United States
Environmental Protection Agency

Fiscal Year 2025

Justification of Appropriation

Estimates for the
Committee on Appropriations

Tab 10: Inland Oil Spill Programs

EPA-190R24002	March 2024

www.epa.gov/cj


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Environmental Protection Agency

FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification
Table of Contents - Inland Oil Spill Programs	

Resource Summary Table	2

Program Projects in Inland Oil Spill Programs	2

Compliance	3

Compliance Monitoring	4

Enforcement	6

Civil Enforcement	7

Oil	9

Oil Spill: Prevention, Preparedness and Response	10

Operations and Administration	13

Facilities Infrastructure and Operations	14

Research: Sustainable Communities	16

Research: Sustainable and Healthy Communities	17

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Environmental Protection Agency
FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan and Congressional Justification

APPROPRIATION: Inland Oil Spill Programs
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

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 Pro ject

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

Superfund Cleanup









Superfund: Emergency Response and Removal

$0

$0

$0

$0

TOTAL Inland Oil Spill Programs

$21,164

$22,072

$27,803

$5,731

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Compliance

3


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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

SI 04.593

SI 12.730

SI 68.474

S55.744

Inland Oil Spill Programs

-.S5

SO-IV

S 2.15-1

S 1.505

Hazardous Substance Superfund

$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-rooiii/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-
on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/.

4


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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):

•	(-$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).

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Enforcement

6


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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 Underground Storage Tanks

$594

$661

$690

$29

Inlunil Oil Spill Programs

S2.5.W

S 2.505

S 2.09V

SJJ-I

Hazardous Substance Superfund

$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

7


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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
agency wide 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.

8


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Oil

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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

Inlunil Oil Spill Programs

sr.ni

sr.501

S2I.62-I

S-IJJJ

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.

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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 $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

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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.

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Operations and Administration

13


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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

I.caking Underground Storage Tanks

$80.?

$754

$729

-$25

Inlunil Oil Spill Programs

Vi'A?

Vi.S'J

Vi-/.?

-s.iv

Hazardous Substance Superfund

$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 FY 2022 - 2026 EPA 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-susta inability /).

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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-content/uploads/2023/04/M-23-15.pdf

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Research: Sustainable Communities

16


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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

T.caking Underground Storage Tanks

S292

$341

$356

$15

Inlunil Oil Spill Programs

.S "iS'.i

Vi s

SfiSJ

Sft

Hazardous Substance Superfund

$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/emergency-response/epas-scene-coordinators-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.

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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 FY 2022-2026 EPA 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.

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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.

•	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):

•	(+$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.

14 For more information, please see: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-research-solutions-states.

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