EPA Region 10 Draft Climate 

Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan

September 2013
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Disclaimer

To the extent this document mentions or discusses statutory or regulatory authority, it does so for 

informational purposes only. This document does not substitute for those statutes or regulations, and 

readers should consult the statutes or regulations to learn what they require. Neither this document, 

nor any part of it, is itself a rule or a regulation. Thus, it cannot change or impose legally binding 

requirements on EPA, States, the public, or the regulated community. Further, any expressed intention, 

suggestion or recommendation does not impose any legally binding requirements on EPA, States, tribes, 

the public, or the regulated community. Agency decision makers remain free to exercise their discretion 

in choosing to implement the actions described in this Plan. Such implementation is contingent upon 

availability of resources and is subject to change. 
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Preface

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to identifying and responding to the 

challenges that a changing climate poses to human health and the environment.

Scientific evidence demonstrates that the climate is changing at an increasingly rapid rate, outside the 

range to which society has adapted in the past. These changes can pose significant challenges to the 

EPA’s ability to fulfill its mission. The EPA must adapt to climate change if it is to continue fulfilling its 

statutory, regulatory and programmatic requirements. The Agency is therefore anticipating and planning 

for future changes in climate to ensure it continues to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and 

the environment even as the climate changes. 

In February 2013, the EPA released its draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan to the public for review and 

comment. The plan relies on peer-reviewed scientific information and expert judgment to identify 

vulnerabilities to EPA’s mission and goals from climate change. The plan also presents 10 priority actions 

that EPA will take to ensure that its programs, policies, rules, and operations will remain effective under 

future climatic conditions. The priority placed on mainstreaming climate adaptation within EPA 

complements efforts to encourage and mainstream adaptation planning across the entire federal 

government.

Following completion of the draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan, each EPA National Environmental 

Program Office, all 10 Regional Offices, and several National Support Offices developed a Climate 

Adaptation Implementation Plan to provide more detail on how it will carry out the work called for in 

the agency-wide plan. Each Implementation Plan articulates how the office will integrate climate 

adaptation into its planning and work in a manner consistent and compatible with its goals and 

objectives.

Taken together, the Implementation Plans demonstrate how the EPA will attain the 10 agency-wide 

priorities presented in the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. A central element of all of EPA’s plans is to 

build and strengthen its adaptive capacity and work with its partners to build capacity in states, tribes, 

and local communities. EPA will empower its staff and partners by increasing their awareness of ways 

that climate change may affect their ability to implement effective programs, and by providing them 

with the necessary data, information, and tools to integrate climate adaptation into their work.

Each Program and Regional Office’s Implementation Plan contains an initial assessment of the 

implications of climate change for the organization’s goals and objectives. These “program vulnerability 

assessments” are living documents that will be updated as needed to account for new knowledge, data, 

and scientific evidence about the impacts of climate change on EPA’s mission. The plan then identifies 

specific priority actions that the office will take to begin addressing its vulnerabilities and mainstreaming 

climate change adaptation into its activities. Criteria for the selection of priorities are discussed. An 

emphasis is placed on protecting the most vulnerable people and places, on supporting the 

development of adaptive capacity in the tribes, and on identifying clear steps for ongoing collaboration 

with tribal governments.
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Because EPA’s Programs and Regions and partners will be learning by experience as they mainstream 

climate adaptation planning into their activities, it will be essential to evaluate their efforts in order to 

understand how well different approaches work and how they can be improved. Each Implementation 

Plan therefore includes a discussion of how the organization will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of 

its adaptation efforts and make adjustments where necessary.

The set of Implementation Plans are a sign of EPA’s leadership and commitment to help build the 

nation’s adaptive capacity that is so vital to the goal of protecting human health and the environment. 

Working with its partners, the Agency will help promote a healthy and prosperous nation that is resilient 

to a changing climate.

Bob Perciasepe

Deputy Administrator

September 2013
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... 7

Section 1: Introduction.................................................................................................................... 8

I. Regional Overview.................................................................................................................... 8

II. Overview of Climate Change Impacts in Region 10.................................................................. 9

Section 2: Region 10 Vulnerability Assessment.......................................................................... 10

I. Region 10 General Vulnerabilities.......................................................................................... 11

1. Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality.................................. 14

2. Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters...................................................................................... 16

3. Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development ...................... 19

4. Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution ...................................... 22

5. Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws.................................................................................. 22

6. EPA Facilities and Operations................................................................................................. 25

7. Tribal and other Vulnerable Populations................................................................................. 26

Section 3: Region 10 Priority Existing Actions............................................................................ 28

1. Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics (OAWT) ............................................................................. 29

2. Office of Water and Watersheds (OWW)................................................................................ 29

3. Office of Ecosystems, Tribal, and Public Affairs (ETPA) ...................................................... 30

4. Office of Environmental Clean-Up (ECL) .............................................................................. 32

5. Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE)....................................................................... 32

6. Office of Regional Counsel (ORC).......................................................................................... 33

7. Office of Environmental Assessment (OEA) ......................................................................... 33

Section 4: Developing Measures, Monitoring and Evaluating Performance................................ 34

Section 5: Legal and Enforcement Issues.................................................................................... 34

Section 6: Training and Outreach ................................................................................................ 34

Section 7: Partnerships with Tribes .............................................................................................. 34

Section 8: Vulnerable Population and Places ............................................................................... 35

Section 9: Cross-Office Pilot Projects.......................................................................................... 36

Appendix A: Vulnerabilities Identified by Region 10 States and Tribes ..................................... 38

Appendix B: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Program Vulnerabilities.......................... 43

Appendix C: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Existing Actions...................................... 63

Appendix D: Comparison of Vulnerabilities and EPA Region 10 Existing Actions ................... 84

Appendix E: EPA Region 10 Approach for Measuring Success.................................................. 90
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Acknowledgements

Overall Direction 

Dennis McLerran, Regional Administrator, Region 10

Michelle Pirzadeh, Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 10

Joyce Kelly, Director, Office of Environmental Assessment, Region 10

Joel Scheraga, Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation, Office of Administrator

Overall Development 

Bruce Duncan, Office of Environmental Assessment

Michael Cox, Office of Environmental Assessment

Key Input

Region 10 Executive Team

Office Points of Contact

Brook Madrone - Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Teresa Kubo and Michelle Davis - Office of Ecosystems, Tribes, and Public Affairs

Paula Vanhaagen - Office of Water and Watersheds: 

Ken Marcy - Environmental Cleanup 

Sandra Brozusky - Office of Compliance and Enforcement

Allyn Stern - Office of Regional Counsel

Tribal Partnership

Jim Woods – Region 10 Regional Tribal Policy Advisor 

Additional Input

Keith Rose – Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Dave Bray - Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Ashley Zanolli - Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Viccy Salazar - Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Erin Mader - Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Margo Young - Office of Ecosystems, Tribes, and Public Affairs

Linda Storm - Office of Ecosystems, Tribes, and Public Affairs

Rob Elleman - Office of Environmental Assessment

Claire Schary - Office of Water and Watersheds

Brooks Stanfield and Andrea Westenberger - Office of Management Programs
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“Adaptation” refers to efforts by 

society or ecosystems to prepare for or 

adjust to future climate change. These 

adjustments can be protective (i.e., 

guarding against negative impacts of 

climate change), or opportunistic (i.e., 

taking advantage of any beneficial 

effects of climate change).

Section 1: Introduction

Executive Order EO13514 directed the U.S. Government to 

address the impacts of climate change, and form an Interagency 

Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. This task force is cochaired by the White House Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ), the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, 

and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There 

are over 20 federal agencies represented on the task force, 

including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The task 

force developed recommendations to the President regarding the 

integration of climate adaptation into planning, operations, policies, and programs, and each agency 

was required to develop a climate change adaptation plan.

In response, EPA issued a climate change adaptation policy statement in June 2011, and completed an 

agency-wide Climate Adaptation Plan in June 2012. These documents directed every Program and 

Regional office within EPA to develop an Implementation Plan detailing how they will integrate climate 

adaptation into their work, and address the priorities identified in the agency-wide plan. 

To promote consistency, these Implementation Plans have common areas of focus, as outlined below. 

The Implementation Plans are complementary and are meant to work in conjunction with the Agency’s 

Strategic Plan and Sustainability Plan, and the climate change plans developed by the individual EPA 

Program Offices. The Implementation Plan for Region 10 will be a living document to be updated over 

time. 

I. Regional Overview

Region 10 serves Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and 271 Federally Recognized Tribes. In this 

report, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are often referred to as the Pacific Northwest. EPA Region 10 

represents a diverse geographic region with varying climate, geographic features, social, and ecological 

Common Areas of Focus for Implementation Plans

1. Vulnerability assessments

2. Priority actions on climate adaptation

3. Agency-wide strategic measures on climate adaptation

4. Legal and enforcement issues

5. Training and outreach

6. Partnerships with tribes

7. Evaluation and cross-office pilot projects
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conditions. Region 10 is composed of eight landscape conservation cooperative1 areas (five in Alaska 

and 3 in the Pacific Northwest) out of twenty-two Nationwide. This attests to the wide diversity of 

geographic regions within Region 10. The Pacific Northwest is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the 

west and Canada to the north. The region includes the cities of Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Boise, and 

Tacoma with susceptible populations that are particularly vulnerable to a changing climate. 

The Cascade Mountain Range runs north-south through Washington and Oregon, splitting the region. 

The climate on each side of the mountain range is very different. West of the mountains, temperatures 

are mild year-round (days below freezing or above 90°F are relatively rare), winters are wet, and 

summers are dry. East of the mountains, it is typically sunnier and drier over the course of the year, 

winters are colder, and summers can be significantly hotter. The Pacific Northwest contains many miles 

of coast line, contains high sage deserts, is composed of large tracks of forest, and consists of several 

mountain ranges that are critical to maintaining the water resources in the Region. 

Alaska presents unique challenges given its geographic location, and that it is the only arctic region in 

United States. Issues related to permafrost thawing and sea ice melting are unique to Alaska and

climate change impacts are being seen in many areas of Alaska and threatening coastal communities, 

habitats, and infrastructure. Alaska contains more coastline than the other 49 states combined. Alaska 

contains almost 40% (229 tribes) of the federally recognized tribes in the United States that are 

particularly vulnerable to climate change given their proximity to coastal areas. 

II. Overview of Climate Change Impacts in Region 10

The climate of the Northwest is changing. According to the United States Global Change Research 

Program (USGCRP) the following changes have or are anticipated to occur in the region.

2 Over the last 

century, the average annual temperature rose by 1.5°F, with increases in some areas up to 4°F. 

Changes in snowpack, streamflows, and forest cover are already occurring. Future climate change will 

likely continue to influence these changes. Average annual temperature in the region is projected to 

increase by 3-10°F by the end of the century. Winter precipitation is projected to increase while 

summer precipitation is projected to decrease, though precipitation projections are less certain than 

those related to temperature. Future climate change impacts would be compounded by pressures 

related to the region's rapidly growing population.

 1 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives are public-private partnerships composed of states, tribes, federal

agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and others. 2 U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). 2009. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . 

Karl, T.R., J. M. Melillo, and T. C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge 

University Press, New York, NY, USA.
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Impacts from climate change are being observed in Alaska. According to the Alaska Climate Change 

Strategy3 recent decades of warmer temperature have produced extensive thawing of permafrost, 

which has resulted in increased coastal erosion, landslides, and sinking of the ground surface, as well as 

consequent disruption and damage to forests, buildings, infrastructure, and coastal communities. Sea 

ice off the Alaskan Coast is retreating and thinning, with widespread effects on marine ecosystems, 

coastal climate, human settlements, and subsistence activities. The Arctic Region, particularly Alaska, is 

already experiencing major ecological impacts such as the northward expansion of boreal forest in some 

areas, significant increases in fire frequency and intensity, and unprecedented insect outbreaks.

Section 2: Region 10 Vulnerability Assessment

This section contains an assessment of the vulnerabilities of Region 10 programs to the impacts of 

climate change. It builds on the work presented in Part 2 of EPA’s Agency-Wide Implementation Plan, 

as well as the individual assessments completed by various Program Offices in Region 10. It also draws 

heavily from existing efforts from the four states in Region 10, as well as the work from the Landscape 

Conservation Cooperatives in Region 10 and from Tribal assessments. A summary of those efforts is 

provided below and a more detailed discussion can be found 

in Appendix A. The vulnerability assessment is structured

by the goals in EPA’s FY 2011-2015 Strategic Plan and 

includes a vulnerability assessment of EPA Region 10 

facilities and Tribes. A more detailed discussion of the 

vulnerabilities and impacts is included in Appendix B. 

Appendix D provides a comparison of the vulnerabilities 

identified below with existing Region 10 actions. This information could be used to help focus future 

actions. 

It is important to note that EPA Region 10 did not conduct a quantitative vulnerability assessment, but 

has qualitatively evaluated the nature and magnitude of risks associated with climate change impacts. 

The vulnerability assessment is based on the best available information, state and tribal vulnerability 

assessments, and our own best professional judgment. The assessment does not specifically distinguish 

timeframes (current, near-term, long-term) for impacts, although it mentions where impacts are already 

occurring, and it does provide judgments on the likelihood of the impact occurring in the Region. The 

assessment will need to be updated as our understanding of climate science evolves, and the Region will 

need to identify the important gaps in our scientific knowledge and technical analyses that are needed 

to assist in decision-making. 

 3 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

Vulnerability is the degree to which 

a system is susceptible to, or unable 

to cope with, adverse effects of 

climate change, including climate 

variability and extremes.
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The overall goal of the Region 10 vulnerability assessment and the detailed discussion of specific 

vulnerabilities contained in Appendix B and the comparison with vulnerabilities and existing actions in 

Appendix D are to:

1. Inform staff and managers in Region 10 about the most critical impacts from climate change 

for their programs;

2. Motivate staff and managers to continue with existing climate change and sustainability 

work and integrate climate change adaptation into their program work; 

3. Serve as a starting point to engage in conversations with EPA partners, especially Tribes, on 

future actions that are needed to adapt to climate change; and

4. Serve as a qualitative assessment of the baseline set of vulnerabilities, which can be refined 

as new regional information on climate science and adaptation alternatives become 

available.

Vulnerable populations are mentioned throughout the document. Certain parts of the population, such 

as children, the elderly, minorities and the poor, persons with underlying medical conditions and 

disabilities, those with limited access to information, and tribal and indigenous populations, can be 

especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Tribes may be more vulnerable to climate 

change impacts because of dependence upon a specific geographical area for their livelihood; and their 

unique cultural, economic, or political characteristics and contexts.4

Also, certain geographic locations and communities are particularly vulnerable, such as those located in 

low-lying coastal areas. One of the principles guiding EPA’s efforts to integrate climate adaptation into 

its programs, policies and rules calls for its adaptation plans to prioritize helping people, places and 

infrastructure that are most vulnerable to climate impacts, and to be designed and implemented with 

meaningful involvement from all parts of society. 

I. Region 10 General Vulnerabilities

All four States in Region 10 have identified vulnerabilities specific to their State. A summary of what is 

included in each State assessment is included below with a more detailed discussion in Appendix A.

 4 Cutter, S.L. and C. Finch. 2008. Temporal and spatial changes in social vulnerability to natural hazards. 

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 105(7): 2301-2306.
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• The State of Oregon has developed a framework that condenses specific vulnerabilities and risks 

from climate change into 11 overarching categories. They then ranked these into three groups: 

very likely, likely, and more likely than not.

5

• The Washington State Department of Ecology has summarized climate impacts in their response 

strategy.

6

 Washington examined projected impacts for sector groupings – e.g., built 

infrastructure, wildlife & habitat, etc. 

• Climate change planning in Idaho is conducted by the Idaho Experimental Program to Stimulate 

Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

7 The EPSCoR work addresses concerns about how the 

hydrology in Idaho will change as climate changes in the western U.S. 

• The State of Alaska Adaptation Advisory Group describes vulnerabilities including effects that 

are already occurring in their document Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts 

in Alaska.

8

 

• In an effort to understand Tribal cultural resource vulnerabilities, Region 10 reviewed the 

Swinomish Climate Change Initiative Impact Assessment Technical Report.

9

• The Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Plan Template provides a summary of the Arctic 

vulnerabilities and those related to Alaskan Tribes.

10 

The following suite of climate change vulnerabilities and impacts, and their effects on Region 10

Programs is discussed in the sections below. They are discussed individually, or in combinations based 

on the focus of the Strategic Plan Goal under consideration. A more detailed discussion of the 

vulnerabilities is in Appendix B.

Based on the assessments described above we developed the following list of the most significant 

regional vulnerabilities. 

1. Increase in average annual air temperature.

2. Decreased/loss of snowpack.

3. Sea level rise.

4. Permafrost thawing.

 5 http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/ClimateChange/Framework_Final.pdf

6 http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_responsestrategy.htm 7 http://www.idahoclimatechange.org/DrawOnePage.aspx?PageID=135

8 http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf

9 http://www.swinomish.org/departments/planning/climate_change/climate_main.html

10 http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts
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5. Sea ice melting.

6. Increase in wildfire frequency and intensity.

7. Increase in ocean temperatures.

8. Increase in ocean acidification.

9. Increase frequency of extreme precipitation events and flooding.

10. Increase in and changing mix of pests.

11. More frequent and severe drought.

12. Increase health impacts.

In addition to the vulnerabilities above, several cultural vulnerabilities were identified in the Swinomish 

Impact Assessment that may be relevant to other Tribes including: 

• Shrinking land base (sea level rise).

• Inundation of coastal sites/artifacts.

• Exposure of burial sites and human remains from strong storm events.

• Loss of cultural use plants.

• Impacts within traditional use areas.

• Historic subsistent natural resources used by indigenous tribes such as fishery resources, 

wildlife, traditional foods, native plants, and holistic medicines are vulnerable.

These vulnerabilities are discussed when evaluating potential impacts on Regional Office programmatic 

areas of responsibility. The five goals discussed below are taken from the National Goals to facilitate 

comparisons across regions. The relationships to Region 10 Goals11 are also given. Two additional 

areas of responsibility beyond the five National Goals that are addressed under vulnerabilities are 

facilities and operations and Tribes and vulnerable populations. 

Cross Walk between National and Region 10 Goals

National Goal Regional Goal

Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and 

Improving Air Quality

Goal 1: .Taking Action on Climate Change and 

Goal 2: Improving Air Quality

Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters Goal 5: Protecting America’s Waters

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and 

Advancing Sustainable Development

Goal 4: Cleaning Up Our Communities

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and 

Preventing Pollution

Goal 3: Assuring the Safety of Chemicals

Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws Goal 3: Assuring the Safety of Chemicals

Facilities and Operations No specific goal.

Vulnerable populations Goals 6: Expanding the Conversation on 

Environmentalism and Working for 

Environmental Justice

 11 http://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/regional_priorities_2011-2015.pdf
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Goal 7: Building Strong State and Tribal 

Partnerships.

1. Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Many of the impacts from climate change including increased summer temperatures, increased 

wildfires, changes in precipitation, and severe weather events are likely to impact both ambient and 

indoor air quality in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. These impacts will present new challenges to 

EPA Region 10 and its partners to ensure the continued protection of public health and the 

environment. 

A. Increase in tropospheric ozone pollution may occur in certain areas due to increased average 

summertime temperature

There is the possibility that higher summertime temperatures would increase ozone productivity as well 

as emissions of volatile organic contaminant (VOC) precursors and, there is scientific consensus that 

climate change will decrease the background ozone in the lower troposphere where the water vapor 

effect is dominant.12 However, from the available academic literature that includes results for the 

Pacific Northwest, there is no consistent finding about whether climate change will increase, decrease, 

or have no change on ozone in this region.13,14 Potential ozone increases are more likely to occur in the 

larger metropolitan areas including Spokane, Tacoma, Portland, and Boise. Whether or not these 

increases will result in violations of the NAAQS health standards however is unknown.

B. Increase in air toxics from anthropogenic sources is uncertain due to variability in effects of 

temperature increase on individual air toxics.

Many hazardous air pollutants volatilize at higher temperatures, creating the potential for higher 

emission rates and higher concentrations in ambient air.15 The higher concentrations could increase 

public health risks, including risks for the young, the elderly, the chronically ill, and socioeconomically 

disadvantaged populations. There is uncertainty however as to actual impacts on hazardous air 

pollutants (HAPs) concentrations since the boundary layer height will also likely be higher, adding more 

 12 Jacob, DJ., and D.A. Winner. 2009. Effect of climate change on air quality. Atmos. Environ., 43 (56). 13 Ibid Jacob and Winner 43 (51-63). 14 USGCRP. 2009. Assessment of the impacts of global change on regional U.S. air quality: a synthesis of climate 

change impacts on ground-level ozone, EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, Washington, 

D.C.

15 IPCC, 2012: Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance 

Climate Change Adaptation (Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D.Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D., Mastrandrea, 

K.J. Mach, G.K. Plattner, SlK. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.). A Special Report of Working Groups I & II 

of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, 

NY, USA pp. 1-19.
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volume of air for the HAPs to mix into. It is also possible for pollutant removal mechanisms to increase 

as a result of climate change.

C. Increase in particulate matter levels is occurring now and is very likely to increase due to 

increased frequency or intensity of wildfires due to increased summertime temperatures, 

prolonged droughts, and decreased soil moisture.

Larger and more frequent wildfires are predicted throughout the region as a result of warmer 

summertime temperatures, decreased soil and fuel moisture, and increased pest infestations. For 

example, in the Columbia Basin, the acres of forest burned are projected to double by the 2020s, and 

triple by the 2040s compared to average burned from 1916 to 2006.16 This could complicate Agency 

efforts to protect public health and the environment from risks posed by particulate matter pollution in 

areas affected by more frequent wildfires. All four Region 10 States have a high percent of forested 

areas (about 50% for Washington and Oregon) and would all be adversely affected by an increase in 

wildfires.

D. Indoor air quality is very likely to be impacted, especially in Alaska, due to changes in 

precipitation, extreme temperatures, more frequent wildfires, and severe weather events.

Deterioration in indoor air quality will increase public health risks including those from respiratory 

illnesses such as asthma.

17 Public health risks from poor indoor air quality may also increase for 

susceptible populations - the young, the elderly, the chronically ill, and socioeconomically disadvantaged 

populations across the region. Alaska’s native and rural populations are very vulnerable to worsening 

indoor air quality with more insulated housing reducing air circulation - thereby increasing levels of both 

indoor and ambient pollution. Increased flooding and melting permafrost also worsen indoor air quality 

by supporting mold growth.18 This is an issue across the Region, but particularly important in 

environmental justice (EJ) areas and areas with a high density of more susceptible populations such as in 

Alaska’s native villages19 and on tribal reservations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

E. Stratospheric ozone layer is likely to be impacted in Alaska due to climate change effects.

 16 Littell, J.S. et. al. 2010. Forest ecosystems, disturbance, and climatic change in Washington State, USA. Climatic 

Change 102(1-2): 129-158. 17 Reid, Colleen and Gamble, Janet. 2009. Aeroallergens, Allergic Disease, and Climate Change: Impacts and 

Adaptation, Ecohealth Vol 6(3):458-470, September, 2009. 18 Kovesi, Thomas MD et al. 2007. Indoor Air Quality and the Risk of lower respiratory tract infections in young 

Canadian Inuit children, Canadian Medical Association, 2007

19 Bulkow, Lisa, et al. 2010. Risk Factors for Severe Respiratory Synctial Virus Infection Among Alaska Native 

Children, Pediatrics. 109 (2) 2010.
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This issue is important in the Arctic (Alaska) where severe depletion of stratospheric ozone has been 

observed during winter months.20 While there currently are no EPA Region 10 programs that directly 

deal with monitoring or restoring the stratospheric ozone layer, there is enforcement activity against 

violators related to use and disposal of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons 

(HCFC’s). 

F. Increased rate and deposition of sulfates, nitrates, and mercury is uncertain due to changes in 

precipitation patterns.

Increased concentrations of sulfates, nitrates, and mercury could cause adverse effects on ecosystems 

throughout the region, particularly mountain ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems, and could 

contribute to accumulation of mercury in fish tissue. However, overall effects are uncertain because 

higher temperatures drive increased chemical reactions and possibly more secondary organic carbon. 

At the same time, there might be changes to the boundary layer height, airmass ventilation rate, and 

precipitation. We do not know the relative importance of these effects in Region 10 states. 

2. Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters

There are many impacts that climate change may have on our water resources including drinking water 

and wastewater infrastructure, freshwater fisheries, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, water quality 

and water quantity, and agricultural and forestry production. These impacts will present challenges as 

there will be competing demands in some areas for water resources for agriculture, energy production, 

drinking water, and maintaining streamflows for fish. The section below highlights the main 

vulnerabilities and impacts identified in Region 10.

A. Drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and agricultural infrastructure is likely to be 

impacted by increased heavy precipitation, more frequent flood events, storm surge, coastal 

erosion, and drought.

Impacts on water infrastructure may result in flooded facilities, an increased number of sewer overflows 

and wastewater bypasses, as well as increased pollutant loads in runoff, increased pollution of streams 

and threats to public health.21 Climate change impacts drinking water by heightening risk of 

contamination of surface water sources due to higher temperatures, lower flows, and increased 

erosion/sedimentation.22 Problems of safety as well as access to clean and safe water will be 

exacerbated for Tribal communities, and other vulnerable and economically depressed communities 

 20 Manney, G.L., et al., Unprecedented Arctic Ozone Loss in 2011. 2011. Nature 478, 469-475, October 27, 2011. 21 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Northwest. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C.

22 Ibid. USGCRP.
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who have limited access to clean water supplies.23 Agricultural productivity may be impacted in areas 

with inadequate water storage capacity and limited agricultural irrigation systems. Adequate 

summertime water supply for irrigation of crops is essential to agricultural communities east of the 

Cascades in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. For tribes, who lack irrigation infrastructure and rely 

primarily on lakes and streams as water sources, availability of water for agriculture may be more 

severely impacted by climate change. 

B. Impacts to freshwater fisheries is occurring now and is likely to increase due to earlier stream 

runoff and scouring of streambeds due to earlier snow melt, decreased summer stream flows 

and increased steam temperatures, and longer periods of low stream flow.

Impacts include loss of salmon habitat and increased stress on salmon reproduction throughout their 

entire lifecycle.24 Salmon and other cold water fish constitute a large part of the marine fishery business 

in the Pacific Northwest, and loss of these fish would have a substantial impact on the Pacific Northwest 

economy. Coastal Native Americans depend on salmon as an essential part of their diets. There will be 

secondary impacts on other species in the ecosystem that benefit from salmon – e.g., forests that rely 

on decaying salmon for nutrients, and bears, eagles, others that feed on salmon. This also applies to 

other fresh cold water fish. Water resource decision-makers will need to modify watershed planning 

efforts to include projected impacts of altered stream flows and increased temperatures due to climate 

change.

25, 26

C. Estuarine watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and wetlands are likely to be impacted by sea-level 

rise, sea surface temperature and increasing heavy precipitation events during the winter 

months, and decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity during the 

summer months.

Changes in precipitation patterns, and increased drought intensity will cause stress on wetlands, and 

forest and mountain ecosystems, and pose challenges to migration of species in these ecosystems to 

more suitable habitats. Warmer sea surface temperature contributes to sea level rise, increased storm 

intensity, and greater stratification of the water column.

27 For the Washington, Oregon, and California 

 23 http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf 24 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Northwest. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C. 25 Wenger, S.J., et al. 2011. Role of climate and invasive species in structuring trout distributions in the Interior 

Columbia Basin 2011, USA: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 68, p. 988-1008. Catalog No: 

2508.

26 Wenger, S.J., et al. 2011. Flow regime, temperature and biotic interactions drive differential declines of trout 

species under climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online. Catalog No: 2652. 27 Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove and Bruno, John F. 2010. The impact of climate change on the world’s ecosystems. 

Science 328(1523-1528.
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coasts north of Cape Mendocino, sea level is projected to change between -4 cm (sea-level fall) and +23 

cm by 2030, -3 cm and +48 cm by 2050, and 10–143 cm by 2100.

28

 

D. Forest ecosystems will likely be impacted by warming temperatures and more frequent and 

intense drought conditions.

Forest tree species are expected to shift their ranges northward and upslope in response to climate 

change and existing ecosystems will breakup as different species shift at different rates, resulting in the 

formation of new ecosystems, with unknown consequences.

29 Breakup of existing ecosystems and loss 

of biodiversity, in combination with increased drought conditions, can make forests more susceptible to 

destruction by wildfires and insect infestation. In the western United States, both the frequency of large 

wildfires, and the length of the fire season have increased substantially in recent decades, due primarily 

to earlier spring snowmelt and higher spring and summer temperatures.

30 Adverse effects are likely in 

forests across the region, but more immediately in low elevation forests, and forests in drier parts of the 

region, such as in Idaho eastern Washington and Oregon, and the interior of Alaska.31

E. Loss of sea ice is occurring now and will very likely increase in Alaska due to warming air and 

water temperatures.

Loss of arctic ice in the Bering Sea is adversely affecting Arctic sea ice ecosystems. The Bering Sea 

fishery is a very important source of seafood and an important factor to Alaska's economy. The earlier 

ice melt resulting from warming, however, leads to later phytoplankton blooms that are largely 

consumed by microscopic animals near the sea surface, vastly decreasing the amount of food reaching 

the living organisms on the ocean floor.32 This will radically change the species composition of the fish 

and other creatures, with significant repercussions for both subsistence and commercial fishing.33 Sea 

ice is forming later in the fall in Alaska, making the coastal communities more vulnerable to extreme 

storms causing coastal erosion in villages.

34

 28 National Research Council. 2012. Sea-level rise for the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California: Past, 

Present, and Future. Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Earth Sciences and Resources and

Ocean Studies Board. Committee on Sea Level Rise in California, Oregon, and Washington. 

29 ACIA. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 

Cambridge, UK, and New York, 139 pp.

30 Westerling A.L., et. al. 2006. Warming and earlier spring increase western U.S. forest wildfire activity. 

Science, 313(5789), 940-943. 31 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Pacific Northwest and Alaska. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and 

Development, Washington, D.C.

32 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Alaska. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C.

33 Janetos, A., et. al. 2008. Biodiversity. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water 

Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Washington, DC, pp. 151-181. 34 http://www.stormsurge.noaa.gov/event_history.html
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F. Ocean acidification is occurring now and is very likely to increase due to increasing 

concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Ocean acidification can lead to substantial decline of marine organisms that form their shells and 

skeletons from calcium carbonate in ocean waters.

35 Adverse effects of ocean acidification on marine 

organisms have already been documented.

36 Specifically, adverse effects of ocean acidification have 

been documented in pteropods (sea snails),

37 a primary food source for salmon in the Pacific Ocean, and 

in oyster larvae in estuaries on the coast of OR.38 This is an important issue in coastal areas of the Pacific 

Northwest and Alaska.

G. Change in vegetation is likely in eastern Washington and Oregon and Idaho due to pest 

outbreaks, invasive species, increased fire, shifts in species ranges and increased erosion, drier 

soils, and depletion of water.

Climate warming is likely to increase the severity of West Nile Virus (WNv) outbreaks and to expand the 

area susceptible to outbreaks into areas that are now too cold for the WNv vector.

39 Observed and 

projected decreases in the frequency of freezing temperatures, lengthening of the frost-free season, and 

increased minimum temperatures can alter plant species ranges and shift the geographic and 

elevational boundaries of many arid lands. These changes are particularly relevant to the intermountain 

regions in western North America, the Palouse grassland bioregion, southeastern Washington, and 

northeastern Oregon. 

3. Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable 

Development

Contaminated site cleanup and waste/petroleum management occur under a variety of EPA programs, 

most commonly Superfund (i.e., remedial, time-critical and non-time critical removals, and emergency 

response), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) (e.g., 

polychlorinated biphenyls – PCBs), Clean Air Act (CAA) (e.g., asbestos), and the Oil Pollution Act (OPA). 

 35 Orr, J.C., et. al. 2005. Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on 

calcifying organisms. Nature, 437(7059), 681-686. 2005 36 Feely, R.A., et. al. 2008. Evidence for upwelling of corrosive “acidified” water onto the continental shelf. 

Science, 320(5882), 1490-1492. 37 Bednaršek, N., et. al. 2012. Extensive dissolution of live pteropods in the Southern Ocean, Nature Geoscience, 5 

(881–885). 38 Barton, Alan, et. al. 2012. The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, shows negative correlation to naturally 

elevated carbon dioxide levels: Implications for near-term ocean acidification effects. Limnology and 

Oceanography. 57(3). 39 Ibid Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2011. 
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There are over 100 hazardous waste sites listed on the National Priority List, and many RCRA permitted 

and corrective action sites in Region 10. Many of these sites are especially vulnerable to impacts from 

climate change and the potential impacts to infrastructure and in place remedies at corrective action, 

remedial, removal, and brownfield sites. Also, there may be an increased need for Emergency Response 

as part of FEMA response. 

Region 10 recognizes the importance of sustainable development, and the overlap and intersection with 

climate change issues. The Region is focusing on coordinating its sustainability efforts internally as well 

as with our external partners with a specific consideration of climate change.

A. Remedial, removal, brownfield, corrective action or permitted sites may be impacted due to 

flooding, sea level risk, storm surges, extreme events, and landslides. 

There could be an increased risk of contaminant release from hazardous waste sites. Remedial project 

managers and corrective action project managers may need to alter selected remedies to ensure 

hazardous substances are not released. In situ remedies (e.g., stabilization, reactive barriers) and onsite above ground treatment systems (e.g., pump & treat, air sparging) could be compromised or 

overwhelmed if they are not designed to withstand the climate-related events. The net result could be 

release of contaminants.

Groundwater and subsurface contamination could be impacted by drought and flood conditions. There 

may be an increased risk of migration of contaminants from flooded containment facilities. Remedies 

such as caps in contaminated industrial waterways in Washington and Oregon could be subject to (and 

not designed to withstand) unanticipated scour events. 

Possible issues of nuclear waste disposal related to climate change (e.g., locations of storage facilities, 

appropriate containment, and risk management issues) would also be important at the DOE Hanford 

facility in Washington State, and the DOE Idaho National Lab facility in Idaho. 

B. Increase in work for Alaska’s Tribal and emergency response programs is occurring now and 

likely to increase due to thawing permafrost and changes in sea ice that leads to damage of 

roads, runways, water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure.

Melting sea ice and late formation in the fall is causing storms to move in close to shore as the natural 

buffering system disappears. That is causing rapid coastal erosion, with houses and infrastructure 

falling into the ocean in several communities. That, along with higher storm, tidal surges flood 

communities, is requiring more immediate evacuation needs. Open dumps are also impacted by storm 

surges, and flooding, which increases contamination risk. Permafrost temperatures have increased 
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throughout Alaska since the late 1970s.40 Land subsidence (sinking) associated with the thawing of 

permafrost presents substantial challenges to engineers attempting to preserve infrastructure in 

Alaska.41

C. EPA Region 10, Tribal and state partners will have increasing workloads in many aspects of 

site and waste management as well as work related to the formation and implementation of 

sustainable development and materials management programs, partnerships and initiatives.

Existing trends will exacerbate the challenges of climate adaptation. For example, accelerating 

development (sustainable or otherwise) and the expected migration of people to Region 10 are issues of 

concern. It is projected that the population of the States in Region 10 will increase from 11.2 million in 

2010 to 13.1 million in 2025.

42 Communities are struggling with how to manage the new people while 

protecting the environment and providing basic services like energy, water and waste management. In 

support of the increased sustainability of our communities, our investments in partnerships related to 

more sustainable materials management play an increasing role in preventing waste, conserving energy 

and reducing emissions of toxics as well as greenhouse gases. Waste management can be especially 

challenging in remote tribal communities in Alaska.

43 

D. Availability of raw materials may decrease and the cost of mining and refining raw materials, 

producing products, transporting products, and disposing products may increase due to 

impacts of climate change. 

EPA Region 10 will need to put more effort into advocating for sustainable materials management and 

pollution prevention with States, industry, communities and tribes as climate change affects the 

availability and cost of raw materials and products. This issue will impact the entire region but may 

have a greater impact on remote cities and villages in Alaska where transportation and disposal of 

products is more difficult and costly. For example, increasing pest infestations and forest fires can result 

in millions of acres of dead, dying, and burned trees in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This decreases 

the availability and drives up the costs of wood products. Thawing permafrost in Alaska results in 

infrastructure damage in the form of compromised or impassible haul roads for timber and ore, 

reducing the availability of these natural resources and driving up transportation costs. 

 40 Lettenmaier, D., et. al. 2008. The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, 

and Biodiversity in the United States, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Washington,DC, pp. 121-150. 41 Instanes, A., et. al. 2005. Infrastructure: buildings, support systems, and industrial facilities. In: Arctic Climate 

Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, pp. 907-944 42 U.S. Census Bureau. 2013. Current Population Report: Population Projections: States 1995-2025. Economics 

Statistical Administration. Department of Commerce. Website:http://www.census.gov/prod/2/pop/p25/p25-

1131.pdf. Accessed May 23, 2013. 43 U.S. EPA. 2011. National Priorities with a Local Focus – Region 10’s Approach for Implementing Administrator 

Jackson’s Seven Priorities – FY 2011-2015 November 2011. www.epa.gov.
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4. Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

EPA and the states (usually the State Department of Agriculture) register or license pesticides for use in 

the United States. In addition, EPA must be notified of the importation of pesticides for use in the U.S. 

EPA receives its authority to register pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide 

Act (FIFRA). Climate change may lead to an increase in pesticide use, due to an increase in pests and 

diseases which favor warm and humid climates. Also, a changing climate can affect exposures to a wide 

range of chemicals not just pesticide. Exposures may change because of changing environmental 

conditions or changing use patterns. 

A. Increased exposure and risk to hazardous chemicals may occur due to increasing extreme 

temperatures and heavy precipitation events, changes in storm intensities, and increasing 

frequency of floods.

The increased exposures and risk may require adjustments to the relevant risk assessment framework to 

determine public risk due to modified exposure scenarios and modified toxicity of chemicals due to 

climate change. Altered weather and severe climate events could also affect the interpretations of risk 

at RCRA/TSCA and Superfund sites. This is very relevant for permitting and planning activities, where 

facilities may not have previously required an awareness of risk management for water/flooding, or 

other climate change impacts. In particular, Puget Sound is vulnerable to these potential impacts of 

chemical pollution; restoration of Puget Sound is a key ecosystem-level activity in EPA Region 10.44 This 

is more relevant near sites with large densities of chemical manufacturers, processors and formulators, 

and RCRA and Superfund sites.

5. Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws

EPA Region 10’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) is charged with ensuring compliance with 

environmental requirements and enforcing against violations to those requirements in the Pacific 

Northwest and Alaska. In that capacity, OCE’s vulnerabilities are uniquely tied to interactions with the 

regulated community. Some types of vulnerabilities (e.g., difficulties with maintaining staff functionality 

due to power outages and physical damage to facilities due to extreme weather) would be similar to 

those experienced by all EPA programs and regions. 

Other vulnerabilities are more specific to OCE, such as those which impact the ability of regulated 

entities to comply with environmental requirements and with our ability to determine such compliance 

 44 http://www.psp.wa.gov/downloads/AA2011/083012_final/

Action%20Agenda%20Book%202_Aug%2029%202012.pdf
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and take appropriate action. The vulnerabilities of greatest importance for OCE are conditions/events 

which would compromise our ability to ensure compliance with environmental requirements by 

regulated entities and, where necessary, to take effective enforcement action in case of violations. The 

activities impacted would include: compliance assistance; compliance monitoring and civil enforcement.

A. Non-compliance at regulated entities may increase due to extreme weather events and 

changing weather patterns.

Compliance and enforcement programs under the Clean Water Act (CWA) have the potential to see an 

increase in violations from many situations including sanitary sewer and combined sewer overflows, 

violations of percent removal at wastewater treatment plants (due to limited water flow as a result of 

drought), violations in bypasses due to the inability of wastewater treatment plants to treat a flow in 

excess of the design capacity, and increased violations in numerous programs due to failure of existing 

infrastructure protecting against extreme weather events. In addition, CWA section 311 (Spill 

Prevention Control Countermeasures) may see an increase in non-compliance along Alaskan coastal 

areas that have oil storage containers, as a result of sea ice melting (thereby increasing storm surges 

along those coastal areas) and increased flooding. 

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) compliance and enforcement programs 

may see violations at Pesticides Producing Establishments as there is a shift toward increasing pesticide 

usage, productions and imports. As weather patterns change in the Region, the habitats of insects and 

pests may also change, bringing different pests and diseases to areas. 

The RCRA program may see increased non-compliance at landfills due to changes in precipitation 

patterns (including more precipitation in some cases and more extreme precipitation events in other 

cases). Landfills may generate excessive hazardous leachate, see unexpected mobilization of 

contaminants in the waste column, and/or experience failure of the liner or leachate collection systems.

B. Shift in regional enforcement priorities due to changes in compliance (both increased 

compliance and non-compliance in different sectors) and increased number of inquiries from 

industry about maintaining compliance due to extreme weather events and changing weather 

patterns. 

If an increase in violations in various programs and industry are identified, OCE may shift the 

enforcement focus to address those violations. Conversely, OCE may use discretion to refocus 

enforcement priorities when localized extreme weather events (e.g., flooding) greatly impact the 

regulated community or when a change in weather patterns decreases the potential for non-compliance 

(e.g., less precipitation could decrease surface runoff). This will be most important in states where EPA 

has direct implementation of an enforcement program (e.g., Idaho for NPDES program), on Tribal lands, 

and non-delegable programs (e.g., Chlorofluorocarbons, CWA 311 (SPCC), and PCBs). In states with 
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authorized program implementation, OCE’s work share could change as a result of climate change 

shifting states’ priorities. 

OCE may need to make adjustments to normal workload to address an increase in industry’s compliance 

inquiries. There may need to be reassignment or delay of normal work duties as staff provides 

response support to those inquiries in a timely manner. Requests may also be received from Regional 

state counterparts regarding guidance to address unique enforcement issues as a result of extreme 

weather events or changing weather patterns.

C. Increased permitting of Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells for Carbon Dioxide 

sequestration and Class V UIC wells for stormwater management.

EPA has developed criteria for Class VI wells, used specifically for the injection of carbon dioxide into 

underground subsurface rock formations for long-term storage. As the need to reduce carbon dioxide 

emissions into the atmosphere increases, various technologies including Class VI wells will be deployed. 

OCE may need to reassign or delay other UIC permitting and enforcement work, as permit requests for 

Class VI wells increase. This will be seen across the Region, until permitting and enforcement of the 

Class VI well program is delegated to the states. 

As the amount of stormwater increases with increased precipitation levels, industries regulated to 

manage stormwater and associated discharges may be faced with challenges surrounding the volume of 

stormwater to manage. Class V wells are designed to receive stormwater, as a substitution for or in 

addition to discharging stormwater through more traditional means. OCE may see an increase in 

permitting Class V wells, as challenges managing high volumes of stormwater increase. Permitting will 

be focused on Class V wells in Alaska and Tribal lands, as the Region implements this program in these 

areas. 

D. An increase in regulated industrial activities in Alaska may result as the melting of sea ice 

opens new areas for activities.

Sea ice off the Alaskan Coast is retreating and thinning. This reduction of sea ice is very likely to increase 

the navigation season and create a seasonal opening of the Northern Sea Route to likely make transarctic shipping and transport feasible during summer months. As areas and routes become more 

accessible, there is a potential for industrial activity (e.g., oil and gas extraction) to become more active 

in these areas. As a result, OCE may see an increase in regulated entities.

E. An increase in non-compliance at facilities with Underground Storage Tanks (UST) holding 

ethanol-blended fuels. 
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Storage of ethanol-blended fuels in USTs requires compatibility with the materials and equipment of the 

tank system. The ethanol fuel blends may be more aggressive to certain UST tank systems, compared to 

petroleum, due to their chemical and physical properties. As the need increases to use and store fuels 

that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, the UST enforcement program may see an increase with 

incompatibility. 

6. EPA Facilities and Operations

The main EPA Region 10 building is in Seattle with field offices in Olympia, Portland, Boise, Anchorage, 

and Juneau. The Region also maintains an environmental laboratory in Manchester, Washington. The 

Region has a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) that describes efforts to prepare and react to issues 

affecting the operation of our facilities and a Regional Incident Command Team (RICT) who is 

responsible for responding to any emergency situation. In general, the EPA Region 10 facilities are not 

uniquely vulnerable to climate change impacts. The Manchester Lab is located on the shoreline and 

could be more susceptible. They have an emergency operation plans in the event of extreme weather 

events or other possible impacts from climatic change.

A. Drinking water may be limited and an increase in demand for air conditioning is possible due 

to increasing drought frequency and intensity.

Facilities could be located in areas with water shortages, requiring water rationing. There is likely to be 

a greater demand for electricity for air conditioning during the summer months. Increased extreme 

temperature at any Region 10 office would put higher demand on drinking water and electricity for 

cooling. This could impact the regional office and all the operations office. 

B. Operations of Region 10 facilities may be impacted by increasing risk of floods and increasing 

intensity of storms.

Facilities in flood-prone areas may have to temporarily close. Personnel engaged in field work may be 

more vulnerable to extreme temperatures or storm events. Personnel and real property supporting 

emergency response and management may be at risk during flooding or extreme weather events. 

Ongoing work at the Manchester Environmental Laboratory may be disrupted with effects on many 

different programs. Closure of regional offices due to climate change related damage could prevent 

staff from carrying out important functions. The Regional Office in Seattle is located in an area with low 

probability for flooding or sea level rise. Region 10 has flexiplace options available to staff and a COOP

in place in case any Region 10 office is damaged by flooding or storms or transportation to/from offices 

are affected (e.g., flooded roadways; landslides on commuter train tracks). 
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7. Tribal and other Vulnerable Populations

As part of the EPA’s direct federal implementation and oversight responsibilities, EPA Region 10 has a 

trust responsibility to each of the 271 federally recognized Indian tribes within the Region. Many Tribes 

are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts due to their reliance on traditional hunting and 

fishing and their connections to the land and sea. Climate change is threatening access to traditional 

foods such as salmon, marine mammals, shellfish, and terrestrial and aquatic plants which are used for 

cultural, medicinal, and economic purposes as well as a primary food source. Tribes have already 

experienced many climate-related changes including changes in salmon habitat, drought, declining 

water tables, increased wildfires that impact crops, wildlife, traditional foods and medicines, earlier 

spring snow melt, a decrease in sea ice, and permafrost thawing. EPA Region 10 is committed to work 

with the Tribes to adapt to these changing conditions. 

The impacts of climate change can have unique effects on the health of children. Children are different 

from adults in how they interact with their environment and how their health may be affected. 

Because of their unique physical, biological, and social characteristics they are likely to suffer 

disproportionally from both the direct and indirect adverse health effects of climate change.45

The impacts of climate change raise environmental justice issues. Climate change is likely to exacerbate 

existing and introduce new environmental burdens and associated health impacts in communities 

dealing with environmental justice challenges across the nation.46 

A. Food security for native Alaskans and Tribal people in the Pacific Northwest who live a 

subsistence lifestyle may be at risk due to warming associated with climate change.

Warming due to climate change reduces the availability and accessibility of many traditional food 

sources for Native Americans. People face losing their healthiest foods, their communities, and in some 

cases, their culture, since each of these depends on traditional ways of collecting and sharing food.47

Climate change will continue to impact and put stress on salmon in the Pacific Northwest along with 

other traditional foods such as wildlife, berries, and roots. In Alaska, climate change will reduce the 

availability and access to ice seals, walrus and caribou and access to shellfish and plants used for 

medicinal and cultural ceremonies.

48 

 45 Pediatrics, Global Climate Change and Children’s Health, Committee on Environmental Health. 2007. Available 

at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/120/5/1149.full.pdf 46 USGCRP. 2009. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . Karl, T.R., J. M. Melillo, and T. C. 

Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.

89–106. 47 ACIA. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 

Cambridge, UK, and New York, 139 pp. 48 Ibid ACIA. 2004. 
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B. Increased erosion of shorelines is likely to increase risk to coastal native communities due to 

increased intensity of coastal storms and rising sea levels.

Coastlines and shorelines throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are increasingly threatened by a 

combination of increasing storm activity, loss of its protective sea ice buffer, declining habitat, and 

thawing coastal permafrost.49 In Alaska, over 100 villages on the coast and in low-lying areas along 

rivers are subject to increased flooding and erosion due to warming. Federal, state, and tribal officials 

have identified 31 villages that face imminent threats.

50 At least 12 of the 31 threatened villages have 

decided to relocate--in part or entirely--or to explore relocation options. Federal programs to assist 

threatened villages prepare for and recover from disasters and to protect and relocate them are limited 

and unavailable to the majority of villages. At least one Pacific Northwest Tribe, the Hoh Tribe is 

planning to relocate due to erosion and storm security.

C. Decreased access to clean drinking water is very likely due to loss of permafrost and reduced 

snowpack.

In many rural Alaskan tribal communities, the loss of permafrost can cause many problems including the 

loss of drinking water sources because tundra lakes, from which drinking water is drawn, are 

disappearing with the permafrost.

51 Also, melting permafrost destabilizes foundations, endangering the

sewer and water infrastructure in these communities and without permafrost, the untreated leachate 

from open dumps may be a contamination risk for their water supply. Pacific Northwest Tribes may 

also experience water scarcity, due to failing aquifers and less rainfall. With the reduced snow pack and 

increased seasonal drought, many traditional drinking water sources are not being replenished. 

D. Reduced availability of fish and shellfish resources is occurring now and is likely to increase 

due to changing water conditions. 

Climate change is bringing rapid and adverse habitat challenges, from changing stream flows to warming 

waters that are having an impact on the viability of juvenile salmon to the impacts of ocean acidification 

on salmon, crustacean, and shellfish food sources. Seafood is central to diet, physical, and cultural wellbeing of Tribal lifeways. Increasing ocean acidification threatens shellfish beds that Tribes have 

harvested for millennia. Ocean acidification may reduce rates of shellfish larval survival and weaken the 

shells of the adults, thus making them more vulnerable as well.

52

 49 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Pacific Northwest and Alaska. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and 

Development, Washington, D.C.

50 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

51 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

52 Orr, J.C., et. al. 2005. Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on 

calcifying organisms. Nature, 437(7059), 681-686. 
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E. Vulnerable population such as children, the elderly, poor, and the infirm may be at increased 

health risk due to increased temperatures, failing infrastructure, and extreme weather events.

Children playing in areas with higher ozone levels resulting from increased temperature will be at higher 

risk for experiencing asthma symptoms. The elderly are more vulnerable to heat stress because they 

are often in poorer health and are less able to regulate their body temperature during periods of

extreme heat. Economic constraints can also place low-income households at disproportionate risk to 

extreme heat events due to lack of air condition or failure to use air-conditioning to cut down on 

associated energy costs.

Section 3: Region 10 Priority Existing Actions

The sections below present the existing actions EPA Region 10 is taking to address the identified 

vulnerabilities and their associated impacts. These existing actions are from commitments in the EPA 

Region 10 Strategic Alignment Plan and existing actions identified by the program offices in EPA Region 

10. The actions are summarized below for each EPA Region 10 office. A more complete description of 

the actions can be found in Appendix C. Also, Appendix D compares the vulnerabilities identified in 

Section 2 with the existing Regional actions by National or Regional goals.

Appendix D indicates that there are Regional vulnerabilities where there are no existing actions. Since 

this documents focus is existing actions, EPA Region 10 will evaluate how to address critical 

vulnerabilities in the future. In addition, Region 10 will evaluate how to better integrate climate change 

into its existing core programs along with engaging states, Tribes and other partners to adapt to 

changing environmental conditions. 

EPA Region 10 has developed the following criteria that can be used for evaluating priority actions in the 

future. 

• Actions that address an identified vulnerability in Region 10.

• Actions that align with EPA national or regional priorities for climate change.

• Actions that will assist tribes in adapting to climate change.

• Actions that are linked to sustainability and environmental justice.

• Actions that increase awareness of climate change for EPA Region 10 staff.

• Actions that promote integration of climate change into EPA Region 10 program operations.

• Actions that increase awareness and collaboration with outside partners including tribes.

• Actions where EPA has a unique role or capacity to address the issue.

 
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1. Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics (OAWT)

EPA Region 10’s Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics (OAWT) carries out air, waste and chemicals 

management programs under statutory authorities such as the Clean Air Act (CAA), Resource 

Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Pollution 

Prevention (P2) Act, and the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA), and carries out TSCA enforcement 

actions dealing with lead-based paint and asbestos. Many of OAWT activities reduce greenhouse gas

emissions. OAWT is currently also involved in the following Region-specific actions that address the 

climate change vulnerabilities identified in the previous section for Goals 1, 3 and 4. 

Air Toxics (Goal 1)

• Work with the West Coast Collaborative to reduce evaporative losses of air toxics from fossil fuels.

Indoor Air (Goal 1)

• Develop and host training for professionals (housing, medical, schools) on making indoor 

environments healthier for the most vulnerable. 

Materials Management and Pollution Prevention (Goals 3 and 4)

• Work with our partners through the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum and our 

pollution prevention technical assistance providers and grants to assist in the transition to 

sustainable materials management processes and source reduction. 

• Recruiting and retaining participants for the Federal Green Challenge and for the Food Recovery 

Challenge in support of the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Program. 

Tribal Waste Management (Goal 3)

• Work with federally recognized tribes in Region 10 to address landfills and unconfined open dumps 

which are impacted by climate change and help develop appropriate responses to these threats. 

RCRA Corrective Action and Permitting (Goal 4)

• Incorporating green remediation in corrective action decision-making.

• Raising issues nationally regarding the potential impacts of climate change on alternative landfill 

covers. 

2. Office of Water and Watersheds (OWW)

EPA Region 10’s Office of Water and Watersheds (OWW) implements programs under the CWA, Safe 

Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and parts of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Also, OWW 

provides funds for Puget Sound via the National Estuary Program to support climate change adaptation 

projects. OWW’s current focus is on increasing awareness for Regional staff and partners on the science 
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of climate change and strategies for adaptation to meet this goal. Many of these actions will benefit 

from the development and implementation of appropriate national guidance to promote consistency 

across the states. The Region will implement these actions in coordination with any related national 

guidance. The actions mainly focus on addressing the vulnerabilities for Goal 2. 

Drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure (Goal 2)

• Work with the State of Alaska to identify alternative technologies for providing first time service to 

unserved homes in a more sustainable way compared to a traditional piped system. 

• Work with the Water Sense program to encourage water efficiency in homes, landscaping and 

commercial buildings with a focus on new homes.

• Continue implementing the Sustainable Energy Management Program with a Western Washington

cohort of drinking water and wastewater utilities. 

Freshwater fisheries (Goal 2)

• Continue with pilot program examining how to integrate climate change in an ongoing total 

maximum daily load (TMDL) by examining how temperature can be improved in the Nooksack 

watershed in order to support salmon restoration. 

Puget Sound (Goal 2)

• Continue to support projects in Puget Sound related to climate change. There are several on-going 

projects that are highlighted in Appendix C. 

• Work with the University of Washington to develop a system for visualizing and analyzing a variety 

of climate change-related features that are shifting with time and probability across the Region.

Training and Outreach (Goal 2)

• Inform and educate water program managers in the public and private sectors on climate change 

and water issues and EPA related activities such as the National and Regional climate change 

adaptation strategies.

• Work with States, Tribal governments, municipalities, non-profit organizations and businesses to 

promote the Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) and Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) Programs and 

new Climate Ready Resilience and Awareness (CREAT) Version 2.0. 

• Support Development of a Climate Change Section in the “Green” Paper for the State Revolving 

Loan Funds and Annual Review Checklists. 

3. Office of Ecosystems, Tribal, and Public Affairs (ETPA)

EPA Region 10’s Office of Ecosystems, Tribal, and Public Affairs (ETPA) implements cross-program efforts 

to protect the environment and engage communities and leads Regional efforts related to Freedom of 

Information Act requests, environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture. ETPA’s focus is to ensure 
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consideration of climate change on projects via NEPA review process, incorporating climate change 

science in wetlands management, providing assistance to Region 10 Tribes for climate change activities, 

and supporting activities that address children’s health and other vulnerable populations. 

NEPA Review (Goal 2)

• Through the NEPA review process ensure consideration of climate change in review of all federal 

projects and incorporate climate change adaptation into land management planning and other 

projects as appropriate. 

• Include ocean acidification language in NEPA review comment letters as appropriate and develop 

template language in letters and example NEPA analyses that include ocean acidification 

information.

Wetlands (Goal 2) 

• Coordinate a Wetlands and Climate Change Research Meeting focused on new approaches and tools 

to better understand, manage, and conserve wetlands in a changing climate.

• Incorporate climate change considerations into the CWA 404 regulatory program as they relate to 

permit reviews and compensatory mitigation.

• As resources allow, improve baseline information on wetland extent, condition and performance to 

inform effective adaptation to climate change. 

• Integrate climate adaptation in the FFY13/14 Region 10 Wetland Program Development Grants RFP 

by considering how the design and installation of demonstration projects would take relevant 

potential impacts from climate change into account when considering long-term viability.

53

Ocean Programs (Goal 2)

• Participate in interagency development and implementation of federal strategies through the 

National Ocean Council (NOC) and the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan 

Tribes (Multiple Goals)

• Support Tribes to develop adaptation actions (plans), to document impacts from climate change and 

to engage in the collaboration with local, state and federal agencies working on broad based 

adaptation plans.

• Provide Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP) funding as appropriate to Tribes with climate 

change in their IGAP workplans to do baseline environmental assessments and support adaptation 

planning.

• Raise awareness by providing educational outreach, training, and webinars to Tribes and work with 

the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals on tribal climate change adaptation models and 

resources. 

• Support Tribal projects on climate change in Puget Sound through the National Estuary Program. A 

listing of those projects is included in Appendix C.

 53 http://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/wetlands/FY13_Wetland_Program_Development_Grants_Request_for_Proposals.pdf
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• Assist Tribes to build capacity and knowledge and assess and address air quality concerns including 

those related to climate change through the Regional Clean Air Act Grants. 

• Support the Rural Alaska Children’s Health Initiative which works to protect children from harmful 

environmental exposures in rural Alaska, including factors related to climate change.

Community Health (Regional Goal 7)

• Through work on children’s health, develop and host training for professionals in the housing, health 

and educational fields on making indoor environments healthier for the most vulnerable 

populations.

• Provide technical assistance and training to affected communities on risks associated with poor 

outdoor air quality (e.g., work with Tribal Air Program and convene Rural Alaska Children’s 

Environmental Initiative).

• Outreach/risk communication to vulnerable and economically deprived communities. 

• Work with Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, and 

Urban Sustainability Directors Network on promoting sustainable communities via housing, 

transportation, and transit. 

4. Office of Environmental Clean-Up (ECL)

EPA Region 10’s Office of Environmental Clean-Up (ECL) is responsible for investigating contaminated 

properties; cleaning up contaminated land, sediment, and water for appropriate uses; emergency 

response; emergency planning and spill prevention; and Homeland Security and counter terrorism 

preparedness. ECL works closely with communities and interested stakeholders, providing funding in 

some cases to facilitate meaningful engagement in the Superfund process. ECL has focused on green 

remediation strategies for specific sites, and the reduction of carbon and toxic emissions and reducing 

overall environmental footprint of clean-up activities. There are no specific adaptation activities 

currently underway in ECL. 

5. Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE)

EPA Region 10’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) provides enforcement, compliance 

monitoring, and compliance assistance for ground water, pesticides and toxics, wastewater (NPDES), air, 

and solid and hazardous waste (RCRA) programs. Regional and national enforcement priorities change. 

OCE is positioned to be flexible and use discretion when deciding those enforcement priorities, even as 

those priorities are influenced by climate change. OCE has several ongoing activities all of which fall 

under Goal 5.

• Continue to use an Environmental Justice Screening tool to identify regulated facilities located in 

overburdened communities.
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• Continue enforcement in small programs that have climate change influence such as the Clean 

Air Act Mobile Source Enforcement Program.

• The UIC program will continue to permit several Class I wells for underground injection of 

wastes to reduce the need to establish waste retention ponds on the increasingly vulnerable 

permafrost.

• Continuing to support the Regional Support Corps by deploying staff for varying emergency 

response efforts.

• RCRA enforcement is evaluating land-based units which have received hazardous waste and 

determining the extent to which changes in precipitation amounts and evaporation levels must 

be considered in protective management standards and closure requirements.

• Continue to look for opportunities to encompass green infrastructure as part of settlement 

agreements. 

6. Office of Regional Counsel (ORC)

The Region has broad legal mandates to protect human health and the environment and therefore, 

broad legal authority to support adaptation work. In the course of adaptation planning, specific 

questions will likely arise that will need legal review. As there is variation among the statutes EPA 

administers, as well as the regulatory programs EPA designs, implements, and enforces under those 

laws, the best way for ORC to support adaptation efforts is to provide legal analysis on a case by case 

basis. ORC will also support each of the regional program offices by coordinating with the Office of 

General Counsel, offices of Regional Counsel in other regions, and the Office of Enforcement and 

Compliance Assurance, as necessary to provide legal advice to the regional program offices. 

7. Office of Environmental Assessment (OEA) 

EPA Region 10’s Office of Environmental Assessment (OEA) provides scientific and technical expertise in 

assessing the condition of the environment to support program decision-making and scientific 

initiatives. OEA collects and analyze data to characterize the environment, investigate environmental 

problems, and evaluate proposed solutions. A major emphasis of the OEA’s activities are related to 

raising awareness on the science of climate change to staff in the Regional office, to integrate climate 

change into the core program work, and to work with external partners to better coordinate the work 

and increase collaboration. OEA has several ongoing activities that address of the goals. 

• Provide outreach/trainings to increase awareness of climate science to regional staff and 

partners.
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• Work with individual programs and cross-office projects to integrate climate science into core 

program work. 

• Communicate with the public about hazards posed by climate change and actions being taken 

by the EPA to address climate change.

• Coordinate with other federal agencies by participating on the Climate Change Cooperative and 

supporting the Regional Landscape Conservation Cooperatives.

• Participate on the National Tribal Science Council, and support actions related to climate change 

and tribes.

Section 4: Developing Measures, Monitoring and Evaluating Performance

Evaluating progress is important because there will be “learning by doing” over time as we mainstream 

climate adaptation planning into our programs. We will monitor the outputs and outcomes of our 

actions so we can learn what works – and why, and what doesn’t work – and why not. This will allow us 

to continually improve the effectiveness of our mainstreaming efforts and share our lessons learned 

with other regions and our national programs. An evaluation process will be developed during the first 

year of implementation to learn how to best capture desired outcomes, some of which will come as staff 

integrates climate science into programmatic work. Appendix C provides more details on the Region 10 

approach to develop and measure specific metrics.

Section 5: Legal and Enforcement Issues

The legal and enforcement issues were discussed in Sections 2 under Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental 

Laws and in Section 3 under the Office of Compliance and Enforcement and Office of Regional Counsel. 

Section 6: Training and Outreach

The specific actions related to training and outreach is discussed in Section 3. Training and outreach is a 

critical part of Region 10’s Implementation Plan. One of the primary tasks of the Regional Climate 

Change Advisor is to provide training and outreach for both Regional staff and partners. The goal of the 

training and outreach is to provide the foundation for programs to integrate climate science into their 

core program work. 

Section 7: Partnerships with Tribes

As part of the EPA’s direct federal implementation and oversight responsibilities, EPA Region 10 has a 

trust responsibility to each of the 271 federally recognized Indian tribes within the Region. EPA values 
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its unique government-to-government relationship with Indian tribes in planning and decision making. 

This trust responsibility has developed over time and is further expressed in the 1984 EPA Policy for the 

Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations and the 2011 Policy on Consultation 

and Coordination with Indian Tribes. These policies recognize and support the sovereign decisionmaking authority of tribal governments.

Supporting the development of adaptive capacity among tribes is a priority for the EPA. Indigenous 

peoples are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to the integral nature of the 

environment within their traditional lifeways and culture. There is a strong need to develop adaptation 

strategies that promote sustainability and reduce the impact of climate change on Tribes and tribal 

members. 

EPA engaged tribes through a formal consultation process in the development of the Agency’s Climate 

Change Adaptation Plan. Tribes identified some of the most pressing issues as erosion, temperature 

change, drought and various changes in access to and quality of water. Tribes recommended a number 

of tools and strategies to address these issues, including improving access to data and information; 

supporting baseline research to better track the effects of climate change; developing community-level 

education and awareness materials; and providing financial and technical support. At the same time, 

tribes challenged EPA to coordinate climate change activities among federal agencies so that resources 

are better leveraged and administrative burdens are reduced. 

EPA Region 10 plans to partner with tribal governments, in collaboration with other Federal agencies, on 

an ongoing basis to increase their adaptive capacity and address their adaptation-related priorities. 

These collaborative efforts will benefit from the expertise provide by our tribal partners and the 

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) they possess. TEK is a valuable body of knowledge in assessing 

the current and future impacts of climate change and has been used by tribes for millennia as a valuable 

tool to adapt to changing surroundings. Consistent with the principles in the 1984 Indian Policy, TEK is 

viewed as a complementary resource that can inform planning and decision-making.

Networks and partnerships already in place will be used to assist tribes with climate change issues, 

including Regional Tribal Operations Committees, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals 

and IGAP. Additionally, efforts will be made to coordinate with other Regional and Program Offices in 

EPA and other partners such as other federal agencies, since climate change has many impacts that 

transcend media and regional boundaries. Transparency and information sharing will be a focus, in 

order to leverage activities already taking place within EPA Offices and tribal governments. 

Section 8: Vulnerable Population and Places
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As mentioned in Sections 1, 2 and 3, certain parts of the population, such as children, the elderly, 

minorities, the poor, persons with underlying medical conditions and disabilities, those with limited 

access to information, and tribal communities, can be especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate 

change. Also, certain geographic locations and communities are particularly vulnerable, such as those 

located in low-lying coastal areas. One of the principles guiding EPA’s efforts to integrate climate 

adaptation into its programs, policies and rules calls for its adaptation plans to prioritize helping people, 

places and infrastructure that are most vulnerable to climate impacts, and to be designed and 

implemented with meaningful involvement from all parts of society. 

This Implementation Plan identifies key programmatic vulnerabilities and the priority actions that will be 

taken to address those vulnerabilities over time. As the work called for in this Plan is conducted, the 

communities and demographic groups most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change will be 

identified. The Agency will then work in partnership with these communities to increase their adaptive 

capacity and resilience to climate change impacts. These efforts will be informed by experiences with 

previous extreme weather events (e.g., Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy) and the subsequent 

recovery efforts. 

Section 9: Cross-Office Pilot Projects

Developing cross-office pilot projects is a vital role for the Region 10 Climate Change Advisor. Region 10 

has a TMDL pilot project described in Appendix C on the Southfork of the Nooksack River. We 

anticipate building on that success using the same approach of outreach at the unit or office/program 

level to increase awareness of vulnerabilities and available science. At the same time, we will collect 

input on climate science needs and ideas on how the science might be incorporated into day-to-day 

decisions. To keep the process sustainable, OEA provides some initial assistance and looks for partners 

to provide some further assistance.
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APPENDICIES

Appendix A: Vulnerabilities Identified by Region 10 States and Tribes 

Appendix B: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Program Vulnerabilities

Appendix C: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Existing Actions

Appendix D: Comparison of Vulnerabilities and EPA Region 10 Existing Actions

Appendix E: EPA Region 10 Approach for Measuring Success
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Appendix A: Vulnerabilities Identified by Region 10 States and Tribes

Oregon

The State of Oregon has developed a framework54 that condenses specific vulnerabilities and risks from climate 

change into 11 overarching categories. They then ranked these into three groups: very likely, likely, and more 

likely than not. While the framework does not indicate a formal peer review was conducted, the Oregon Climate 

Change Research Institute (OCCRI) assisted in the development of the framework and the risks are fully 

documented with extensive citations. The categories and ranked risks are:

Very Likely Risks:

• Increase in average annual air temperatures and likelihood of extreme heat events that also increase 

water temperatures

• Changes in hydrology and water supply; reduced snowpack and water availability in some basins; changes 

in water quality and timing of water availability

Likely Risks:

• Increase in wildfire frequency and intensity

• Increase ocean temperatures, with potential for changes in ocean chemistry and increased ocean 

acidification

• Increased incidence of drought

• Increased coastal erosion and risk of inundation from increasing sea levels and increasing wave heights 

and storm surges

• Changes in abundance and geographical distributions of plant species and habitats for aquatic and 

terrestrial wildlife

• Increase in diseases, invasive species, and insect, animal, and plant pests

• Loss of wetland ecosystems and services

More likely than not Risks:

• Increased frequency of extreme precipitation events and incidence and magnitude of damaging floods

• Increased incidence of landslides

Washington

Similarly, Washington State Department of Ecology has summarized climate impacts in Preparing for a Changing 

Climate: Washington States’ Integrated Climate Response Strategy.

55 The information below is a summary of the 

Ecology document and the references are included in their document and they are not repeated here. Washington 

examined projected impacts for sector groupings – e.g., Built Infrastructure, Wildlife & Habitat, etc. They also 

worked with University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group to understand how the impacts might affect the 

different sector groups, with the goal of prioritizing actions within those groups and developing coordinated 

strategies. The impacts include the scientific evidence and are summarized into the following groups:

Warmer temperatures and more severe heat waves: In the Pacific Northwest, average annual temperature rose 

1.5 °F between 1920 and 2003. Climate scientists’ project average annual temperatures in the Pacific 

Northwest will rise 2°F by the 2020s and 3.2°F by the 2040s, compared with 1970-1999 averages. Heat 

waves are projected to occur more often and last longer. 

Larger and more intense wildfires: Researchers project that the area burned by fire each year in the Columbia 

Basin will double or triple by the 2080s, compared to the 1916-2006 average. Costs of fighting wildfires 

are expected to rise and risks to communities, the environment, and wildlife are expected to increase. 

 54 http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/ClimateChange/Framework_Final.pdf 55 http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_responsestrategy.htm
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Drier summers and wetter autumns and winters: Downscaled climate models project that summer precipitation 

will decrease and autumn and winter precipitation will increase. Washington could experience more 

intense rainfall events more often. 

Decreased snowpack and loss of natural water storage: In Washington’s Cascades, average snowpack declined 

about 25 percent between 1950 and 2006. Spring snowpack across Washington State is projected to 

decrease 28 percent by the 2020s and 40 percent by the 2040s relative to the 1916-2006 average, and 

snowmelt is expected to occur earlier in the spring. 

More frequent and severe drought: Increasing temperature, declining snowpack and earlier snowmelt will increase 

the risk of summer water shortages and increase the demand for water. The amount of water available 

for communities, irrigation, fish, hydropower generation, recreation, and other uses will be affected and 

competition for water will increase. 

More severe winter flooding: Although the risks vary by location, Washington is expected to experience more 

severe winter flooding during the winter due to more precipitation falling as rain instead of snow in the 

mountains. More severe winter flooding poses challenges for managing reservoirs for flood control, fish, 

and hydropower production. Damages and repair costs for vulnerable homes, roads, and other 

infrastructure could increase. Extreme rainfall may place more stress on our stormwater infrastructure. 

Sea level rise: Global sea level has risen about 7 inches during the 20th century and is projected to rise at a higher 

rate in the future. For the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts north of Cape Mendocino, sea level 

is projected to rise 24 inches over the next century. In addition, an earthquake magnitude of 8 or greater 

along the Cascadia Subduction Zone would suddenly raise sea level along the coast of Washington and 

Oregon by an additional 3-7 feet, exacerbating the effects of sea level rise due to climate change. 

Idaho

Climate change planning in Idaho is mainly led by the Idaho Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 

Research (EPSCoR). Two major river basins of national significance are in Idaho, the Snake River Plain (Snake) and 

the Salmon River Basin (Salmon). The EPSCoR work addresses concerns about how the hydrology in Idaho will 

change as climate changes in the western U.S. Of particular interest to EPSCoR is how the connection between 

surface water and groundwater in the Snake River Plain may change.

56

According to EPSCoR, the National Ground Water Association has stressed that groundwater supplies might be 

used in the future to balance large swings in water supplies caused by drought and climate change. Despite this, 

the connections between climate change and groundwater is largely unexplored and poorly understood. The 

projected changes in the timing and magnitude of stream flows will affect ecosystems in sensitive areas. In 

addition, because Idaho's economy is strongly coupled to water and snowmelt, the proposed research has direct 

application to Idaho's citizens and implications for decision makers.

Concerns in Idaho center on:

Hydroclimatology and the connections between surface water and groundwater; understand how projected 

climate change might affect the timing and magnitude of mountain snow packs and snowmelt.

Hydro-economics/policy and changes in the timing and variability of water supply on land use, economic 

production, urban growth, and water management, and water rights.

Hydroecology and effects of climate change on natural ecosystems such as species shifts, and integrated 

relationships between climate, hydrology, fire, insects, ecology, and changing landscapes.

Alaska

The State of Alaska Adaptation Advisory Group describes vulnerabilities including impacts that are already 

occurring in their document, Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska.

57 The information 

 56 http://www.idahoclimatechange.org/DrawOnePage.aspx?PageID=135 57 http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf
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below is from the executive summary of the document. The references are included in the document and are not 

repeated in this document. 

Permafrost Thawing and Sea Ice Melting

Permafrost underlies most of Alaska. Air temperature, snow cover, and vegetation affect the temperature of the 

frozen ground and the depth of seasonal thawing. Recent decades of warmer temperatures have produced 

extensive thawing, which has resulted in increased coastal erosion, landslides, and sinking of the ground surface, 

as well as consequent disruption and damage to forests, buildings, infrastructure, and coastal communities. In 

addition, many industrial activities depend on frozen ground surfaces, and many northern communities rely on ice 

roads for transport of groceries and other materials. Continued warming will further impair transport by 

shortening the seasonal use of ice roads. Thawing is projected to accelerate under future warming, with as much 

as the top 10 to 30 feet of discontinuous permafrost thawing by 2100.

Sea ice off the Alaskan Coast is retreating and thinning, with widespread effects on marine ecosystems, coastal 

climate, human settlements, and subsistence activities. Recent studies estimate arctic-wide reductions in annual 

average sea-ice extent of about 5-10% and a reduction in average thickness of about 10-15% over the past few 

decades. Retreat of sea ice allows larger storm surges to develop, increasing the risk of inundation and increasing 

erosion on coasts already made vulnerable by permafrost thawing. Loss of sea ice also causes large scale changes 

in marine ecosystems, and threatens populations of marine mammals and polar bears that depend on ice. At the 

same time, the continued reduction of sea ice is very likely to increase the navigation season, and within several 

decades a seasonal opening of the Northern Sea Route is likely to make trans-arctic shipping feasible during 

summer months, although increasing ice movement will initially make shipping more difficult in some channels of 

the Northwest Passage.

Threats to Coastal Communities, Habitats, and Infrastructure

Alaska has more coastline than the other 49 states combined. Increases in the frequency and intensity of storm 

surges have triggered increased coastal erosion that is threatening a number of coastal villages. A recent report 

from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicated that 31 villages face imminent threats. Storm surges 

have also reduced the protection that barrier islands and spits provide to coastal habitats. Both coastal and inland 

infrastructure face threats due to the climate change. Thawing permafrost threatens water and sanitation 

infrastructure, and roads, buildings, pipelines, power lines and other infrastructure are threatened by coastal 

erosion and degrading permafrost.

Forest and Vegetation Changes

The Arctic region, particularly Alaska, is already experiencing major ecological impacts as a consequence of 

warming. Rising temperatures have caused northward expansion of boreal forest in some areas, significant 

increases in fire frequency and intensity, and unprecedented insect outbreaks. Current projections suggest that, 

due to increases in burn area per decade, the tundra-dominated landscape on Seward Peninsula will eventually be 

replaced by deciduous forest. In other areas, forested areas are likely to convert to bogs as permafrost thaws. 

Growing-degree days have increased by 20%, with benefits for agriculture and forest productivity on some sites, 

and reduced growth on others.

Sensitivity of Marine Ecosystems and Fisheries

The Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea support marine ecosystems of great diversity and productivity as well as the 

nation’s largest commercial fishery. Perhaps one of the most daunting threats lies in increasing acidification of the 

cold Alaskan waters. This would affect all organisms that possess calcifying shells, and these organisms play an 

integral role in the food web. Recent climate-related impacts observed in the Bering Sea include significant 

reductions in seabird and marine mammal populations, unusual algal blooms, abnormally high water 

temperatures, and low harvests of salmon on their return to spawning areas. Future projections for the Bering Sea 

suggest productivity increases at the base of the food chain, poleward shifts of some cold-water species, and 

negative effects on ice-dwelling species. Warmer temperatures will also affect commercial fisheries by inducing 
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large northward shifts of fish and shellfish species. This would result in decreased harvesting of cold-water species 

such as salmon and pollock, and increased harvesting of other species.

Changes in the Diversity, Ranges, and Distributions of Species

The Arctic sub-region that includes Alaska, Chukotka, and the Western Canadian Arctic is home to over 70 percent 

of the rare plant species that occur only in the Arctic and a number of plant and animal species already classified as 

“threatened.” Species concentrated in small areas, such as Wrangell Island, are particularly vulnerable to the direct 

effects of climate change combined with competition from migrating non-native species.

Increased Stress on Subsistence Livelihoods and Lifestyles

Subsistence makes an important contribution to livelihood in many isolated rural communities, especially but not 

exclusively for native peoples. Livelihoods that sustain indigenous communities include hunting, trapping, 

gathering, and fishing. These activities not only make significant contributions to the diet and health of many 

indigenous populations, but also play large and important social and cultural roles. Reduced or displaced 

populations of marine mammals, seabirds, and other wildlife, together with continuing thinning of sea-ice, have 

affected the safety and the dietary and economic well-being of subsistence communities. 

Tribes

Among other effects of climate change, Tribes are concerned about declining stocks, changes in migration 

patterns, and other impacts on natural resources including endangered species.58 In an effort to begin an 

understanding of Tribal cultural resource vulnerabilities, Region 10 reviewed the Swinomish Climate Change 

Initiative Impact Assessment Technical Report as a very useful resource.59 Although peer review was not 

described, this report represents the work of a multidisciplinary team led by staff of the Swinomish Office of 

Planning & Community Development, in partnership with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group 

(CIG), and with further scientific assistance from Skagit River System Cooperative (SRSC). CIG staff played a crucial 

role in reviewing scientific data, reports, and project documents, advising on the use of scientific data and 

information in the project, and in identifying probable local impacts and climate change scenarios. Scientific 

expertise was also provided by Skagit River System Cooperative, which partnered with Western Washington 

University and Battelle Northwest to model hydrologic impacts at the local level. 

The cultural vulnerabilities identified in the Swinomish Impact Assessment included:

Shrinking land base (sea level rise);

Inundation of coastal sites/artifacts; 

Exposure of burial sites and human remains from strong storm events; 

Loss of cultural use plants; and 

Ecological Impacts on resources within the Swinomish traditional use areas.

In addition, Region 10 has funded two Indian General Assistant Program (IGAP) grants for the Jamestown and Port 

Gamble S’Klallam Tribes to develop a climate change vulnerability assessment template that other tribes could 

use. The work began in January 2012. The Jamestown Tribe Tribal Advisory committee was formed and identified 

four areas of concern for which they developed subcommittees: facilities/roads; economics; natural resources; and 

human health. The Tribe’s process will be reported in a short stand-alone document that may be used by other 

Tribal Governments.

Another useful description of vulnerabilities related to Alaskan Tribes, in particular, is the Tribal Climate Change 

Adaptation Plan Template60 which references three sources.61,62,63 A summary of the findings from the Template 

are included below. The specific references are included in the Template and are not repeated here.

 58 James Woods, Region 10 Senior Tribal Policy Advisor 59 http://www.swinomish.org/departments/planning/climate_change/climate_main.html 60 http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts
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Alaska has already experienced many climate-related changes including earlier spring snow melt, a decrease in sea 

ice, thawing permafrost, glacier retreat, changes in precipitation levels, and an increase in drought and wild fires. 

The annual average temperature has increased by 3.4°F, while winter temperatures have increased by 6.3°F during 

the last half century. The snow-free season lengthened by an average of 10 days throughout the state between 

1970 and 2000; this continues to impact Alaska’s soil moisture and consequently vegetation that is not 

accustomed to drought-like conditions. 

Rising temperatures are creating a more hospitable habitat for spruce beetles resulting in a severe infestation in 

spruce forests in the south-central portion of Alaska; there has also been an increase in catastrophic wildfires 

throughout the state due to the warmer and drier conditions. Additionally Alaska is beginning to witness a thaw in 

permafrost which is affecting not only human-made infrastructure, but also forest health and lake area in wetland 

ecosystems. 

Continued future warming in this region is inevitable, even if all greenhouse gas emissions were halted today. 

Temperatures are projected to increase anywhere between 5°F and 13°F by the end of the 21st century, depending 

on different emission scenarios. These increasing temperatures are expected to have major consequences on the 

different ecosystems in Alaska. This includes the warming of sea surface temperatures, further reductions in sea 

ice (impacting not only marine mammals but also eliminating a natural buffer to coastal storms), increased coastal 

erosion and flooding, an increase in catastrophic wildfires (models suggest that the yearly average area that burns 

may double by the middle of the century), and the warming and thawing of permafrost (Karl et al., 2009). 

The changes that are already occurring in Alaska, and that will continue to occur, have the potential to alter the 

landscape considerably and may have immeasurable implications for Alaska’s plants, animals and people. 

Alaska has already experienced many climate-related changes including: earlier spring snow melt; decrease in sea 

ice (important to marine mammals and a natural buffer to coastal storms); thawing permafrost, which makes tribal 

infrastructure (water, sewer, and foundations) designed for permafrost conditions extremely vulnerable to failure; 

glacier retreat; changes in precipitation levels; increase in drought, vegetation stress, and wild fires; severe 

infestation of spruce beetles in the south-central portion of Alaska; and increased coastal erosion and flooding. 

 61 USGCRP. 2009. Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . Karl, T.R., J. M. Melillo, and T. C. 

Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, 

USA.Karl, T. R., Melillo, J. M., & Peterson, T. (2009). Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. New 

York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 62 U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs website accessed on January 20, 2011 at: 

www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/RegionalOffices/Alaska/index.htm

63 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website accessed on January 20, 2011 at: 

http://alaska.fws.gov/climate/index.htm.
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Appendix B: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Program 

Vulnerabilities

In general, where possible, the sources cited by Region 10 use the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 

(IPCC) likelihood of outcome terminology where ‘very likely’ means 90-100% probability, and the term ‘likely’ 

means 66-100% probability. Some likelihoods are noted as “Occurring now” where appropriate. 

In addition, the use of terms are as follows: "High" assumes the program will be affected by the impact; "Medium" 

assumes the program could be affected under some conditions by the impact; "Low" assumes that there is a 

potential for the program to be impacted or uncertainty currently exists as to the potential nature and extent of 

the impact. 

Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

1.A. Increased tropospheric ozone pollution in certain areas due to increased average summertime 

temperatures

Likelihood of Impact: Likely. Projections of future tropospheric ozone levels in the literature for the Pacific 

Northwest and Alaska are inconclusive at this time but the level of impact could change as new information 

becomes available. See further discussion below.

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting public health and the environment by attaining the National 

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by implementing programs in States and Indian Country to help meet the 

standards

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High in large urban areas in the Pacific Northwest – Washington, Oregon, 

and Idaho, and Low in remaining rural areas and in Alaska. 

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Could become more difficult to attain NAAQS for ozone in 

metropolitan areas where ozone design values are close to the NAAQS. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Washington, Idaho, and Oregon each have at least 1 metropolitan area 

that has ozone design values close to the ozone NAAQS. There is the possibility that higher summertime 

temperatures would increase ozone productivity as well as emissions of VOC precursors and, there is scientific 

consensus that climate change will decrease the background ozone in the lower troposphere where the water 

vapor effect is dominant.64 Ozone in NOx-limited areas is projected to decrease as well as a result of climate 

change. From the available academic literature that included results for the Pacific Northwest, there is no 

consistent finding about whether climate change will increase, decrease, or have no change on ozone in this 

region.65,66 Of potential greater concern for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska over the next several decades is the 

increase in transported ozone precursors from Asia. Asian transport of ozone will decrease with an increase in 

water vapor over the Pacific, but hydroxyl radicals will increase, potentially increasing ozone formation in PNW 

urban areas.

67

 64 Jacob, DJ., and D.A. Winner. 2009. Effect of climate change on air quality, Atmos. Environ., 43, 56. 65 Ibid Jacob and Winter 51-63. Jacob, D.J., and D. A. Winner. 2009. Effect of climate change on air quality, 

Atmos. Environ., 43, 51-63. 66 U.S. Global Change Research Program. 2009., Assessment of the impacts of global change on regional U.S. air 

quality: a synthesis of climate change impacts on ground-level ozone, EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and 

Development, Washington, D.C.

67 Task Force on the Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution. 2010. Hemispheric transport of air pollution 2010, 

Part A: ozone and particulate matter, Air Pollution Studies No. 17, United Nations, New York, USA and Geneva, 

Switzerland.68 IPCC. 2012. Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to 

Advance Climate Change Adaptation (Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D.Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D., 

Mastrandrea, K.J. Mach, G.K. Plattner, SlK. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.). A Special Report of 
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Variation in importance across the Region: Ozone is more likely to increase with climate change in inland Idaho 

rather than Washington and Oregon due to coastal airflow. It is not an issue for Alaska since ozone formation is 

limited by relatively low summertime temperatures. Potential ozone increases are more likely to occur in the 

larger metropolitan areas including Spokane, Tacoma, Portland, and Boise. Whether or not these increases will 

result in violations of the NAAQS health standards however is unknown.

1.B. Increase in average summertime temperatures and extreme temperature events resulting in increased 

concentrations of air toxics from anthropogenic sources.

Likelihood of Impact: Impact uncertain due to variability in effects of temperature increase on individual air toxics 

in Region 10. 

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Reducing risk from emissions of air toxics through Maximum Achievable 

Control Technology (MACT), National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) and residual risk 

programs 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: There is insufficient literature available on air toxics and climate change to 

project this likelihood for Region 10.

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Could increase public health risks, including risks for the young, the 

elderly, the chronically ill, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Many HAP chemicals volatilize at higher temperatures, creating the 

potential for higher emission rates and higher concentrations in ambient air.68 There is uncertainty however as to 

actual impacts on HAP concentrations since the boundary layer height will also likely be higher, adding more 

volume of air for the HAPs to mix into. It is also possible for pollutant removal mechanisms to increase as a result 

of climate change. There is still considerable uncertainty about the effect of climate change on air toxics in Region 

10. Variation in importance across the Region: Although we would expect air toxics to be most important in 

urban areas near large sources or a high density of sources, we cannot say that this will be the norm in Region 10. 

Potential variations by individual air toxic, location, and season were indicated in a continuous monitoring of 

atmospheric mercury study comparing high arctic, sub-Arctic, and temperate sites. While background mercury 

levels were shown to be decreasing at sub-Arctic and temperate sites, the levels at Alert (Nunavut, Canada –

locationally and climatically comparable to arctic Alaska) indicated increases in both RGM (reactive gaseous 

mercury) and TPM (total particulate mercury) from 2002 – 2009 in the spring when concentrations are the highest. 

Background mercury had decreased at all other locations.69

1.C. Increased frequency or intensity of wildfires due to increased summertime temperatures, prolonged 

droughts, and decreased soil moisture impact Particulate Matter levels.

Likelihood of Impact: Very Likely – Already Occurring

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting public health and the environment by assuring that the National 

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are attained and assisting States and Tribes in the implementation of 

programs to help meet these standards.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High.

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Could complicate Agency efforts to protect public health and the 

environment from risks posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution in areas affected by more frequent wildfires. 

 

Working Groups I & II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 

UK, and New York, NY, USA pp. 1-19. 68 IPCC. 2012. Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance 

Climate Change Adaptation (Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D.Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D., Mastrandrea, 

K.J. Mach, G.K. Plattner, SlK. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.). A Special Report of Working Groups I & II 

of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, 

NY, USA pp. 1-19. 69 Cole, A.S., et. al. 2013. Ten year trends of atmospheric mercury in the high Arctic compared to Canadian subArctic and mid-latitude sites, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 13, 3, 1535-45. 
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Implications: increased concentrations of PM resulting in public health impacts and increasing responsibility of 

public agencies to protect public health. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Larger and more frequent wildfires are predicted throughout the region as 

a result of warmer summertime temperatures, decreased soil and fuel moisture, and increased pest infestations. 

For example, in the Columbia Basin, the acres of forest burned are projected to double by the 2020s, and triple by 

the 2040s compared to average burned from 1916 to 2006.70 These large increases in annual acres burned will 

increase the number of airsheds and communities impacted by high summertime concentrations of Pm10 and 

PM2.5 from wildfires, impacting the health of more individuals who have preexisting respiratory conditions such as 

asthma, and preexisting heart conditions. State, local, and Tribal air agencies will also be impacted by these events 

and Region 10 will be obligated to assist them. More frequent and larger wildfires could result in agricultural and 

forestry slash burning permits not being issued at all, or issued later into the winter, where permitted burning 

would more likely overlap with home heating season and add to emissions from woodburning stoves. Although 

increased wildfire will have little impact on the attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) 

or the SIP State Implementation Plan (SIP) program, the Region 10 impact would be in workload to process 

Exceptional Event documentation and potentially in assisting States, local communities, and land managers in 

minimizing the impact of increased wildfire smoke on human health.

Variation in importance across the Region: All four R10 States have a high percent of forested areas (about 50% 

for States of WA and OR) and would all be adversely affected by an increase in wildfires

1.D. Changes in precipitation, extreme temperatures, more frequent wildfires, and severe weather events will 

impact indoor air quality. 

Likelihood of Impact: Very Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protection of public health from exposure to indoor air pollutants which are 

concentrated in indoor environments many times above ambient air levels. Potential for increased mold growth, 

particularly among buildings without access to air conditioning. Indoor Air Quality, Children's Health and outreach 

programs will be impacted due to increased need for public education and guidance on reducing exposures to both 

indoor and ambient air pollutants.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High. 

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Will increase public health risks including those from respiratory 

illnesses including asthma71, and risks for susceptible populations - the young, the elderly, the chronically ill, and 

socioeconomically disadvantaged populations across the region. Alaska’s native and rural populations are very 

vulnerable to worsening indoor air quality with more insulated housing reducing air circulation- thereby increasing 

levels of both indoor and ambient pollution - and increasing flood risk and melting permafrost that will support 

more mold growth72. Also, though not directly related to climate change, increasing use of wood combustion as 

an indoor heat source (due to rising cost of home heating oil) further impairs indoor air quality.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Important across the Region. Susceptible individuals will be impacted by 

elevated temperatures, increasing pollutant levels, and therefore increasing exposures to both indoor and ambient 

air pollution. 

Variation in importance across the Region: Particularly important in environmental justice (EJ) areas and areas 

with a high density of more susceptible populations such as in Alaska’s native villages73 and on tribal reservations 

in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

 70 J.S. Littell, et. al. 2010. Forest ecosystems, disturbance, and climatic change in Washington State, USA. 

Climatic Change 102(1-2): 129-158. 71 Reid, Colleen and Gamble, Janet. 2009. Aeroallergens, Allergic Disease, and Climate Change: Impacts and 

Adaptation, Ecohealth Vol 6(3):458-470. 72 Kovesi, Thomas MD et al. 2007. Indoor Air Quality and the Risk of lower respiratory tract infections in young 

Canadian Inuit children, Canadian Medical Association. 73 Lisa Bulkow et al., 2010. Risk Factors for Severe Respiratory Synctial Virus Infection Among Alaska Native 

Children, Pediatrics. 109 (2).
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1.E. Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer due to climate change effects on the atmosphere

Likelihood of Impact: Likely – changes continue over the arctic.

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Restoring the stratospheric ozone layer, preventing UV-related disease, and 

providing a smooth transition to safer refrigerants than CFCs and HCFCs

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Low – there is no stratospheric ozone monitoring or restoration program in 

R10.

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: May be unable to restore ozone concentrations to benchmark levels 

as quickly at some latitudes. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Not uniformly important across the region. Important in the Arctic 

(Alaska) where severe depletion of stratospheric ozone has been observed during winter months.74 While there 

currently are no EPA Region 10 programs that directly deal with monitoring or restoring the stratospheric ozone 

layer, there is enforcement activity against violators related to use and disposal of CFC’s and HCFC’s. 

Variation in importance across the Region: Most important in Alaska, particularly in Arctic regions.

1.F. Changes in the rate and distribution of deposition of sulfates, nitrates, and mercury as a result of changes in 

precipitation patterns.

Likelihood of Impact: Impact potentially ranges from Unlikely to Likely. Much uncertainty exists re: the overall 

impacts of changes in precipitation on sulfates, nitrates and mercury deposition in Region 10. We assume that 

there would be increased deposition of available sulfates, nitrates, and mercury with increased precipitation, but 

the availability of these pollutants in the atmosphere may be decreasing due to control measures.

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Agency programs to protect ecosystems from atmospheric deposition of 

pollutants such as sulfates, nitrates, and mercury. Deposition of pollutants may also impact compliance with water 

quality standards and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: There is insufficient research on sulfate, nitrate, and mercury deposition and 

climate change to project this likelihood for Region 10, particularly in light of increasing wildfires and transport 

from Asia. 

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Could cause adverse effects on ecosystems throughout the region, 

particularly mountain ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems, and could contribute to accumulation of mercury in 

fish tissue. This would disproportionally effect populations of people whose diet consists of a high percent of fish. 

Water quality impacted during summer due to lower stream flows. TMDLs may be more difficult to attain. An 

accurate assessment of impacts is difficult to determine at this time. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Accumulation of sulfates and nitrates may kill sensitive plant species and 

alter richness of species in sensitive ecosystems through the region. Mercury deposition in freshwater habitats 

could contribute to bioaccumulation of mercury in fish tissue, posing risks to humans who consume these 

freshwater fish. Lower stream flows during the summer months could make attainment of TMDLs associated with 

release of pollutants from point sources more difficult to attain, negatively impacting ecosystem health. 

Atmospheric deposition of sulfates, nitrates and mercury from Region 10 sources are expected to decrease over 

time due to compliance with the new air toxics rules (i.e. the Mercury Air Toxics Standard – MATS), the attainment 

of additional reductions through the residual risk and technology review program, and mobile source controls. 

Additional compliance activities resulting in decreases over time include sources meeting permit requirements or 

closing down. There is some uncertainty in this expected downward trend however due to potential increased 

mercury releases due to wildfires and transport from Asia. Global emissions of mercury continue to change at the 

same time as the Arctic is experiencing ongoing climatic changes. Multi-year trends analysis in reactive gaseous 

mercury (RGM) and total particulate mercury (TPM) at a Canadian Arctic site indicated increases from 2002 to 

2009 in both RGM and TPM in the spring when concentrations are highest.

75

Variation in importance across the Region: Sulfate and nitrate deposition is important across the region. Mercury 

deposition is highest close to mercury sources, such as mining operations. The issue is more important for parts of 

 74 G.L. Manney et. al., 2011. Unprecedented Arctic Ozone Loss in 2011, Nature 478, 469-475. October 27, 2011. 75 Cole, A.S., et. al. 2013. Ten-year trends of atmospheric mercury in the high Arctic compared to Canadian subArctic and mid-latitude sites, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Vol 13, Issue 3, pp. 1535-45.
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the Region containing mountain ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems and for parts of the Region where 

people’s diets consist of a high percent of fish. While studies have shown that on the East Coast, sulfate 

concentrations increase with temperature due to faster SO2 oxidation (higher rate constants and higher oxidant 

concentrations)76,77 no studies are available to indicate that the same is true for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. 

In contrast, nitrate and organic semi-volatile components shift from the particle phase to the gas phase with 

increasing temperature.78 Overall effects are uncertain however because higher temperatures drive increased 

chemical reactions and possibly more secondary organic carbon. At the same time there might be changes to the 

boundary layer height, airmass ventilation rate, and precipitation. We do not know the relative importance of 

these effects in R10 states. 

 76 Aw, J., and Kleeman, M.J. 2003. Evaluating the first-order effect of intra-annual temperature variability on 

urban air pollution. J. Geophys. Res. 108, 4365. 77 Dawson, J.P., et. al. 2007. Sensitivity of PM2.5 to climate in the Eastern US: a modeling case study. Atmos. 

Chem. Phys. 74,295–4,309 78 Tsigaridis, K., and Kanakidou, M. 2007. Secondary organic aerosol importance in the future atmosphere. 

Atmos. Environ. 41, 4682–4692.
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Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters

2.A. Regional focus: Increasing heavy precipitation events and more frequent flood events may impact water 

systems and infrastructure.

Likelihood of Impact: Very Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting Water infrastructure: drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and 

agricultural irrigation systems and infrastructure.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Water infrastructure could be overwhelmed or damaged. Impacts 

on water infrastructure may result in an increased number of sewer overflows and wastewater bypasses, as well as 

increased pollutant loads in runoff, increased pollution of streams and threats to public health.

79 Drinking water 

and wastewater utilities will need an integrated approach to planning for emergencies and extreme weather 

events.80 Problems of safety as well as access to clean and safe water will be exacerbated for Tribal communities, 

and other vulnerable and economically depressed communities who have limited access to clean water supplies.81

Agricultural productivity may be impacted in areas with inadequate water storage capacity and limited agricultural 

irrigation systems. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: The Region will work with the Tribes and States to assist in water planning 

by sharing information on available downscaled models and tools and provide technical assistance, outreach, and 

education to further assist in the implement of state and tribal voluntary programs. Climate change impacts 

drinking water by heightening risk of contamination of surface water sources due to higher temperatures, lower 

flows, and increased erosion/sedimentation. For example, in Alaska, melting permafrost is causing sources of 

drinking water for rural communities to disappear altogether, plus increased erosion is causing more sediment.82 

Also road and bridge failures from more storms, erosion, etc. will result in more accidents and spills that threaten 

drinking water supplies. Groundwater sources could be impacted by changes in hydrology, also impacting changes 

in transport of potential contaminants. 

Variation in importance across the Region: Important across the region, but especially in areas with ageing or 

inadequate water infrastructure. Adequate summertime water supply for irrigation of crops is essential to 

agricultural communities east of the Cascades in OR, WA, and ID. For tribes, who lack irrigation infrastructure and 

rely primarily on lakes and streams as water sources, availability of water for agriculture may be more severely 

impacted by climate change.

2.B. Regional focus: Earlier stream runoff and scouring of streambeds due to earlier snow melt, and decrease 

summer stream flows and increased steam temperatures will adversely impact fresh water fisheries

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now and very likely to increase 

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protection of Fresh water Fisheries: Loss and extinction of salmon species and 

other cold water fisheries due to seasonal changes in stream flows and increasing surface water temperatures. 

Important to the TMDL program, and salmon recovery programs

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Loss of salmon habitat and increased stress on salmon reproduction 

throughout their entire lifecycle. This also applies to other fresh cold water fish. Watershed planning efforts will 

 79 USGCRP. 2009. Regional Impacts: Northwest. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C.

80 Ibid. UGCRP. 2009. 81 http://www.climatechange.alaska.gov/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf. 82 Lettenmaier, D. et. al. 2008. Water resources. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land 

Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, pp. 121-150.
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need to be modified to include projected impacts of altered stream flows and increased temperatures due to 

climate change.

83,84

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Salmon and other cold water fish are a large part of the marine fishery 

business in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), and loss of these fish would have a substantial impact on the economy of 

the (PNW). Coastal Native Americans depend on salmon as an essential part of their diets. There will be 

secondary impacts on other species in the ecosystem that benefit from salmon – e.g., forests that rely on decaying 

salmon for nutrients, and bears, eagles, others that feed on salmon.

Variation in importance across the Region: Important across the region.

2.C. Regional focus: Sea-level rise, sea surface temperature and increasing heavy precipitation events during the 

winter months, and decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity during the summer months, 

may have adverse impacts on estuarine watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and wetlands.

Likelihood of Impact: Very Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and wetlands

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Changes in precipitation patterns, and increased drought intensity 

will cause stress on wetlands, and forest and mountain ecosystems, and pose challenges to migration of species in 

these ecosystems to more suitable habitats. Sedimentation rates and organic matter (vegetative) accumulation 

rates also need to be taken into account for inland marine influenced ecosystems such as estuaries. Nyman et al85

found that the vegetative component is the most significant of the two factors for the coasts of Oregon and 

Washington—i.e., accretion varied with organic accumulation rather than mineral sedimentation. Warmer sea 

surface temperature contributes to sea level rise, increased storm intensity, and greater stratification of the water 

column.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: EPA may need to examine the use of more sophisticated models, and 

training to use the models, so that impacts to ecosystems due to Climate Change are addressed. Impact to 

states/tribes. Climate change impacts would make it more difficult for EPA to protect these ecosystems. 

Variation in importance across the Region: Especially important in coastal areas of WA, OR, and Alaska due to 

increased extreme storm events and rising ocean levels and their impacts on coastal ecosystems. For the 

Washington, Oregon, and California coasts north of Cape Mendocino, sea level is projected to change between -4 

cm (sea-level fall) and +23 cm by 2030, -3 cm and +48 cm by 2050, and 10–143 cm by 2100.

86 The effects will also 

be important to all non-coastal watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and wetlands across the region. 

2.D. Regional focus: Warming temperatures and more frequent and intense drought conditions will have 

adverse impacts on Forest Ecosystems

Likelihood of Impact: Very Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting Forest Ecosystems

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Forest tree species are expected to shift their ranges northward and 

upslope in response to climate change and existing ecosystems will break up as different species shift at different 

 83 Wenger, S.J. et al. 2011. Role of climate and invasive species in structuring trout distributions in the Interior 

Columbia Basin 2011, USA: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, v. 68, p. 988-1008. Catalog No: 

2508.

84 Wenger, S.J., et. al.. 2011. Flow regime, temperature and biotic interactions drive differential declines of trout 

species under climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, online. Catalog No: 2652. 85 Nyman, J.A et. al. 2006. Marsh vertical accretion via vegetative growth. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 

69:370-380. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2006.05.041. 86 National Research Council. 2012. Sea-level rise for the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California: Past, 

Present, and Future. Division on Earth and Life Studies Board on Earth Sciences and Resources and

Ocean Studies Board. Committee on Sea Level Rise in California, Oregon, and Washington. .
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rates, resulting in the formation of new ecosystems, with unknown consequences.

87 Interactions among impacts 

of climate change and other stressors can increase the risk of species extinction.88 Breakup of existing ecosystems 

and loss of biodiversity, in combination to increased drought conditions, can make forests more susceptible to 

destruction by wildfires and insect infestation.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: In the western United States, both the frequency of large wildfires and the 

length of the fire season have increased substantially in recent decades, due primarily to earlier spring snowmelt 

and higher spring and summer temperatures.89 Simulations of the impact of Climate Change on forest production 

in North America indicate that North American producers of lumber may suffer losses averaging $1 billion to $2 

billion/yr over the 21st century90.

Variation in importance across the Region: Adverse effects are likely in forests across the region, but more 

immediately in low elevation forests, and forests in drier parts of the region, such as in ID, eastern WA and OR, and 

the interior of AK

2.E. Regional focus: Loss of sea ice in Alaska due to warming air and water temperatures associated with 

Climate Change

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now and very likely to increase

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting Marine Ecosystems and shorelines 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Loss of arctic ice in the Bering Sea is adversely affecting Arctic sea ice 

ecosystems. Algae that bloom on the underside of the sea ice form the base of a food web linking microscopic 

animals and fish to seals, whales, polar bears, and people. The earlier ice melt resulting from warming, however, 

leads to later phytoplankton blooms that are largely consumed by microscopic animals near the sea surface, vastly 

decreasing the amount of food reaching the living organisms on the ocean floor.91 This will radically change the 

species composition of the fish and other creatures, with significant repercussions for both subsistence and 

commercial fishing.

92 Sea ice is forming later in the fall in Alaska, making the coastal communities more vulnerable 

to extreme storms (e.g., the storm in 2011 that was a record low atmospheric pressure and caused winds up to 90 

mph ).93 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Adverse impacts to the Bering Sea marine ecosystem would have 

profound effects on mammals and birds that migrate to feed in this area during the summer months. The Bering 

Sea fishery is a very important source of seafood and an important factor to Alaska's economy. Species 

composition in the Bering Sea ecosystem could be radically changed. 

Variation in importance across the Region: This impact is specific to Alaskan ecosystems and shorelines, but could 

also have adverse effects on associated terrestrial ecosystems in Alaska.

2.F. Regional focus: Acidification of ocean water due to increasing concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now and very likely to increase

 87 ACIA. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 

Cambridge, UK, and New York, 139 pp.

88 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005: Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Biodiversity Synthesis. World 

Resources Institute, Washington, DC, 86 pp.

89 Westerling A.L., et. al. 2006. Warming and earlier spring increase western U.S. forest wildfire activity. 

Science, 313(5789), 940-943. 90 IPCC, 2007, chapter 14 91 USGCRB. 2009. Regional Impacts: Alaska. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C.

92 Janetos, A., et. al. 2008. Biodiversity. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water 

Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Washington, DC, pp. 151-181) 93 http://www.stormsurge.noaa.gov/event_history.html
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Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting Marine Ecosystems

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Substantial decline of marine organisms that form their shells and 

skeletons from calcium carbonate in ocean waters.94 Adverse effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms 

have already been documented.95

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Specifically, adverse effects of ocean acidification have been documented 

in pteropods (sea snails)96, a primary food source for salmon in the Pacific Ocean, and in oyster larvae in estuaries 

in Washington State and on the coast of OR.97

Variation in importance across the Region: Important in coastal areas of WA, OR and AK.

2.G. Regional focus: Pest outbreaks, invasive species, increased fire, shifts in species ranges and increased 

erosion, depletion of water and changes in riparian vegetation in Columbia basin Shrubsteppe/grassland eastern 

WA, OR, and ID. 

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting watershed ecosystems. 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Under projected future temperature conditions, the cover of 

sagebrush within the distribution of sage-grouse is anticipated to be reduced due to non-native grass invasions 

making the areas prone to destructive fires. Observed and projected decreases in the frequency of freezing 

temperatures, lengthening of the frost-free season, and increased minimum temperatures can alter plant species 

ranges and shift the geographic and elevational boundaries of many arid lands. The extent of these changes will 

also depend on changes in precipitation and fire. Increased drought frequency could also cause major changes in 

vegetation cover. Losses of vegetative cover coupled with increases in precipitation intensity and climate-induced 

reductions in soil aggregate stability will dramatically increase potential erosion rates. Transport of eroded 

sediment to streams coupled with changes in the timing and magnitude of minimum and maximum flows can 

affect water quality, riparian vegetation, and aquatic fauna. In particular, the climate-driven dynamic of the fire 

cycle is likely to remain the single most important feature controlling future plant distribution in U.S. arid lands. 

Riparian vegetation in arid lands can occur at scales from isolated springs to ephemeral and intermittent 

watercourses and perennial rivers.98 This habitat is tightly associated with stream dynamics and hydrology.99 The 

net result of climate warming is greater depletion of water along the riverine corridor.100

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Note that the direct climate change effects of CO2 fertilization and 

increasing average temperatures may have contrasting influences on dominant functional types. Trees and C3 

grasses may benefit from rising CO2 but not from warming, whereas C4 grasses may benefit from warming but not 

 94 Orr, J. C. et. al., 2005. Anthropogenic ocean acidification over the twenty-first century and its impact on 

calcifying organisms. Nature, 437(7059), 681-686. 95 Feely, R.A., et. al. 2008. Evidence for upwelling of corrosive “acidified” water onto the continental shelf. 

Science, 320(5882), 1490-1492. 96 Bednaršek, N. et. al. 2012. Extensive dissolution of live pteropods in the Southern Ocean, Nature Geoscience, 

Volume:5, Pages:881–885. 97 Barton, A. et al. 2012. The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, shows negative correlation to naturally elevated 

carbon dioxide levels: Implications for near-term ocean acidification effects. Limnology and Oceanography, 2012; 

57 (3). 98 Ryan, M. et al. 2008. Land Resources. In: The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water 

resources, and biodiversity. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on 

Global Change Research. Washington, DC., USA, 362 pp. 99 Chappell et al. 2001. Wildlife Habitats: Description, Status, Trends, and System Dynamics. Chapter 2 in: 

Wildlife-Habitat Relationships in Oregon and Washington. 100 Ryan, M. et al. 2008. Land Resources. In: The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water 

resources, and biodiversity. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on 

Global Change Research. Washington, DC., USA, 362 pp.
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from CO2 fertilization. This may mean that uncertain, non-linear, and rapid changes in ecosystem structure and 

carbon stocks could occur.101 The changes in the cycling of Nitrogen and to some extent Carbon due to climate 

change could alter the microbial and plant community structure and function of this ecosystem and cause it to 

move in the direction of desertification.102 Large-scale conversion of grasslands to shrublands, coupled with 

anticipated changes in climate in the coming decades, and increases in wind speed, temperature, drought 

frequency, and precipitation intensity, contribute to greater wind erosion and dust emission from arid lands. In 

arid regions, erosion has been shown to increase sediment delivery to large rivers (e.g., the Rio Grande), and can 

change the flow conditions of those rivers. Transport of eroded sediment to streams can change conditions in 

waterways, impacting water quality, riparian vegetation, and water fauna.103

Variation in importance across the Region: specific to the shrubsteppe and grassland ecosystems which include 

(1) intermountain regions in western North America (well-vegetated semi desert scrub in lower elevations in 

basins, valleys, and lower plateaus foothills and lower mountain slopes and (2) the Palouse grassland bioregion 

covers approximately 6,200 mi2 in west central Idaho, southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon 

between the western edge of the Rocky Mountains and the Columbia River basin. It encompasses the hills of the 

Palouse Prairie, the southerly Camas Prairie, and the forested hills and canyonlands of the area's rivers.104

 101 Parry et al. 2007, Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental 

Panel on Climate Change. IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, section 4.4.3. 102 Smith et al. 2002. Soil properties and microbial activity across a 500m elevation gradient in a semi-arid 

environment. Soil, Biology, and Biochemistry. 34(1749-1757). 103 Ryan, M. et al. 2008. Land Resources. In: The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water 

resources, and biodiversity. A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on 

Global Change Research. Washington, DC., USA, 362 pp. 104 McWethy et al. 2010. Climate and Terrestrial Ecosystem Change in the U.S. Rocky Mountains and Upper 

Columbia Basin: Historical and Future Perspectives for Natural Resource Management. (NPS report).
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Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

3.A. Regional focus: Flooding, sea-level rise, storm surges, extreme events and landslides could mean site 

characterizations, risk assessments and selection of remedies are not protective or that existing remedies may 

be vulnerable

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Removal program, corrective action or permitted sites, cleanup of hazardous 

waste sites (Superfund), and management of waste containment facilities (RCRA). 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Medium

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Increased risk of contaminate release from hazardous waste Sites. 

RPMs and corrective action RPMs may need to alter selected remedies to ensure containment of hazardous 

substances. In situ remedies (e.g., stabilization, reactive barriers) and on-site above ground treatment systems 

(e.g., pump & treat, air sparging) could be compromised or overwhelmed if they are not designed to withstand the 

climate-related events. The net result could be release of contaminants.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Groundwater and subsurface contamination could be impacted by 

drought and flood conditions. There may be an increased risk of migration of contaminants from flooded 

containment facilities. Remedies such as caps in contaminated industrial waterways in WA and OR could be 

subject to (and not designed to withstand) unanticipated scour events. Any infrastructure whether for treatment 

or, say, green stormwater management such as pump and treat systems protecting drinking water wells have a 

potential to be at risk. Areas where permafrost has been assumed to work as a containment barrier would also be 

at risk.

Variation in importance across the Region: A high potential for impact could occur in the industrial waterways of 

WA and OR where industrial wastes have been capped in place, however could be a potential concern anywhere 

contaminants have been left in place. Possible issues of nuclear waste disposal related to climate change (e.g., 

locations of storage facilities, appropriate containment, and risk management issues) would also be important at 

the DOE Hanford facility in WA, and the DOE Idaho National Lab facility in ID. 

3.B. Regional focus: Thawing permafrost and changes in sea ice leads to damage of roads, runways, water and 

sewer systems, and other infrastructure in Alaska affecting Tribal and Emergency Response

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Emergency Response and Tribal Programs, Village Safe Water Program

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Melting sea ice and late formation in the fall is causing storms to 

move in close to shore as the natural buffering system disappears. That is causing rapid coastal erosion, with 

houses and infrastructure falling into the ocean in several communities. That, along with higher storm, tidal surges 

flood communities, is requiring more immediate evacuation needs. Open dumps are also impacted by storm 

surges, flooding, which increases contamination risk. Permafrost temperatures have increased throughout Alaska 

since the late 1970s.105 Land subsidence (sinking) associated with the thawing of permafrost presents substantial 

challenges to engineers attempting to preserve infrastructure in Alaska.106

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Substantial infrastructure damage in areas of Alaska built on permafrost. 

Release of methane contained in permafrost into the atmosphere would accelerate global warming since methane 

is a GHG.

Variation in importance across the Region: Important only in Alaska.

 105 Lettenmaier, D., et. al. 2008. Water resources. In: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land

Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3. U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Washington,DC, pp. 121-150. 106 Instanes, A., et. al. 2005. Infrastructure: buildings, support systems, and industrial facilities. In: Arctic Climate 

Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, pp. 907-944
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3C. Regional focus: Region 10, Tribal and state partners will have increasing workloads in many aspects of site 

and waste management as well as work related to the formation and implementation of sustainable 

development and materials management programs, partnerships and initiatives.

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Sustainability and Materials Management

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Medium

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Accelerating development (sustainable or otherwise) and the 

expected migration of people to Region 10 are issues of concern. It is projected that the population of the States 

in Region 10 will increase from 11.2 million in 2010 to 13.1 million in 2025.107 Communities are struggling with how 

to manage the new people while protecting the environment and providing basic services like energy, water and 

waste management.

Variation in importance across the Region: In support of the increased sustainability of our communities, our 

investments in partnerships related to more sustainable materials management play an increasing role in 

preventing waste, conserving energy and reducing emissions of toxics as well as greenhouse gases. Waste 

management can be especially challenging in remote tribal communities in Alaska.

108 

3D. Regional focus: Climate change impacts on the availability of raw materials and the cost of mining and 

refining raw materials, producing products, transporting products, and disposing products. 

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Sustainability and Materials Management

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Medium

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: EPA Region 10 will need to put more effort into advocating for 

sustainable materials management and pollution prevention with States, industry, communities and tribes as 

climate change affects the availability and cost of raw materials and products. Climate Change increasing 

temperature-related pest infestations and forest fires result in millions of acres of dead, dying, and burned trees in 

the Pacific NW and Alaska which decreases the availability and drives up the costs of wood products. Thawing 

permafrost in Alaska results in infrastructure damage in the form of compromised or impassible haul roads for 

timber and ore, reducing the availability of these natural resources and driving up transportation costs. 

Transportation of raw materials and products also becomes more costly and risky as thawing permafrost damages 

remote Alaskan airfields, and coastal erosion from storm surges and increased springtime flooding of river valleys 

damages coastal and inland river valley rail transport lines. Finally, damage to landfill infrastructure from thawing 

permafrost in Alaska makes disposal more costly due to the need for clean-up and fortification. 

Variation in importance across the Region: This issue will impact the entire region but may have a greater impact 

on remote cities and villages in Alaska where transportation and disposal of products is more difficult and costly. 

 107 U.S. Census Bureau. 2013. Current Population Report: Population Projections: States 1995-2025. Economics 

Statistical Administration. Department of Commerce. Website:http://www.census.gov/prod/2/pop/p25/p25-

1131.pdf. Accessed May 23, 2013. 108 U.S. EPA. 2011. National Priorities with a Local Focus – Region 10’s Approach for Implementing Administrator 

Jackson’s Seven Priorities – FY 2011-2015 November 2011. www.epa.gov.
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Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

There are concerns for which we do not have sufficient scientific or programmatic information at this time to 

evaluate in our vulnerability analysis, some examples are:

(1) increased use of pesticides in response to increase in pests and vector borne diseases (see 2.G. which mentions 

invasive species, West Nile virus) and requests for emergency waivers.

(2) movement of volatile contaminants (pesticides, PCBs, mercury, etc.) into Alaska via global distillation.

4.A. Regional focus: Increasing extreme temperatures, increasing heavy precipitation events, changes in storm 

intensities, and increasing frequency of floods may increase the exposure to and risk associated with hazardous 

chemicals regulated by certain EPA programs

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Protecting human health and ecosystems from chemical releases regulated by 

the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and the Federal 

Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) programs

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Medium

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Adjustments to the relevant risk assessment framework to 

determine public risk due to modified exposure scenarios and modified toxicity of chemicals due to climate 

change.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Altered weather and severe climate events could also affect the 

interpretations of risk at RCRA/TSCA and Superfund sites. Very relevant for permitting and planning activities, 

where facilities may not have previously required an awareness of risk management for water/flooding, or other 

climate change impacts. In particular, Puget Sound is vulnerable to these potential impacts of chemical pollution; 

restoration of Puget Sound is a key ecosystem-level activity in R10.109

Variation in importance across the Region: More relevant near sites with large densities of chemical 

Manufacturers, Processors and Formulators (MPFs), and RCRA and Superfund sites

 109 (see the 2012/2013 Action Agenda for Puget Sound)

http://www.psp.wa.gov/downloads/AA2011/083012_final/Action%20Agenda%20Book%202_Aug%2029%202012.

pdf
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Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws

EPA Region 10’s Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) is charged with ensuring compliance with 

environmental requirements and enforcing against violations to those requirements. In that capacity, OCE’s 

vulnerabilities are uniquely tied to interactions with the regulated community. Some types of vulnerabilities (e.g., 

difficulties with maintaining staff functionality due to power outages, physical damage to facilities due to extreme 

weather) would be similar to those experienced by all EPA programs and regions. Other vulnerabilities are more 

specific to OCE such as those which impact the ability of sources to comply with environmental requirements and 

with our ability to determine such compliance and take appropriate action.

The vulnerabilities of greatest importance for OCE are conditions/events which would compromise our ability to 

ensure compliance with environmental requirements by regulated entities and, where necessary, to take effective 

enforcement action in case of violations. The programs impacted would include: compliance assistance; 

compliance monitoring and civil enforcement.

5.A. Regional focus: Increased non-compliance at regulated entities as a result of extreme weather events and 

changing weather patterns

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: All regulatory programs

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Compliance and enforcement programs under the Clean Water Act 

(CWA) have the potential to see an increase in violations from many situations including sanitary sewer and 

combined sewer overflows, violations of percent removal at wastewater treatment plants (due to limited water 

flow as a result of drought), violations in bypasses due to the inability of wastewater treatment plants to treat a 

flow in excess of the design capacity, and increased violations in numerous programs due to failure of existing 

infrastructure protecting against extreme weather events. In addition, CWA section 311 (Spill Prevention Control 

Countermeasures) may see an increase in non-compliance along Alaskan coastal areas that have oil storage 

containers, as a result of sea ice melting (thereby increasing storm surges along those coastal areas) and increased 

flooding. 

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) compliance and enforcement programs may see 

violations at Pesticides Producing Establishments if there is a shift toward increasing pesticide usage, productions 

and imports. As weather patterns change in the Region, the habitats of insects and pests may also change, 

bringing different pests and diseases to areas. 

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) programs may see increased non-compliance at landfills due 

to changes in precipitation patterns (including more precipitation in some cases and more extreme precipitation 

events in other cases). Where more precipitation is seen in traditionally arid climates and little rainfall is assumed 

during landfill design, landfills may generate excessive hazardous leachate, see unexpected mobilization of 

contaminants in the waste column and/or experience failure of the liner or leachate collection systems.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: May be most important in states where EPA has direct implementation of 

an enforcement program, on Tribal lands, and non-delegable programs.

Variation in importance across the Region: Relevant across the Region.

5.B. Regional focus: Shift in regional enforcement priorities due to changes in compliance (both increased 

compliance and non-compliance in different sectors) and increased number of inquiries from industry about 

maintaining compliance 

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: All regulatory programs.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: If an increase in violations in various programs and industry are 

identified, OCE may shift the enforcement focus to address those violations. Conversely, OCE may use discretion 
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to refocus enforcement priorities when localized extreme weather events (e.g., flooding) greatly impact the 

regulated community or when a change in weather patterns decrease the potential for non-compliance (e.g., less 

precipitation could decrease surface runoff). This will be most important in states where EPA has direct 

implementation of an enforcement program (e.g., Idaho for NPDES program), on Tribal lands, and non-delegable 

programs (e.g., Chlorofluorocarbons, CWA 311 (SPCC), PCBs). OCE may need to make adjustments to normal 

workload to address an increase in industry’s compliance inquiries. There may need to be reassignment or delay 

of normal work duties as staff provides response support to those inquiries in a timely manner. Requests may also 

be received from Regional state counterparts regarding guidance to unique enforcement issues as a result of 

extreme weather events or changing weather patterns.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: May be most important in states where EPA has direct implementation of 

an enforcement program, on Tribal lands and non-delegable programs.

Variation in importance across the Region: Relevant across the Region

5.C. Regional focus: Increased permitting of Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) wells for Carbon 

Dioxide sequestration and Class V UIC wells for stormwater management.

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: UIC permitting and enforcement programs

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: EPA has developed criteria for Class VI wells, used specifically for the 

injection of carbon dioxide into underground subsurface rock formations for long-term storage. As the need to 

reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere increases, various technologies including Class VI wells will 

be deployed. OCE may need to reassign or delay other UIC permitting and enforcement work, as permit requests 

for Class VI wells increase. This will be seen across the Region, until permitting and enforcement of the Class VI 

well program is delegated to the states. As the amount of stormwater increases with increased precipitation 

levels, industries regulated to manage stormwater and associated discharges may be faced with challenges 

surrounding the volume of stormwater to manage. Class V wells are designed to receive stormwater, as a 

substitution for or in addition to discharging stormwater. OCE may see an increase in permitting Class V wells, as 

challenges managing high volumes of stormwater increase. Permitting will be focused on Class V wells in Alaska 

and Tribal lands, as the Region implements this program in these areas. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Across the Region, until permitting and enforcement of the Class VI well 

program is delegated to the states. 

Variation in importance across the Region: Relevant across the Region.

5.D. Regional focus: Increase in regulated industrial activities in Alaska may result as the melting of sea ice 

opens new areas for activities. 

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Oil and gas extraction. 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Sea ice off the Alaskan Coast is retreating and thinning. This 

reduction of sea ice is very likely to increase the navigation season and create a seasonal opening of the Northern 

Sea Route to likely make trans-arctic shipping and transport feasible during summer months. As areas and routes 

become more accessible, there is a potential for industrial activity (e.g., oil and gas extraction) to become more 

active in these areas. As a result, OCE may see an increase in regulated entities.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Relevant in Alaska.

Variation in importance across the Region: Relevant in Alaska.

5.E. Regional focus: Increase in non-compliance at facilities with Underground Storage Tanks (UST) holding 

ethanol-blended fuels.. 

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Underground Storage Tank program.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High
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Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Storage of ethanol-blended fuels in USTs requires compatibility with 

the materials and equipment of the tank system. The chemical and physical properties of ethanol fuel blends may 

make these fuels more aggressive to certain UST tank systems, compared to petroleum. As the need increases to 

use and store fuels that produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, the UST enforcement program may see an 

increase with incompatibility. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Relevant across the region.

Variation in importance across the Region: Relevant across the region.
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EPA Facilities and Operations

6.A. Regional focus: Increasing drought frequency and intensity may limit drinking water at EPA facilities. 

Increased demand for air conditioning.

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Personnel Safety and security. Operations of Agency facilities, and ability to 

carry out emergency response actions

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Low

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Facilities could be located in areas with water shortages, requiring 

water rationing. There is likely to be a greater demand for electricity for air conditioning during the summer 

months. Increased extreme temperature at any R10 office would put higher demand on drinking water and 

electricity for cooling.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Could affect the regional office and all the operations offices

Variation in importance across the Region: Operation offices may not be as vulnerable as the regional office due 

to a smaller staff and less demand for cooling water, drinking water, and water for other personal uses.

6.B. Regional focus: Increasing risk of floods and increasing intensity of storms may adversely affect operations 

of agency facilities

Likelihood of Impact: Unlikely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Operations of Agency facilities, personnel safety, physical security, and ability 

to carry out emergency response actions. In particular, Region 10 operates the Manchester Environmental 

Laboratory in Port Orchard. The lab is adjacent to Puget Sound.

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Low

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Facilities in flood-prone areas may have to temporarily close. 

Personnel engaged in field work may be more vulnerable to extreme temperatures or storm events. Personnel 

and real property supporting emergency response and management may be at risk during flooding or extreme 

weather events. Ongoing work at the Manchester Environmental Laboratory may be disrupted with effects on 

many different programs. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Closure of regional offices due to climate change related damage could 

prevent staff from carrying out important functions. The Regional Office in Seattle is located in an area with low 

probability for flooding or sea level rise.

Variation in importance across the Region: R10 has flexiplace options available to staff and a Continuity of 

Operations Plan in place in case any R10 office is damaged by flooding or storms or transportation to/from offices 

are affected (e.g., flooded roadways; landslides on commuter train tracks). 
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Tribal and other vulnerable populations

7.A. Regional focus: Food security for Tribal communities that live a subsistence lifestyle may be at risk due to 

warming associated with climate change

Likelihood of Impact: Likely

Focus of Associated EPA Program: All R10 Programs working on issues that affect Tribal populations, potential link 

to permitting programs and actions

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: Medium

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Warming due to climate change reduces the availability and 

accessibility of many traditional food sources such as ice seals, walrus and caribou.

110 For example, climate change 

decreases the amount and quality of food that grows in the summer months, preventing caribou from storing 

enough fat to survive the winter. People face losing their healthiest foods, their communities, and in some cases, 

their culture, since each of these depends on traditional ways of collecting and sharing food.111

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: The most vulnerable population would be the native Alaskan people. 

They face losing their current livelihoods, their communities, and in some cases, their culture. 

Variation in importance across the Region: To some degree, this is also relevant to all the tribes in the rest of 

Region 10 (WA, OR, and ID).

7.B. Regional focus: An increase in intensity of coastal storms and rising sea levels would increase erosion of 

shorelines and pose risks to coastal native villages.

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Tribal Programs, emergency response

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Alaska’s coastline, much of which is close to sea level, is increasingly 

threatened by a combination of the loss of its protective sea ice buffer, increasing storm activity, and thawing 

coastal permafrost.112 In Alaska, over 100 villages on the coast and in low-lying areas along rivers are subject to 

increased flooding and erosion due to warming. Federal, state, and tribal officials have identified 31 villages that 

face imminent threats.

113 At least 12 of the 31 threatened villages have decided to relocate--in part or entirely--or 

to explore relocation options. Federal programs to assist threatened villages prepare for and recover from 

disasters and to protect and relocate them are limited and unavailable to the majority of villages. The Federal 

Emergency Management Agency has several disaster preparedness and recovery programs, but villages often fail 

to qualify for them, generally because they may lack approved disaster mitigation plans or have not been declared 

federal disaster areas.114

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Erosion of shorelines may require relocation of native villages. Loss of 

water infrastructure would require emergency water supplies. Flooding and storm events will require emergency 

management plans

Variation in importance across the Region: Greatest risks are to the shorelines in Alaska, but shorelines in WA and 

OR are also at a moderate risk

7.C. Regional focus: Loss of permafrost and reduced snowpack threatens access to clean water

Likelihood of Impact: High

 110 ACIA. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 

Cambridge, UK, and New York, 139 pp.

111 Ibid ACIA. 2004. 112 USGCRB. 2009. Regional Impacts: Alaska. EPA/600/R-07/094F, Office of Research and Development, 

Washington, D.C. 113 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

114 U.S. General Accounting Office. 2003. Alaska Native Villages: Most Are Affected by Flooding and Erosion, but 

Few Qualify for Federal Assistance. GAO-04-142. U.S. General Accounting Office, Washington, DC, 82 pp.
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Focus of Associated EPA Program: Tribal Programs, Clean Water Indian set-aside program

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: In many Alaskan rural tribal communities, their water is drawn from 

tundra lakes and these are disappearing with the permafrost.

115 Another impact of melting permafrost is the loss 

of a stable foundation, endangering the sewer and water infrastructure that EPA, and the American taxpayer, has 

invested billions of dollars in.

116 Tribes in other parts of Region 10 may experience water scarcity, due to failing 

aquifers. With reduced snow pack and increased seasonal drought, traditional drinking water sources are not 

being replenished. This can affect individuals: a small well fails, or communities: a large aquifer does not recharge. 

In general, without access to clean water, tribal communities across Region 10 have greatly increased respiratory 

and gastrointestinal infections and skin diseases including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). 

These risks are increased by the open dumps that exist in close proximity to most rural communities. There is 

often human waste and solid waste comingled and when there are floods or storm surges from the loss of 

protective ice, viable bacteria and contaminants are carried through the community and into people’s homes. 

Often times running water is not available for sanitation so these contaminants are making significant and 

dangerous impacts to both the environment and human health of rural Alaska communities. Most dumps are 

unlined, but permafrost has partially contained their toxic materials. Without permafrost, the untreated leachate 

may be a contamination risk for their water supply. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: High. Costs to repair or replace water/sewer infrastructure damaged by 

thawing permafrost has been estimated at well over 6 billion dollars.117

Variation in importance across the Region: Permafrost thawing affects Alaskan tribes, some of whom already do 

not have access to clean water. 

7.D. Regional focus: Changing water conditions reduce availability of fish & shellfish resources. 

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now

Focus of Associated EPA Program: Tribal Programs, Ecosystems and public affairs. 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Salmon of the PNW are central to the lives of all native peoples, they 

bring spiritual, physical and cultural well-being. Climate change is bringing rapid habitat challenges, from rapidly 

changing stream flows to warming waters that can no longer protect salmon fry. Agricultural runoff and clear-cut 

forests further degrade water quality. It is a mystery what is happening to the salmon in the ocean and scientists 

are concerned about the threat of ocean acidification to salmon food sources. Addressing these issues will require 

large scale cooperative restoration and enhancement projects between many partners. 

The R10 Tribes’ traditional shellfish use areas are on reserves, in ceded customary and traditional use areas. 

Increasing ocean acidification threatens shellfish beds that Tribes have harvested for millennia. Ocean acidification 

may reduce rates of shellfish larval survival and weaken the shells of the adults, thus making them more vulnerable 

as well. 

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: High (Ocean acidification was a high priority in discussion groups at the 

2012 Tribal Leaders Summit and was presented by both Makah and Tulalip tribes)

Variation in importance across the Region: high priority to all coastal tribes. 

7.E. Regional focus: Vulnerable population such as children, the elderly, poor, and the infirm may be at 

increased health risk due to increased temperatures, failing infrastructure, and extreme weather events.

Likelihood of Impact: Occurring Now

 115 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

116 Alaska’s Climate Change Strategy: Addressing Impacts in Alaska. 

http://www.climatechange.alaska/aag/docs/aag_ES_27Jan10.pdf.

117 Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska. 2008.

http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/webnote/Web_Note4a.pdf
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Focus of Associated EPA Program: Tribal Programs, Ecosystems and public affairs. 

Likelihood of EPA Program Affected: High

Example of Risks if Program were Impacted: Children playing in areas with higher ozone levels resulting from 

increased temperature will be at higher risk for experiencing asthma symptoms and exacerbations. The elderly 

are more vulnerable to heat stress because they are often in poorer health and are less able to regulate their body 

temperature during periods or extreme health. Economic constraints can also place low-income households at 

disproportionate risk to extreme heat events due to lack of air condition or failure to use air-conditioning to cut 

down on associated energy costs.

Regional Importance of Vulnerabilities: Across the region.

Variation in importance across the Region: Across the region. 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

63 | Page

Appendix C: Detailed Description of EPA Region 10 Existing Actions

The tables below include detailed information on existing actions in Region 10. It is organized by Office and includes the following columns

• Vulnerability: This identifies the vulnerability associated with each action. Many actions have multiple vulnerabilities. 

• Relevant Agency Direction: This includes the EPA strategy from which the action is derived. For example, many of the actions come from the Region 10 

Strategic Alignment Plan while other actions come from the Puget Sound Action Agenda or EPA National Water Program Strategy.

• Relevant EPA Goal: This identifies the EPA National or Regional Goal associated with the action. These goals were included in the vulnerability assessment. 

• R10 Lead/Partners: This column includes the EPA person responsible for the action and the partners EPA is working with to accomplish the actions. 

• Linked to Tribes, Sustainability, and EJ: This column indicates whether the action can be linked to EPA Region 10 tribes, related to sustainability, or 

environmental justice. These areas are very important to EPA Region 10 and we wanted to evaluate which actions could be identified with these three areas.

Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Air Toxics

Promoting methods to reduce evaporative loss (due to increasing 

temperatures) of volatile toxics released thereby reducing toxic emissions 

from fuel storage, transfer, and handling facilities including tankfarms and 

transfer terminals: 

Further reducing evaporative losses of air toxics from fossil fuels by 

supporting the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy through 

Sustainable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Alternative Energy, and Energy 

Infrastructure including the following West Coast Collaborative projects: 

- Working with public and private partners to achieve more 

efficient/sustainable goods movement by updating the current Northwest 

Ports Clean Air Action Plan to include new emissions reductions goals for 

Increase in 

average 

summertime 

temperatures 

and extreme 

temperature 

events resulting 

in increased 

concentration 

of air toxics 

from 

anthropogenic 

sources; 

R10 

Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan

Goal (1.2) 

Promote 

Sustainable 

Energy 

R10 Leads:

Don Dossett 

UM

Dan Brown 

DERA grants/ 

WCC

Partners:

U.S. Dept. of 

Energy/

States/

Tribes

•

DERA 

grants 

for 

Tribal 

fishing 

boats

• •

DERA 

grants
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

64 | Page

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

2020 and 2025 and the actions that will be pursued to meet these goals. 

- Continue to work to promote the use of alternative fuels and support 

the TOTE liquefied natural gas demonstration projects under the North 

American Emission Control Area. 

- Continue to promote the SmartWay Transportation project and award 

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants to yield emission reductions 

and fuel savings in FY14. 

Indoor Air Training

Develop and host training for professionals (housing, medical, schools) on 

making indoor environments healthier for the most vulnerable. This is a 

particularly important Climate Change Adaptation activity because of 

increasing mold problems following floods as well as increasing indoor 

levels of ambient pollutants due to wildfires, inversions with peak 

pollutant levels, and increased use of back-up power generators due to 

extreme weather events. 

Changes in 

precipitation, 

extreme 

temperatures, 

more frequent 

wildfires, and 

severe weather 

events impact 

indoor air 

quality as 

ambient air is 

entrained 

indoors

R10 

Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan

Support AtRisk 

Communiti

es (for Air 

Quality)

R10 Lead:

Davis Zhen: 

Indoor 

Air/Radon

Partners:

State, local 

air & Tribal 

agencies;

At-Risk 

Communities:

EPA HQ

• • •

Tribal Waste Management Programs

Work with federally recognized tribes in Washington, Alaska, Oregon and 

Idaho to address landfills and unconfined open dumps which are impacted 

by climate change and help develop appropriate responses to these 

threats.

RCRA Tribal Team – 2013 ongoing work and beyond

Continue to update 2011 Indian Health Service Indian Lands Open Dumps 

Inventory. In 2011 the EPA RCRA Tribal Team, RCRA Program Unit, Office 

of Air Waste and Toxics, completed an inventory of all open dumps in 

Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska and posted this information on the 

Increased 

precipitation 

and floods 

Increasing 

extreme 

temperatures, 

increasing 

heavy 

precipitation 

events, changes 

in storm 

R10 

Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan

R10 

Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan Goal 

4.4 –See 

Existing 

Actions 

column to 

left

R10 Leads:

Lisa 

McArthur UM

Fran StefanTribal SW 

Program Mgr

Partners: 

Alaska Native 

Villages; rural 

• •
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

65 | Page

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

national Indian Health Service Operations and Maintenance Database 

(OMDS). This database includes information on all open dumps on Tribal 

lands, including Alaska. 

Partner with Tribal communities, Tribal Consortia such as the Tribal Solid 

Waste Advisory Network, the EPA Tribal Trust and Assistance Unit and the 

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to develop 

appropriate responses to address the needs of tribal communities which 

are threatened by climate change impacts to their landfills and unconfined 

open dumps. Actions include:

- Convening teleconferences with partners to ascertain the state of 

knowledge about climate impacts to tribal landfills and unconfined open 

dumps in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska and strategies to address 

these impacts. 

- Providing on-site technical assistance to interested tribal communities to 

help them to address climate change impacts to landfills and open dumps 

on their lands.

intensities, and 

increasing 

frequency of 

floods may 

increase the 

exposure to 

and risk 

associated with 

hazardous 

chemicals (i.e. 

contained at 

RCRA sites.

Thawing 

permafrost and 

sea ice changes 

lead to 

damaged roads, 

runways, water 

and sewer 

systems, and 

other 

infrastructure 

including solid 

waste landfills 

and RCRA 

containment 

sites.

communities

Materials Management and Pollution Prevention Program

Climate change is expected to continue to adversely impact the cost of 

raw materials. Materials management enables the use of the highest and 

Increased 

impacts from 

GHG emissions 

R10 

Strategic 

Alignment 

Goal 4.6 –

Sustainable 

Materials 

R10 Leads:

Kris Colt UM

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

66 | Page

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

best substitutes for materials that may become scarce or too costly.

Facilitate Climate Change Adaptation by:

-Helping the public and regulated community adapt to the production and 

use of new materials, processes, and products that support the transition 

to sustainable materials management processes and away from: a) the 

use of more costly and limited natural resource based materials, and b) 

disposal- based systems with high uncontrolled emission and waste 

product management impacts. Materials Management Adaptation work 

includes: 

- Promoting More Sustainable Practices in Materials Management (SMM) 

and in Our Own Cleanup Work through: a) the recruitment and retaining 

participants for the Federal Green Challenge (helping our federal partners 

to reduce their GHG emissions through work on energy, transportation, 

waste and water), and b) recruiting for the Food Recovery Challenge in 

support of the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Program 

which seeks to reduce the environmental impact of a material throughout 

its entire life cycle - including how it is extracted, manufactured, 

distributed, used, recycled, and disposed (See Appendix E – Supporting 

Documentation). 

- Continuing to work with state and local governments through the West 

Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum (WCMMF) in their 

transition to materials management. 

released from 

non-sustainable 

materials 

mgmt. 

practices. 

Plan

WCMMF

Mgmt Federal 

Green 

Challenge: 

Melissa 

Winters

Food 

Recovery 

Challenge & 

WCMMF: 

Ashley Zanolli

Partners:

R9; state and 

local 

governments
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

67 | Page

Office of Water and Watersheds 

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Water infrastructure

Work with the State of Alaska in the R&D of alternative technologies with 

providing first time service to unserved homes in a more sustainable way 

compared to a traditional piped system. The State has provided $1M for this 

effort.. The most promising proposals for pilot system development will be 

identified in 2013. Systems approved for field installation and testing will be 

identified in 2014. Field testing is expected to begin in 2015 and be concluded by 

2016. 

Melting 

permafrost

R10 strategic 

alignment plan; 

sustainability 

Building 

Strong 

State & 

Tribal 

Partnershi

ps, EJ, 

Protecting 

America’s 

Waters

R10 Lead: 

OWWDennis 

Wagner

Partner: 

State of 

Alaska

• • •

Work with the WaterSense program to reach out to potential partners to 

encourage water efficiency in homes, landscaping and commercial buildings. A 

focus is new homes.

2A: Drought, 

floods,

R10 strategic 

alignment plan; 

National Water 

Program 

Strategy

Goals 1, 2, 

and 3

R10 Lead: 

Bevin Horn

•

Continue implementing the Sustainable Energy Management Program with a 

Western Washington cohort of drinking water and wastewater utilities. This 

project is led by Washington State University-Energy Extension, with support 

from several partners.

2A: drought, 

floods, 

erosion, heavy 

precipitation

National Water 

Program 

Strategy; R10 

strategic 

alignment plan;

Goals 1, 2, 

and 3 

R10 Lead: 

Cyndi Grafe

•

Freshwater fisheries

Continue with pilot program for including Climate Change in an ongoing TMDL. 

EPA Region 10 and ORD Corvallis are working with the Washington Department 

of Ecology, the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe to identify the best way to 

integrate available climate change data into Ecology's TMDL for temperature 

stress on salmon in the South Fork Nooksack River, Washington. This will provide 

a case study of both process and climate change science as a basis to support 

Increased 

temperatures.

R10 strategic 

alignment plan;

Goals 1 

and 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7

R10 Leads: 

OEA-Bruce 

Duncan;

OWWLaurie Mann

ORD-WED –

• •
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

68 | Page

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

future Tribal Consultation, Co-Management, Policy and Regulation Development 

as needed. Examining the way temperature can be improved in the Nooksack 

watershed in order to support salmon restoration is a high priority for the 

Nooksack and Lummi Tribes. The climate change pilot will identify available 

science for the watershed, and document technical issues in a parallel effort to 

the ongoing TMDL.

Steve Klein

Partners: 

WA Dept 

Ecology

Nooksack 

Tribe

Lummi 

Nation

Training and Outreach

Maintain current participation in the National Water Program Climate Change 

Workgroup, including identifying a single point of contact for the Regional water 

program. 

OW Climate 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2.

R10 Lead: 

Paula 

VanHaagen

Help to develop and implement the Office of Water Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan (due to the Council on Environmental Quality in Fall 2013) 

and to coordinate between the National Water Program 2012 Strategy and the 

EPA Regional Adaptation Implementation Plans

OW Climate 

Strategy; R10 

strategic 

alignment plan;

Goals 1 

and 2.

R10 Lead: 

Paula 

VanHaagen

After the Fall completion of the Office of Water Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan, provide training for water program staff on the challenges 

that climate change poses for water programs, and familiarize them with the 

National Water Program Climate Strategy and Regional Climate Adaptation Plans 

through a variety of means such as “all hands” meetings, webinars, seminars, 

and dissemination of the plans

OW Climate 

Strategy; R10 

strategic 

alignment plan;

Goals 1 

and 2.

R10 Lead: 

Mike Cox

Support national program efforts to inform and educate water program 

managers in the public and private sectors on climate change and water issues 

through a variety of means such as identifying key stakeholders and expanding 

professional networks, improving educational outreach efforts on National and 

Regional climate change websites and in other media, and disseminating clear 

OW Climate 

Strategy; R10 

strategic 

alignment plan;

Goals 1 

and 2.

R10 Lead: 

Mike Cox

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

69 | Page

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

and credible messaging on climate change science and impacts

In program meetings with States and Tribes in 2013, include discussion of 

ongoing Agency and Region climate change adaptation planning, the new 

National Water Program climate change strategy, and climate change activities 

related to State water programs as appropriate

OW Climate 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7

R10 Lead: 

Mike Cox

•

Coordinate with the regional offices of other Federal agencies on climate change 

adaptation matters and participate, where appropriate, with related interagency 

cooperative and collaborative efforts to address climate change challenges on a 

regional scale

OW Climate 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2.

R10 Lead: 

Mike Cox

Work with municipal and private water utilities to promote their use of the new 

Climate Ready Resilience and Awareness (CREAT) Version 2.0 to recognize and 

respond to climate change risks, and with National Estuary Program partners to 

promote the use of the new Climate Ready Estuaries Vulnerability Assessment 

Handbook to develop local climate resilience plans

OW Climate 

Strategy; 

National Water 

Program 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2 and 

sustainabi

lity.

R10 Lead: 

Paula 

vanHaagen

•

Work with States, Tribes, municipalities, non-profit organizations and businesses 

to promote the Water Sense Program in the region

OW Climate 

Strategy; 

National Water 

Program 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2 and 

sustainabi

lity.

R10 Lead: 

Bevin Horn

• •

Support the national Water Program in revising the State Revolving Loan Funds 

“Green” paper and the Annual Review Guidance for on-site reviews to 

incorporate climate change, including a new “Climate Change” checklist. The 

Green paper will provide information on best practices and tools to help state 

SRF programs support climate change activities. The guidance and checklist 

would identify opportunities for States to develop priorities and make 

investments that respond to the climate change risks in that State

OW Climate 

Strategy

Goals 1 

and 2 and 

sustainabi

lity.

R10 Lead: 

Paula 

vanHaagen

• •
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

70 | Page

Office of Ecosystems, Tribal, and Public Affairs 

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

NEPA

Through NEPA review comments, seek to protect waters of the 

United States and promote management of sustainable surface 

water resources.

Encourage green infrastructure and low-impact development to 

protect water quality and make watersheds more resilient

Decreasing 

precipitation days 

and increasing 

drought intensity

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy118

Goal 2. R10 Lead: 

NEPA Review staff

Partners: Lead 

federal agency 

(HUD, DOT, STB)

Through NEPA review, ensure consideration of climate change on 

federal projects that may be at risk due to inundation, flooding, or 

salt water intrusion

• Retention ponds at mine sites

• Transportation/road infrastructure (road/rail/culvert 

failure)

• Dam sites

• Flood risk management (levies)

Increasing risk of 

floods

Goal 2. R10 Lead: 

NEPA Review staff

Partners: Lead 

federal agency 

(BLM,USFS 

FERC,USBR, DOT, 

STB)

Work with federal partners through the NEPA process to identify, 

protect, and maintain a network of healthy watersheds and 

supportive habitat corridor networks

• Collaborate with partners on terrestrial ecosystems and 

hydrology so that effects on water quality and aquatic 

ecosystems are considered.

Changes in 

abundance and 

geographical 

distributions of plant 

species and habitats 

for aquatic and 

terrestrial wildlife

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy119

Goal 2. R10 Lead: NEPA 

Review Staff

Partners:

Lead federal 

agency (USFS, 

BLM, NPS, USFWS)

Work with federal partners through the NEPA process to 

incorporate climate resilience into watershed restoration and 

Changes in 

abundance and 

National 

Water 

Goal 2. R10 Lead: NEPA 

Review Staff

 118 Goal 12 SA 33. See http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-2012.pdf 119 Goal 3 SA 9. See http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-2012.pdf
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

floodplain management

• Work with partners to protect and enhance buffers to 

rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal resources as 

a means of building resiliency

geographical 

distributions of plant 

species and habitats 

for aquatic and 

terrestrial wildlife

Program 

Strategy120

Partners:

Lead federal 

agency (Forest 

Service, BLM, Park 

Service, USFWS)

Work with federal partners through the NEPA process to 

incorporate climate change adaptation into forest restoration 

plans 

• Encourage appropriate use of prescribed 

burning/thinning to reduce risk of uncharacteristic 

wildfire. Where appropriate, encourage managing for 

species best adapted to future climate

Increased frequency 

or intensity of 

wildfires

R10 Strategic 

Alignment.

Goal 1. R10 Lead: NEPA 

Review Staff

Partners:

Lead federal 

agency (Forest 

Service, BLM, Park 

Service, USFWS)

ETPA will include ocean acidification language in NEPA review 

comment letters as appropriate.

• Refine template language in letters and example NEPA 

analyses that include ocean acidification information

Increase in ocean 

temperatures, with 

potential for changes 

in ocean chemistry 

and increased ocean 

acidification

R10 Strategic 

Alignment.

Goal 2. R10 Lead: NEPA 

Review Staff

Partners:

Wetlands

Wetlands and Climate Change Research Meeting focused on new 

approaches and tools to better understand, manage, and conserve 

wetlands in a changing climate.

Loss of wetland 

ecosystems and 

services

U.S.EPA 

Climate 

Adaptation 

Plan121

Goal 2. R10 ARU Lead: 

Linda Storm

Partners: 

OEA and the R10 

Science Advisory 

 120 Goal 4 SA 13. See http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-2012.pdf 121 3.3.4 Priority: Strengthen Adaptive Capacity of EPA Staff and Partners Through Training. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/pdfs/EPA-climate-change-adaptationplan-final-for-public-comment-2-7-13.pdf
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Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Council

Incorporate climate change considerations into the CWA 404 

regulatory program as they relate to permit reviews and 

compensatory mitigation

• Consider the effects of climate change, as appropriate, 

when making significant degradation determinations in 

the CWA Section 404 wetlands permitting and 

enforcement program

• Evaluate, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, how wetland and stream compensation 

projects could be selected, designed, and sited to aid in 

reducing the effects of climate change

Loss of wetland 

ecosystems and 

services

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy122

Goal 2. R10 Lead: 

Linda Storm

Partners: 

USACE

As resources allow, improve baseline information on wetland 

extent, condition and performance to inform effective adaptation 

to climate change 

• Expand wetland mapping by supporting wetland mapping 

coalitions and training on use of the new federal Wetland 

Mapping Standard. 

• Produce a statistically valid ecological condition 

assessment of the nation’s wetlands

Loss of wetland 

ecosystems and 

services

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy123

Goal 2. R10 Lead: 

Maryann Thiesing

Partners:

ORD, USFWS, UW 

Wetlands 

Adaptation Group

FY13 and FY14 Region 10 Wetland Program Development Grants 

RFP integrates climate adaptation by considering how the design 

and installation of demonstration projects would take relevant 

 122National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change. Available at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-

2012.pdf

123National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change. Available at http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-

2012.pdf
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Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

potential impacts from climate change into account when 

considering long-term viability 124

Ocean Programs

Participate in interagency development and implementation of 

federal strategies through the National Ocean Council (NOC) and 

the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan 

Increase in ocean 

temperatures, with 

potential for changes 

in ocean chemistry 

and increased ocean 

acidification

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy125

Goal 2. R10 Lead:

Sediment 

Management Staff

Partners:

NOC

Tribes

Build the capacity of Tribes to develop adaptation actions (plans) 

and to engage in the collaboration with local, state and federal 

agencies.

All (mitigation) Regional 

Tribal 

Operations 

Committee 

Goal 1. R10 Lead: Michelle 

Davis-TTAU; 

• •

EPA R10 Tribal Trust and Assistance Program will provide GAP 

funding as appropriate to support Tribes who have climate change 

in their GAP workplans to learn how to research climate change 

impacts upon their environment, natural resources, infrastructure 

to be used for development of a planning mechanism for 

adaptation and mitigation. 

All RTOC Goal 1. R10 Lead: TTAU;

AIEO/OITA

Partners: R10 

Tribal 

Governments

Through the GAP program, Tribes may be able to do baseline 

environmental assessments that will add to documentation of the 

impact on climate change on Tribal communities and their 

ecosystems and support their adaptation planning.

All National 

Tribal Science 

Council

Goal 1. •

Share information to support climate change educational outreach 

and adaptation activities within Tribal communities 

All National 

Tribal Science 

Council

Goal 1. •

 124 http://www.epa.gov/region10/pdf/wetlands/FY13_Wetland_Program_Development_Grants_Request_for_Proposals.pdf 125 Goal 11 SA 28 and SA 31. See http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-2012.pdf
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Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Tribal Program staff will regularly submit articles on climate 

change to Tribal newsletters.

Coordinate with other programs and their Tribal specialists on 

climate change info and resources to include in the EPA Tribal 

newsletter. 

All 2010 Tribal 

Leader’s 

Summit 

Action Plan

Goal 1. •

Continue to offer quarterly calls to Alaskan Tribes with Institute for 

Tribal Environmental Professionals on tribal climate change 

adaptation models and resources. 

All 2010 Tribal 

Leader’s 

Summit 

Action Plan

Goal 1. R10 Lead: Michelle 

Davis

Partners: ITEP

•

Puget Sound Program

Address Climate change in Puget Sound Grants, consistent with 

the Puget Sound Action Agenda. Grant activities include: Conduct 

an erosion survey to evaluate sea level rise threat in San Juan 

County; b) Map habitat and infrastructure vulnerability in Puget 

Sound and restoration potential for reducing vulnerability; c) 

Several Tribes and counties will incorporate climate change in their 

plans and/or analyses. Puget Sound Grant partners include: 

Puget Sound Partnership, Friends of the San Juan’s, The Nature 

Conservancy, Snohomish County, Washington Dept. of Ecology, 

Samish Indian Nation, Swinomish Tribe, Nooksack Tribe, 

Suquamish Tribe, Port Gamble Indian Commission.

Sea Level 

Rise/erosion

Puget Sound 

Action 

Agenda

Goal 2. R10 Lead: 

ETPA/Puget Sound: 

Angela Bonifaci;

See partner list 

under description

• •

Puget Sound Partnership is working to control source pollution. 

• No Discharge Zone Evaluation and Petition. Draft petition 

to EPA by September 2013

• Pollution Control Action Team to respond quickly when 

areas are identified where water quality problems 

threaten shellfish areas. The first effort will be in Drayton 

Increasing heavy 

precipitation events. 

Increased pollutant 

loads in runoff and 

the velocity of runoff 

will scour and erode 

Puget Sound 

Action 

Agenda126

Goal 2. R10 Lead: EPA 

Team

Partner: Puget 

Sound Partnership, 

Washington 

 126 http://www.psp.wa.gov/downloads/AA2011/083012_final/Action%20Agenda%20Book%201_Aug%2029%202012.pdf
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Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Harbor and Portage Bay.

• Pollution Identification and Correction Programs to 

identify and correct nonpoint source pollution sources.

creek beds. Department of 

Ecology, 

DOH,WSDA, Tribes

The Puget Sound Partnership has developed climate change 

indicators which will allow them to track climate-driven changes 

and identify vulnerabilities or ecological thresholds

Increase in ocean 

temperatures, with 

potential for changes 

in ocean chemistry 

and increased ocean 

acidification

Climate 

Ready 

Estuaries127

National 

Water 

Program 

Strategy128

Goal 2. R10 Lead: Michael 

Rylko

Partners:

OCPD, National 

Estuary Programs, 

EPA Climate 

Change Division

Puget Sound Grants process integrates climate adaptation 

concepts by considering how the design and installation of 

projects would take relevant potential impacts from climate 

change into account

All U.S. EPA 

Climate 

Adaptation 

Plan/ FY 

2011-2015 

EPA Strategic 

Plan 129

Goal 2. R10 Lead:

Puget Sound 

Grants Team

A four part effort, comprising climate statistics, GIS visualization 

and analysis, data delivery platform development, and 

engagement with policy and management entities, will underlie 

the proposed development and delivery of information about the 

projected time of emergence of various elements of a changing 

climate in the Puget Sound Basin.

All Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2. R10 Lead: Jon 

Schweiss.

Partners: UW

 127Climate Ready Estuaries 2012 Progress Report. Available at http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/cre/upload/CRE_2012Report_122612a.pdf 128 Goal 9, SA 23. See http://water.epa.gov/scitech/climatechange/upload/NWP_Draft_Strategy_03-27-2012.pdf 129 3.3.1 Priority: Fulfill Strategic Measures in FY 2011-2015 EPA Strategic Plan. Strategic Measure 2: Integrate climate adaptation into financial mechanisms. 

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/pdfs/EPA-climate-change-adaptation-plan-final-for-public-comment-2-7-13.pdf
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Children’s health and vulnerable populations

Through work on children’s health, develop and host training for 

professionals in the housing, health and educational fields on 

making indoor environments healthier for the most vulnerable 

populations

Changes in 

precipitation, 

extreme 

temperatures, more 

frequent wildfires, 

and severe weather 

events will impact 

outdoor air quality

and indoor air quality

since ambient air is 

entrained indoors

Goal 1 and 

Regional 

Goal 7

R10 Lead:

Margo Young

•

Provide technical assistance and training to affected communities 

on risks associated with poor outdoor air quality

• Work with Tribal Air Program

• Convene Rural Alaska Children’s Environmental Initiative

Goal 1 and 

Regional 

Goals 6 and 

7. 

R10 Lead:

Margo Young, Erin 

Mader

Partners:

EPA Tribal Air 

Program, ANCH

• •

Outreach/risk communication to vulnerable and economically 

deprived communities. 

Decreasing 

precipitation days 

and increasing 

drought intensity 

Increasing risk of 

floods

U.S.EPA 

Climate 

Adaptation 

Plan

Regional 

Goals 6 and 

7.

R10 Lead:

Sheryl Stohs

Partners:

Beyond Toxics,

Eugene; Verde of 

Portland; DRCC of 

Seattle

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Regional Clean Air Act Grants are provided to Tribes to build 

capacity and knowledge and assess and address air quality 

concerns. Many grant-funded programs aim to prevent the 

presence of and exposure to indoor air pollution, for example, 

through supporting clean burning practices for wood stoves and 

adequate and effective ventilation in homes and public buildings. 

Ambient pollutants are also targeted, for example, from idling 

vehicles, diesel generators, outdoor burning, agricultural burning, 

wood stoves, and wildfires. Many of these factors will worsen 

with climate change, making tribal capacity building in these areas 

critical.

Indoor air quality R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan.

Regional 

Goals 6 and 

7.

R10 Lead: Erin 

Mader

Partners: Tribes

•

Region 10’s Children’s Environmental Health and Tribal Air 

Program co-lead the Rural Alaska Children’s Environmental Health 

Initiative and its two active workgroups, the Alaska Healthy Homes 

and the Alaska Healthy Schools Workgroups. These groups were 

established in December 2010 and work together regularly to 

protect children from harmful environmental exposures in rural 

Alaska, including factors related to climate change.

All. R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan.

Goals 6 and 

7.

R10 Lead: Erin 

Mader

Partners: Tribes

• •

The Tribal Air Program has an IPA position in the Anchorage office 

serving as the Alaska Tribal Air Liaison. She provides direct 

assistance to Alaska Tribes and GAP grantees to do air quality 

work, including climate change related topics.

Air quality R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

Plan.

Goals 6 and 

7.

R10 Lead: Michelle 

Davis

Partners: Tribes

• •

Other actions

As appropriate, communicate with the public about hazards posed 

by climate change and EPA response/ remedies to events 

exacerbated by climate change (storm events, flood, drought)

All U.S.EPA 

Climate 

Adaptation 

Plan

Goal 3. R10 Lead: Public 

Affairs Unit

As appropriate, raise public awareness about climate change and 

actions being taken by the EPA to address climate change

All U.S.EPA 

Climate 

Adaptation 

Goal 3. R10 Lead: Public 

Affairs Unit
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Plan

Puget Sound Projects

Vulnerability and Resilience of Puget Sound Estuaries to Climate 

Change. Vulnerability assessments will allow decision makers to 

understand known risks, key uncertainties and the level of 

vulnerability their habitats and communities face from future 

storms and elevated sea levels (Cooper et al. 2008). 

In the Puget Sound 

basin these include 

increased winter 

precipitation, higher 

river flooding, lower 

summer low flows 

(Hamlet and 

Lettenmaier 2007), 

sea level rise (Mote 

et al. 2008), and 

uncertain effects on 

wind storms, 

sediment 

recruitment, and 

larger scale wind and 

ocean currents.

Puget Sound 

Action Plan. 

Objective 3. 

Vulnerability 

analysis 

Goal 2. R10 Lead: Michael 

Rylko

Partners: The 

Nature 

Conservancy in 

collaboration with 

USGS and UW CIG

The Puget Sound Partnership plans to launch a tree 

planting/canopy cover campaign in FY13

Increased stream 

temperatures

Puget Sound 

Partnership 

Stewardship 

grant

Goal 2. R10 Lead:

Partner: Puget 

Sound Partnership

In FY13, Snohomish County’s Department of Public Works will 

address the threats of climate change and increased population 

growth with a focus on addressing altered basin hydrology. 

Change in basin 

hydrology

Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 R10 Lead:

Partner: 

Snohomish 

County’s 

Department of 

Public Works

The Washington State Department of Ecology will continue to Increase in ocean Puget Sound Goal 2. R10 Lead: Ben 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

work on a Puget Sound Circulation and Dissolved Oxygen Model 

(v2.0) in order to determine climate change effects on Puget 

Sound water quality.

temperature. NEP. Cope

Partner: WA 

Ecology

King County will produce modeled flow and water quality 

conditions in the rivers and streams of WRIA 9 for idealized fully 

forested conditions, and anticipated 2040 conditions considering 

population growth and climate change

Sea level rise. Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2. R10 Lead: Michael 

Rylko

Partner: King 

County.

Tribal Related projects in Puget Sound

The Samish Indian Nation will continue its climate change 

monitoring of Fidalgo Bay waters in FY13 providing continuous 

temperature data for trend analysis

Increasing ocean 

temperature.

Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7.

R10 Lead: Lisa 

Chang

Partner: Samish 

Indian Nation

•

The Swinomish Tribe will hold its annual workshop on climate 

change issues in the Skagit, with a written report to follow

All. Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7.

R10 lead: Lisa 

Chang

Partner: 

Swinomish Tribe

•

The Nooksack Tribe will attend climate change conferences, 

meeting, and presentations, and review technical reports to 

evaluate the magnitude of expected local changes. This 

information will be considered in the salmon recovery plan 

implementation for WRIA 1

All. Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7.

R10 lead: Lisa 

Chang

Partner: Nooksack 

Tribe

•

The Suquamish Tribe will continue to monitor the work of the 

Climate Change Study Group, review climate change related 

studies and documents, and attend related meetings in order to 

build tribal capacity with respect to climate change

All. Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7.

R10 lead: Lisa 

Chang

Partner: 

Suquamish Tribe

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

The Port Gamble Indian Commission of the Port Gamble Reserve 

plans to participate in climate change and ocean acidification 

programs in order to inform the development of a climate change 

program in FY13

Ocean acidification. Puget Sound 

NEP.

Goal 2 and 

Regional 

Goal 7.

R10 lead: Lisa 

Change

Partner: Port 

Gamble Indian 

Commission

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Office of Environmental Assessment 

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant 

Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Inreach Project – Meet with each unit within OEA (including our 

Manchester Environmental Laboratory Director) and determine where 

climate science can be used in our work for programs:

e.g., EJ related apps and heat stress/vegetation; riparian setbacks and 

hyporheic flow models; TMDL models; Any modeling involving 

temperature or flow terms.

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

plan

R10 Lead: Mike 

Cox

Partners: POCs in 

Offices

• • •

Regional Outreach/Training – Continue to brief offices on vulnerabilities 

and tee up discussions where climate science can be used in decisions.

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

plan

R10 Lead: Mike 

Cox

Partners: POC in 

offices

• • •

Coordination with other federal agencies by participating on Climate 

Change Cooperative

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

plan

R10 Lead: Mike 

Cox;

Partners: Other 

federal agencies

•

Support Pacific NW Landscape Conservation Cooperative - Steering 

Committee – OEA Director, Sci TEK subcommittee – CC Science Advisor

All coastal & 

marine-related

R10 Strategic 

Alignment 

plan

R10 Leads: Joyce 

Kelly an; Mike 

Cox;

Partners: NPLCC

participants.

•

Participate on the National Tribal Science Council, and support actions 

related to climate change and tribes

All National 

Tribal Science 

Council

Goal 1. R10 Lead: Lon 

Kissinger

Partners: RTOC

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Office of Compliance and Enforcement

Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

Climate change may have more impact on overburdened communities as 

these communities, due to various concerns, adapt less well than other 

communities. OCE is using an Environmental Justice Screening tool to 

identify regulated facilities located in these overburdened communities. 

This tool was nationally developed to screen for communities with 

environmental justice concerns for implementation in various EPA 

programs.

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 R10 Lead: 

Anne 

Dalrymple

Partners: 

Running 

Grass

•

Continuing enforcement in small programs that have climate change 

influence such as the Clean Air Act Mobile Source Enforcement Program. 

In this program, OCE is implementing and taking enforcement actions 

against illegal imports of non-compliant engines and tampering devices 

that produce elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions (Oxides of 

Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide). Also OCE is pursuing enforcement against 

industries releasing Ozone Depleting Substances into the atmosphere 

until full transition of enforcement to the Region 5 ODS Center.

Increasing 

summer 

temperatures.

R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 R10 Lead: Air 

Compliance 

Team

Partners:

Permitting Class I Underground Injection Control (UIC) Wells in the North 

Slope of Alaska. The permafrost in the North Slope of Alaska has been 

identified as a vulnerable resource. In substitution for retention ponds 

used to store oil and gas industry’s drilling wastes, the UIC program 

continues to permit several Class I wells for underground injection of 

those wastes. This reduces the need to establish waste retention ponds 

on the increasingly vulnerable permafrost.

Permafrost 

thawing.

R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 R10 Lead: UIC 

Compliance 

Team

Partners:

•

Continuing to support the Regional Support Corps by deploying staff for 

varying emergency response efforts (e.g. Hurricane Katrina).

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 

and 

Operation

s and 

Facilities.

R10 Lead: 

Wendy 

Adams

Partners: Ann 

Williamson 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

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Linked to

Vulnerability Relevant Agency 

Direction

Relevant 

EPA Goal

R10 Lead/ 

Partners

Tribes SustainabilityEJ

RCRA enforcement is evaluating land-based units which have received 

hazardous waste and determining the extent to which precipitation and 

evaporation levels must be considered in protective management 

standards and closure requirements. In these instances, changes in 

precipitation and evaporation rates could likely change the required 

compliance actions.

Increased 

precipitation.

R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 R10 Lead: 

RCRA 

Compliance 

Team

Partners:

Continuing to look for opportunities to encompass green infrastructure 

as part of settlement agreements. An example of this is the City of 

Seattle, Washington and King County, Washington CSO settlement 

agreements. These settlements allow for the City of Seattle and King 

County to substitute green infrastructure projects for gray infrastructure 

projects (e.g. green roofs, permeable pavements, urban gardens).

All R10 Strategic 

Alignment plan

Goal 5 R10 Lead: 

Depends on 

the case.

Partners:

•
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Appendix D: Comparison of Vulnerabilities and EPA Region 10 

Existing Actions

Appendix D compares the vulnerabilities identified in Section 2 and Appendix B with the existing actions 

identified in Section 3 and Appendix C. This comparison provides valuable information as EPA Region 10 

evaluates how to best proceed to integrate climate change into the programs. 

Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Vulnerability Action(s)

Increase in tropospheric ozone pollution may occur 

in certain areas due to increased average 

summertime temperature

No specific existing actions.

Increase in air toxics from anthropogenic sources is 

uncertain due to variability in effects of 

temperature increase on individual air toxics.

Work with the West Coast Collaborative to reduce 

evaporative losses of air toxics from fossil fuels.

Increase in particulate matter levels is occurring 

now and is very likely to increase due to increased 

frequency or intensity of wildfires due to increased 

summertime temperatures, prolonged droughts, 

and decreased soil moisture.

No specific existing actions.

Indoor air quality is very likely to be impacted, 

especially in Alaska, due to changes in 

precipitation, extreme temperatures, more 

frequent wildfires, and severe weather events.

Develop and host training for professionals 

(housing, medical, schools) on making indoor 

environments healthier for the most vulnerable. 

Assist Tribes to build capacity and knowledge and 

assess and address air quality concerns including 

those related to climate change through the 

Regional Clean Air Act Grants. 

Stratospheric ozone layer is likely to be impacted in 

Alaska due to climate change effects

No specific existing actions.

Increased rate and deposition of sulfates, nitrates, 

and mercury is uncertain due to changes in 

precipitation patterns.

No specific existing actions.

Goal 2: Protecting America’s Water

Vulnerability Action(s)

Drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and 

agricultural infrastructure is likely to be impacted 

by increased heavy precipitation, more frequent 

flood events, storm surge, coastal erosion, and 

drought.

Work with the State of Alaska to identify 

alternative technologies for providing first time 

service to unserved homes in a more sustainable 

way compared to a traditional piped system. 

Work with the Water Sense program to encourage 

water efficiency in homes, landscaping and 

commercial buildings with a focus on new homes.

Continue implementing the Sustainable Energy 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Vulnerability Action(s)

Management Program with a Western Washington 

cohort of drinking water and wastewater utilities. 

Impacts to freshwater fisheries is occurring now 

and likely to increase due to earlier stream runoff 

and scouring of streambeds due to earlier snow 

melt, decreased summer stream flows and 

increased steam temperatures, and longer periods 

of low stream flow.

Continue with pilot program examining how to 

integrate climate change in an ongoing TMDL by 

examining how temperature can be improved in 

the Nooksack watershed in order to support 

salmon restoration. 

Estuarine watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, and 

wetlands are very likely to be impacted by sea-level 

rise, sea surface temperature and increasing heavy 

precipitation events during the winter months, and 

decreasing precipitation days and increasing 

drought intensity during the summer months.

Coordinate a Wetlands and Climate Change 

Research Meeting focused on new approaches and 

tools to better understand, manage, and conserve 

wetlands in a changing climate.

Incorporate climate change considerations into the 

CWA 404 regulatory program as they relate to 

permit reviews and compensatory mitigation.

As resources allow, improve baseline information 

on wetland extent, condition and performance to 

inform effective adaptation to climate change. 

Integrate climate adaptation in the FFY13/14 

Region 10 Wetland Program Development Grants 

RFP. 

Forest ecosystems will likely be impacted by 

warming temperatures and more frequent and 

intense drought conditions.

Through the NEPA review process ensure 

consideration of climate change in review of all 

federal projects and incorporate climate change 

adaptation into land management planning and 

other projects as appropriate. 

Loss of sea ice is occurring now and will very likely 

increase in Alaska due to warming air and water 

temperatures.

No specific existing actions.

Ocean acidification is occurring now and is very

likely to increase due to increasing concentrations 

of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Include ocean acidification language in NEPA 

review comment letters as appropriate and 

develop template language in letters and example 

NEPA analyses that include ocean acidification 

information.

Participate in interagency development and 

implementation of federal strategies through the 

National Ocean Council (NOC) and the National 

Ocean Policy Implementation Plan 

Change in vegetation is likely in eastern 

Washington and Oregon and Idaho due to pest 

outbreaks, invasive species, increased fire, shifts in 

species ranges and increased erosion, drier soils, 

and depletion of water.

Through the NEPA review process ensure 

consideration of climate change in review of all 

federal projects and incorporate climate change 

adaptation into land management planning and 

other projects as appropriate. 

Puget Sound: Many of these projects address 

multiple vulnerabilities.

Support Tribal projects on climate change in Puget 

Sound through the National Estuary Program. A 

listing of those projects is included in Appendix C. 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Vulnerability Action(s)

Continue to support projects in Puget Sound 

related to climate change. There are several ongoing projects that are highlighted in Appendix C.

Work with the University of Washington to develop 

a system for visualizing and analyzing a variety of 

climate change-related features that are shifting 

with time and probability across the Region.

Training and Outreach Inform and educate water program managers in 

the public and private sectors on climate change 

and water issues and EPA related activities such as 

the National and Regional climate change 

adaptation strategies.

Work with States, Tribes, municipalities, non-profit 

organizations and businesses to promote the 

Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) and Climate 

Ready Estuaries (CRE) Programs and new Climate 

Ready Resilience and Awareness (CREAT) Version 

2.0. 

Support Development of a Climate Change Section 

in the “Green” Paper for the State Revolving Loan 

Funds and Annual Review Checklists. 

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

Vulnerability Action(s)

Remedial, removal, brownfield, corrective action or 

permitted sites may be impacted due to flooding, 

sea level risk, storm surges, extreme events, and 

landslides. 

No specific existing actions.

Increase in work for Alaska’s Tribal and emergency 

response programs is occurring now and likely to 

increase due to thawing permafrost and changes in 

sea ice that leads to damage of roads, runways, 

water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure.

Work with federally recognized tribes in Region 10 

to address landfills and unconfined open dumps 

which are impacted by climate change and help 

develop appropriate responses to these threats. 

EPA Region 10, Tribal and state partners will have 

increasing workloads in many aspects of site and 

waste management as well as work related to the 

formation and implementation of sustainable 

development and materials management 

programs, partnerships and initiatives.

Work with our partners through the West Coast 

Climate and Materials Management Forum and our 

pollution prevention technical assistance providers 

and grants to assist in the transition to sustainable 

materials management processes and source 

reduction. 

Availability of raw materials and the cost of mining 

and refining raw materials, producing products, 

transporting products, and disposing products may 

increase due to impacts of climate change. 

Recruiting and retaining participants for the Federal 

Green Challenge and for the Food Recovery 

Challenge in support of the EPA’s Sustainable 

Materials Management (SMM) Program. 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

Vulnerability Action(s)

Increased exposure and risk to hazardous chemicals 

is likely due to increasing extreme temperatures 

and heavy precipitation events, changes in storm 

intensities, and increasing frequency of floods.

Incorporating green remediation in corrective 

action decision-making and raising issues nationally 

regarding the potential impacts of climate change 

on alternative landfill covers.

Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws

Vulnerability Action(s)

Non-compliance at regulated entities may increase 

due to extreme weather events and changing 

weather patterns.

Continue to use an Environmental Justice Screening 

tool to identify regulated facilities located in 

overburdened communities.

Continue to look for opportunities to encompass 

green infrastructure as part of settlement 

agreements.

Shift in regional enforcement priorities due to 

changes in compliance (both increased compliance 

and non-compliance in different sectors) and 

increased number of inquiries from industry about 

maintaining compliance due to extreme weather 

events and changing weather patterns. 

Continue enforcement in small programs that have 

climate change influence such as the Clean Air Act 

Mobile Source Enforcement Program.

RCRA enforcement is evaluating land-based units 

which have received hazardous waste and 

determining the extent to which precipitation and 

evaporation levels must be considered in 

protective management standards and closure 

requirements

Increased permitting of Class VI Underground 

Injection Control (UIC) wells for Carbon Dioxide 

sequestration and Class V UIC wells for stormwater 

management.

No specific existing actions.

An increase in regulated industrial activities in 

Alaska may result as the melting of sea ice opens 

new areas for activities.

No specific existing actions.

An increase in non-compliance at facilities with 

Underground Storage Tanks (UST) holding ethanolblended fuels. 

No specific existing actions.

Facilities and Operations

Vulnerability Action(s)

Drinking water may be limited and an increase in 

demand for air conditioning is possible due to 

increasing drought frequency and intensity.

No specific existing actions.

Operations of Region 10 facilities may be impacted 

by increasing risk of floods and increasing intensity 

of storms.

Continuing to support the Regional Support Corps 

by deploying staff for varying emergency response 

efforts

Tribal and Vulnerable Populations
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Vulnerability Action(s)

Vulnerable population such as children, the elderly, 

poor, and the infirm may be at increased health risk 

due to increased temperatures, failing 

infrastructure, and extreme weather events.

Support the Rural Alaska Children’s Health Initiative 

which works to protect children from harmful 

environmental exposures in rural Alaska, including 

factors related to climate change. 

Through work on children’s health, develop and 

host training for professionals in the housing, 

health and educational fields on making indoor 

environments healthier for the most vulnerable 

populations.

Provide technical assistance and training to 

affected communities on risks associated with poor 

outdoor air quality (e.g., work with Tribal Air 

Program and convene Rural Alaska Children’s 

Environmental Initiative).

Outreach/risk communication to vulnerable and 

economically deprived communities. 

Food security for native Alaskans and Tribal people 

in the Pacific Northwest who live a subsistence 

lifestyle may be at risk due to warming associated 

with climate change.

Support Tribes to develop adaptation actions 

(plans), to document that impact from climate 

change and to engage in the collaboration with 

local, state and federal agencies working on broad 

based adaptation plans.

Provide GAP funding as appropriate to Tribes with 

climate change in their GAP workplans to do 

baseline environmental assessments and support 

adaptation planning.

Increased erosion of shorelines is likely to increase 

risk to coastal native villages due to increased 

intensity of coastal storms and rising sea levels.

No specific existing actions.

Decreased access to clean drinking water is very 

likely due to loss of permafrost.

No specific existing actions.

Reduced availability of fish and shellfish resources 

is occurring now and is likely to increase due to 

changing water conditions. 

No specific existing actions.

Training and Outreach which will address all 

vulnerabilities.

Raise awareness by providing educational 

outreach, training, and webinars to Tribes and work 

with the Institute for Tribal Environmental 

Professionals on tribal climate change adaptation 

models and resources. 

Training and Outreach (supports all the goals)

Vulnerability Action(s)

General training and outreach that supports all the 

goals and programs

Provide outreach/trainings to increase awareness 

of climate science to regional staff, and work with 
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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staff to incorporate climate science into their work 

programs. 

Communicate with the public about hazards posed 

by climate change and actions being taken by the 

EPA to address climate change.

Coordinate with other federal agencies by 

participating on Climate Change Cooperative and 

supporting the Regional Landscape Conservation 

Cooperatives.
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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Appendix E: EPA Region 10 Approach for Measuring Success

Several key steps to developing the Region 10 approach to meeting our Strategic Alignment Plan, 

measuring our progress, and adapting as we go are discussed below. In Region 10 we have identified a 

point of contact (POCs) for each of our offices to assist with developing the Implementation Plan and they 

will have a critical role in collecting measures from their offices. 

Collate the measures and reporting requirements for the existing actions.

Section 3 identifies existing actions that Region 10 has underway. Many actions are part of the Region 10 

Strategic Alignment Plan and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive) and 

some may have measures associated with them. These available measures will be collated. For all other 

actions, we will seek clarification through our POC network on the status of development of SMART 

measures and how to prioritize completion of the SMART process. 

Consider developing Logic Model as the underlying framework for Measures.

Under a Logic Model, the ultimate goal is to measure changes, commonly called outcomes, which often 

are changes in behavior. In the figure below shared nationally by the Office of Water, goals of awareness 

are followed by the desired behavior that climate science is incorporated into federal policies and 

programs. Measures of outcomes also benefit from determining a baseline condition as well as 

benchmarks for success. Both of these will be considered in implementing the Region 10 approach. 

The Logic Model example below is based on the following considerations:

• Diagram/Text illustrating the relationships among program elements

• Identifies key activities, “players”, and expected results

• Identifies program span of control and external influences

• Span of control: Region 10 only has direct influence over key activities & outputs

The model is developed keeping in mind that:

• To meet ultimate goals, Region 10 will seek to change the attitudes, knowledge, and behavior of 

others (outcomes).

• The challenge of the measurement approach is to balance output vs outcome measurement. 

• In order to obtain Buy-In we will clearly define the purpose of the measurement effort to staff 

(how will the information be used) and minimize staff time needed to report the measures.

• We will need to address Measurement “apprehension”: Programs recognize progress toward 

outcomes is important, but hesitate to be held “accountable” for things outside their direct 

control.

Consider existing climate vulnerabilities in refining/selecting Measures.

For climate change adaptation, successful adaptation would be measured against conditions we do not 

expect to face for several decades. However, some conditions are occurring now and actions in response 

to these conditions are ones where meaningful measures of outcomes could be generated. In Region 10, 

particularly Alaska, we are seeing accelerated changes that are documented in our vulnerability analysis. 

And, in Puget Sound, ocean acidification is already affecting larval cultures of oyster growers.

Include other considerations in refining/selecting Metrics: 

How many measures are too many?

How “measureable” are the metrics (precision of language, access & availability of data)?

Output (short term) vs. Outcome (longer term) Focus

Challenges to Analysis:

How will reporting and analysis take place (process)
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

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How information can/will be presented to meet the needs of key stakeholders (utility)

Retaining the flexibility to modify the measurement framework as the program “learns” vs. need 

to retain core metrics for comparability.

Learn from other regions and the national program.

The key areas Region 10 will look for concerning measures are specific benchmarks/ commitments, ease 

of reporting, matching with national and regional reporting requirements, ability to adapt/adjust 

measures in the future, how closely measures relate to outcomes, and how other efforts have developed 

measures based on immediacy of vulnerabilities (for example, how hurricane Sandy and other recent 

extreme events have shaped measures developed for the east coast).

How to track and report progress

• Consider an annual Highlights of Progress document that is excerpted from the existing Region 

10 reporting requirements and provided in a useful format common to other regions and 

national programs

• Consider how our strategic action contacts would report internally on adaptive management 

phase, with guidance provided from the Climate Change Science Advisor

• Region 10 Strategic Alignment could include an adaptive management phase at the Goal level in 

Highlights of Progress.

• The Climate Change Science Advisor will use the Evaluation and state of management phase to: 

o Inform any needed changes to the Region 10 Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

o Identify appropriate performance measures for measuring the effectiveness of the 

Strategy.

Document regional program awareness and use of climate science even as we develop measures.

Even without a logic model structure in place for climate change adaptation actions, in Region 10 we are 

seeing awareness of the availability and use of climate science increasing, and can begin to document this 

trend. An example is awareness and use of climate science and tools in our Office of Water and 

Watersheds TMDL program. For approximately the past two years, we have been conducting an ongoing 

pilot project where we have been incorporating climate science into an ongoing temperature TMDL. As 

follow-on to this process, the TMDL unit in March 2013, held an internal demonstration of where to find 

downscaled 7Q10 flow data projections under climate change scenario models on an interactive website. 

Similarly, our regional wetlands program led (co-sponsored with our Region 10 Science Steering Council) a 

workshop on new tools to assess the impact of climate change on wetlands. 

Office of Water, Logic model example:
EPA Region 10 Draft Climate Change Adaptation 

Implementation Plan September 2013

 

92 | Page

Vision Goal Audience Conditions

Awareness

Audience

Behavior

EPA Role Primary 

Audiences

Area 3

Coastal and 

Ocean: Ocean 

and coastal 

environment 

protected 

against climate 

change and 

against 

unintended 

adverse 

consequences 

of responses to 

climate 

change.

Support 

collaborations 

creating and 

sharing of 

information and 

best practices

Develop 

partnerships that 

assist effective 

adaptation action 

for coastal and 

ocean 

environments

Ensure that 

mitigation and 

adaptation 

measures are 

environmentally 

sound

Adjust EPA 

programs to 

incorporate 

shifting 

environmental 

conditions and 

other emerging 

threats

Foster 

partnerships, 

collaborations, 

and 

information 

sharing

Regional ocean 

organizations

State and local 

watershed 

organizations

U.S. National 

Ocean Council

Develop 

environmental 

safety criteria 

for offshore 

renewables 

and CCS

Develop 

climatereadiness 

guidance for 

federal 

programs, 

agencies, and 

authorities

Provide 

technical 

assistance

Coastal 

infrastructure 

owners and 

operators

Aware of 

adaptation 

options

Mindful of the 

potential hazards 

that offshore 

renewables and 

CCS may pose to 

coastal and 

ocean resources

Coastal 

communities 

and planners

Understand 

strategies for 

incorporating 

adaptation into 

federal policies & 

programs

EPA’s NWP and 

NEP programs

Promote best 

practices for 

climatereadiness 

planning

Aware of 

relevant partners 

& opportunities 

to collaborate/ 

share 

information

Incorporate 

climate change 

& adaptation 

considerations 

into regional, 

state & local 

programs & 

plans

Integrate 

adaptation 

considerations 

into policies & 

programs at 

the federal 

level

Engage in 

collaborative 

partnerships 

that ensure 

informationsharing and 

prevent 

duplication of 

efforts

EPA Sphere of 

Direct Influence

Climate-changeinduced risks to 

coastal and 

ocean 

ecosystems and 

infrastructure 

are minimized

Adjust offshore 

renewables 

and CCS 

permitting 

criteria to 

consider 

adverse effects 

to ocean & 

coastal 

resources

Coastal and 

ocean 

infrastructure 

and ecosystems 

are protected 

against adverse 

effects of climate 

change 

adaptation and 

mitigation efforts

Coastal and 

ocean 

environments 

continue to 

provide current 

levels of 

ecosystem 

services and 

socioeconomic 

benefits

Examples of additional Influences on 

primary audiences:

• Shoreline development and real estate 

trends

• Weather, tidal, and climate conditions

• Technological advances (particularly 

CCS, renewables, and IT)

• Offshore navigational dredging

• Renewable portfolio standards

• Competing planning considerations

• Emerging climate threats