how to apply
the kinetically derived maximum dose
approach in cancer risk assessments for
pesticides. Status: On track.
6/30/2024
The EPA Needs to Improve the
Transparency of Its Cancer Assessment
Process for Pesticides
22-E-0053
7/20/2022
9. Issue specific criteria requiring
external peer review of Office of
Pesticide Programs' risk assessments
that use scientifically or technically
novel approaches or that are likely to
have precedent setting influence on
future risk assessments, in accordance
with the Office of Management and
Budget's Final Information Quality
Bulletin for Peer Review.
OCSPP will develop a Standard
Operating Procedure to determine
when an external peer review is
required for assessments using
scientifically or technically novel
approaches or likely to have precedent-
setting influence. This guidance will be
used to ensure consistency in the
external peer review process across
OSCPP. Status: On track.
6/30/2024
1303
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OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Additional Internal Controls Would
Improve the EPA's System for
Electronic Disclosure of
Enviromnental Violations
22-E-0051
6/30/2022
1. Develop national guidance that
includes a process for screening
eDisclosure submissions for
significant concerns, such as criminal
conduct and potential imminent
hazards.
The Agency will develop national
guidance that includes a process for
screening eDisclosure submissions for
significant concerns, such as criminal
conduct and potential imminent
hazards. Status: On track.
3/29/2024
Additional Internal Controls Would
Improve the EPA's System for
Electronic Disclosure of
Enviromnental Violations
22-E-0051
6/30/2022
3. Develop performance measures for
the eDisclosure system and a
monitoring plan to track its
effectiveness.
The Agency will develop performance
measures for the eDisclosure system
and a monitoring plan to track its
effectiveness. Status: On track.
3/29/2024
Additional Internal Controls Would
Improve the EPA's System for
Electronic Disclosure of
Enviromnental Violations
22-E-0051
6/30/2022
4. In coordination with EPA regions,
assess eDisclosure system functionality
to identify and implement
improvements.
The Agency will assess eDisclosure
system functionality to identify
potential updates to the eDisclosure
system and will seek to implement
improvements, including potential
updates to the eDisclosure system,
dependent upon available resources
Status: On track.
3/29/2024
The EPA Continues to Fail to Meet
Inspection Requirements for
Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage,
and Disposal Facilities
22-E-0047
6/8/2022
1. As previously recommended in our
2016 report, we again recommend that
the assistant administrator for
Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance: 1. Implement management
controls to complete the required
treatment, storage, and disposal facility
inspections.
OECA will work with the regions to
monitor TSDF inspection frequency,
develop and implement a plan to
identify TSDFs not yet inspected near
the end of the required inspection
cycle, and conduct inspections to the
extent possible within the compliance
period or the following fiscal year.
Status: Delayed to due implementation
complexity.
3/29/2024
1304
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OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Brownfields Program-Income
Monitoring Deficiencies Persist
Because the EPA Did Not Complete
All Certified Corrective Actions
22-P-0033
3/31/2022
1. Develop a policy and implement
procedures to reduce the balances of
available program income and
establish a time frame for recipients to
use or return the funds to the EPA.
The EPA will work to maximize the
number of older closeout agreements
with consistent national closeout terms
and conditions, as their workload
allows. The Office of Brownfields and
Land Revitalization (OBLR) will
request that the regions attempt initial
contact with Revolving Land Fund
recipients of older closeout agreements
who do not have an open Revolving
Land Fund grant by the provided
completion date in order to begin the
renegotiation process. However, EPA
cannot unilaterally modify older
closeout agreements and will need to
work with these recipients on bilateral
agreements to incorporate the FY 2022
closeout agreements.
Status: On track.
9/30/2027
1305
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OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Brownfields Program-Income
Monitoring Deficiencies Persist
Because the EPA Did Not Complete
All Certified Corrective Actions
22-P-0033
3/31/2022
5. Expand existing guidance to include
a deadline for post-closeout annual
report submission.
This action has been completed for
closeout agreements executed after
June 2021. For Revolving Land Fund
recipients of older closeout
agreements, OBLR will request that the
regions attempt initial contact by the
provided completion date to begin the
renegotiation process. However, EPA
cannot unilaterally modify older
closeout agreements and will need to
work with these recipients on bilateral
agreements to incorporate the FY 2022
Closeout Agreement. Status: On track.
9/30/2027
Brownfields Program-Income
Monitoring Deficiencies Persist
Because the EPA Did Not Complete
All Certified Corrective Actions
22-P-0033
3/31/2022
6. Assess whether any of the $46.6
million of program income under
closeout agreements should be returned
to the government.
Since the FY 2022 Closeout
Agreement Template requires that
post-closeout reports be submitted by
October 31st with program income
balances reported as of September
30th POs will begin conducting
annual reviews of post closeout
program income every November for
Revolving Land Fund grants in post-
closeout status with this closeout
agreement requirement. For those who
do not have this closeout agreement
requirement, project officers will
review post closeout program income
information every November as it
becomes available. Status: On track.
9/30/2024
1306
-------
OIG Report Report Issue
OIG Report Title Number Date OIG Recommendation EPA Corrective Action and Status Target
Overdue Residual Risk and
Technology Reviews
22-E-0026
3/30/2022
2. Develop and implement a strategy
to conduct (a) residual risk and
technology reviews and recurring
technology reviews by the applicable
statutory deadlines and (b) any
overdue residual risk and technology
reviews and recurring technology
reviews in as timely a manner as
practicable. The strategy should take
into account the Agency's
environmental justice responsibilities
under Executive Order 12898 and
other applicable EPA and executive
branch policies, procedures, and
directives.
The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR)
will develop and implement a strategy to
timely meet statutory deadlines for RTRs
and TRs and complete all overdue RTRs
and TRs. OAR fully supports developing
a strategy that integrates the high-level
analysis with the Administration's
priorities, legal deadlines (e.g., court
ordered deadlines, settlement
agreements), risk prioritization, and
other factors in an effort to protect
human health and the enviromnent. We
anticipate much of the strategy
development would be reliant on the
high-level analysis (e.g., assessment of
current operations, prediction of future
operations, and evaluation of impact of
organizational change based on
experience and historical data). Status:
On track.
3/31/2024
EPA's Fiscal Years 2021 and 2020
(Restated) Consolidated Financial
Statements
22-F-0007
11/15/2021
5. Implement a system that tracks the
dates when accounts receivable
source documents need to be
submitted and are submitted by the
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance to the
Cincinnati Finance Center.
Implement a system that tracks the dates
when accounts receivable source
documents need to be submitted and are
submitted by the Office of Enforcement
and
Compliance Assurance to the Cincinnati
Finance Center. Status: Delayed due to
external dependencies including other
EPA offices.
11/30/2024
1307
-------
OIG Report Report Issue
OIG Report Title Number Date OIG Recommendation EPA Corrective Action and Status Target
EPA's Fiscal Year 2020 Fourth-Quarter
Compliance with the Digital
Accountability and Transparency Act
of 2014
22-P-0001
11/8/2021
3. Update EPA's grants management
system to align with the DATA Act
data standards, including all parts of
data elements reported therein and to
allow input only of the acceptable
values outlined for each data element
in DATA Act Information Model
Schema, Reporting Submission
Specification.
OMS-OGD will update Next Generation
Grants System to align with the DATA
Act data standards including all parts of
data elements reported therein and allow
input only of the acceptable values
outlined for each data element in DATA
Act Information Model Schema,
Reporting Submission Specification.
Status: Delayed due to implementation
complexity
4/30/2024
EPA Needs an Agency wide Strategic
Action Plan to Address Harmful Algal
Blooms
21-E-0264
9/29/2021
4. Assess and evaluate the available
information on human health risks
from exposure to cyanotoxins in
drinking water and recreational
waters to determine whether actions
under the Safe Drinking Water Act
are warranted.
EPA will continue evaluating the risks to
human health from exposure to
cyanotoxins and will develop Health
Effects Support Documents (HESDs) for
new toxins (e.g., saxitoxins and
nodularin). EPA intends to develop
health advisories and recreational criteria
for these toxins when sufficient health
data are available. EPA will re-evaluate
the human health risks to previously
evaluated toxins as new toxicological
exposure studies and systematic reviews
of peer-reviewed scientific literature are
completed. EPA will determine whether
additional regulatory or nonregulatory
actions are appropriate under the Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA), using the
above health effects information.
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Rule 4 and other cyanotoxins occurrence
data, and additional information. Status:
On track.
12/31/2025
1308
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
1. Issue Tier 1 test orders for each List
2 chemical or publish an explanation
for public comment on why Tier 1 data
are no longer needed to characterize a
List 2 chemical's endocrine-disruption
activity.
OCSPP, with input from the Office of
Research and Development and the
Office of Water will publish for
comment a List 2 Action Plan, which
may include a combination of test
orders, explanations as to why test
orders are not needed, or a
reprioritization of the order of
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program (EDSP) evaluations.
Following notice and comment,
OCSPP will initiate the process to
issue test orders for List 2 substances,
as appropriate. Status: On track.
9/30/2025
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
2. Determine whether the EPA should
incorporate the Endocrine Disruptor
Screening Program Tier 1 tests (or
approved new approach
methodologies) into the pesticide
registration process as mandatory data
requirements under 40 C.F.R. § 158 for
all pesticide use patterns.
OCSPP will make a determination on
the inclusion of the EDSP Tier 1 tests
into the pesticide registration process
as mandatory data requirement under
40 C.F.R. part 158 for all pesticide use
patterns.
Status: On track.
9/30/2024
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
3. Issue List 1-Tier 2 test orders for the
18 pesticides in which additional Tier 2
testing was recommended or publish
an explanation for public comment on
why this Tier 2 data are no longer
needed to characterize the endocrine-
disruption activity for each of these 18
pesticides.
OCSPP will make a determination on
the need for List 1-Tier 2 data. OCSPP
also will provide an explanation,
which will be published for public
comment, for any of the 18 pesticides
for which it is determined that Tier 2
data is no longer needed. Following
publication and comment, OCSPP will
initiate the process to issue any Tier 2
test orders for List 1 determined to be
needed. Status: On track.
9/30/2024
1309
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
4. Issue for public review and
comment both the Enviromnental Fate
and Effects Division's approach for the
reevaluation of List 1-Tier 1 data and
the revised List 1-Tier 2 wildlife
recommendations.
OCSPP will issue for public review
and comment any reevaluation of List
1-Tier 1 data and any revisions to the
List 1-Tier 2 wildlife
recommendations. Status: Delayed due
to implementation complexity.
12/31/2025
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
6. Develop performance measures,
with reasonable time frames, to
document progress toward and
achievement of milestones or targets.
Specifically, the Endocrine Disruptor
Screening Program should consider at
least one performance measure that
tracks progress in testing pesticides for
human endocrine disruptor activity.
OCSPP will develop short-term
performance measures, such as
scientific publications, number/type of
accepted new approach methods, and
exemptions granted. Short-term
performance measures will be
developed and tracked. OCSPP will
develop longer-term performance
measures, including at least one
measure to track progress in testing
pesticides for human endocrine
disruptor activity. Long-term
performance measures including at
least one that tracks progress in the
evaluation and testing of pesticides for
human endocrine disruptor activity
will be developed and tracked by
October 1, 2024. Status:
On track.
10/1/2024
1310
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA's Implementation of the
Endocrine Disruption Screening
Program
21-E-0186
7/28/2021
7. Conduct annual internal program
reviews of the Endocrine Disruptor
Screening Program.
OCSPP will conduct the first annual
internal program review of the EDSP
and provide a briefing and report out to
the OCSPP Assistant Administrator on
EDSP progress, especially as it relates
to the Corrective Actions in this Report
and progress developing the EDSP
Strategic Plan. Status:
Delayed due to leadership change.
3/31/2024
EPA Oversight of Synthetic Minor
Sources
21-P-0175
7/8/2021
1. Update Agency guidance on
practical enforceability to more clearly
describe how the technical accuracy of
a permit limit should be supported and
documented. In updating such
guidance, the Office of Air and
Radiation should consult and
collaborate with the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance, the Office of General
Counsel, and the EPA regions.
OAR will update Agency guidance on
the practical enforceability of
limitations, including but not limited
to EPA's June 13, 1989, Guidance on
Limiting Potential to Emit in New
Source Permitting, to describe how the
technical accuracy of a permit limit
should be supported and documented.
Specifically, the updated guidance will
address the practical enforceability of
limitations on potential to emit. In
updating our guidance, we will consult
and collaborate with the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance, the Office of General
Counsel, and the EPA regions. Status:
Delayed due to implementation
complexity.
10/31/2024
1311
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Oversight of Synthetic Minor
Sources
21-P-0175
7/8/2021
2. In consultation with the EPA
regions, develop and implement an
oversight plan to include:
An initial review of a sample of
synthetic-minor-source permits in
different industries that are issued by
state, local, and tribal agencies to
assess whether the permits adhere to
EPA guidance on practical
enforceability, including limits that are
technically accurate; have appropriate
time periods; and include sufficient
monitoring, recordkeeping, and
reporting requirements.
A periodic review of a sample of
synthetic-minor-source permits to
occur, at a minimum, once every five
years.
Procedures to resolve any permitting
deficiencies identified during the
initial and periodic reviews.
In consultation with EPA Regional
offices, OAR will develop and
implement an oversight plan in
accordance with current statutory and
EPA regulatory requirements and, as
appropriate, including the specific
elements identified. Status:
On track.
10/31/2024
1312
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Oversight of Synthetic Minor
Sources
21-P-0175
7/8/2021
3. Assess recent EPA studies of
enclosed combustion device
performance and compliance
monitoring and other relevant
information during the next
statutorily required review of 40 C.F.R
Part 60 Subparts OOOO and 0000a
to determine whether revisions are
needed to monitor, recordkeeping and
reporting requirements for enclosed
combustion devices to assure
continuous compliance with associated
limits and revise the regulatory
requirements as appropriate.
OAR will assess EPA studies of
enclosed combustion device
performance and compliance
monitoring and other relevant
information during the next statutorily
required review of 40 C.F.R part 60
subparts 0000 and 0000a and
determine whether revisions are needec
to monitor, recordkeeping and
reporting requirements for enclosed
combustion devices to assure
continuous compliance with associated
limits and revise the regulatory
requirements as appropriate. Status: On
track.
12/31/2024
EPA Oversight of Synthetic Minor
Sources
21-P-0175
7/8/2021
4. Revise the Agency's guidance to
communicate its key expectations for
synthetic-minor-source permitting to
state and local agencies.
The agency will revise its guidance to
communicate its key expectations for
synthetic-minor-source permitting to
state and local agencies. This will
include an expectation that synthetic
minor permit terms and conditions
ensure that the potential to emit of the
source is less than the applicable major
source threshold by meeting legal and
practical enforceability criteria. Our
work related to this recommendation
may, at least in part, be integrated with
the updated guidance on practical
enforceability in response to OIG
Recommendation 1. Status: On track.
10/31/2024
1313
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Oversight of Synthetic Minor
Sources
21-P-0175
7/8/2021
5. Identify all state, local, and tribal
agencies in which Clean Air Act
permit program implementation fails
to adhere to the public participation
requirements for synthetic-minor
source permit issuance and take
appropriate steps to assure the
identified states adhere to the public
participation requirements.
With EPA Regional office support,
OAR will identify state, local and
tribal agencies whose program
regulations, including but not limited
to minor new source review and
federally enforceable state operating
permit program regulations and
corresponding practices, do not meet
the public participation requirements
contained in the applicable EPA
regulations, e.g., 40 CFR 51.161, and
guidance with respect to synthetic
minor source permitting. For the
identified agencies, OAR will take
appropriate corrective steps, which
may include constructive, informal
engagement. Status: Delayed due to
implementation complexity.
10/31/2024
EPA Deviated from Typical
Procedures in its 2018 Dicamba
Pesticide Registration Decision
21-E-0146
5/24/2021
3. Annually conduct and document
training for all staff and senior
managers and policy makers to affirm
the office's commitment to the
Scientific Integrity Policy and
principles and to promote a culture of
scientific integrity
Complete the fifth annual Scientific
integrity training by March 31, 2026.
Status: On track.
3/31/2026
Resource Constraints, Leadership
Decisions, and Workforce Culture Led
to a Decline in Federal Enforcement
21-P-0132
5/13/2021
2. Integrate the results of the workforce
analysis into the Office of Enforcement
and Compliance Assurance's annual
and strategic planning processes.
The OECA-wide succession
management plan will include all
components required by the Agency.
4/1/2024
1314
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Staffing Constraints, Safety and
Health Concerns at EPA's National
Enforcement Investigations Center
May Compromise Ability to Achieve
Mission
21-P-0131
5/12/2021
9. Develop and incorporate metrics on
the National Enforcement
Investigations Center work
environment and culture into Office of
Criminal Enforcement, Forensics, and
Training senior management
performance standards, such as results
from the annual Federal Employee
Viewpoint Survey, periodic culture
audits, or other methods to measure
progress.
Measuring this baseline and subsequem
quarterly data will continue until the
completion of the organizational
assessment that will evaluate the
veracity of actual issues or concerns
while also determining root causes of
any concerns
identified. Once that data is available,
the Office of Criminal Enforcement,
Forensics, and Training will evaluate
appropriate measures and/or next steps.
Status: On track.
6/28/2024
Staffing Constraints, Safety and
Health Concerns at EPA's National
Enforcement Investigations Center
May Compromise Ability to Achieve
Mission
21-P-0131
5/12/2021
10. Develop and incorporate metrics
that address work enviromnent and
culture into National Enforcement
Investigations Center senior
management performance standards.
Measuring this baseline and subsequem
quarterly data will continue until the
completion of the organizational
assessment that will evaluate the
veracity of actual issues or concerns
while also determining root causes of
any concerns identified. Once that data
is available, the Office of Criminal
Enforcement, Forensics, and Training
will evaluate appropriate measures
and/or next steps. Status: On track.
6/28/2024
1315
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Helps States Reduce Trash,
Including Plastic, in U.S. Waterways
but Needs to Identify Obstacles and
Develop Strategies for Further
Progress
21-P-0130
5/11/2021
1. Evaluate the obstacles to
implementing the Clean Water Act to
control trash in U.S. waterways and
provide a public report describing
those obstacles.
To evaluate the obstacles to
implementing the Clean Water Act to
control trash in U.S. waterways, EPA
will engage in discussion with states,
and will address this recommendation
through the development of the "water
management" component of the
Federal Strategy required under
Section 301 of Save Our Seas 2.0. This
Strategy will be a public document
addressing both the waste and water
components related to plastic pollution
and will evaluate the requirements and
hurdles posed by the Clean Water Act,
as well as other regulatory
requirements and nonregulatory
actions. Status: Delayed due to
implementation complexity.
4/22/2024
EPA Should Conduct New Residual
Risk and Technology Reviews for
Chloroprene- and Ethylene Oxide
Emitting Source Categories to Protect
Human Health
21-P-0129
5/6/2021
2. Conduct new residual risk reviews
for Group I polymers and resins that
cover neoprene production, synthetic
organic chemical manufacturing
industry, poly ether polyols production,
commercial sterilizers, and hospital
sterilizers using the new risk values for
chloroprene and ethylene oxide and
revise the corresponding National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants, as needed.
OAR commits to conduct appropriate
reviews to ensure that the standards for
neoprene production, synthetic organic
chemical manufacturing industry,
polyether polyols production, and
commercial sterilizers continue to
provide an ample margin of safety to
protect public health and that the
standards for hospital sterilizers
provide an ample margin of safety to
protect public health. Status: On track.
9/30/2024
1316
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Should Conduct New Residual
Risk and Technology Reviews for
Chloroprene- and Ethylene Oxide
Emitting Source Categories to Protect
Human Health
21-P-0129
5/6/2021
3. Revise National Emission Standards
for Hazardous Air Pollutants for
chemical manufacturing area sources to
regulate ethylene oxide and conduct a
residual risk review to ensure that the
public is not exposed to unacceptable
risks.
Teclinology-based standards for
ethylene oxide have not yet been
established for the Chemical
Manufacturing Area Sources source
category. Therefore, we plan to first
evaluate ethylene oxide emissions from
the source category, and if ethylene
oxide emissions present a public health
concern (i.e., by considering risk
information), we will regulate ethylene
oxide in the Chemical Manufacturing
Area Sources rule. Regulation would
involve the establishment of
teclinology-based ethylene oxide
standards pursuant to either Clean Air
Act section 112(d)(5) standards or
sections 112(d)(2) and 112(d)(3)
standards. Within four years of
promulgation, EPA would assess the
risks from ethylene oxide emissions
from Chemical Manufacturing Area
Sources to inform us on whether an
earlier review date is appropriate.
Status: On track.
9/30/2028
1317
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Should Conduct New Residual
Risk and Technology Reviews for
Chloroprene- and Ethylene Oxide
Emitting Source Categories to Protect
Human Health
21-P-0129
5/6/2021
4. Conduct overdue technology reviews
for Group I polymers and resins that cover
neoprene production, synthetic organic
chemical manufacturing industry,
commercial sterilizers, hospital sterilizers,
and chemical manufacturing area sources,
which are required to be completed at least
every eight years by the Clean Air Act.
OAR plans to conduct overdue
technology reviews for commercial
sterilizers, hospital sterilizers. Group I
polymers and resins, synthetic organic
chemical manufacturing, and chemical
plant area sources. Status:
On track.
9/30/2024
Improved Review Processes Could
Advance EPA Regions 3 and 5
Oversight of State-Issued National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System permits.
21-P-0122
4/21/2021
2. Review the modified National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System mining
permits issued by West Virginia based on
the 2019 revisions to its National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System program to
determine whether the permits contain
effluent limits for ionic pollution and other
pollutants that are or may be discharged at
a level that causes, has the reasonable
potential to cause, or contributes to an
excursion above any applicable water
quality standard, as required by Clean
Water Act regulations. If a permit lacks
required effluent limits, take appropriate
action to address such deficiencies.
Develop scope of work for the project.
Review data generated from permits
with conditions applied as a result of
the guidance to determine permits'
impact on water quality and whether
the assumptions underlying that
guidance are supported. Where the
data shows implementation of
guidance is not effective in protecting
water quality, provide
recommendations to WVDEP and
work with WVDEP to modify
guidance as appropriate. Using
information from data and process
analysis, we will take this information
into account as we review draft permits
that apply WVDEP guidance and
provide comment as appropriate.
Status: On track.
1/31/2025
1318
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Improved Review Processes Could
Advance EPA Regions 3 and 5
Oversight of State-Issued National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System Permits.
21-P-0122
4/21/2021
4. Review and provide written input on
any National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System permit prepared for
reissuance by the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency for the PolyMet Mining
Inc. NorthMet project, if applicable, as
appropriate pursuant to the requirements
of the Clean Water Act, National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System regulations,
the Region 5 National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System permit review
standard operating procedure, and the
memorandum of agreement between EPA
Region 5 and the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency.
The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency has not transmitted the
PolyMet National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System permit to EPA for
review, so the status of the
recommendation remains unchanged.
Status: Delayed due to implementation
complexity.
11/30/2024
EPA Does Not Consistently Monitor
Hazardous Waste Units Closed with
Waste in Place or Track and Report on
Facilities That Fall Under the Two
Responsible Programs
21-P-0114
3/29/2021
2. Establish mechanisms to ensure that all
required inspections are completed within
the required time frame of two years for
operating treatment, storage, or disposal
facilities and three years for nonoperating
treatment, storage, or disposal facilities.
Work with the regions to develop and
implement a plan to use the
RCRAInfo Closed with Waste in Place
Report for monitoring the inspection
status of operating treatment, storage,
and disposal facilities (TSDFs) with
units closed with waste in place. At
TSDFs for which required inspections
have not been completed
and are near the end of their
compliance period, conduct inspections
to the extent possible within the
compliance period, or the following
fiscal year. Status: On track.
3/29/2024
1319
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
2. Provide resources for supervisors,
timekeepers, and reservists on their
roles and responsibilities related to
military leave under the law and
Agency policies.
The OMS will update policy and
finalize procedures to comply with
statutory requirements, and OCFO will
provide PeoplePlus training to support
roles and responsibilities related to
military leave and pay policy. Status:
Delayed due to external dependencies.
10/15/2024
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
3. Establish and implement internal
controls that will allow the Agency to
monitor compliance with applicable
laws, federal guidance, and Agency
policies, including periodic internal
audits of all military leave, to verify
that (a) charges by reservists are
correct and supported and (b)
appropriate reservist differential and
military offset payroll audit
calculations are being requested and
performed.
The OMS will conduct periodic human
capital audits to ensure compliance
with the updated military leave policy,
and the OCFO will work with the
Interior Business Center, the EPA's
payroll provider, to ensure the
necessary timecard corrections
identified by the OMS periodic audit
were made by the employee and
approved by the supervisor in
accordance with agency policy. The
OCFO will provide a report to the
OMS confirming timecard corrections
identified by the OMS periodic audit
were made by the employee and
approved by the supervisor for the
OMS to distribute to the appropriate
offices. Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
10/1/2024
1320
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
4. Require reservists to correct, and
supervisors to approve, military leave
time charging errors in PeoplePlus that
have been identified during the audit or
as part of the Agency's actions related
to Recommendations 5 and 6.
The OCFO will work with the
Agency's payroll provider to confirm
the necessary time charging errors
identified in the audit were corrected
by the employee and approved by the
supervisor; and the OCFO will then
provide a report to the OMS
confirming the necessary time
charging errors identified in the audit
were corrected by the employee and
approved by the supervisor for the
OMS to distribute to the appropriate
offices. Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
9/30/2026
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
5. Recover the approximately $11,000
in military pay related to unsupported
5 U.S.C. § 6323(a) military leave
chaiges, unless the Agency can obtain
documentation to substantiate the
validity of the reservists' military
leave.
For any unsupported leave charges, the
OMS will coordinate with the Interior
Business Center (IBC), the Agency's
payroll provider, to initiate the process
to recover the military pay, and where
applicable, the OCFO will recover any
unsupported leave charges for out-of-
service debt. Status: Delayed due to
external dependencies.
8/31/2026
1321
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
6. Submit documentation for the
reservists' military leave related to the
approximately $118,000 charged
under 5 U.S.C. § 6323(b) to the EPA's
payroll provider so that it may perform
payroll audit calculations and recover
any military offsets that may be due.
The OMS will work with the EPA's
programs and regions to collect
documentation related to the identified
military leave charges. For any
unsupported leave charges, the OMS
will coordinate with the IBC to initiate
the process to recover any military
offsets. The OCFO will recover any
unsupported leave charges for out-of-
service debt. Status: Delayed due to
external dependencies.
8/31/2026
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
7. Identify the population of reservists
who took unpaid military leave
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 5538 and
determine whether those reservists are
entitled to receive a reservist
differential. Based on the results of
this determination, take appropriate
steps to request that the EPA's payroll
provider perform payroll audit
calculations to identify and pay the
amounts that may be due to reservists.
The OCFO will provide the OMS with
the population of reservists charging
military leave. The OMS will conduct
a review of this population to
determine which items need to be
provided to the IBC for audit
calculation of whether military offsets
were paid accurately. For amounts due
to reservists who are no longer EPA
employees, the OCFO will coordinate
with the IBC on the amounts due.
Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
12/31/2026
1322
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
8. For the time periods outside of the
scope of our audit (pre-January 2017
and post-June 2019), identify the
population of reservists who charged
military leave under 5 U.S.C. §
6323(b) or 6323(c), and determine
whether military offset was paid by
the reservists. If not, review reservists'
military documentation to determine
whether payroll audit calculations are
required. If required, request that the
EPA's payroll provider perform payroll
audit calculations to identify and
recover military offsets that may be
due from the reservists under 5 U.S.C.
§§ 6323 and 5519.
The OCFO will provide the OMS with
the population of reservists charging
military leave. The OMS will conduct
a review of this population to
determine which items need to be
provided to the IBC for audit
calculation of whether military offsets
were paid accurately. For any
unsupported leave charges, the OMS
will coordinate with the IBC to initiate
the process to recover any military
offsets. The OCFO will recover any
unsupported leave charges for out-of
service debt. Status: Delayed due to
external dependencies.
2/28/2027
EPA Needs to Substantially Improve
Oversight of Its Military Leave
Processes to Prevent Improper
Payments
21-P-0042
12/28/2020
9. Report all amounts of improper
payments resulting from paid military
leave for inclusion in the annual
Agency Financial Report, as required
by the Payment Integrity Information
Act of 2019.
The OCFO will report any paid
military leave amounts identified as an
improper payment(s) within the
annual Agency Financial Report for
the applicable fiscal year; and the
OCFO also will perform an internal
control review on military leave pay
during the FY 2021 A-123 Internal
Review period and report any
identified improper payment amounts
in the FY 2021 Annual Financial
Report. Status: Delayed due to
external dependencies.
12/1/2025
1323
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Region 2's Hurricanes Inna and Maria
Response Efforts in Puerto Rico and
U.S. Virgin Islands Show the Need for
Improved Planning, Communications,
and Assistance for Small Drinking
Water Systems
21-P-0032
12/3/2020
3. In coordination with the Office of
Water, implement America's Water
Infrastructure Act in Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands by:
a. Developing and
implementing a strategy to provide
training, guidance, and assistance to
small drinking water systems as they
improve their resilience.
b. Establishing a process for
small drinking water systems to apply
for America's Water Infrastructure Act
grants. This process should include (1)
implementing the EPA's May 2020
guidance provided to small drinking
water systems regarding resilience
assessments and (2) establishing a
public information campaign to inform
small drinking water systems of the
America's Water Infrastructure Act
grant opportunity, qualifying
requirements, and application
deadlines.
EPA Office of Water will be promoting
and conducting a series of America's
Water Infrastructure Act section 2013
virtual workshops aimed at systems
serving 3,301- 49,999 people,
including a workshop focused on
Region 2 water systems, to include
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Small water systems and technical
assistance providers in Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands are welcome to
attend these workshops to assist them
in developing risk and resilience
assessments and emergency response
plans. EPA plans to publish guidance
for systems serving less than 3,300
people. EPA also plans to publish a
Spanish version of this guidance to
make it more accessible to small
systems and technical assistance
providers in Puerto Rico. Status:
Delayed due to external dependencies.
6/30/2024
EPA's External Civil Rights
Compliance
Office's Response to Title VI Air
Complaints
20-E-0333
9/28/2020
1. Develop and implement a plan to
coordinate relevant agency program,
regional, and administrative offices
with the External Civil Rights
Compliance Office to develop
guidance on permitting and cumulative
impacts related to Title VI.
The External Civil Rights Compliance
Office (ECRCO) will issue guidance to
clarify the Agency's interpretations of
legal requirements and expectations to
stakeholders. Status: Delayed due to
staffing constraints.
10/1/2024
1324
-------
OIG Report Report Issue
OIG Report Title Number Date OIG Recommendation EPA Corrective Action and Status Target
EPA's External Civil Rights
Compliance
Office's Response to Title VI Air
Complaints
20-E-0333
9/28/2020
5. Determine how to use existing
or new data to identify and target
funding recipients for proactive
compliance reviews, and develop
or update policy, guidance, and
standard operating procedures for
collecting and using those data.
ECRCO will be determining how to use
data to identify and target funding
recipients for proactive compliance
reviews, as discussed in response to
Recommendation 2, and, also, will develop
or update policy, guidance, and SOPs, as
appropriate, for the collection and use of
data by recipients. ERCO will develop and
release Foundational nondiscrimination
Program Guidance, which includes section
on data collection and reporting; release
technical assistance video, and release data
analytics guidance. Status: Delayed due to
staffing constraints.
10/1/2024
EPA's External Civil Rights
Compliance
Office's Response to Title VI Air
Complaints
20-E-0333
9/28/2020
6. Develop and deliver training
for the deputy civil rights officials
and EPA regional staff that
focuses on their respective roles
and
responsibilities within the EPA's
Title VI program.
ECRCO will provide training to all EPA
staff involved in the form review process
and will release a technical assistance
video. ECRCO will provide additional
training courses to EPA staff on civil rights
topics and issues on a regular basis. For
example, in addition to training in FY22 on
the Form review process, ECRCO will
offer training in FY23 as ECRCO issues
guidance and works with national media
programs and regional offices to ensure
Title VI compliance is integrated into
agency-wide oversight activities. Status:
Delayed due to staffing constraints.
3/31/2024
1325
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Further Efforts Needed to Uphold
Scientific Integrity Policy at EPA
20-P-0173
5/20/2020
6. In coordination with the assistant
administrator for Mission Support,
complete the development and
implementation of the electronic
clearance system for scientific products
across the Agency.
OMS, ORD Office of Scientific
Information Management (OSIM), and
the Scientific Integrity Committee will
coordinate to complete modification
and Agency-wide implementation of
ORD's Scientific & Technical
Information Clearance System to an
agency-wide electronic clearance
system for scientific products across
the Agency. The system will be
consistent with the Scientific Integrity
Policy and our Best Practices
document and with the Agency's Plan
to Increase Access to the Results of
EPA-Funded Scientific Research.
Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
6/30/2024
Further Efforts Needed to Uphold
Scientific Integrity Policy at EPA
20-P-0173
5/20/2020
7. With the assistance of the Scientific
Integrity Committee, finalize and
release the procedures for addressing
and resolving allegations of a violation
of the Scientific Integrity Policy, and
incorporate the procedures into
scientific integrity outreach and
training materials.
The Agency will release the
Procedures document. It will be posted
on the Agency's website. The Scientific
Integrity Program will create and
release appropriate outreach materials
to ensure EPA employees and their
managers understand these procedures.
Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
6/30/2024
1326
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Further Efforts Needed to Uphold
Scientific Integrity Policy at EPA
20-P-0173
5/20/2020
8. With the assistance of the Scientific
Integrity Committee, develop and
implement a process specifically to
address and resolve allegations of
Scientific Integrity Policy violations
involving high-profile issues or senior
officials, and specify when this process
should be used.
EPA will amend the procedures
document referenced in
recommendation 7, to include a process
to adjudicate allegations of Scientific
Integrity Policy violations involving
high-profile issues or senior officials in
the Agency for which the Scientific
Integrity Official or Scientific Integrity
Committee does not feel it can
adequately adjudicate via existing
procedures and include an indicator for
when the process should be used.
Status: Delayed due to external
dependencies.
6/30/2024
1327
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA's Processing Times for New
Source Air Permits in Indian Country
Have Improved, but Many Still Exceed
Regulatory Time Frames
20-P-0146
4/22/2020
1. Implement a system that is
accessible to both the EPA and the
applicants to track the processing of all
tribal-New-Source-Review permits
and key permit dates including
application received, application
completed, draft permit issued, public
comment period (if applicable), and
final permit issuance.
OAR's Office of Air Quality Planning
and Standards has already begun work
on the Electronic Permit System (EPS),
which will include a module to receive
and process applications for the EPA-
issued tribal new source review
permits. Specifically, this module will
allow sources to submit electronic
applications for tribal minor NSR
permits and then allow the EPA staff to
process those applications in EPS. The
system will allow the EPA staff to
update the status of the application and
permit to reflect when the application
is complete, the draft permit is issued,
the beginning and ending of the public
comment period, and the issuance of
the final permit and response to public
comments document. Status: Delayed
due to resource constraints.
9/30/2024
EPA's Processing Times for New
Source Air Permits in Indian Country
Have Improved, but Many Still Exceed
Regulatory Time Frames
20-P-0146
4/22/2020
2. Establish and implement an
oversight process to verify that the
regions update the permit tracking
system on a periodic basis with the
correct and required information.
Upon completion of the EPS, the
Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards will work with the regional
offices to establish an oversight process
to ensure complete, consistent, and
timely entry of data into the EPS.
Status: Delayed due to resource
constraints.
9/30/2024
1328
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Effectively Screens Air Emissions
Data from Continuous Monitoring
Systems but Could Enhance
Verification of System Performance
19-P-0207
6/27/2019
1. Develop and implement electronic
checks in the EPA's Emissions
Collection and Monitoring Plan
System or through an alternative
mechanism to retroactively evaluate
emissions and quality assurance data in
instances where monitoring plan
changes are submitted after the
emissions and quality assurance data
have already been accepted by the
EPA.
The Clean Air Markets Division
(CAMD) has implemented a post
submission data check that is run at the
end of each reporting period. In the
long term, the CAMD will implement
an additional check in the Emissions
Collection and Monitoring Plan
(ECMPS) forcing retroactive span
record changes to require the
reevaluation and resubmission of any
affected quality assurance tests and
hourly emissions records. CAMD has
initiated the process of reengineering
ECMPS. In order to minimize
additional expenditures on the current
version of ECMPS, CAMD will focus
on adding the check to the new version
of ECMPS. Status: On track.
3/31/2025
Pesticide Registration Fee,
Vulnerability Mitigation and Database
Security Controls for EPA's FIFRA and
PRIA Systems Need Improvement
19-P-0195
6/21/2019
2. Complete the actions and
milestones identified in the Office of
Pesticide Programs' PRIA
Maintenance Fee Risk Assessment
document and associated plan
regarding the fee payment and refund
posting processes.
OCSPP's Office of Pesticide Programs
will complete the actions and
milestones identified in the Office of
Pesticide Programs' Pesticide
Registration Improvement Act
Maintenance Fee Risk Assessment
document and associated plan
regarding the fee payment and refund
posting processes. Status: Delayed due
to external dependencies.
1/31/2024
1329
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Needs a Comprehensive Vision
and Strategy for Citizen Science that
Aligns with Its Strategic Objectives on
Public Participation
18-P-0240
9/5/2018
2. Through appropriate EPA offices,
direct completion of an assessment to
identify the data management
requirements for using citizen science
data and an action plan for addressing
those requirements, including those on
sharing and using data, data
format/standards, and data
testing/validation.
The Agency concurs with this
recommendation and will complete an
assessment and action plan to identify
and address data management
requirements for citizen science.
Status: Delayed due to implementation
complexity.
6/30/2024
EPA Needs to Evaluate the Impact of
the Revised Agricultural Worker
Protection Standard on Pesticide
Exposure Incidents
18-P-0080
2/15/2018
1. The Assistant Administrator for
Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention in coordination with the
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance, shall develop
and implement a methodology to
evaluate the impact of the revised
Agricultural Worker Protection
Standard on pesticide exposure
incidents among target populations.
OCSPP will: (1) collect and review
data related to the extent to which
agricultural workers obtain knowledge
through trainings; (2) collect and
review incident data; and (3) after
reviewing training and incident data,
analyze the need to collect additional
information to help evaluate the impact
of the revised Worker Protection
Standard. Status: Delayed due to
implementation complexity.
6/28/2024
Improved Management of the
Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund
Program Is Required to Maximize
Cleanups
17-P-0368
8/23/2017
14. Develop and implement a method
for the Office of Brownfields and Land
Revitalization to track closed
cooperative agreements with pre- and
post-program income.
OBLR will work with the regions to
develop and implement a method such
as a tool, a spreadsheet, or a database,
to track pre- and post-close out
program income until termination of
the closed out cooperative agreements
in accordance with the reporting
requirements listed under the closeout
agreement. Status: Delayed due to
implementation complexity.
9/30/2024
1330
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
Additional Measures Can Be Taken to
Prevent Deaths and Serious Injuries
From Residential Fumigations
17-P-0053
12/12/2016
3. Conduct an assessment of clearance
devices to validate their effectiveness
in detecting required clearance levels,
as part of the Office of Pesticide
Programs ongoing reevaluation of
structural fumigants. The program will
implement this corrective action in two
phases: 3a.OCSPP anticipates that
phase one will consist of revised
mitigation measures to be reflected in a
Final Interim Re-entry Mitigation
Measures Memorandum. 3b. In phase
2, OCSPP will revise sulfuryl labels.
Based on the comment content and the
time needed to review the new data, the
timeframe for responding and
publishing a revised document
outlining required sulfuryl fluoride
label changes will be delayed from
OCSPP's original plan and will likely
involve phased implementation (label
requirements) for some of the
measures. OCSPP anticipates that
revised mitigation measures will be
reflected in a Final Interim Re-entry
Mitigation Measures Memorandum to
be issued by 3/31/23. OCSPP
anticipates that the mitigation measures
will be reflected in revised and
accepted sulfuryl fluoride labels by
9/30/23. Status: Delayed due to
implementation complexity.
2/15/2024
1331
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Has Not Met Certain Statutory
Requirements to Identify
Environmental Impacts of Renewable
Fuel Standard
16-P-0275
8/18/2016
2. Complete the anti-backsliding study
on the air quality impacts of the
Renewable Fuel Standard as required
by the Energy Independence and
Security Act.
EPA has already taken a number of
steps that are important prerequisites
for the anti-backsliding study. There
are multiple intermediate research steps
that still need to be completed before
OAR can plan, fund, and conduct a
comprehensive anti-backsliding study.
These steps include development of
baseline, current, and projected
scenarios for how renewable fuels have
and might be produced, distributed,
and used to fulfill the Renewable Fuel
Standard requirements, generation of
emissions inventories, and air quality
modeling, all of which are time
consuming and resource intensive.
Status: On track.
9/30/2024
EPA Has Not Met Certain Statutory
Requirements to Identify
Enviromnental Impacts of Renewable
Fuel Standard
16-P-0275
8/18/2016
3. Determine whether additional action
is needed to mitigate any adverse air
quality impacts of the Renewable Fuel
Standard as required by the Energy
Independence and Security Act.
OAR acknowledges the statute's
requirement to determine whether
additional action is needed to mitigate
any adverse air quality impacts in
light of the anti-backsliding study.
That study, discussed in Corrective
Action 2, would need to be completed
prior to any such determination taking
place. Status: On track.
9/30/2024
1332
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA Has Not Met Statutory
Requirements for Hazardous Waste
Treatment, Storage and Disposal
Facility Inspections, but Inspection
Rates Are High
16-P-0104
3/11/2016
1. Implement management controls to
complete the required TSDF
inspections.
OECA will work with the regions to
monitor TSDF inspection frequency,
develop and implement a plan to
identify TSDFs not yet inspected near
the end of the required inspection
cycle, and conduct inspections to the
extent possible within the compliance
period or the following fiscal year.
Status: Delayed due to implementation
complexity.
3/29/2024
Internal Controls Needed to Control
Costs of Emergency and Rapid
Response Services Contracts, as
Exemplified in Region 6
14-P-0109
2/4/2014
3. Direct COs to require that the
contractor adjust all its billings to
reflect the application of the correct
rate to team subcontract ODCs.
Region 6 agrees to require the
contractor to adjust all of its past
billings to reflect the application of the
composite rate to team subcontractor
other direct costs that were arranged
for and paid for by the team-
subcontractor. We intend to implement
the corrective action when final
indirect cost rates are established.
Therefore, the contract officer will be
directed to defer past billing
adjustments until the DCAA audits the
indirect cost rates and the
EPA Financial Administrative
Contracting Officer negotiates,
approves, and issues a Final Indirect
Cost Agreement for the past billing
periods (i.e.. Years 2007 to 2013).
Status: On track.
9/30/2024
1333
-------
OIG Report Title
OIG Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
OIG Recommendation
EPA Corrective Action and Status
Target
EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening
Program Should Establish
Management Controls to Ensure
More Timely Results
ll-P-0215
5/3/2011
4. Develop short-term, intermediate,
and long-term outcome performance
measures, and additional output
performance measures, with
appropriate targets and timeframes, to
measure the progress and results of the
program.
Rec. 4a: Short term performance
measures will be developed and
tracked.
Rec. 4b: Long term performance
measures, including testing for EDSP
activities in pesticides will be
developed and tracked.
Short term performance measures will
be developed by and tracked. Long
term performance measures, including
at least one measure that tracks
progress in the evaluation and testing
of pesticides for human endocrine
disruptor activity, will be developed
and tracked by October 1, 2024.
Status: On track.
10/1/2024
EPA's Endocrine Disruptor Screening
Program Should Establish
Management Controls to Ensure
More Timely Results
ll-P-0215
5/3/2011
6. Annually review the EDSP program
results, progress toward milestones,
and achievement of performance
measures, including explanations for
any missed milestones or targets.
OCSPP will conduct the first annual
internal program review of the EDSP
and provide a briefing and report out
to the OCSPP Assistant Administrator
on EDSP progress, especially as it
relates to the Corrective Actions in this
Report and progress developing the
EDSP Strategic Plan. Status:
Delayed due to leadership change.
3/31/2024
1334
-------
OIG Report Report Issue
OIG Report Title Number Date OIG Recommendation EPA Corrective Action and Status Target
EPA Should Revise Outdated or
Inconsistent EPA-State Clean Water
Act Memoranda of Agreement
10-P-0224
9/14/2010
2-2. Develop a systematic approach
to identify which States have
outdated or inconsistent MOAs,
renegotiate and update those MOAs
using the MOA template, and secure
the active involvement and final,
documented concurrence of
Headquarters to ensure national
consistency.
EPA has completed the review of all
the EPA-State Memorandums of
Agreement (MOAs). Ten authorized
National pollutant discharge
elimination system states were
identified as being problematic. EPA
Regions and States have completed
actions to update MOAs to satisfy
concerns identified in the corrective
action plan for three states: Iowa,
Missouri, and Virginia. At this time,
seven MOAs are still in the process
of being corrected. Status: Delayed
due to external dependencies.
4/30/2025
Making Better Use of Stringfellow
Superfund Special Accounts
08-P-0196
7/9/2008
2. Reclassify or transfer to the Trust
Fund, as appropriate, $27.8 million
(plus any earned interest less
oversight costs) of the Stringfellow
special accounts in annual reviews,
and at other milestones including the
end of fiscal year 2010, when the
record of decision is signed, and the
final settlement is achieved
The EPA retains the funds in reserve
because final clean-up figures have
not been established. Status:
Delayed due to external
dependencies.
9/30/2026
1335
-------
GAO-IG Act, Government Accountability Office Open Recommendations - As of January 31, 2024
GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Clean Water Act: EPA Should Track
Control of Combined Sewer
Overflows and Water Quality
Improvements
GAO-23-
105285
1/25/2023
1. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should
develop a performance goal and measure(s) to track and
assess the status of long-term control plans or other control
plans for municipalities with CSOs.
OECA is leading the development of the Phase 2
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Electronic Reporting Rule and they have shared that they
expect to release the data by December 2025.
Clean Water Act: EPA Should Track
Control of Combined Sewer
Overflows and Water Quality
Improvements
GAO-23-
105285
1/25/2023
2. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should
develop a performance goal and measures to track and assess
the improvements to water quality resulting from CSO
controls implemented by municipalities with CSOs.
OECA is leading the development of the Phase 2
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Electronic Reporting Rule and they have shared that they
expect to release the data by December 2025.
Clean Water Act: EPA Should Track
Control of Combined Sewer
Overflows and Water Quality
Improvements
GAO-23-
105285
1/25/2023
3. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should
report on nationwide progress and results of municipalities'
efforts to control CSOs.
OECA is leading the development of the Phase 2
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Electronic Reporting Rule and they have shared that they
expect to release the data by December 2025.
Wildfire Smoke: Opportunities to
Strengthen Federal Efforts to Manage
Growing Risks
GAO-23-
104723
3/13/2023
1. The Administrator of EPA should develop and document a
coordinated approach for EPA's actions to help communities
prepare for and respond to the air quality and public health
risks of wildfire smoke. The approach should align with
leading practices for collaboration, including establishing
goals, identifying and leveraging resources, and clarifying
key stakeholder roles and responsibilities.
On November 9,2023, EPA, USDA, DOI, and CDC
signed a memorandum of understanding to address
wildfire risk and protect communities from smoke. The
four agencies also released a joint plan outlining
wildland fire-related priorities the agencies will focus on
over the next two years.
Wildfire Smoke: Opportunities to
Strengthen Federal Efforts to Manage
Growing Risks
GAO-23-
104723
3/13/2023
2. The Administrator of EPA should work with the
Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to better align air
quality and land management goals for wildfire risk
mitigation and establish joint strategies for achieving those
goals.
On November 9,2023, EPA, USDA, DOI, and CDC
signed a memorandum of understanding to address
wildfire risk and protect communities from smoke. The
four agencies also released a joint plan outlining
wildland fire-related priorities the agencies will focus on
over the next two years.
Wildfire Smoke: Opportunities to
Strengthen Federal Efforts to Manage
Growing Risks
GAO-23-
104723
3/13/2023
5. The Administrator of EPA should, in consultation with
federal land management agencies, identify and develop
additional information on reducing risks from wildfire smoke
to air quality and public health through wildfire risk
mitigation.
On November 9,2023, EPA, USDA, DOI, and CDC
signed a memorandum of understanding to address
wildfire risk and protect communities from smoke. The
four agencies also released a joint plan outlining
wildland fire-related priorities the agencies will focus on
over the next two years.
1336
-------
GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Wildfire Smoke: Opportunities to
Strengthen Federal Efforts to Manage
Growing Risks
GAO-23-104723
3/13/2023
6. The Director of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation
should work with EPA's tribal, state, and local partners
to evaluate options for providing incentives for and
supporting wildfire risk mitigation and establish a plan
for implementing appropriate options, seeking
additional authority from Congress if needed.
On November 9,2023, EPA, USDA, DOI, and CDC
signed a memorandum of understanding to address
wildfire risk and protect communities from smoke. The
four agencies also released a joint plan outlining
wildland fire-related priorities the agencies will focus on
over the next two years.
Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions
Needed to Improve Decision-Making
in the Small Refinery Exemption
Program
GAO-2 3-104273
11/3/2022
1. The Administrator of EPA should reassess EPA's
conclusion that all small refineries recover their RFS
compliance costs in the price of the gasoline and diesel
they sell, including by fully examining and
documenting RIN market performance and RIN pass-
through in all relevant fuel markets.
While EPA disagreed with this recommendation, the EPA
did complete the analysis GAO recommended and postec
the results on EPA's website in December 2022. EPA
considers this recommendation to be fully implemented
and requested closure in December 2023.
Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions
Needed to Improve Decision-Making
in the Small Refinery Exemption
Program
GAO-2 3-104273
11/3/2022
2. The Administrator of EPA should identify and
communicate what information refineries would need
to submit to demonstrate disproportionate economic
hardship.
EPA intends to satisfy this recommendation before the
end FY 2024 Quarter 2.
Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions
Needed to Improve Decision-Making
in the Small Refinery Exemption
Program
GAO-2 3-104273
11/3/2022
3. The Administrator of EPA should develop policies
and procedures for making small refinery exemption
decisions.
Among other things, the EPA intends to continue to
update the guidance it provides for future SRE
exemptions. The Agency continues to work on this
recommendation and will respond to GAO once
complete.
Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions
Needed to Improve Decision-Making
in the Small Refinery Exemption
Program
GAO-2 3-104273
11/3/2022
4. The Administrator of EPA should develop policies
and procedures to ensure that EPA meets statutory
deadlines to issue decisions, including tracking when
petitions are considered complete.
The Agency intends to better document its internal
processes for receiving petitions, the processes for
checking the petitions for completeness and more
completely tracking the internal decision making and
review steps, including coordination with DOE.
continues to work on this recommendation and will
respond to GAO once complete.
Renewable Fuel Standard: Actions
Needed to Improve Decision-Making
in the Small Refinery Exemption
Program
GAO-2 3-104273
11/3/2022
5. The Administrator of EPA should assess the effect
of small refinery exemption decision timing on the
benefit provided to small refineries, as well as the
effect on fuel markets, and reconsider petition
requirements, such as that of three quarters of current
year financial information.
The EPA continues to work toward implementation of
this recommendation and will respond to GAO once
complete.
1337
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Persistent Chemicals: EPA Should Use
New Data to Analyze the
Demographics of Communities with
PFAS in Their Drinking Water
GAO-22-105135
9/30/2022
1. The EPA Administrator should conduct a nationwide
analysis using comprehensive data such as the forthcoming
fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule data to
determine the demographic characteristics of communities
with PFAS in their drinking water.
EPA will be requesting to close out this
recommendation as EPA continues to collect data.
In November 2023 EPA released the second set of
preliminary Fifth Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule results and will continue to
update results approximately quarterly through
completion of the occurrence data collection.
Privacy: Dedicated Leadership Can
Improve Programs and Address
Challenges
GAO-22-105065
9/22/2022
44. The Administrator of EPA should fully develop and
document a privacy continuous monitoring strategy.
EPA considers this recommendation to be fully
implemented and thus requests its closure.
Oil and Gas: Federal Actions Needed
to Address Methane Emissions from
Oil and Gas Development
GAO-22-104759
5/20/2022
1. The EPA Administrator should provide greater flexibility
to operators for using alternative technologies to detect
methane emissions.
On December 2, 2023, EPA announced a final
rule that will sharply reduce emissions of methane
and other harmful air pollution from oil and
natural gas operations including, for the first time,
from existing sources nationwide. The final rule
includes provisions that allows owners and
operators greater flexibility in the use of advanced
methane detection technologies including
combinations of different technologies to identify
leaks at well sites, centralized production
facilities, and compressor stations. The rule also
creates a streamlined pathway for owners and
operators to demonstrate that new technologies
meet the performance requirements in the rule,
helping ensure that the rule keeps up with the pace
of innovation in this sector.
Small Business Research Programs:
Agencies Should Further Improve
Award Timeliness
GAO-22-104677
10/14/2021
14. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency should evaluate the effectiveness of steps taken to
improve SBIR award timeliness and take any necessary
additional steps in order to consistently meet SBA award
timeliness guidelines.
Agency actions are complete. However, GAO
requires outyear data to confirm consistent
implementation. Closure is anticipated after an
additional cycle.
1338
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Refined Coal Production Tax Credit:
Coordinated Agency Review Could
Help Ensure the Credit Achieves Its
Intended Purpose
GAO-22-104637
12/15/2021
3. If Congress extends the refined coal production tax credit,
the Administrator of the EPA should coordinate with
Treasury, IRS, and DOE to review the performance of the
credit in achieving its intended purpose and identify and
implement, as appropriate, any improvements towards
achieving that intended purpose, such as adjustments to
allowable emissions testing methods.
Congress elected not to include the refined coal
tax credit when renewing similar energy tax
credits in the Inflation Reduction Act - a
precondition of the recommendation. The Agency
requested closure of the recommendation in
December 2023.
Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA
Should Ensure Regulated Facilities
Consider Risks from Climate Change
GAO-22-104494
2/28/2022
3. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Enforcement
and Compliance Assurance and Director of the Office of
Emergency Management, together with EPA officials at
regional offices, should provide additional compliance
assistance to RMP facilities related to risks from natural
hazards and climate change.
The Agency is working on a final rule, which is
expected to be complete by December 2023.
After the final rule is published, the Agency still
intends to incorporate methods and/or materials
related to assessing the sufficiency of Risk
Managment Program facilities' incorporation of
risks from natural hazards and climate change into
the Risk Management Program Inspector Training
course.
Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA
Should Ensure Regulated Facilities
Consider Risks from Climate Change
GAO-22-104494
2/28/2022
4. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Enforcement
and Compliance Assurance should design an information
system to track common deficiencies found during
inspections, including any related to natural hazards and
climate change, and use this information to target compliance
assistance.
The EPA agrees with the goal of this
recommendation. In Spring 2023, the Agency
reported that it had completed the written business
process for identifying common deficiencies and
had begun the implementation. EPA requested
closure of this recommendation in December
2023.
Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA
Should Ensure Regulated Facilities
Consider Risks from Climate Change
GAO-22-104494
2/28/2022
5. The Director of the Office of Emergency Management
should issue regulations, guidance, or both, as appropriate, to
clarify requirements and provide direction for RMP facilities
on how to incorporate risks from natural hazards and climate
change into their risk management programs.
EPA agreed with this recommendation. The
Agency published a proposed rule in August 2022,
which includes amendments that would explicitly
require Risk Management Program facilities to
consider the risks of external events such as
natural hazards, including those caused by climate
change. EPA expects to publish the final rule by
the end of FY 2024 Quarter 2.
1339
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA
Should Ensure Regulated Facilities
Consider Risks from Climate Change
GAO-22-104494
2/28/2022
1. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Director ol
the Office of Emergency Management should develop a
method for inspectors to assess the sufficiency of RMP
facilities' incorporation of risks from natural hazards
and climate change into risk management programs and
provide related guidance and training to inspectors.
EPA agreed with this recommendation. The Agency is
working on a proposal to revise the Risk Management
Program regulations and expects to complete the
revisions by December 2023. After the final rule is
published, the Agency stated that it intends to
incorporate methods and/or materials related to
assessing the sufficiency of Risk Management Program
facilities' incorporation of risks from natural hazards
and climate change into the Risk Management Program
Inspector Training course.
Chemical Accident Prevention: EPA
Should Ensure Regulated Facilities
Consider Risks from Climate Change
GAO-22-104494
2/28/2022
2. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, working with
officials at regional offices, should incorporate
vulnerability of RMP facilities to natural hazards and
climate change as criteria when selecting facilities for
inspection.
In the prior National Enforcement and Compliance
Initiatives cycle, national workgroups focused on
identifying ways to incorporate climate data and
associated risks into targeting and inspection activities.
These were incorporated into workgroup deliverables
and are being implemented by mspectors.
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
1. The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of
EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working
group, should document and define what a national
HAB and hypoxia program would entail, including
identifying the program's resource needs.
EPA, NOAA, and interagency working group members
are continuing to work to define what a national
program would entail, including identifying the
program's goals, objectives, milestones, and resource
needs. This information will be incorporated mto the
2024 Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and
Control National Assessment.
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
2. The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of
EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working
group, should develop performance measures to assess
the working
group's efforts, including the extent to which the
recommended goals from the Research Plan and Action
Strategy have been achieved.
EPA, NOAA, and interagency workmg group members
are workmg to develop performance measures to assess
the workmg group's efforts. This information will be
incorporated mto the 2024 Harmful Algal Blooms and
Hypoxia Research and Control National Assessment.
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
3. The Administrator of EPA, working with the other
members of the working group, should develop an
interagency framework, including prioritizing water
bodies and identifying resource needs, to expand
monitoring of freshwater HABs and hypoxia.
EPA and NOAA are workmg to develop an interagency
framework, including prioritizing water bodies, and
identifying resource needs to expand monitoring of
freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.
1340
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
4. The Administrator of EPA, working with the other
members of the working group, should develop an
interagency framework, including prioritizing water bodies
and identifying resource needs, to expand forecasting of
freshwater HABs and hypoxia.
EPA and NOAA along with interagency working
group members are working to develop an
interagency framework, including prioritizing
water bodies, and identifying resource needs to
expand forecasting of freshwater harmful algal
blooms and hypoxia.
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
5. The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of
EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working
group, should develop a national goal for the group focused
on efforts to prevent HABs and hypoxia.
EPA and NOAA along with interagency working
group members continue to work to develop a
national harmful algal blooms program prevention
goal. This new goal, that is delayed to March
2024, will be incorporated into the "Interagency
Working Group One-pager" which will serve as an
up-to-date summary of the working group's
structure and function.
Water Quality: Agencies Should Take
More Actions to Manage Risks from
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
GAO-22-104449
6/15/2022
6. The Administrator of NOAA and the Administrator of
EPA, in collaboration with the members of the working
group, should coordinate the development of a more
comprehensive body of information on the costs and benefits
of mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use by
state, local, and tribal governments.
EPA and NOAA are working to coordinate the
development of a more comprehensive body of
information on the costs and benefits of
mitigation, control, and prevention actions for use
by state, local, and tribal governments. This
information will be incorporated into the 2024
Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and
Control National Assessment.
Offshore Oil Spills: Additional
Information is Needed to Better
Understand the Environmental
Tradeoffs of Using Chemical
Dispersants
GAO-22-104153
12/15/2021
2. The Administrator of EPA should work with the Coast
Guard and other agencies to conduct assessments, such as
biological assessments or ecological risk assessments, and
examining the potential effects of the subsurface use of
dispersants on ocean ecosystems in regions where this is
considered a viable response option.
The Agency plans to provide support to the Coast
Guard and coordinate with the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration and other
agencies to identify assessment methodologies and
examine potential effects of the subsurface use of
dispersants on ocean ecosystems for select
regions. Implementation has external
dependencies, so a firm estimate for completion is
not yet available.
1341
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Recycling: Building on Existing
Federal Efforts Could Help Address
Cross-Cutting Challenges
GAO-21-87
12/18/2020
1. The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation
and Recovery should develop an implementation plan for
conducting a study and developing recommendations for
administrative or legislative action regarding the effect of
existing public policies, and the likely effect of modifying or
eliminating such incentives and disincentives, upon the
reuse, recycling, and conservation of materials, as required
by RCRA.
The EPA initiated an analysis that examines the
impacts of different policies, incentives, and
disincentives on driving a circular economy. This
analysis includes a literature review of existing
domestic and international policies related to
recycling. The final report will include
recommendations on effective policies or
administrative actions. EPA completed drafts of
the final report and anticipates releasing the report
by June 30,2023.
Recycling: Building on Existing
Federal Efforts Could Elelp Address
Cross-Cutting Challenges
GAO-21-87
12/18/2020
2. The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation
and Recovery should develop an implementation plan for
conducting a study and developing recommendations for
administrative or legislative action regarding the necessity
and method of imposing disposal or other charges on
packaging, containers, vehicles, and other manufactured
goods to reflect the cost of final disposal, the value of
recoverable components of the item, and any social costs
associated with nonrecycling or uncontrolled disposal, as
required by RCRA.
On November 15,2021, EPA released its final
National Recycling Strategy. This strategy
committed EPA to conducting a study on
reflecting environmental and social costs in
product prices. Per the strategy, the Agency will
develop an implementation plan with more
specificity about this action and the organizational
lead. The EPA completed a draft of the study, and
it is currently undergoing review. Release of the
study is anticipated by June 30,2023.
Recycling: Building on Existing
Federal Efforts Could Elelp Address
Cross-Cutting Challenges
GAO-21-87
12/18/2020
3. The Director of EPA's Office of Resource Conservation
and Recovery should, while EPA finalizes and implements its
national recycling strategy, incorporate desirable
characteristics for effective national strategies, including (1)
identifying the resources and investments needed, and
balancing the risk reductions with costs; (2) clarifying the
roles and responsibilities of participating entities; and (3)
articulating how it will implement the strategy and integrate
new activities into existing programs and activities.
EPA released the National Recycling Strategy on
November 15,2021. EPA completed the
implementation plan online platform. Since then,
EPA has undertaken several efforts to implement
the Strategy. GAO is reviewing the
implementation plan.
Environmental Protection: Action
Needed to Ensure EPA's Enforcement
and Compliance Activities Support Its
Strategic Goals
GAO-21-82
12/9/2020
1. The Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should
communicate final guidance for future national initiative
cycles to all states before the effective date of the national
initiatives.
EPA has begun the FY24 - FY27 National
Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives selection
process and recently engaged the Environmental
Council of States prior to release of the public
Federal Register Notice.
1342
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Environmental Protection: Action
Needed to Ensure EPA's Enforcement
and Compliance Activities Support Its
Strategic Goals
GAO-21-82
12/9/2020
2. The Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should incorporate
lessons learned from the initial effort to engage earlier and
more continuously with states when developing the office's
plan for how EPA will work with states on future national
initiatives.
EPA has begun the FY24 - FY27 National
Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives selection
process and recently engaged the Environmental
Council of States prior to release of the public
Federal Register Notice.
Drinking Water: EPA Could Use
Available Data to Better Identify
Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead
Exposure
GAO-21-78
12/18/2020
1. Assistant Administrator for Water should develop guidance
for water systems that outlines methods to use ACS data and,
where available, geospatial lead or other data to identify
high-risk locations in which to focus lead reduction efforts,
including tap sampling and lead service line replacement
efforts.
The Agency developed Guidance for Developing
and Maintaining a Service Line Inventory. The
document includes factors for when a system may
want to prioritize investigations at locations served
by unknown service lines. Implementation is
ongoing.
Drinking Water: EPA Could Use
Available Data to Better Identify
Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead
Exposure
GAO-21-78
12/18/2020
3. EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water should develop a
strategic plan that meets the WIIN Act requirement for
providing targeted outreach, education, technical assistance,
and risk communication to populations affected by the
concentration of lead in public water systems, and that is
fully consistent with leading practices for strategic plans.
EPA continues to disagree with the
recommendation and believe that the Agency met
the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the
Nation Act requirement. Furthermore, EPA
developed a strategic plan for targeted outreach to
populations affected by lead. The plan outlines the
new Water Infrastructure Improvements
requirements and identifies the roles and
responsibilities for EPA, states, and Public Water
Systems.
Drinking Water: EPA Could Use
Available Data to Better Identify
Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead
Exposure
GAO-21-78
12/18/2020
2. EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water should
incorporate use of (1) ACS data on neighborhood
characteristics potentially associated with the presence of
lead service lines and (2) geospatial lead data, when
available, into EPA's efforts to address the Federal Action
Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated
Health Impacts.
The Agency has developed Guidance for
Developing and Maintaining a Service Line
Inventory. In the document there is a section on
"Inventory Planning" that discusses various
approaches that can be used to establish lead
service line inventories. While the Lead and
Copper Rule does not require a specific format for
the service line inventory, the guidance includes a
section titled "How to Make the Data Publicly
Available" including recommendations on
webbased map applications. Implementation is
ongoing.
1343
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Farmworkers: Additional Information
Needed to Better Protect Workers
from Pesticide Exposure
GAO-21-63
1/15/2021
2. The Director for EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs
should, in the Agency's guidance, on its website, or through
another mechanism, explain EPA's expectations about the
appropriate use of the pesticide information obtained by a
designated representative, including describing potential
misuse of such information.
In December 2021, the Agency completed an
assessment to determine whether the designated
representative provision is fulfilling its intended
purpose and how EPA can support understanding
and compliance with the provision. The EPA now
expects to implement this recommendation by the
end of Quarter 2, FY 2024.
Air Pollution: Opportunities to Better
Sustain and Modernize the National
Air Quality Monitoring System
GAO-21-38
11/12/2020
2. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Air and
Radiation, in consultation with state and local agencies,
should develop, make public, and implement an asset
management framework for consistently sustaining the
national ambient air quality monitoring system. Such a
framework could be designed for success by considering the
key characteristics of effective asset management described
in our report, such as identifying the resources needed to
sustain the monitoring system, using quality data to manage
infrastructure risks, and targeting resources toward assets that
provide the greatest value.
The Agency continues to work with state, local,
and tribal partners. Implementation is ongoing.
Air Pollution: Opportunities to Better
Sustain and Modernize the National
Air Quality Monitoring System
GAO-21-38
11/12/2020
1. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Air and
Radiation, in consultation with state and local agencies and
other relevant federal agencies, should develop and make
public an air quality monitoring modernization plan to better
meet the additional information needs of air quality
managers, researchers, and the public. Such a plan could
address the ongoing challenges in modernizing the national
ambient air quality monitoring system by considering leading
practices, including establishing priorities and roles,
assessing risks to success, identifying the resources needed to
achieve goals, and measuring and evaluating progress.
EPA will continue to work with stakeholders to
establish an approach, goals, and priorities for an
air quality monitoring modernization plan.
Implementation is ongoing.
1344
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Private Water Utilities: Actions
Needed to Enhance Ownership Data
GAO-21-291
3/26/2021
The Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Water should
develop definitions for all utility ownership types for regional
offices and states to use when entering data on ownership
type in EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System and
should verify and correct the data as needed.
The modernized Safe Drinking Water Information
System is expected to be available for states to
begin transitioning to the system by end of 2024
and the length of transition period will depend on
states and their available resources to transition.
EPA expects the definition development will be in
the later part of the Safe Drinking Water
Information System development when additional
fields will be added.
Private Water Utilities: Actions
Needed to Enhance Ownership Data
GAO-21-291
3/26/2021
1. Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Water should
conduct another Community Water System Survey to
establish an updated, accurate baseline of drinking water
utility information for rulemaking and other purposes.
The Agency has initiated work to conduct another
Community Water System Survey.
Implementation is ongoing.
Clean Water Act: EPA Needs to Better
Assess and Disclose Quality of
Compliance and Enforcement Data
GAO-21-290
7/12/2021
1. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should revise its
guidance to select files for its State Review Framework
assessments of state-reported data to incorporate statistically
valid probability sampling.
Based on recommendations from EPA's National
Center for Environmental Economics on statistical
methods, the Agency will research randomization
tools to pilot for all Clean Water Act Direct
Implementation State Revolving Fund File
Selection lists during State Review Framework.
Full implementation is planned for FY23.
Clean Water Act: EPA Needs to Better
Assess and Disclose Quality of
Compliance and Enforcement Data
GAO-21-290
7/12/2021
2. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should ensure that
consolidated, complete, and updated information on all data
limitations is disclosed on the State Water Dashboard.
The Agency held discussions with stakeholders to
identify and map what website content requires
modification and how best to implement them.
Implementation includes but is not limited to
consolidation and editing of website content and
editing to improve clarity. Full implementation is
planned forFY23.
1345
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Clean Water Act: EPA Needs to Better
Assess and Disclose Quality of
Compliance and Enforcement Data
GAO-21-290
7/12/2021
3. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should develop a
plan to determine the overall accuracy and completeness of
the permit limit and discharge monitoring report data
recorded in its national database.
The Agency will continue to work with states to
identify and correct problems that prevent proper
transfer of discharge monitoring report data to the
Integrated Compliance Information System
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
Additionally, the Agency will work to maximize
the amount of discharge monitoring report data
and all necessary permit limit data in the system.
The EPA will develop a methodology to examine
the accuracy of the discharge monitoring report
and permit limit data received by the Integrated
Compliance Information System National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System from
authorized states. Full implementation is planned
for completion by the end of FY25.
Clean Water Act: EPA Needs to Better
Assess and Disclose Quality of
Compliance and Enforcement Data
GAO-21-290
7/12/2021
4. The Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should develop a
performance measure to track the reduction in pollutant
discharges resulting from enforcement actions for facilities in
significant noncompliance and disclose any limitations.
Hie EPA will identify trends in this measure over
time to assess whether agency and state
compliance work is positively impacting the
average pollutant load over limit per permit. The
Agency will continue to report annually the
Estimated Water Pollutants to be reduced resulting
from enforcement actions (Estimated Water
Pollutants Reduced, Treated or Eliminated for the
Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Program). The page also will
identify data limitations. Additionally, the EPA
will develop a methodology and outcome measure
for tracking the extent to which the significant
noncompliance national compliance initiative
achieves reductions in illegal pollutant discharges.
Actions are ongoing.
INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY: Federal Agencies
Need to Take Urgent Action to
Manage Supply Chain Risks
GAO-21-164SU
10/27/2020
Restricted Report: Recommendation language not publicly
available.
Restricted Report - Not Publicly Available.
1346
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GAO Report
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Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Chemical Assessments: Annual EPA
Survey Inconsistent with Leading
Practices in Program Management
GAO-21-156
12/18/2020
The Administrator should direct the Assistant Administrators
of program offices and Regional Administrators to develop
and make available guidance for chemical assessment
nominations. Such guidance could include information such
as how to select chemicals for IRIS assessment nomination oi
for high priority needs, criteria explaining how Assistant and
Regional Administrators determine which nominations to
support and which they may choose not to support, and how
to document these decisions.
The EPA and GAO continue to discuss avenues to
close out this recommendation. The Agency's
Office of Research and Development is discussing
how to assist other EPA program and regional
offices in determining which chemicals are best
suited for evaluation by the Integrated Risk
Information System IRIS) Program.
Chemical Assessments: Annual EPA
Survey Inconsistent with Leading
Practices in Program Management
GAO-21-156
12/18/2020
5. The Administrator of EPA should include in ORD's
strategic plan (or subsidiary strategic plans) identification of
EPA's universe of chemical assessment needs; how the IRIS
Program is being resourced to meet user needs; and specific
implementation steps that indicate how IRIS will achieve the
plan's objectives, such as specific metrics to define progress
in meeting user needs.
The Agency met with GAO in November 2023
and January 2024 to discuss corrective actions
taken. The Agency anticipates requesting closure
in March 2024.
EPA Grants to Tribes: Additional
Actions Needed to Effectively
Address Tribal Environmental
Concerns
GAO-21-150
10/20/2020
5. The Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA's
Office of Air and Radiation, the Assistant Administrator of
EPA's Office of Water, and the Director of EPA's American
Indian Environmental Office should update and nationally
distribute guidance for project officers and tribes that
clarifies documentation requirements and eligibility
definitions for quality assurance project plans and the Indian
Environmental General Assistance Program.
The Agency submitted an update with request for
closure to GAO in December 2023.
Chemical Security: Overlapping
Programs Could Better Collaborate to
Share Information and Identify
Potential Security Gaps
GAO-21-12
1/21/2021
7. The EPA should collaborate with the DHS's Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency to assess the extent to
which potential security gaps exist at water and wastewater
facilities and, if gaps exist, develop a legislative proposal for
how best to address them and submit it to the Secretary of
Homeland Security and Administrator of EPA, and Congress,
as appropriate.
The EPA and Department of Homeland Security,
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
requested closure of this recommendation in
December 2023.
1347
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Child Care Facilities: Federal
Agencies
Need to Enhance Monitoring and
Collaboration to Elelp Assure
Drinking
Water is Safe from Lead
GAO-20-597
9/28/2020
4. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water should
direct the Office of Water to specify how it will track
progress toward the outcomes of the Memorandum of
Understanding on Reducing Lead Levels in Drinking Water
in Schools and Child Care Facilities and determine how it
will regularly monitor and update the MOU. For example,
the Office of Water could develop performance measures for
each of the MOU's outcomes. In addition, the Office of
Water could submit annual reports on progress toward
achieving the MOU's outcomes or it could plan to update the
agreement at specific intervals.
EPA continues to partner with the US Department
of Health and Human Services, including a jointly
signed Letter to Governors on funding to test for
and address lead in water in early care and
education settings. The Agency requested closure
of the recommendation in December 2023.
Water Infrastructure: Technical
Assistance and Climate Resilience
Planning Could Elelp Utilities Prepare
for Potential Climate Change Impacts
GAO-20-24
1/16/2020
1. The Director of Water Security of EPA, as Chair of the
Water Sector Government Coordinating Council, should
work with the council to identify existing technical assistance
providers and engage these providers in a network to help
drinking water and wastewater utilities incorporate climate
resilience into their projects and planning on an ongoing
basis.
Creating Resilient Water Utilities is now part of
EPA's national Water Technical Assistance
programs. This program includes a network of
technical assistance providers and engage them to
help water systems to address infrastructure issues
including climate resilience. The EPA requested
closure of this recommendation in December
2024.
Cloud Computing Security: Agencies
Increased Their Use of the Federal
Authorization Program, but Improved
Oversight and Implementation Are
Needed
GAO-20-126
12/12/2019
21. The Administrator of EPA should update the list of
corrective actions for the selected operational system to
identify the specific weakness, estimated funding and
anticipated source of funding, key remediation milestones
with completion dates, changes to milestones and completion
dates, and source of the weaknesses.
Implementation is complete. The EPA requested
closure of this recommendation in December
2023.
Cloud Computing Security: Agencies
Increased Their Use of the Federal
Authorization Program, but Improved
Oversight and Implementation Are
Needed
GAO-20-126
12/12/2019
22. The Administrator of EPA should prepare the letter
authorizing the use of cloud service for the selected
operational system and submit the letter to the FedRAMP
Program management office.
Implementation is complete. The EPA requested
closure of this recommendation in December
2023.
Cloud Computing Security: Agencies
Increased Their Use of the Federal
Authorization Program, but Improved
Oversight and Implementation Are
Needed
GAO-20-126
12/12/2019
23. The Administrator of EPA should develop guidance
requiring that cloud service authorization letter be provided
to the FedRAMP Program management office.
Implementation is complete. In November 2023
GAO stated this recommendation is in review for
closure.
1348
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Environmental Justice: Federal
Efforts Need Better Planning,
Coordination, and Methods to Assess
Progress
GAO-19-543
9/16/2019
21. The Administrator of EPA, as chair of the
working group, should develop guidance for agencies
on what they should include in their environmental
justice strategic plans.
Executive Order 14096, Revitalizing Our Nation's
Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, issued in
April 2023, requires all Federal agencies to develop
Environmental Justice Strategic Plans by October 21,
2024. The EPA is responding to GAO's recommendation
by fulfilling the requirements of Executive Order 14096.
EPA is in the process of developing a draft Executive
Order
14096 EPA 2024 Environmental Justice Strategic Plan,
which builds on the considerable and historic EPA 2022-
2026 Strategic Plan Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to
Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights. The
2024 Environmental Justice Strategic Plan currently under
development incorporates the language, goals, objectives,
metrics, and actions developed through Goal 2 and builds
on these to fully address the requirements of Executive
Order 14096. By March 1, 2024, EPA is required to
submit to
Council on environmental quality draft 2024
Environmental Justice Strategic Plan. EPA expects to meet
this deadline as well as the October 2024 deadline for a
final EPA 2024 Environmental Justice Strategic Plan.
Cybersecurity: Agencies Need to
Fully Establish Risk Management
Programs and Address Challenges
GAO-19-384
7/25/2019
40. The Administrator of EPA should establish a
process for conducting an organization-wide
cybersecurity risk assessment.
The EPA is leveraging the Enterprise Risk
Management Process and the Internal Control Review
Process to better integrate cybersecurity risk into the
Enterprise Risk Management Process. The Agency will
clarify how end users (Regions and Program Offices) can
register cybersecurity risks in the current risk tools,
modify the process to clarify how cybersecurity risk can
be captured and develop a series of deliverables.
Cybersecurity: Agencies Need to
Fully Establish Risk Management
Programs and Address Challenges
GAO-19-384
7/25/2019
41. The Administrator of EPA should fully establish
and document a process for coordination between
cybersecurity risk management and enterprise risk
management functions.
This recommendation is fully implemented, and the
Agency requested closure in January 2024.
1349
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report
Number
Report Issue
Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Federal Chief Information Officers:
Critical Actions Needed to Address
Shortcomings and Challenges in
Implementing Responsibilities
GAO-18-93
8/2/2018
19. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency should ensure that the Agency's IT management
policies address the role of the CIO for key responsibilities
in the six areas we identified.
The publication of the EPA's Capital Planning and
Investment Control Program Policy update
represents implementation of 7 additional GAO
criteria. The Agency continues to engage GAO
regarding implementation on the remaining
criteria.
Puget Sound Restoration: Additional
Actions Could Improve Assessments
of Progress
GAO-18-45 3
7/19/2018
1. The EPA Region 10 Administrator should work with the
management conference on future updates to the CCMP to
help prioritize among the indicators that currently lack
measurable targets and ensure that such targets are
developed for the highest priority indicators where possible.
EPA and the Puget Sound Partnership consider
that this recommendation has been fully
implemented and requested closure in December
2023.
Drinking Water: Additional Data and
Statistical Analysis May Enhance
EPA's Oversight of the Lead and
Copper Rule
GAO-17-424
9/1/2017
3. The Assistant Administrator for Water of EPA's Office of
Water and the Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance should develop a
statistical analysis that incorporates multiple factors-
including those currently in SDWIS/Fed and others such as
the presence of lead pipes and the use of corrosion control-to
identify water systems that might pose a higher likelihood
for violating the LCR once complete violations data are
obtained, such as through SDWIS Prime.
The Agency continues to work toward a March
2024 promulgation date for the final Consumer
Confidence Report Rule.
1350
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GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Critical Infrastructure Protection:
Sector-Specific Agencies Need to
Better Measure Cybersecurity
Progress
GAO-16-79
11/19/2015
7. To better monitor and provide a basis for improving the
effectiveness of cybersecurity risk mitigation activities,
informed by the sectors' updated plans and in collaboration
with sector stakeholders, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency should direct responsible
officials to develop performance metrics to provide data and
determine how to overcome challenges to monitoring the
water and wastewater systems sector's cybersecurity
progress.
This effort is hampered by litigation and
opposition by water sector associations and
owners/operators of utilities to providing
cybersecurity metrics under a voluntary approach.
To meet the intent of the recommendation, the
EPA plans to continue its Technical Assistance
Provider program and has in fact expanded it via
the Water TA initiative. The technical assistance
effort will continue to generate additional data on
Framework adoption by water systems. The EPA
harnessed the aggregated and anonymized data
from its Cybersecurity Evaluation Program
(whereby an EPA contractor conducts cyber
assessments at individual utilities) to understand
the progress achieved by those utilities which have
enrolled in the program. This information
combined with cyber incident data from the sector
provide a degree of insight into the sector's
adoption of cybersecurity practices.
Clean Water Act: Changes Needed If
Key EPA Program Is to Help Fulfill the
Nation's Water Quality Goals
GAO-14-80
12/5/2013
1. To enhance the likelihood that TMDLs support the nation's
waters' attainment of water quality standards and to
strengthen water quality management, the Administrator of
EPA should develop and issue new regulations requiring that
TMDLs include additional elements—and consider requiring
the elements that are now optional—specifically, elements
reflecting key features identified by NRC as necessary for
attaining water quality standards, such as comprehensive
identification of impairment and plans to monitor water
bodies to verify that water quality is improving.
The Agency and GAO have engaged on this topic.
The Agency believes the extensive actions taken
to implement this recommendation are sufficient
to merit closure as implemented.
Federal Software Licenses: Better
Management Needed to Achieve
Significant Savings Government-
Wide
GAO-14-413
5/22/2014
88. To ensure the effective management of software licenses,
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
should employ a centralized software license management
approach that is coordinated and integrated with key
personnel for the majority of agency software license
spending and/or enterprise-wide licenses.
Implementation is complete. The Agency
requested closure of this recommendation in
2023.
1351
-------
GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Pesticides: EPA Should Take Steps to
Improve Its Oversight of Conditional
Registrations
GAO-13-145
8/8/2013
1. To improve EPA's management of the conditional
registration process, the Administrator of EPA should direct
the Director of the Office of Pesticide Programs to complete
plans to automate data related to conditional registrations to
more readily track the status of these registrations and related
registrant and agency actions and identify potential problems
requiring management attention.
GAO is working closely with EPA on this
recommendation and analyzing recent
documentation from the Office of Chemical Safety
and Pollution Prevention. The Agency anticipates
closure of the recommendation.
Drinking Water: Unreliable State Data
Limit EPA's Ability to Target
Enforcement Priorities and
Communicate Water Systems'
Performance
GAO-11-381
6/17/2011
1. To improve EPA's ability to oversee the states'
implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and provide
Congress and the public with more complete and accurate
information on compliance, the Administrator of EPA should
resume data verification audits to routinely evaluate the
quality of selected drinking water data on health-based and
monitoring violations that the states provide to EPA. These
audits should also evaluate the quality of data on the
enforcement actions that states, and other primacy agencies
have taken to correct violations.
The agency continues to work on modernizing the
Safe Drinking Water Information System and
made significant progress towards its schedule.
The system is expected to be available for states to
begin transitioning by early 2026. The length of
transition period will depend on states and their
available resources to transition. In establishing
data quality goals for monitoring violation and
other information, the Agency plans to engage the
primacy agencies.
Drinking Water: Unreliable State Data
Limit EPA's Ability to Target
Enforcement Priorities and
Communicate Water Systems'
Performance
GAO-11-381
6/17/2011
2. To improve EPA's ability to oversee the states'
implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and provide
Congress and the public with more complete and accurate
information on compliance, the Administrator of EPA should
work with the states to establish a goal, or goals, for the
completeness and accuracy of data on monitoring violations.
In setting these goals, EPA may want to consider whether
certain types of monitoring violations merit specific targets.
For example, the agency may decide that a goal for the states
to completely and accurately report when required
monitoring was not done should differ from a goal for
reporting when monitoring was done but not reported on
time.
The Agency continues to work on modernizing the
Safe Drinking Water Information System and
made significant progress towards its schedule.
The system is expected to be available for states to
begin transitioning by early 2026. The length of
transition period will depend on states and their
available resources to transition. In establishing
data quality goals for monitoring violation and
other information, the EPA plans to engage the
primacy agencies.
1352
-------
GAO Report Title
GAO Report Report Issue
Number Date
GAO Recommendation
EPA Implementation Status
Chemical Assessments: Low
Productivity and New Interagency
Review Process Limit the Usefulness
and Credibility of EPA's Integrated
Risk Information System
GAO-08-440
3/7/2008
5. To develop timely chemical risk information that EPA
needs to effectively conduct its mission, the Administrator,
EPA, should require the Office of Research and Development
to re-evaluate its draft proposed changes to the IRIS
assessment process in light of the issues raised in this report
and ensure that any revised process periodically assesses the
level of resources that should be dedicated to this significant
program to meet user needs and maintain a viable IRIS
database.
EPA met with the GAO in November 2023 and
January 2024 to discuss the status of this
recommendation. EPA is updating the Health and
Environmental Risk Assessment resource analysis
to address comments provided by GAO in 2023
and anticipates requesting closure in early 2024.
Drinking Water: EPA Should
Strengthen Ongoing Efforts to Ensure
That Consumers Are Protected from
Lead Contamination
GAO-06-148
1/4/2006
1. The Administrator, EPA, should take a number of steps to
further protect the American public from elevated lead levels
in drinking water. Specifically, to improve EPA's ability to
oversee implementation of the lead rule and assess
compliance and enforcement activities, EPA should ensure
that data on water systems' test results, corrective action
milestones, and violations are current, accurate, and
complete.
The Agency continues to work on modernizing the
Safe Drinking Water Information System and
made significant progress towards its schedule.
The system is expected to be available for states to
begin transitioning by early 2026. The length of
transition period will depend on states and their
available resources to transition. In establishing
data quality goals for monitoring violation and
other information, the Agency plans to engage the
primacy agencies.
1353
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Working Capital Fund
In FY 2025, the Agency will be in its 29th year of operation of the Working Capital Fund (WCF).
The WCF is a revolving fund authorized by law to finance a cycle of operations in which the costs
for goods or services provided are charged to the users. The WCF operates like a commercial
business within EPA where customers pay for services received, thus generating revenue.
Customers include EPA programs, regional offices, and other federal agencies. The WCF
mechanism provides an efficient method for a full cost approach to agency programs. EPA's WCF
was implemented under the authority of Section 403 of the Government Management Reform Act
of 1994 and the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997. EPA received permanent
WCF authority in the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998.
EPA's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) initiated the WCF in FY 1997 as part of an effort to: 1) be
accountable to agency offices, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress; 2) increase
the efficiency of the administrative services provided to program offices; and 3) increase customer
service and responsiveness. The Agency has a WCF Board which provides policy and planning
oversight and advises the CFO regarding the WCF financial position. The Board, chaired by the
Controller within the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, is comprised of 23 voting members
from programs and regional offices. Board membership also includes the Director of the Office of
Budget as a non-voting ex officio member.
In FY 2025, there will be 16 core agency activities provided under the WCF. These are the
Agency's Information Technology (IT) services, agency postage, Cincinnati voice services,
background investigations, enterprise human resources, and facilities alterations managed by the
Office of Mission Support; financial and administrative systems, employee relocations, and a
budget formulation system managed by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer; the Agency's
Continuity of Operations site managed by the Office of Land and Emergency Management;
regional information technology service and support managed by EPA Region 8; legal services
managed by the Office of General Counsel; multimedia services, EPA Action Management System
and agency servicing contracts managed by the Office of the Administrator; and language access
services managed by the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.
The Agency's FY 2025 budget request includes resources for these 16 core activities in each
National Program Manager's submission, totaling approximately $540 million. These estimated
resources may be adjusted during the year to incorporate any program office's additional service
needs during the operating year. To the extent these increases are subject to Congressional
reprogramming notifications, the Agency will comply with all applicable requirements. In FY
2025, the Agency will continue to perform relocation services for other federal agencies, delivering
high quality services external to EPA.
The Agency anticipates that there may be minor increases and decreases in FY 2025 due to several
IT improvements, including increased cloud computing, improved network infrastructure,
cybersecurity requirements, continuous diagnostic and mitigation program implementation, and
discovery services. Other funding shifts have been included in the FY 2025 WCF plan that relate
to the necessary telecommunications and computer support needed by every employee. As part of
an overall review and rebalancing of these costs, funds have been shifted across programs to reflect
FTE changes as well.
1354
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INDEX
-------
A
Acquisition Management 211, 217, 488, 653, 656, 721, 779, 780, 786, 1262, 1290, 1292, 1293
Acronyms for Statutory Authority 1190,1191
Administrative Law 210,217, 444, 446,1228,1241,1289
Administrative Provisions 649, 973,1190,1297
Agency Financial Report 1041,1323
Alternative Dispute Resolution 210,217, 447, 452,653, 656, 714,1289,1292
Analytical Methods 190, 618,695,1202
Annual Performance Report 1038,1039,1040,1041,1061
Audits, Evaluations, and Investigations 630,631, 632, 633,653, 655, 658,659,1291
B
Beach / Fish Programs 211, 215, 594,1291
Brownfields ..5, 16, 81, 199, 209, 213, 214, 222, 223, 224, 225, 752, 826, 834, 839, 840, 902, 903, 904, 1026, 1027,
1079, 1187, 1191, 1194, 1207, 1240, 1262, 1271, 1287, 1294, 1305, 1306, 1330
Brownfields Projects 5, 225, 826, 834, 840, 902,1294
C
CASTNET 99, 100, 101, 230, 231, 232, 233, 882
Categorical Grant
Beaches Protection 826, 833,837,1295
Brownfields 826, 833, 839, 1295
Environmental Information 826, 833, 841,1295
Lead 826, 833,845, 1295
Multipurpose Grants 826, 848,1295
Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) 826, 833, 850,1295
Pesticides Enforcement 826, 833,853,1295
Pesticides Program Implementation 826, 833, 855,1295
Pollution Control (Sec. 106) 826, 833, 859,1295
Pollution Prevention 826, 833, 865,1295
Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) 826, 833, 868,1295
Radon 826, 833,872, 1295
Toxics Substances Compliance 826, 833, 879,1295
Tribal Air Quality Management 826, 833, 881,1295
Tribal General Assistance Program 826, 833, 884,1295
Underground Injection Control (UIC) 833
Underground Storage Tanks 826, 833, 888,1295
Wetlands Program Development 826, 833, 890,1295
Categorical Grants 14, 64, 554, 826, 833, 836, 837, 839, 841, 845, 846, 848, 850, 853, 855, 859, 865, 868, 872,
874, 879, 881, 884, 886, 888, 890, 892, 895, 1295
Central Planning, Budgeting, and Finance 211,217, 492, 653,656, 724, 726,779, 780, 788, 973,1290,1292,
1293
Chesapeake Bay 14, 353, 354, 355, 356, 633, 985, 986, 987, 1232
Children/Other Sensitive Populations
Agency Coordination 209, 215,287,1289
Civil Enforcements, 61, 120, 209, 215, 327, 328, 330, 331, 333, 337, 656, 779, 780, 783, 807, 808, 813, 814, 1239,
1262, 1288, 1293
Civil Rights / Title VI Compliance 1262
Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs 93, 95, 99,100,102,209, 214, 228,229, 231, 232,233,1286,1287
Clean Air and Climate 95, 99, 103, 106, 110, 214, 228, 235, 249, 255, 267, 274, 1286, 1287, 1288
Clean and Safe Water.. 10, 37, 38, 40, 71, 72, 95, 203, 207, 215, 353, 357, 361, 364, 367, 374, 378, 381, 385, 586,
590, 594, 597, 608, 613, 617, 629, 837, 850, 859, 868, 886, 890, 906, 908, 912, 913, 919, 920, 925, 927, 929,
931, 933, 935, 937, 939, 941, 943, 945, 947, 949, 951, 953, 955, 957, 958, 969, 1114, 1287, 1291, 1295
Clean and Safe Water Technical Assistance Grants 95,207,215,629,1287,1291,1295
Climate Protection Program 2,103, 235
-------
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) 424,1066,1197,1224
Communities....3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 15, 23, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 49, 53, 54, 55, 59, 65, 66, 68, 71, 72, 77, 78, 92, 94, 99,
106, 124, 131, 136, 139, 141, 143, 145, 195, 197, 199, 203, 220, 223, 224, 228, 230, 233, 238, 244, 249, 255,
267, 274, 288, 293, 312, 314, 323, 329, 344, 346, 353, 357, 361, 364, 365, 367, 374, 378, 381, 385, 394, 402,
404, 408, 410, 412, 415, 447, 450, 451, 463, 464, 465, 472, 482, 516, 535, 536, 539, 545, 577, 581, 586, 590,
594, 597, 607, 608, 613, 617, 626, 629, 645, 654, 689, 693, 697, 700, 715, 741, 749, 756, 757, 759, 761, 763,
766, 767, 779, 792, 797, 798, 800, 803, 804, 807, 816, 822, 837, 839, 840, 841, 843, 850, 859, 868, 872, 874,
881, 886, 888, 890, 895, 902, 903, 906, 908, 912, 913, 919, 920, 923, 925, 927, 929, 931, 933, 935, 937, 939,
941, 943, 945, 947, 949, 951, 953, 955, 957, 958, 960, 961, 963, 969, 970, 975, 1023, 1042, 1044, 1060, 1089,
1102, 1114, 1115, 1121, 1128, 1129, 1138, 1194, 1234, 1235, 1242, 1243, 1244, 1338
Compliance....7, 12, 37, 38, 40, 56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 64, 74, 80, 103, 108, 120, 121, 152, 162, 209, 215, 263, 276,
277, 278, 279, 281, 282, 283, 284, 306, 308, 313, 318, 327, 329, 331, 335, 336, 339, 340, 344, 447, 450, 456,
499, 582, 601, 614, 653, 655, 667, 668, 675, 676, 678, 679, 681, 685, 686, 714, 729, 766, 783, 801, 807, 808,
809, 810, 813, 853, 862, 879, 888, 979, 980, 992, 993, 994, 1008, 1018, 1034, 1087, 1090, 1092, 1095, 1096,
1097, 1098, 1100, 1126, 1190, 1195, 1208, 1220, 1222, 1239, 1243, 1248, 1254, 1262, 1264, 1273, 1278, 1279,
1288, 1291, 1293, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1307, 1308, 1324, 1325, 1330, 1340, 1342, 1343, 1345, 1346
Compliance Monitoring 7, 63, 209, 215, 277, 278, 279, 601, 653, 655, 668, 807, 808, 810, 853, 862, 879, 979,
1190, 1262, 1279, 1288, 1291, 1293
Computational Toxicology 96,1241,1287
Congressional Priorities 94, 95, 206,207, 212, 215,628, 629,1256,1287,1291,1295
Congressionally Mandated Projects 1295
Connection to Publicly Owned Treatment Works 827, 834, 951, 1294
Coordination With Other Federal Agencies 1190,1196
Coronavirus 1191
COVID 69, 170, 448, 490, 876, 1047, 1100, 1101, 1157, 1158, 1159, 1186, 1188, 1189, 1279, 1280, 1282, 1302
Criminal Enforcement.8, 61, 120, 209, 215, 335, 337, 653, 656, 675, 676, 678, 814, 1187, 1221, 1239, 1262, 1288,
1291, 1315
D
Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant Program 826, 834, 899,1294
Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability 827, 834, 931,1294
Drinking Water Programs 12, 74, 94, 96, 203, 211, 215, 403, 597, 887, 926, 930, 932, 933, 939, 941, 943, 959,
1201, 1262, 1287, 1291
Ecosystems 211, 358, 436, 585, 707, 984
eEnterprise 1239
E-Enterprise 278, 299, 980,1019
El Paso 429
Electronic Reporting 108, 263,278, 300, 572,672, 862,1336
Eliminated Programs 1190,1256
Endocrine Disruptors 96, 211, 218, 550,1287,1290
Enforcement 7, 8, 16, 49, 55, 58, 61, 62, 64, 93, 95, 119, 120, 121, 122, 162, 209, 215, 277, 278, 279, 280, 284,
305, 308, 313, 318, 326, 327, 329, 331, 335, 336, 337, 339, 450, 451, 476, 649, 651, 653, 656, 668, 674, 675,
676, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 777, 778, 779, 780, 782, 783, 807, 808, 810, 812, 813, 814,
853, 862, 994, 1018, 1059, 1089, 1093, 1096, 1097, 1190, 1194, 1220, 1221, 1222, 1223, 1227, 1239, 1241,
1248, 1256, 1273, 1278, 1286, 1288, 1291, 1292, 1293, 1304, 1307, 1314, 1315, 1330, 1340, 1342, 1343, 1345,
1346, 1352
Enforcement Training 279,280,1227
Enhanced Aquifer Use and Recharge 827, 834, 957, 1294
Ensure Safe Water 94, 96, 202, 203, 211, 215, 593, 594, 597, 1287, 1291
Environmental Education 208, 209,215, 297, 302, 303, 304, 358,1194,1239,1289
Environmental Justice ...A, 5, 6, 37, 38, 40, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 58, 114, 117, 121, 168, 170, 175, 196, 210, 215,
224, 240, 279, 288, 302, 303, 306, 310, 321, 323, 328, 335, 336, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 351, 365,
445, 450, 451, 454, 469, 472, 476, 477, 478, 482, 511, 517, 561, 568, 619, 653, 656, 668, 675, 676, 679, 682,
686, 688, 689, 690, 750, 778, 810, 813, 853, 880, 884, 885, 892, 893, 1028, 1030, 1042, 1044, 1045, 1046, 1070,
-------
1071, 1078, 1080, 1082, 1086, 1089, 1091, 1093, 1134, 1186, 1190, 1222, 1225, 1226, 1243, 1244, 1249, 1265,
1266, 1288, 1291, 1349, 1354
EPA User Fee Program 1190,1252
Esnure Clean Water 212, 215, 608, 612, 613, 617, 965, 967, 968, 969, 1291, 1295
Exchange Network 209, 215, 299, 301, 653, 655, 671, 831, 841, 843, 987, 1229, 1230, 1262, 1275, 1289, 1292
Executive Management and Operations 209,215, 292, 297, 304,1289
Expected Benefits of E-Government Initiatives 1190,1257
F
Facilities Infrastructure and Operations.. 93, 96,151,153,211, 217, 498, 499, 642, 643,648, 653, 656, 728, 779,
780, 790, 807, 808, 820, 1286, 1290, 1291, 1292, 1293
Federal Stationary Source Regulations 9, 209,214,249,1262,1287
Federal Support for Air Quality Management. 9, 67, 93, 95,106,109,209, 214, 255, 877, 883,1262,1286,1287
Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification 3, 93,95,103,110,112,1286
Forensics Support 93, 95, 120, 121, 653, 656, 678, 1286, 1291
G
General Counsel 23,467,472,717,1045,1243,1311,1354
Geographic Program
Chesapeake Bay 210,216,353,1288
Gulf Of Mexico 210,216,357, 1288
Lake Champlain 210, 216, 361,1288
Long Island Sound 210, 216, 364,1288
Geographic Programs 14, 76, 210, 213, 216, 352, 353, 357, 361, 364, 367, 374, 378, 381, 385, 1288
Goal 1 42, 43, 103, 111, 114, 240, 328, 420, 424, 427, 428, 458, 900, 1001, 1003, 1005, 1030, 1040, 1051
Goal 2 49, 50, 114, 303, 321, 328, 345, 427, 451, 454, 477, 690, 885, 893, 1028, 1040, 1070, 1265, 1349
Goal 3 ...57, 58, 120, 279, 328, 335, 340, 427, 447, 668, 675, 679, 682, 686, 714, 783, 810, 813, 853, 879, 979, 993,
1018, 1040, 1092
Goal 4 ...65, 66, 101, 106, 140, 141, 143, 145, 231, 250, 258, 269, 274, 408, 410, 412, 415, 427, 482, 700, 872, 874,
882, 923, 964, 995, 1007, 1009, 1010, 1040, 1102
Goal 5 ...71, 72, 203, 354, 357, 361, 365, 370, 375, 379, 382, 386, 587, 590, 595, 598, 608, 613, 617, 837, 851, 859,
869, 886, 891, 907, 909, 912, 916, 919, 922, 925, 927, 929, 931, 933, 935, 937, 939, 941, 943, 945, 947, 949,
951, 953, 955, 957, 958, 970, 983, 985, 986, 988, 989, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1040, 1114
Great Lakes Legacy Act 387
Great Lakes Restoration 199,210,216, 385,1288
H
Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest System Fund 26, 41, 539, 972, 973, 975, 976,1254,1297
Healthy Schools 289
Homeland Security 93, 96, 123, 124, 131, 132, 133, 136, 137, 143, 144, 157, 162, 166, 210, 216, 268, 272, 301,
393, 394, 395, 401, 402, 403, 404, 406, 412, 413, 414, 433, 434, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 653, 656, 673, 676,
692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 704, 705, 759, 851, 1045, 1093, 1144, 1198, 1211, 1213, 1217, 1221, 1239,
1251, 1286, 1288, 1291, 1292, 1347
Communication and Information 210, 216, 394,1288
Critical Infrastructure Protection 93, 96,124,210, 216, 402,1286,1288
Human Health 267, 566,1011,1213,1316,1317,1318
Human Health Risk Assessment 1011
Human Resources Management 211,217, 505, 654,656, 734, 737,1262,1290,1292
Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program 827, 834, 943, 1294
Indoor Air 9, 65,69, 70, 93,96, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 145,210,216, 407, 408,410,412,415,416, 653,656, 699,
700, 872, 963, 964, 1109, 1198, 1199, 1239, 1286, 1288, 1289, 1292
Radon Program 93, 96,139,210, 216, 408,1286,1288
Indoor Air and Radiation ....93, 96, 138, 139, 141, 143, 145, 210, 216, 407, 408, 410, 412, 415, 653, 656, 699, 700,
1286, 1288, 1289, 1292
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Information Exchange / Outreach 1289,1292
Information Security 149, 210, 216, 301, 396, 400, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 442, 634, 653, 656, 660, 673, 703,
704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 712, 1192, 1193, 1237, 1241, 1289, 1292
Infrastructure Assistance 428, 826, 827, 834, 906, 908, 912, 913, 919, 920, 1256, 1294
Alaska Native Villages 826, 834, 906,1294
Clean Water SRF 826, 834, 908,1294
Drinking Water SRF 827, 834, 913,1294
Mexico Border 827, 834, 920,1294
Inspector General .23, 25, 26, 107, 126, 148, 258, 492, 495, 630, 631, 633, 637, 640, 641, 655, 659, 662, 666, 724,
725, 1193, 1227, 1236, 1242, 1291, 1298, 1301, 1302
Integrated Environmental Strategies 210, 217,458,1289
International Programs 210, 216,418, 419, 424,427,1289
International Sources of Pollution 210, 216,419,1262,1289
IT / Data Management 93, 96, 147, 210, 216, 432, 438, 653, 656, 703, 709, 1262, 1286, 1289, 1292
IT / Data Management / Security 96,147,216, 432, 438,656, 703, 709,1286,1289,1292
L
Lake Pontchartrain 14, 216, 368, 370, 371,1036,1037,1288
Lead Testing in Schools 11, 827, 834, 929, 930,1294
Legal / Science / Regulatory / Economic Review 217,444, 447, 450,458, 467, 472,476, 481, 484,653, 656,
713,714,717, 1289, 1292
Legal Advice
Environmental Program 210,217, 467, 475,653, 656, 717,1262,1289,1292
Support Program 211,217, 472, 473,1262,1289
LUST/UST 211,218,581,779, 781,797, 1290, 1293
LUST Cooperative Agreements 779,781, 799, 803, 806,1293
LUST Prevention 583, 779, 781, 800, 801, 889, 1293
M
Marine Pollution 212, 215,421, 613,1291
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards 229,1007,1008,1103
Mexican Border 429
Mexico Border 428, 430, 830, 920, 921, 922, 1068
Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability 827, 834, 941, 1294
Mississippi River Basin 588,1204
Monitoring Grants 833,1295
N
Nanotechnology 181,191,748,1215
National Estuary Program / Coastal Waterways 211, 217, 586,1290
NEPA Implementation 209,215, 339, 340,1262,1288
Not Specified 967
o
Office Of Air and Radiation 252, 490, 982, 1031, 1234, 1239, 1264, 1307, 1311, 1312, 1313, 1314, 1316, 1318,
1328, 1332
Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Protection .... 157,180,184,186, 518, 551, 565, 982,1011,1012,1013,
1015, 1016, 1047, 1082, 1151, 1239, 1264, 1298, 1299, 1303, 1309, 1310, 1311, 1329, 1330, 1331, 1334
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 7,156,158, 225,277, 279, 280, 281, 282, 285, 329, 330,
331, 333, 474, 810, 853, 979, 982, 993, 994, 1018, 1059, 1150, 1239, 1249, 1280, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1311, 1314,
1333, 1336, 1339, 1340, 1342, 1350
Office of General Counsel 23, 467, 468,472, 473, 474,717,1240
Office of International Affairs 1240
Office of International and Tribal Affairs 322, 893,1240
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Office of Land and Emergency Management 16, 81,190,196,198, 223, 474, 491, 535, 540, 581, 740,741, 742,
752, 756, 761, 797, 800, 803, 839, 902, 903, 982, 1020, 1022, 1024, 1026, 1027, 1029, 1031, 1046, 1047, 1129,
1171, 1180, 1213, 1240, 1354
Office Of Mission Support 23, 395, 637, 662, 842, 996, 1087, 1240, 1241, 1248, 1308, 1320, 1321, 1322, 1323,
1326, 1354
Office of Research and Development....19, 23, 28, 29, 51,134,157,171,172,173,179,180,183,186,189,190,
192, 193, 199, 200, 564, 570, 743, 747, 751, 753, 793, 795, 797, 825, 981, 982, 1011, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030,
1031, 1045, 1058, 1071, 1072, 1078, 1079, 1163, 1164, 1234, 1241, 1281, 1282, 1298, 1299, 1326, 1347
Office Of the Administrator 23, 296, 633, 634, 638, 659, 660, 663, 998, 1001, 1264, 1354
Office of the Chief Financial Officer 23, 34, 724, 998,1181,1239,1248,1265,1320,1321,1322,1323,1354
Office Of the Inspector General 23, 107, 148, 157, 158, 250, 251,254, 257, 258, 262, 296, 433,553,633,634,
635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 704, 725, 1190, 1236, 1240, 1242,
1245, 1246, 1248, 1249, 1298, 1301, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1305, 1306, 1307, 1308, 1309, 1310, 1311, 1312, 1313,
1314, 1315, 1316, 1317, 1318, 1319, 1320, 1321, 1322, 1323, 1324, 1325, 1326, 1327, 1328, 1329, 1330, 1331,
1332, 1333, 1334, 1335
Office Of Water 474, 982, 993, 1031, 1046, 1241, 1298
Oil..25, 26, 38,39, 40,41, 122, 135, 143, 151, 196, 231,277, 285, 327, 334,412, 498, 591,648, 668, 725,728, 750,
758, 759, 777, 783, 790, 793, 807, 808, 810, 811, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 820, 821, 823, 824, 825, 1001,
1144, 1194, 1212, 1213, 1276, 1293, 1294, 1338, 1341
Oil Spill
Prevention, Preparedness and Response 807,808, 816,1293
OP 305, 307, 1082, 1231, 1234, 1235
Operations and Administration..93, 96,150,151, 211, 217,487, 488, 492,498, 502, 505, 510, 642, 643,647, 648,
653, 656, 720, 721, 724, 728, 731, 734, 779, 780, 785, 786, 788, 790, 807, 808, 819, 820, 973, 1286, 1289, 1290,
1291, 1292, 1293
Pesticide Safety Education Program 517, 518, 526
Pesticides
Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk 93, 96,155,158,211,217, 514,1262,1287,1290
Realize the Value of Pesticide Availability 93, 96,164,211, 217, 530,1262,1287,1290
Pesticides Licensing 93, 96, 154, 155, 160, 164,211,217, 513,514, 521, 530, 1287, 1290
Pollution Prevention 17, 22, 85, 91, 105, 135, 173, 175, 176, 177, 178, 181, 184, 211, 218, 248, 316, 317, 320, 512,
526, 554, 555, 556, 560, 748, 849, 865, 867, 1011, 1013, 1016, 1017, 1047, 1048, 1082, 1158, 1159, 1194, 1214,
1239, 1247, 1264, 1274, 1290, 1298, 1299, 1303, 1352
Pollution Prevention Program 17, 22,176,177,178, 211,218, 554, 555, 867,1214,1290
Puget Sound 14, 210, 216, 381, 382, 383, 1232, 1288, 1350
R
Radiation ..65, 69, 93, 96, 131, 134, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 145, 184, 210, 216, 252, 307, 408, 410, 411, 412, 415,
467, 474, 490, 653, 656, 676, 700, 872, 963, 964, 995, 1003, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1009, 1010, 1048, 1109, 1112,
1181, 1195, 1196, 1199, 1200, 1234, 1239, 1240, 1243, 1264, 1286, 1288, 1292, 1307, 1311, 1337, 1344, 1347
Protection 93, 96, 141, 210, 216, 410, 653, 656, 700, 1286, 1288, 1292
Response Preparedness 93, 96,143,210,216,412,1286,1288
RCRA
Corrective Action 211, 218, 535,1290
Waste Management 211,218,539, 972, 973,975,1290
Waste Minimization & Recycling 211, 218, 545,1290
Reduce Risks from Indoor Air 69, 93, 96,145,210, 216, 415,1286,1288
Reducing Lead in Drinking Water 11, 827, 834, 927, 928,1122,1294
Regional Science and Technology 211,217,510,1289,1290
Regions 100, 156, 258, 282, 307, 350, 394, 395, 455, 511, 571, 610, 989, 1045, 1077, 1086, 1087, 1088, 1127,
1170, 1218, 1235, 1272, 1318, 1319, 1335, 1349
Regulatory/Economic-Management and Analysis 211, 217,476,1289
Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program 1052
Research
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Air and Energy 93,167
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 97,189,1287
Sustainable Communities 97,196,657, 750, 780,793, 808, 823,1287,1292,1293
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)... 59,105,175,181,184, 208,211, 218, 248,280, 301, 328,
423, 426, 430, 446, 468, 470, 510, 512, 534, 535, 538, 539, 544, 545, 548, 673, 748, 849, 894, 895, 972, 973,
974, 975, 976, 1024, 1026, 1060, 1129, 1139, 1210, 1290
Resource Recovery and Hazardous Waste Grants 826, 833, 895,1271,1295
Restore Land77, 78, 220, 223, 224, 535, 536, 756, 757, 761, 763, 766, 767, 797, 798, 803, 804, 839, 840, 902, 903,
1129
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources 94, 97,188,189,1287
Safe Water for Small & Disadvantaged Communities 827, 834, 925,1294
San Francisco Bay 14, 210,216, 378, 379, 380,1288
San Juan Watershed Monitroing 834,1294
Science Advisory Board 211,217, 347, 478,481, 482, 995,1239,1262,1289
Science Policy and Biotechnology 211,217,484,1290
Security Ill, 118, 124, 126, 130, 135, 157, 173, 208, 210, 246, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 403, 404, 405, 422,
431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 438, 609, 645, 648, 649, 653, 697, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 709, 958, 1109, 1191, 1192,
1193, 1197, 1199, 1201, 1211, 1212, 1213, 1214, 1225, 1226, 1228, 1237, 1241, 1251, 1329, 1332, 1347, 1348
Small and Medium Publicly Owned Treatment Works Circuit Rider Program 827, 834, 947, 1294
Small Business Ombudsman 209, 215, 305,1289
Small Minority Business Assistance 209,215, 309, 491,723,1289
Special Accounts 1298
State and Local Prevention and Preparedness 209,215, 312, 313,1262,1289
State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) 428, 554, 826, 834, 835, 898, 899, 902, 906, 908, 912, 913, 919,
920, 923, 925, 927, 929, 931, 933, 935, 936, 937, 939, 941, 943, 945, 947, 949, 951, 953, 955, 957, 958, 960,
963, 1294
Stormwater Infrastructure Technology 827, 834, 953, 1294
Stratospheric Ozone
Domestic Programs 10, 209, 214,267,1288
Multilateral Fund 209, 214,274,1288
Superfund
Emergency Response and Removal 654, 657,756, 808,1293
Enforcement 653, 656,681,1292
EPA Emergency Preparedness 654, 657,759,1293
Federal Facilities 654,657,766,1293
Federal Facilities Enforcement 653, 656,685,1292
Remedial 654,657,761,1293
Superfund Cleanup 79, 654, 657, 755, 756, 759, 761, 766, 808, 1293
Superfund Special Accounts 654, 770,771,1335
Surface Water Protection 13, 212, 215, 588, 617, 851, 933,1262,1291
Sustainable and Healthy Communities... 94, 97,196, 200,654, 657, 750, 753, 754, 779,780, 793, 795, 801, 807,
808, 823, 825, 1287, 1292, 1293
Targeted Airshed Grants 827, 834, 923,1294
Technical Assistance and Grants for Emergencies (SDWA) 827, 834, 939, 1294
Technical Assistance for Treatment Works 933
Toxic Substances
Chemical Risk Management 218
Chemical Risk Review and Reduction 211, 218, 561,1290
Lead Risk Reduction 211,218, 576,1290
Lead Risk Reduction Program 211, 218, 576,1290
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention 211, 218, 549, 550, 554, 561, 576,1290
Trade and Governance 210, 216,424, 425,1289
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TRI / Right to Know
Tribal - Capacity Building
209,215, 316, 1262, 1289
209, 215, 321, 1262, 1289
U
Underground Storage Tanks (LUST / UST) 218, 581,781, 797, 800, 803,1290,1293
US Mexico Border 210, 216,427,1289
Utilities 125,460, 993, 1117, 1250, 1345, 1348
W
Water Quality Monitoring 374,1206
Water Quality Protection 374, 375
Water Quality Research and Support Grants 629,1256
Water Sector Cybersecurity 129,130, 827, 834, 958,1250,1294
Wetlands 14, 76, 194, 208,211,217, 379, 586, 589, 590,591,890, 1192, 1194, 1206, 1241, 1270, 1290
WIFIA 13, 73, 600, 909, 910, 911, 916, 918, 936, 938, 965, 967, 969, 970, 971, 1119, 1120, 1122, 1195, 1255
Working Capital Fund 136, 151, 404, 467, 492, 498, 606, 645, 648, 697, 728, 790, 820, 858, 1190, 1226, 1300,
1354
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