United States Environmental Protection Agency

www.epa.gov





FY 2015

EPA Budget in Brief
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of the Chief Financial Officer (2710A)

Publication Number: EPA-190-S-14-001

March 2014

www.epa.gov

Printed with vegetable-oil-based inks and is 

100-percent postconsumer recycled material, chlorine-free-processed and recyclable.
Budget in Brief

Table of Contents

C:\Documents and Settings\dgonzal1\My Documents\2015\2015\President's Budget\Budget in 

Brief\OMB_Cleared\Proof_edits\05_Table_of_Contents.docxC:\Documents and Settings\dgonzal1\My 

Documents\2015\2015\President's Budget\Budget in 

Brief\OMB_Cleared\Proof_edits\05_Table_of_Contents.docx

PAGE 

Overview ..................................................................................................................1

Summary Resource Charts

EPA’s FY 2015 Budget by Goal............................................................................9

EPA’s FY 2015 by Appropriation.........................................................................10

EPA’s Resource History......................................................................................11

EPA’s Resources by Major Category..................................................................12

Goals

Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality..........................13

Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters ..................................................................23

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development ...35

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution...................47

Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws 

 and Assuring Compliance.......................................................................55

Appendices

EPA’s Resources by Appropriation.....................................................................67

Highlighted Programs 

 E-Enterprise......................................................................................................69

 Environmental Education ..................................................................................70

 Categorical Grants ............................................................................................71

 STAG (State and Tribal Assistance Grants)......................................................73

 Estimated SRF Obligations by State (FY 2013 – FY 2015)...............................79

 Infrastructure Financing ....................................................................................83

 Trust Funds (Superfund, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks) ......................87

List of Acronyms .................................................................................................91

Overview

Mission

The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect 

human health and the environment.

Budget in Brief Overview

The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the 

environment. We achieve this by keeping pollution out of the air we breathe, the water we drink and swim 

in, and harmful chemicals out of the food we eat and the lands where we build our homes and our 

communities. The Agency’s FY 2015 budget supports implementation of the EPA’s priorities through 

focused efforts to develop and implement creative, flexible, cost-effective, common sense and 

sustainable actions to fight climate change, to protect public health, and to safeguard the environment. 

Today’s environmental problems require critical thinking about the complex interactions of environmental 

pollutants and new tools that promote innovation, incentives and partnerships. To this end, the EPA’s FY 

2015 budget focuses on reinforcing that our work effects people’s lives and wellbeing at the community 

level, advancing environmental justice and ensuring fair and effective enforcement of environmental laws, 

improving how the EPA’s work is communicated to the public, and achieving transparency in agency 

decision making. 

The FY 2015 budget reflects the EPA’s commitment to increase our engagement with local communities 

and address what really matters to people, to make a visible difference with new approaches and tools to 

accelerate environmental progress. The EPA works to enhance the livability and economic vitality of 

neighborhoods; strengthen our relationship with America's agricultural community; support green 

infrastructure; reduce air pollution along roadways, railways and at ports; and take into consideration the 

impacts of our decisions on disproportionately disadvantaged communities through increased analysis, 

better science, and enhanced community engagement. Central to our strategy is modernizing and 

streamlining how we work and effectively leveraging technology. We will be able to provide all parts of 

society—communities, individuals, businesses, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments—access 

to accurate information so that they may participate effectively in managing human health and 

environmental risks. The EPA’s work is guided by the best possible scientific information and a 

commitment to transparency and accountability. 

The EPA strives to be a good steward of taxpayer resources and to deliver environmental protection in 

the most efficient way. To learn more about how the agency accomplishes its mission, including 

information on the organizational structure and regional offices, please visit:

http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/.

FY 2015 Annual Performance Plan 

The EPA’s FY 2015 Annual Performance Plan budget of $7.89 billion is almost $310 million, or nearly 

4%, below the FY 2014 Enacted budget of $8.2 billion. Very difficult decisions impacting the agency 

workforce and water infrastructure funding were made in developing this budget, but they are necessary 

to keep the EPA relevant and sustainable for the future. An essential aspect of the FY 2015 budget is our 

investment in maintaining a high performing environmental protection organization. We are redesigning 

the way we do business and focusing on achieving the greatest environmental benefits for our efforts. 

Making the greatest difference to communities, adapting and embracing opportunities for innovation and 

reinvention and ensuring our state and tribal partners are well positioned to adapt to the changes are 

important principles as we move forward. The budget identifies realignments needed to take the next 

steps and achieve more efficient ways to deliver environmental protection to the nation. Implementing this 

strategy will involve all the business lines of the agency, and each individual aspect of the plan is integral 

to the success of the whole. 

As we redefine how we do our work, the agency requests 15,000 appropriated FTE in FY 2015 to support 

1
our highest priorities and our critical mission. This budget highlights actions to reduce costs through 

implementing approaches such as strategic sourcing, redesigning long-standing processes to capture 

technological advances, and accelerating the pace of employee facilities reduction. Successfully 

implementing these changes to our facilities and our business processes requires a commitment in time 

and resources. 

The EPA strives to connect the results we have achieved to our planning and budgeting decisions and to 

support our overall strategic direction and priorities. The FY 2015 President’s Budget is presented 

following the anticipated structure of the FY 2014 - FY 2018 Strategic Plan. The EPA’s FY 2013 

performance information is highlighted throughout the budget.

FY 2014 - 2015 Agency Priority Goals

This budget highlights EPA’s six FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goals that advance the Administrator’s 

Priorities and the agency’s Strategic Plan. Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can 

be found at www.performance.gov and in subsequent chapters in this document. 

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks

Through September 30, 2015, the EPA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s fuel 

economy standards program, will be implementing vehicle and truck greenhouse gas standards that are 

projected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 6 billion metric tons and reduce oil consumption 

by about 12 billion barrels over the lifetime of those vehicles and trucks.

Clean up contaminated sites to enhance the livability and economic vitality of communities

By 2015, an additional 18,970 sites will be made ready for anticipated use, protecting Americans and the 

environment one community at a time.

Assess and reduce risks posed by chemicals and promote the use of safer chemicals in 

commerce

By September 30, 2015, EPA will have completed more than 250 assessments of pesticides and other 

commercially available chemicals to evaluate risks they may pose to human health and the environment, 

including the potential for some of these chemicals to disrupt endocrine systems. These assessments are 

essential in determining whether products containing these chemicals can be used safely for commercial, 

agricultural and/or industrial uses.

Improve environmental outcomes and enhance service to the regulated community and the public

By September 30, 2015 reduce EPA reporting requirements by one million hours through streamlined 

regulations, providing real-time environmental data to at least two communities, and establish a new 

portal to service the regulated community and public.

Improve, restore, and maintain water quality by enhancing nonpoint source program leveraging, 

accountability, and on-the-ground effectiveness to address the nation’s largest sources of 

pollution

By September 30, 2015, 100 percent of the states will have updated nonpoint source management 

programs that comport with the new Clean Water Act Section 319 grant guidelines that will result in better 

targeting of resources through prioritization and increased coordination with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture. 

Improve public health protection for persons served by small drinking water systems, which 

account for more than 97% of public water systems in the U.S., by strengthening the technical, 

managerial, and financial capacity of those systems

By September 30, 2015, EPA will engage with an additional ten states (for a total of 30 states) and three 

tribes to improve small drinking water system capability to provide safe drinking water, an invaluable 

resource.

2
Overview

FY 2015 Funding Priorities

Support for Core Mission and Priorities

The FY 2015 Annual Performance Plan and Budget of $7.89 billion invests in maintaining and 

strengthening a high performing environmental protection organization to better serve Americans. Our FY

2015 budget will advance our work to make a visible difference in communities across the country; 

address climate change and improve air quality; take action on toxics and chemical safety; protect the 

nation’s waters; advance efforts to maintain and strengthen a high performing environmental 

organization; and work toward a sustainable future. Additional details and supporting information can be 

found in the program descriptions. 

Making a Visible Difference in Communities across the Country 

Community, as an organizing principle for our work, is well established, but resources to strengthen this

integrated approach are essential. Within our budget proposal, we are realigning $7.5 million and 64

FTEs toward efforts that will make a difference in people’s everyday lives and make a visible difference in 

their communities. Resources will build on current work by providing green infrastructure technical 

assistance to up to 100 communities to help them more easily implement cost-effective and sustainable 

approaches to water management. This includes modeling and design assistance to demonstrate how 

green infrastructure can help to cost-effectively make progress on multiple water and combined sewer 

overflows goals. The resources also will allow the agency to obtain and disseminate information about 

successful approaches for adopting green programs. Research under this focus area will contribute to the 

development and application of new and enhanced technologies for large-scale green infrastructure in 

pilot communities. Finally, the agency will focus efforts on considering the impacts of our decisions on 

environmental justice communities through increased analysis, better science, and increased 

transparency of data and information to enhance community engagement. 

Through realignments and existing core work, the EPA will continue to lead efforts to preserve, restore,

and protect our land for both current and future generations. Hazardous and non-hazardous wastes on 

land can migrate to air, groundwater and surface water, contaminating drinking water supplies, causing 

acute illnesses and chronic diseases, and threatening healthy ecosystems. Local land use and 

infrastructure investments also can generate unanticipated environmental consequences, such as 

increased stormwater runoff, loss of open space, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. We will 

continue our work to prevent and reduce exposure to contaminants, accelerate the pace of cleanups, and 

reduce the environmental impacts associated with land use across the country. We also will partner with 

other federal, state and local governments to better coordinate and leverage resources to support 

community efforts.

Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

One of the most significant challenges of this and future generations is the threat from a changing 

climate. Building on existing efforts, the agency is realigning $10 million and 24 FTE within our budget 

proposal to support implementation of the President’s Climate Action Plan, to enhance education and 

outreach, and to foster state engagement and partnership. The Climate Action Plan tasks the EPA with 

setting carbon dioxide (CO2) standards for power plants and applying its authorities and other tools to 

address hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and methane. Realigned resources will support the development of 

GHG standards, regulations, or guidelines, as appropriate, for modified, reconstructed, and existing 

power plants. This will require extensive engagement with the states as they develop and implement their 

plans. This realignment will also support developing and implementing the President’s interagency 

methane strategy, which requires the assessment and collection of emissions and control technology 

data to inform our reduction programs and measures. In addition, Heavy Duty Vehicle GHG Phase 2 

standards will require the development of new testing cycles and methods, and upgrades to the testing 

equipment and software at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emission Laboratory (NVFEL). The EPA also is 

implementing a range of activities in support of the President’s call to cut energy waste in homes, 

businesses, and factories, including ENERGY STAR’s efforts to increase energy efficiency in multifamily 

housing. Finally, resources are realigned to provide technical assistance and support tools to address 

adaptation planning. This includes technical assistance for water utilities at greatest risk from storm surge 

with emphasis on using the Climate Resilience Evaluation Awareness Tool (CREAT), which helps utilities 

3
scope potential climate impacts and risks. Research and development efforts will focus on decision 

support tools for at-risk communities/tribes in preparing for the effects of climate change.

Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety

Realignment of $23 million and 24 FTE will support activities under the President’s Executive Order on 

Chemical Safety1

, as well as agency efforts on chemical prioritization, air toxics, radon, and volatile 

organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water. Chemicals and toxic substances are ubiquitous in our 

everyday lives and products. They are used in the production of everything from our homes and cars to 

the cell phones we carry and the food we eat. Keeping communities safe and healthy requires action to 

reduce risks associated with exposure to chemicals in commerce, our indoor and outdoor environments, 

and products and food. Continuing to oversee the introduction and use of pesticides, improve our 

Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program, screen chemicals already in commerce for potential 

risk, reduce radon risks, identify and address children's health risks in schools and homes, and improve 

chemical management practices will remain of central relevance to the EPA's mission, including 

maintaining incentive-based efforts and research to promote green chemistry. Chemicals often are 

released into the environment as a result of their manufacture, processing, use, and disposal. 

The Executive Order on Chemical Safety seeks to expand tools, information and materials for State 

Emergency Response Commissions and Local Emergency Planning Committees. Realigned resources 

will be used to fund technical support, EPA/interagency data system enhancements, and outreach in the 

State and Local Prevention and Preparedness program. Computer Aided Management of Emergency 

Operations (CAMEO) enhancements will build more mobile device accessibility for easy use by first 

responders and provide hands-on technical assistance in the riskiest areas including towns and cities at 

risk due to local infrastructure and presence of high risk facilities. 

Realigned resources for air toxics work will enhance the analytical capabilities required to develop 

effective regulations, to continue the progress in developing the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), 

to update methods for estimating area and mobile source emissions, and to update air dispersion 

modeling based on recent advances in the science. In the agency’s chemical safety program, 

realignments will be used to develop and release 19 draft chemical risk assessments and complete 10 

final chemical risk assessments. These actions are critical in achieving the agency’s long-term chemical 

safety goals. 

Also included in this realignment are resources in support of the Federal Radon Action Plan and work on 

the drinking water VOC rule. Regulating groups of drinking water contaminants, including volatile organic 

compounds (VOCs), more effectively addresses potential risks and demonstrates a predictable strategy 

for regulating similar contaminants and/or groups in the future. This group regulation requires more 

scientific input, complex analyses, and supporting documentation than a regulation for a single 

contaminant. 

Protecting Water: A Precious, Limited Resource

The EPA and its federal partners along with states, tribes, municipalities, and private parties, will continue 

efforts to restore the integrity of the imperiled waters of the United States as part of the Agency’s mission. 

We are reminded almost daily of the importance of clean water through natural disasters, industrial spills 

and outbreaks of illnesses. The nation’s water resources are the lifeblood of our communities, supporting 

our economy and way of life. Our FY 2015 budget reflects this recognition of the expected long-term 

benefits of healthy aquatic systems as economic cornerstones vital to property values, tourism, 

recreational and commercial fishing, and hunting. We will need to build resiliency to deal with impacts 

from climate change and build new approaches for water quality management. 

The agency is realigning $8 million and 10 FTE to advance Clean Water. As we look to protect the 

nation’s water, new approaches are needed to make progress. A centerpiece of this strategy is a water 

quality framework to improve return on investment, accountability and environmental results. 

Improvements in permitting in the stormwater energy sectors are also elements of the strategy.

Resources also are being realigned for the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) program for 

technical support to select communities with newly regulated MS4s that must develop effective 

stormwater permits for the first time. Resources will strengthen green infrastructure activities and make a 

 

1 Executive Order on Improving Chemical Facility and Security #13650

4
Overview

visible difference at the local level with an emphasis on sustainability. Realignments of resources also will

help the agency to continue providing technical expertise for states and tribes as they manage their 

response to new requirements for hydraulic fracturing activities. Funding will also be used to conduct 

inspections of permitted wells to ensure ongoing compliance. Implementation support will ensure that 

authorized agencies are effectively managing and overseeing the rapidly growing energy sector while 

preventing endangerment of underground sources of drinking water.

Launching a New Era of State, Tribal and Local Partners

Supporting our state and tribal partners, the primary implementers of environmental programs on the 

ground, is a long-held priority of the EPA. Funding to states and tribes in the State and Tribal Assistance 

Grants (STAG) account continues to be the largest in the EPA's budget request, and prioritizes funding 

to state categorical grants. 

The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds are provided $1.775 billion in FY 2015, a 

nearly $581 million reduction from the FY 2014 enacted budget. As part of the Administration’s long-term 

strategy, the EPA is implementing a Sustainable Water Infrastructure Policy that focuses on working with 

states and communities to enhance technical, managerial and financial capacity, which also addresses 

"green infrastructure" options and their multiple benefits. Federal dollars provided through the State 

Revolving Funds will act as a catalyst for efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of 

sustainable water infrastructure. New infrastructure improvement projects for public drinking water 

systems are supported by $757 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and public water 

treatment systems are supported by $1.018 billion under the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. 

For Categorical Grants, a total of $1.13 billion is provided, which is an increase of $76 million from the FY 

2014 enacted budget. Increases above FY 2014 levels are included for tribal grants and environmental

information grants. Tribal environmental and health needs far outstrip available funding, and 

environmental information grants directly support the agency’s E-Enterprise business model. Requested 

increases over enacted levels recognize the importance of state partners in the progress made to provide 

air that is safe to breathe, water that is safe to drink, cleaner land and safer chemicals. 

Maintaining and Strengthening a High Performing Environmental Protection Organization

An integral component of the agency’s FY 2015 strategy is the work to become a high performing 

organization. We are undertaking efforts to attract and retrain the workforce of the future, modernize our 

business practices and more fully employ new tools and technologies. We are implementing or 

accelerating a number of key efforts, including realigning our workspace, launching new collaboration 

tools, and leaning our business processes to bring about change and efficiency at the EPA, We are

realigning resources and staff to ensure the success of these efforts. This is not an effort to just save 

money; the EPA is looking toward the future at ways to better serve the American people. 

This complements our work in E-Enterprise, a major joint EPA and state initiative to modernize our 

business practices to increase accessibility, efficiency, and responsiveness. The agency is expanding 

efforts in the second year of the multi-year E-Enterprise business model including realigning people and 

resources to accelerate development of the E-Manifest system and associated rule-making work. Benefits 

of implementing the E-Manifest system include annual savings estimated at $75 million for over 160,000

waste handlers.

In addition, we are making changes to long-standing business practices such as contracts and grants 

management and the regulation development process. One area of emphasis is in Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) and records management, where existing processes are not effective or efficient, 

and EPA is pursuing new approaches. Achieving the full potential of these new approaches and tools we 

are developing is only possible when the workforce has the skills to use them.

The EPA also has been focusing, as has most of the federal government, on reducing its physical 

footprint and achieving greater energy efficiency. Since 2006, the EPA has released approximately 428 

thousand square feet of space at headquarters and facilities nationwide, resulting in a cumulative annual 

rent avoidance of over $14.6 million. But space reconfiguration takes both time and resources. The 

agency will realign resources to accelerate the timeline to achieve long-term rent avoidance through 

5
reducing and reconfiguring our space. These achieved savings and potential savings partially offset the 

EPA’s escalating rent and security costs. 

Working Toward a Sustainable Future

Sustainability is not a new program, but we are building it in to our day-to-day operations in partnership 

with businesses, government and other stakeholders. We must move beyond the traditional foundation of 

environmental protection that the EPA has built with our state, tribal, and community partners. As 

problems become more complicated we need new tools and approaches to meet the challenges. We 

need new ways to deal with threats to human health and the environment that cannot be effectively 

managed through regulations alone, or for which there are no existing regulations. Examples include 

household disposal of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals. Wherever possible, the agency is seeking to 

grow its capacity for local partnerships and engagement with local organizations, and for regionallyfocused outreach to cities, towns, and businesses. These efforts will build on where we are and promote 

greater cross media collaboration and innovation to allow us to continue to move forward to a more 

sustainable future for all of us.

Maintaining Core Enforcement Strength 

In FY 2015, the EPA seeks to maintain the strength of its core national enforcement and compliance 

assurance program. Our objective is to pursue civil and criminal enforcement that targets the most 

serious water, air, and chemical hazards in communities; assuring strong, consistent, and effective 

enforcement of federal environmental laws nationwide. Recognizing the tight fiscal climate at both the 

federal and state level, EPA will continue to focus federal enforcement on the most important 

environmental problems where noncompliance is a significant contributing factor and where federal 

enforcement attention can have a significant impact. EPA’s top enforcement priorities will be pursuing 

large, complex cases that require significant investment and long term commitment. 

As an important supplement to a strong enforcement program, EPA is investing in Next Generation 

Compliance strategies and tools to increase compliance with environmental laws. The EPA has achieved 

impressive pollution control and health benefits through vigorous compliance monitoring and 

enforcement, but the sheer number of regulated facilities, the contribution of large numbers of smaller 

sources of pollution, combined with federal and state budget constraints has made it necessary for the 

EPA to go beyond the traditional single facility inspection and enforcement approach to ensure 

widespread compliance. Next Generation Compliance is part of the agency’s E-Enterprise business 

model and promotes advanced monitoring, electronic reporting and transparency. Next Generation 

Compliance incorporates multiple components using state-of-the-art monitoring technology to detect 

pollution problems, leverage electronic reporting, expand transparency, develop and implement 

innovative enforcement approaches, and structure regulations and permits to be easier to implement.

Priority Science and Research

Science and research continue to be the foundation of our work at the EPA. The Research and 

Development program’s integrated and cross-disciplinary organization of the scientific research programs 

provides a systems perspective that leverages expertise to address the multi-dimensional challenges 

facing the agency, increasing the benefits from high-quality science. Superior science leads to shared 

solutions; everyone benefits from clean air and clean water. Rigorous science leads to innovative 

solutions to complex environmental challenges. In FY 2015, the EPA is focusing research on the most 

critical issues facing the agency, ensuring the best scientific underpinning for regulatory actions and 

finding more sustainable solutions for environmental issues. Realignments include efforts to minimize the 

impacts of climate change, and developing effective, systems-based watershed management approaches 

and forward-looking national, regional and community level strategies for green infrastructure, chemical 

safety and other innovative alternative practices. 

Environmental Education

The EPA is committed to environmental education, a core part of our efforts to safeguard public health 

and the environment. Environmental education provides communities with the necessary skills and 

knowledge to make informed choices and take responsible action. The primary goals of the EPA’s 

educational activities are to share information about how to protect the environment, and particularly how 

the EPA protects the water we drink and the air we breathe. Environmental education activities also aim 

to improve participation in advanced programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

fields and thereby foster the next generation of scientists and engineers to tackle current and future 

environmental challenges. The EPA fulfills its environmental education mission by connecting educators 

6
Overview

with the most up-to-date, science-based information and research. Our programs also provide public 

funding for projects and activities that enable environmental education in communities across the nation. 

Moving forward, the EPA will ensure that there is an environmental education presence in every Regional 

Office so that our agency has voices for environmental education across the country, supported by a core 

staff at headquarters. These individuals will help develop and disseminate environmental education 

publications, curriculum, and training opportunities, and also manage related award programs and federal 

grant assistance. To assure that all EPA programs are participating and focused on environmental 

education, funds for the agency-wide effort are distributed, and a chart has been included in the appendix 

of this document. This distribution brings broader engagement both inside and outside the Agency. 

FY 2015 Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative

Recognizing the importance of the two-year budget agreement Congress reached in December, which 

the President’s Budget adheres to, levels are not sufficient to expand opportunity to all Americans or to 

drive the growth our economy needs. For that reason, the Budget also includes a separate, fully paid for 

$56 billion Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative. The Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative, 

which will be split evenly between defense and non-defense funding, shows how additional discretionary 

investments in FY 2015 can spur economic progress, promote opportunity, and strengthen national 

security. 

The Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative will support the efforts of the Climate Resilience Fund, 

through which the Budget will invest in research and unlock data to better understand the projected 

impacts of a changing climate, help communities plan and prepare for impacts, and fund breakthrough 

technologies and resilient infrastructure. Funding at EPA will support a nation that is better prepared for 

the impacts of climate change by protecting and enhancing coastal wetlands and supporting urban forest 

enhancement and protection. 

Eliminated Programs

The EPA continues to examine its programs to find those that have served their purpose and 

accomplished their mission. The FY 2015 President’s Budget eliminates a number of programs totaling 

nearly $56 million including Beaches Protection categorical grants; State Indoor Radon Grants; and 

Diesel Emissions Reductions Assistance grants. Details are found in the appendix to the EPA FY 2015 

Congressional Justification.

7
8
Summary Resource Charts 

Notes: Dollar totals and percentages in chart exclude $5 million rescission of prior year funds.

 Totals may not add due to rounding. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s

FY 2015 Budget by Goal

Total Agency: $7,890 Million

Goal 1

$1,031 M

13.1% 

Goal 2 

$3,489 M

44.2% 

Goal 3

$1,909 M 

24.2% 

Goal 4 

$673 M

8.5% 

Goal 5

$793 M 

10.0% 

Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring 

Compliance

9
Summary Resource Charts 

Notes: Dollar totals and percentages in chart exclude $5 million rescission of prior year funds.

 Totals may not add due to rounding.

Environmental Protection Agency’s

FY 2015 Budget by Appropriation

Total Agency: $7,890 Million

S&T

$764 M

9.7% 

EPM 

$2,737 M

34.7% 

eManifest

$10 M

0.1% 

IG 

$46 M

0.6% 

B&F

$54 M 

0.7% 

OIL 

$24 M 

0.3% 

SF

$1,157 M

14.7% 

LUST

$98 M 

1.2% 

STAG

$3,005 M 

38.1% 

Science & Technology Environmental Programs & Management 

E-Manifest Inspector General

Buildings & Facilities Inland Oil Spill Programs

Hazardous Substance Superfund Leaking Underground Storage Tanks

State & Tribal Assistance Grants

10
Summary Resource Charts 

$8.1 $8.4 

$8.0 

$7.6 $7.7 $7.5 $7.6

$10.3

$8.7 $8.5 

$7.9 $8.2 $7.9 

$0.0

$2.0

$4.0

$6.0

$8.0

$10.0

$12.0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Dollars in Billions

Fiscal Year

President's Budget Enacted Budgets

EPA’s Enacted Budget FY 2003 to 2015

(Dollars in Billions)

FY 2015 President’s Budget

Notes:

FY 2006 Enacted excludes hurricane supplemental funding. 

FY 2009 Enacted excludes ARRA funding.

FY 2013 Enacted reflects operating levels after sequestration and excludes Hurricane Sandy Relief supplemental 

appropriation of $608 million.

All Enacted Budgets include rescissions.

17,802 17,909

17,759 17,631 17,560

17,324 17,252

17,417 17,494

17,055

16,201

15,521

15,325

14,000

14,500

15,000

15,500

16,000

16,500

17,000

17,500

18,000

18,500

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

FTE

Fiscal Year

EPA’s FTE* Ceiling History

* FTE (Full Time Equivalent) = one employee working full time for a full year (52 weeks X 40 hours = 2,080 hours), or the equivalent number of 

hours worked by several part-time or temporary employees.

FY 2015 President’s Budget

11
Summary Resource Charts 

$2.1 $2.1 $1.9 $1.9

$3.9

$2.7 $2.5 $2.4 $2.5 $1.9

$1.3 $1.3 $1.4 $1.4

$1.4

$1.4 $1.3 $1.2 $1.2

$1.3

$3.2 $3.2 $3.2 $3.3

$3.9

$3.7 $3.6 $3.3 $3.5

$3.6

$1.1 $1.1 $1.1 $1.1

$1.1

$1.1 $1.1

$1.0 $1.1 $1.1

$0.0

$2.0

$4.0

$6.0

$8.0

$10.0

$12.0

2006 

EN

2007 

EN

2008 

EN

2009 

EN

2010 

EN

2011 

EN

2012 

EN

2013 

EN

2014 

EN

2015 

PB

Infrastructure Financing

Trust Funds

Operating Budget

Categorical Grants

Environmental Protection Agency’s

Resources by Major Category 

(Dollars in Billions)

$10.3

$7.6 $7.7 $7.5 $7.6

Notes:

Totals may not add due to rounding

The Operating Budget includes funding provided for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

FY 2006 Enacted reflects 0.476% rescission plus 1% additional rescission and $80 M rescission to prior year funds

 Excludes hurricane supplemental funding

FY 2008 Enacted includes a 1.56% rescission and $5 M rescission to prior year funds

FY 2009 Enacted reflects a $10 M rescission to prior year funds

FY 2009 Enacted excludes ARRA funding

FY 2010 Enacted reflects a $40 M rescission to prior year funds

FY 2011 Enacted reflects a 0.2% rescission and $140 M rescission to prior year funds

FY 2012 Enacted reflects a 0.16% rescission and $50 M rescission to prior year funds

FY 2013 Enacted reflects operating levels after sequestration and excludes Hurricane Sandy Relief supplemental 

appropriation of $608 million

Reflects a 0.2% rescission and $50 M rescission to prior year funds 

FY 2015 Enacted reflects a $5 M rescission to prior year funds

$8.5

$7.9 $8.2

$8.7

$7.9

12
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Strategic Goal: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop 

adaptation strategies to address climate change, and protect and improve 

air quality.

Resource Summary

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

President’s

Budget

Difference

FY 2014 EN

to FY 2015

PresBud

1 - Address Climate Change $183,773 $189,470 $234,678 $45,208

2 - Improve Air Quality $720,420 $744,419 $741,931 ($2,489)

3 - Restore and Protect the Ozone 

 Layer $16,725 $16,799 $17,319 $520

4 - Minimize Exposure to Radiation $34,730 $34,365 $37,252 $2,887

 Goal 1 Total $955,648 $985,053 $1,031,179 $46,126

Workyears 2,613 2,526 2,509 (17)

NOTE: Numbers may not add due to rounding. 

Introduction

The EPA is dedicated to protecting and improving the quality of the nation’s air to protect public health 

and the environment. The agency continues to partner with states, tribes, and local governments to 

implement programs and standards. Air pollution concerns are diverse and significant, and include: the 

changing climate, outdoor and indoor air quality, stratospheric ozone depletion, and radiation exposure.

Since passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) in 1990, nationwide air quality has improved 

significantly. Levels of those pollutants linked to the greatest health impacts continue to decline. From 

2003 to 2012, population-weighted ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter and ozone have 

decreased 26 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Even with this progress, in 2012, approximately 45 

percent of the U.S. population lived in counties with air that did not meet health-based standards for at 

least one pollutant. Long-term exposure to elevated levels of certain air pollutants has been associated 

with increased risk of cancer, premature mortality, and damage to the immune, neurological, 

reproductive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Short-term exposure to elevated levels of certain 

air pollutants can exacerbate asthma and lead to other adverse health effects and economic costs.

The issues of highest importance facing the air program over the next few years will continue to be 

greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and climate change adaptation, ozone, and particulate air pollution and 

their precursors. The program also works to reduce interstate transport of these air pollutants, emissions 

13.1% of Budget

13
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

from transportation sources, toxic air pollutants, and indoor air pollutants. The EPA uses a variety of 

approaches to reduce pollutants that include traditional regulatory tools; innovative market-based 

techniques; public- and private-sector partnerships; community-based approaches; voluntary programs 

that promote environmental stewardship; and programs that encourage adoption of cost-effective 

technologies and practices.

EPA’s strategies to address climate change reflect the President’s 2013 Climate Action Plan, which, 

among other initiatives, tasks the EPA with setting carbon pollution standards for power plants and 

applying its authorities and other tools to address hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and methane. Specifically, 

using authority under section 111(b) of the Clean Air Act, on September 20, 2013, the EPA issued a new 

proposal for carbon pollution from new power plants and will finalize that rule after consideration of public 

comment as appropriate. Using authority under sections 111(d) of the Act, the EPA will propose carbon 

pollution standards, regulations, or guidelines, as appropriate, for modified, reconstructed, and existing 

power plants by June 1, 2014, and finalize these standards, regulations, or guidelines by June 1, 2015.

 

The EPA also will promote the use of low global warming potential (GWP) alternatives to HFCs through 

application of the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. Specifically, the EPA will use 

authority under section 612 of the Act to list more environmentally friendly alternatives with lower GWPs, 

and review existing SNAP listings to consider whether any change to the status of currently acceptable 

higher-GWP alternatives is appropriate. 

The EPA will continue to address the impacts of climate change through careful, cost-effective rulemaking 

and voluntary programs that focus on the largest entities and encourage businesses and consumers to 

limit unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA will continue to implement its draft Climate 

Change Adaptation Plan, released to the public in February 2013, to meet the agency-wide priorities on 

climate adaptation. 

Scientific consensus shows that as a result of human activities, GHG concentrations in the atmosphere 

are at record high levels and data shows that the Earth has been warming over the past 100 years, with 

the steepest increase in warming in recent decades. The evidence of human-induced climate change 

goes beyond observed increases in average surface temperatures; it includes melting ice in the Arctic, 

melting glaciers around the world, increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, acidification of the 

oceans due to excess carbon dioxide, changing precipitation patterns, and changing patterns of 

ecosystems and wildlife. 

As the number of days with extremely hot temperatures increases, severe heat waves are projected to 

intensify and lead to increased heat-related mortality and sickness. The increase in frequency and 

intensity of extreme weather events also has contributed to mortalities across the country. Additionally, 

with time, more Americans are likely to be affected by certain diseases that thrive in areas with higher 

temperatures and greater precipitation, including pest-borne diseases and food and water-borne 

pathogens. The costs of these climate change associated impacts include increased hospital visits, 

respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and even premature death – especially for certain vulnerable 

populations like the elderly, and children. 

The EPA continues to implement climate change programs that work with key industry sectors to reduce 

greenhouse gases and facilitate energy-efficiency improvements. As an example, the ENERGY STAR 

program introduced new and more rigorous requirements for homes to earn the ENERGY STAR label. 

These new home specifications represent a multiyear development process that redefined nearly every 

aspect of the program, which had already labeled more than 1.3 million homes and achieved a 26 percent 

national market share in 2011. 

Among the most common and significant sources of air pollution are highway motor vehicles and their 

fuels. The EPA establishes national emissions standards to reduce air pollution from these sources. The 

agency also provides emissions and fuel economy information for new cars to educate consumers on the 

ways their actions affect the environment. The EPA’s motor vehicle GHG and renewable fuels standards 

have already begun changing the cars Americans drive and the fuels they use. The diversity of biofuels in 

14
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

America grows every year, and new automobile technologies, including several new plug-in hybrids and 

all-electric vehicles, continue to “hit the road.” The EPA, in coordination with the National Highway 

Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), will continue to reduce GHGs from light-duty and heavyduty mobile sources. In model year 2025, the EPA and NHTSA standards will require average fuel 

economy for cars and light trucks of approximately 54.5 miles to the gallon, a significant increase from 

current average vehicle fuel efficiency. The national program of fuel economy and greenhouse gas 

standards for model year 2012 through 2025 light-duty vehicles will save approximately 12 billion barrels 

of oil and prevent 6 billion metric tons of GHG emissions over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold through 

model year 2025. Under the Climate Action Plan, EPA and NHTSA will develop Phase 2 GHG and fuel 

efficiency standards for Heavy Duty Vehicles. A proposal will be issued in March 2015, and a final rule is 

expected to be issued in March 2016. The EPA will continue to implement the Renewable Fuels program, 

which requires a percentage of vehicle fuel sold in the country to be from renewable sources.

The EPA’s air toxic control programs are critical to continued progress in reducing public health risks and 

improving the quality of the environment. The EPA will continue to focus efforts on communities with 

greater levels of industrial and mobile source activity (e.g., near ports or distribution areas), which, 

according to the 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), often have greater cumulative 

exposure to air toxics than non-industrial areas. In 2014 and 2015, approximately 21 stationary source air 

toxics rules are on court-ordered deadlines and are in some stage of development. The EPA will focus its 

efforts on rules under section 112 of the CAA under court orders. To develop effective standards, the 

EPA needs accurate information about actual emissions, their composition, specific emission points, and 

transport into communities.

Because people spend much of their lives indoors, the quality of indoor air is a major concern. For 

example, indoor allergens and irritants play a significant role in making asthma worse and triggering 

asthma attacks. Over 25 million Americans currently have asthma, which annually accounts for over 

500,000 hospitalizations, more than 10 million missed school days, and over $50 billion in economic 

costs. In addition, indoor radon causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the U.S.

Major FY 2015 Changes

While continuing EPA’s ongoing commitment to science, the rule of law and transparency, we have 

updated and refined our current direction to maximize our effectiveness and guide our agenda in the 

months and years ahead. Goal 1 resources includes extramural resources and FTE that have been 

realigned to enhance our core work in targeted areas and build on progress to date to advance priorities 

in FY 2015. In implementing these changes, we will seek to increase effectiveness and efficiency without 

undermining vital environmental protection activities or quality and financial management. 

Address Climate Change 

The FY 2015 budget addresses climate change and reflects the President’s 2013 Climate Action Plan. 

The broad based plan will cut carbon pollution that causes climate change and affects public health. The 

EPA’s Climate Protection Program promotes efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and will 

implement the President’s Climate Action Plan through programs such as regulatory support for state 

programs, encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy policies in the carbon pollution 

standards, voluntary partnerships with key industries, technical assistance and reporting, verification and 

publication of GHG data, and strengthening communities’ ability and capacity to anticipate, prepare for, 

respond to, and recover from the impacts of climate change. $19.8million is requested for state capacity 

development and implementation of the key work under the President’s Climate Action Plan. 

These programs complement and support the agency’s implementation efforts across all elements of the 

President’s Climate Action Plan. Key Climate Action Plan elements supported include: 

• Cutting carbon pollution from power plants

• Cutting energy waste in homes, businesses, and factories

• Reducing methane and HFCs emissions

15
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

• Reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector

• Protecting our country from the impacts of climate change

• Leading international efforts to address climate change, including supporting efforts to control HFCs 

under the Montreal Protocol

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to consider the results of scientific assessments to address the climate 

impacts of short-lived climate pollutants. These air pollutants, including black carbon, HFCs and ozone 

are having an immediate effect on climate, particularly in the Arctic region. Reducing emissions of these 

pollutants can reap near-term climate and public health benefits. The EPA will continue to identify the 

most significant domestic and international sources of black carbon and ozone precursor emissions by 

working through the multilateral Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), through collaboration with the 

Arctic Council and the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP), and other related 

international efforts. Based on these findings and enhanced analytical capabilities, the EPA will pursue 

effective steps for reducing these emissions. The EPA will continue its collaboration with CCAC partners 

to develop a rapid assessment tool to enable countries to determine the benefits, particularly to human 

health, of mitigating short lived climate pollutants. 

Improve Air Quality

Toxic air pollutants are known to cause or suspected of causing increased risk of cancer and other 

serious health effects, such as neurological damage and reproductive harm. Realigned resources will 

provide additional capabilities to enhance the analytical components required to develop effective 

regulations, to continue progress in developing the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), to update 

methods for estimating area and mobile source emissions, and to incorporate recent advances in the 

science into updated air dispersion modeling. The funding will allow the EPA to continue to coordinate 

actions to meet multiple CAAA objectives for controlling both criteria and toxic air pollutants while 

considering their cost effectiveness and technical feasibility, as well as providing greater certainty for the 

regulated industry.

In FY 2011, the EPA launched the Federal Radon Action Plan (FRAP). The Action Plan is designed to 

catalyze industry and nonprofit action to build on, leverage and amplify the impact that federal agencies 

make to reduce radon risk. During the next phase of the Action Plan, federal partners are focused on 

maintaining momentum, increasing impacts, and fostering relationships that will advance the ultimate goal 

of the Federal Radon Action Plan – the elimination of preventable, radon-induced cancer through 

increased testing and mitigation of high radon levels in existing homes and schools and construction of 

radon-resistant new homes. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to lead and drive action on radon in 

collaboration with other federal agencies. Realigned resources will be targeted towards updating radon 

risk assessment and cost-benefit analyses, beginning work to improve radon data management, and 

providing support to drive sustainable changes in radon policy and action in health, medical, real estate, 

construction, and finance sectors. 

Building a High Performing Environmental Protection Enterprise

E-Enterprise is part of an agency-wide effort to modernize our business processes and systems to reduce 

reporting burden on states and regulated facilities. In FY 2015, the agency will enhance its ability to 

collect electronic submissions of emissions data directly from sources subject to the Clean Air Act 

Amendments (CAAA). By requiring facilities to report emissions data electronically, over time, reporting 

burden and costs for industry, states, and tribes will be minimized. Electronic submissions also will reduce 

the need to develop information collection requests that are otherwise a part of the rule development 

process, and to expedite the development and revision of emissions factors and improve the quality of the 

data the agency uses for rulemakings. As part of the EPA’s broad E-Enterprise business model, the 

agency is building a public portal for improved access to environmental data. As part of that effort, the 

EPA will upgrade its AirNow air quality data and system to provide the public with improved access and 

higher quality information for real-time air quality data and forecasts nationwide.1

 

1 For more information about AirNow, visit www.airnow.gov

16
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

Agency Priority Goals

As part of the formulation of the FY 2015 budget, the EPA has developed FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority 

Goals that advance the Administrator’s Priorities and the agency’s Strategic Plan. 

Through September 30, 2015, the EPA, in coordination with the Department of Transportation’s fuel 

economy standards program, will be implementing vehicle and truck greenhouse gas standards that are 

projected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 6 billion metric tons and reduce oil consumption 

by about 12 billion barrels over the lifetime of the affected vehicles and trucks. 

Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can be found at 

www.performance.gov.

FY 2015 Activities

Objective 1: Address Climate Change. Minimize the threats posed by climate change by reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions and taking actions that help to protect human health and help communities 

and ecosystems become more sustainable and resilient to the effects of climate change.

The EPA’s strategy to address climate change supports the President’s GHG reduction goals. Climate 

change poses risks to public health, the environment, cultural resources, the economy, and quality of life. 

Many impacts of climate change are already evident and will intensify in the future. Climate change 

impacts include increased temperatures and more stagnant air masses that make it increasingly 

challenging to achieve air quality standards for smog in many regions of the country. This adversely 

affects public health if areas cannot attain or maintain clean air and could increase costs to local 

communities. 

The agency’s budget includes nearly $200 million that will allow it to work with partners and stakeholders 

to provide tools and information related to greenhouse gas emissions and impacts and will reduce 

emissions domestically and internationally through cost-effective, voluntary programs while pursuing 

additional regulatory actions as needed. In FY 2015, the agency will focus on core program activities 

including:

• Implementing the ENERGY STAR program across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

• Overseeing compliance with recently revised vehicle fuel economy labelling requirements, which 

provide consumers with GHG as well as fuel economy information. The new label enables consumers 

to compare the energy and environmental impacts of both traditionally- and alternatively-fueled 

vehicles, including those using renewable fuels, gaseous fuels, and electricity. 

• Implementing the harmonized DOT and EPA fuel economy and GHG emission standards for lightduty vehicles (model years 2012-2016) and heavy-duty vehicles (model years 2014-2018). The EPA 

plans to propose a second phase of heavy-duty GHG regulations that incorporate a wider range of 

advanced technologies, including hybrid vehicle drive trains. The EPA is considering several petitions 

asking the agency to develop GHG emission standards for a wide range of non-road equipment, 

locomotives, aircraft, and transportation fuels. 

• Supporting implementation and compliance with GHG emission standards for light-duty and heavyduty vehicles and the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Under the CAA and the Energy Policy Act, the 

EPA is responsible for issuing certificates and ensuring compliance with both the GHG and CAFE 

standards. 

• Finalizing standards for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing power plants and evaluating 

petitions seeking the establishment of GHG emissions standards for a variety of industrial sectors and 

mobile source categories.

• Supporting reporting and verification in the GHG Reporting Program of emissions across 41 industry 

sectors and emission sources and approximately 8,000 reporters. Work in FY 2015 includes 

17
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

continued support for users on how to comply with the rule and how to report emissions using the 

electronic reporting tool. Continuing activities also will include expanding the database management 

systems to ensure alignment with regulatory amendments, verifying reported data and sharing data 

with the public, other federal agencies, state and local governments and reporting entities.

• Prioritizing and reviewing low GWP options for use in key consumer and industrial use sectors under 

SNAP, while carefully considering existing listings that may require reassessment based on the 

advent of new, more environmentally friendly options. Work in FY 2015 will involve continued SNAP 

listings, rulemakings and technical support for stakeholders and innovative firms with new 

alternatives.

• Leading the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) and enhancing public-private sector cooperation to 

reduce global methane emissions and deliver clean energy to markets.

Objective 2: Improve Air Quality. Achieve and maintain health and welfare based air pollution 

standards and reduce risk from toxic air pollutants and indoor air contaminants.

Clean Air

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue its CAA prescribed responsibilities to administer the National Ambient 

Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The NAAQS improve air quality and reduce related health and welfare 

impacts and their costs to the nation. The EPA will continue to implement a strategy that, where 

appropriate, supports the development and evaluation of multiple pollutant measurements. This strategy 

includes changes, where the agency deems necessary, to effectively implement revised NAAQS 

monitoring requirements for ozone, lead, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide 

(CO), and Particulate Matter (PM). PM is linked to tens of thousands of premature deaths per year and 

repeated exposure to ozone can cause acute respiratory problems and lead to permanent lung damage. 

Short term exposure to elevated levels of SO2 can result in adverse respiratory effects, including 

narrowing of the airways which can cause difficulty breathing and increased asthma symptoms, 

particularly in at risk populations including children, older adults, and people with asthma. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will be continuing its reviews of several NAAQS, including NO2, SO2, and CO in 

accordance with the statutory mandate to review the standards every five years, and make revisions, as 

appropriate. In particular, the EPA will be working to complete the review of the lead standards by mid2015. The EPA also will be working on the completion of the ozone NAAQS review. Implementation of the 

PM NAAQS, including the 2012 PM NAAQS revisions, is among the agency’s highest priorities for FY 

2015. The EPA will provide technical and policy assistance to states and tribes developing or revising 

attainment State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and Tribal Implementation Plans (TIPs) and will designate 

areas as attainment or nonattainment, as appropriate. EPA will work with states to implement the 2010 1-

hour SO2 NAAQS, including finalizing the data requirements rule. The agency will continue consulting 

with states and tribes to determine additional methods to improve the SIP/TIP development and 

implementation process that are within current statutory limitations. The agency will also continue efforts 

to reduce the number of SIPs that the agency has not taken action upon within the CAAA mandated 

timeframe. 

The EPA will continue to partner with states, tribes, and local governments to create a comprehensive 

compliance program to ensure that multi-source and multi-pollutant reduction targets and air quality 

improvement objectives, including consideration of environmental justice issues, are met and sustained. 

The budget includes $223.4 million in state and local air quality management grants to support core state 

workload for implementing NAAQS, reducing exposure to air toxics to ensure improved air quality in 

communities, and for additional air monitors required by revised NAAQS. In FY 2015, the EPA will 

continue its work with states, tribes, and communities to implement the existing 2008 ozone standard. 

The EPA will provide technical and policy assistance to states developing or revising SIPs or regional 

haze implementation plans and will continue to review and act on SIP submissions in accordance with the 

CAAA. These objectives are supported by ongoing technical assistance to state, tribal and local agencies. 

This support includes source characterization analyses, emission inventories, quality assurance 

protocols, improved testing and monitoring techniques, and air quality modeling. The EPA also will work 

with the states to address the interstate transport of pollution that contributes to nonattainment or 

18
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

interferes with maintaining ozone and/or PM NAAQS in other areas. The agency is awaiting the outcome 

of the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) litigation and will be working with states to implement 

obligations to address the transportation of air pollution across state lines.

The EPA will continue to implement the new Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS2) program and carry out 

other actions required by the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 and the Energy Independence and 

Security Act (EISA) of 2007. The EPA is responsible for establishing test procedures to estimate the fuel 

economy of new vehicles and for verifying car manufacturers’ data on fuel economy. In FY 2015, the EPA 

will utilize its upgraded vehicle, engine, and fuel testing capabilities at the National Vehicle and Fuel 

Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) to increase testing and certification capacity to ensure that new vehicles, 

engines, and fuels are in compliance with new vehicle and fuel standards. In 2015, the EPA anticipates 

reviewing and approving more than 5,000 vehicle and engine emissions certification requests for over 

4,100 different types of engines – a workload that has quadrupled over the past decade. The EPA’s 

workload will continue to grow, as the agency begins to implement new and more stringent GHG 

emission standards promulgated in 2012 and 2013 for additional classes of vehicles and engines. Also, 

FY 2015 resources will support increased oversight of credit trading under RFS2 and engine regulations 

and to manage critical data reporting systems. 

Air Toxics

The agency will continue to work with state, tribal, and local air pollution control agencies and community 

groups to assess and address air toxics emissions in areas of greatest concern. Additionally, the program 

will focus on disproportionately impacted communities where the most vulnerable members of our 

population live, work, and go to school.

One of the top priorities for the air toxics program is to eliminate unacceptable health risks and exposures 

to air toxics in affected communities and to fulfill its CAAA and court-ordered obligations. The CAAA 

requires that all technology-based standards be reviewed and updated as necessary every eight years. In 

FY 2015, the EPA will continue to conduct risk assessments to determine whether the technology-based 

rules appropriately protect public health to comply with legal deadlines.

The EPA will continue development of its multi-pollutant efforts by constructing and organizing analyses 

around industrial sectors. By addressing individual sectors’ emissions comprehensively and prioritizing 

regulatory efforts on the pollutants of greatest concern, the EPA will continue to identify ways to take 

advantage of the co-benefits of pollution control. In developing sector and multi-pollutant approaches, the 

agency seeks innovative solutions that address pollutants in the various sectors and minimize costs to the 

EPA, states, tribes, local governments and the regulated community. 

The EPA will continue to improve the dissemination of information to state, tribal, and local governments, 

and the public, using analytical tools such as the NATA, enhancing quantitative assessment tools such as 

BenMAP, and improving emission inventory estimates for toxic air pollutants. The EPA anticipates that 

these improvements will increase the agency’s ability to meet aggressive court-ordered schedules to 

complete rulemaking activities, especially in the air toxics program.

Indoor Air

The EPA will continue to build the capacity of community-based organizations to promote comprehensive 

asthma care that integrates management of environmental asthma triggers and health care services. The 

EPA will place a particular emphasis on improving asthma health outcomes for vulnerable populations, 

including children, and low-income and minority populations as well as improving indoor air quality (IAQ) 

in homes and schools. Over the past four years, at least 16,000 health care professionals, including 

school nurses and primary care physicians, have been trained by the EPA and its partners on 

environmental management of asthma triggers. Additionally, approximately one third of our nation’s 

schools now have effective indoor air quality management programs in place, helping to ensure asthmafriendly school environments. The EPA will continue to co-lead the implementation of the Coordinated 

Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities, an initiative under the auspices of 

the President’s Taskforce on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children.

19
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

The EPA will deliver clear and verifiable protocols and specifications to ensure good indoor air quality in 

homes and schools through the Indoor airPlus program and protocols that protect IAQ during energy 

upgrades. The EPA will collaborate with public and private organizations to integrate these protocols and 

specifications into existing energy-efficiency, green-building and health-related programs and initiatives. 

FY 2015 activities include equipping the affordable housing sector with training and guidance to promote 

adoption of these best practices with the aim of creating healthier, more energy-efficient homes for low 

income families. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to lead on radon activities in collaboration with other federal agencies, 

as well as continue to implement the agency’s own multi-pronged radon program. The EPA will drive 

action at the national level to reduce radon risk in homes and schools using partnerships with the private 

sector and public health groups, public outreach, and education activities. The agency will encourage 

radon risk reduction as a normal part of doing business in the real estate marketplace, will promote local 

and state adoption of radon prevention standards in building codes, and will participate in the 

development of national voluntary standards (e.g., mitigation and construction protocols) for adoption by 

states and the radon industry. 

Objective 3: Restore and Protect the Ozone Layer. Restore and protect the earth's stratospheric ozone 

layer and protect the public from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Restore the Ozone Layer

The stratospheric ozone program implements the provisions of the CAAA and the Montreal Protocol on 

Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol). Under the CAAA and the Montreal 

Protocol, the EPA is authorized to control and reduce ozone depleting substances (ODS) in the U.S., and 

to contribute to the Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund. As of January 1, 2010, ODS production and 

imports were capped at 3,810 ODP-weighted metric tons, which is 25 percent of the U.S. baseline under 

the Montreal Protocol. In 2015, U.S. production and import will be reduced further, to 10 percent of the 

U.S. baseline, and in 2020, all production and import will be phased out except for exempted amounts. As 

ODS and many of their substitutes are potent GHGs, appropriate control and reduction of these 

substances also provides significant benefits for climate protection. As a signatory to the Montreal 

Protocol, the U.S. is committed to ensuring that our domestic program is at least as stringent as 

international obligations and to regulating and enforcing its terms domestically. In FY 2015, the EPA will 

focus its work to ensure that ODS production and import caps under the Montreal Protocol and CAAA 

continue to be met. Funding for the SunWise program, which provided awareness of health risks from UV 

radiation and sun safety behaviors, has been eliminated. 

Objective 4: Minimize Exposure to Radiation. Minimize releases of radioactive material and be 

prepared to minimize exposure through response and recovery actions should unavoidable releases 

occur.

In FY 2015, the EPA Radiation program, in cooperation with federal agencies, states, tribes, and 

international radiation protection organizations, will develop and use voluntary and regulatory programs, 

public information, and training to protect the public from unnecessary exposures to radiation. In FY 2015 

the EPA will complete its revisions to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act, Health and 

Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings (40 CFR 192), last reviewed in 

1995, and the related Hazardous Air Pollutants, Subpart W Standard for Radon Emissions from 

Operating Uranium Mill Tailings (40 CFR 61). The Agency plans to begin work to ensure that the nation 

has generic, non-site-specific standards that protect public health and the environment from risks 

associated with geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

The EPA’s Radiological Emergency Response Team will maintain and improve the level of readiness to 

support federal radiological emergency response and recovery operations under the National Response 

Framework and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan in FY 2015. The 

agency’s national ambient radiation air monitoring system, RadNet, which includes the country’s 100 

20
Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality

most populous cities, will continue to provide data to assist in protective action determinations. The EPA 

will continue to support waste site characterization and clean-up by providing field and fixed laboratory 

environmental radioanalytical data and technical support, radioanalytical training to state and Federal 

partners, and developing improved radioanalytical methods.

Research

Environmental challenges in the 21st century are complex. These challenges are complicated by the 

interplay between air quality, climate change, and emerging energy options, and they require different 

thinking and solutions than those used in the past. These solutions require research that transcends 

disciplinary lines and includes all stakeholders in the process -- the EPA’s regional and program offices, 

states and communities -- that rely on the EPA’s research. 

The Air, Climate and Energy (ACE) program, funded at $101.9 million for FY 2015, conducts high priority 

research on environmental and human health impacts related to air pollution, climate change, and 

biofuels. This work directly supports the EPA’s goal of addressing climate change and improving air 

quality.

Human exposure to an evolving array of air pollutants is a considerable challenge to human health and 

the environment. By integrating air, climate and energy research, the EPA can better understand, define 

and address the complexity of these interactions. The agency will provide models and tools necessary for 

communities and for decision makers at all levels of government to make the best decisions. 

The ACE research program will continue to address critical science questions under three major research 

themes.

Theme 1: Assess Air Quality and Climate Impacts – Assess human and ecosystem exposures and effects 

associated with air pollutants and climate change. Evaluate the effects of air pollution and climate change 

on individuals, ecosystems, communities, and regions.

Theme 2: Prevent and Reduce Emissions – Provide the science needed to develop and evaluate 

approaches to preventing and reducing harmful air emissions. Decision makers and other stakeholders 

need such data and methods to determine which energy choices are most environmentally and 

economically appropriate. 

Theme 3: Respond to Changes in Climate and Air Quality – Provide modeling and monitoring tools, 

metrics, and information on air pollution exposure. Individuals, communities, and governmental agencies 

will use these tools and information to make public health decisions related to air quality and climate 

change. 

In addition, in 2012, the EPA signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DOE and DOI, to develop 

a multi-agency program to focus on timely, policy relevant science to support sound policy decisions by 

state and Federal agencies for ensuring the prudent development of energy sources while protecting 

human health and the environment. Additional goals include minimizing potential risks in developing 

these resources, maximizing each agency’s particular strength, and reducing interagency overlap. In 

particular the EPA’s ACE and the Safe and Sustainable Water (SSWR) research programs, will undertake 

a coordinated effort to study the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air, water quality, and 

ecosystems.

21
22
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Strategic Goal: Protect and restore our waters to ensure that drinking 

water is safe and sustainably managed, and that aquatic ecosystems 

sustain fish, plants, wildlife, and other biota, as well as economic, 

recreational, and subsistence activities.

Resource Summary

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

President’s

Budget

Difference

FY 2014 EN

to FY 2015

PresBud

1 - Protect Human Health $1,218,045 $1,273,076 $1,117,696 ($155,380)

2 - Protect and Restore Watersheds 

 and Aquatic Ecosystems $2,639,816 $2,771,692 $2,371,711 ($399,981)

 Goal 2 Total $3,857,861 $4,044,768 $3,489,407 ($555,361)

Workyears 3,308 3,190 3,138 (52)

NOTES: Numbers may not add due to rounding. 

Introduction

As we work to protect the nation’s water, new approaches and new partnerships are needed to make and 

sustain progress. While much progress to improve water quality has been made over the last two 

decades, America’s waters remain imperiled. Increased demands, land use practices, population growth, 

aging infrastructure, and the impacts of climate change continue to pose challenges to our nation's water 

resources. The National Coastal Condition Report IV shows that although improvement has taken place 

since 1990, the overall condition of the nation’s coastal resources continues to be rated fair1

. In addition, 

the latest national assessments2 confirm that America’s waters are stressed by nutrient pollution, excess 

sedimentation, and degradation of shoreline vegetation, which affect more than 50 percent of our lakes 

and streams. The rate at which new waters are listed for water quality impairments exceeds the pace at 

which restored waters are removed from the list. For many years, nonpoint source pollution—principally 

nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediments—has been recognized as the largest remaining impediment to 

improving water quality, and it is difficult to address the varied and widespread sources of this pollution. 

 

1 U.S. EPA. 2012. National Coastal Condition Report IV. EPA-842-R-10-003. Available at 

http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/assessmonitor/nccr/upload/NCCR4-Report.pdf. 2 U.S. EPA, 2006. Wadeable Streams Assessment: A Collaborative Survey of the Nation’s Streams. EPA 

841-B-06-002. Available at http://www.epa.gov/owow/streamsurvey. See also EPA, 2010. National Lakes 

Assessment: A Collaborative Survey of the Nation’s Lakes. EPA 841-R-09-001. Available at 

http://www.epa.gov/lakessurvey/pdf/nla_chapter0.pdf.

44.2% of Budget

23
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Pollution discharged from industrial, municipal, agricultural, and stormwater point sources continue to 

cause a decline in the quality of our waters. Other significant contributors to degraded water quality 

include: loss of habitat; habitat fragmentation; and changes in the way water is infiltrated into soils, runs 

off the land, and flows down streams (hydrologic alteration).

We can no longer rely on traditional tools and approaches to protect our waters in urban and rural 

settings. We are focusing on developing new targeting tools, promoting green infrastructure and 

sustainable solutions and building resiliency to deal with the impacts from climate change, and 

strengthening our partnerships with federal agencies, non-government organizations and private 

companies committed to supporting local efforts to improve and protect waterways. From nutrient 

loadings and stormwater runoff, to invasive species, energy extraction, and drinking water contaminants, 

water quality programs face complex challenges that can be addressed effectively only through a 

combination of traditional and innovative strategies. The EPA will continue to work hand-in-hand with 

states and tribes to develop and implement nutrient limits and intensify our work to restore and protect the 

quality of the nation’s streams, rivers, lakes, bays, oceans, and aquifers. We will continue the increased 

focus on urban and rural communities, particularly those disadvantaged communities facing 

disproportionate impacts, or that have been historically underserved. We also will use our authority to 

protect and restore threatened natural treasures such as the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the 

Gulf of Mexico; address our neglected urban rivers; ensure safe drinking water; and reduce pollution from 

nonpoint and industrial dischargers. The EPA will continue to address post-construction runoff, waterquality impairments from surface mining, and drinking water contamination. 

As part of the agency’s long-term strategy, the EPA is implementing a Sustainable Water Infrastructure 

Policy3 that focuses on working with states and communities to promote more effective management and 

enhance technical, managerial and financial capacity within the drinking water and wastewater sectors. 

Important to the enhanced technical capacity will be alternatives analyses to expand green infrastructure 

options and their multiple benefits. Federal dollars provided through the State Revolving Funds will act as 

a catalyst for efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of sustainable water infrastructure. 

The EPA continues to work with its partners across the Federal government to leverage resources and 

avoid duplication of efforts. The EPA and USDA continue to enhance existing coordination efforts in 

reducing nonpoint source pollution. The EPA, DOI, and DOE are working together to research the 

impacts of hydraulic fracturing activities to support the state and Federal agencies that oversee this 

growing energy extraction method.

Major FY 2015 Changes

The FY 2015 Congressional Justification builds from our core programs and identifies realignments to 

support our top priority work in six areas. In Goal 2, resources have been realigned to focus on 

Communities; Addressing Climate Change; Protecting Waters; Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical 

Safety; and Building a High Performing Environmental Protection Enterprise. Goal 2 resources include 

over $2.9 billion in extramural resources and 1,868.3 FTE. Resources and FTE been realigned to focus in 

these targeted areas, building on progress to date and advancing these priorities in FY 2015. The total 

increase to the categorical grant funding for state in support of core environmental programs in Goal 2 is 

approximately $22.2 million4

. In FY 2015, the agency is requesting $1.8 billion for the Clean Water and 

Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs), a reduction of approximately $581 million from the FY 

2014 operating level. 

 

3 http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/upload/Sustainability-Policy.pdf 4 $7.7 M PWSS categorical grant dollar increase, $18.4 Pollution Control (Section106) categorical grant 

dollar increase, $5.7 Nonpoint Source grants increase for a total of $31.8 million, minus Beaches 

categorical grant dollar decrease, $9.9million.

24
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Making a Visible Difference in Communities across the Country

The agency’s budget realigns $5.0 million extramural resources and 30 FTE to strengthen green 

infrastructure activities to further sustainability goals, particularly in urban, underserved and economically 

distressed communities. Incorporating green infrastructure and enhancing stormwater management helps 

to create livable urban communities and improve the quality of urban waters. Green Infrastructure is a 

cost-effective and resilient approach to our stormwater infrastructure needs that provides many 

community benefits: improving water and air quality; reducing energy use and mitigating climate change; 

improving habitat for wildlife; reducing a community’s infrastructure cost and promoting economic 

growth.5 More information is available at

http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_costbenefits.cfm. 

Protecting Waters

Most waters take years to recover fully, and although incremental improvements represent progress, 

these improvements are often difficult to measure. In FY 2015, the EPA will redirect $4.5 million and 10 

FTE in a new approach for measuring local improvements in water quality. This new tool builds upon 

efforts that the EPA has already made in coordinating with USGS on the National Hydrography Dataset 

Plus (NHDPlus), water quality monitoring, and providing information in a common format via the Water 

Quality Data Portal. This approach will provide data on water quality priority areas that will integrate with 

national and state-scale statistical surveys to provide a complete picture on water quality. 

The agency’s budget realigns $2.5 million extramural resources for efforts directed toward Municipal 

Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). These efforts will assist MS4s, particularly newly regulated 

MS4s, and support clean water goals of protecting the Nation’s waterbodies from the harmful effects of 

stormwater discharges. 

In FY 2015, resources will be used to develop tools to identify priorities in support of the TMDL 10-year 

vision. The CWA 303(d) Listing and TMDL program has engaged with states to implement the new 10-

year vision for the program. As part of this effort, the EPA will continue to encourage states to identify 

priority waters for assessment, development of TMDLs and other restoration plans for impaired segments 

and watersheds, and pursuit of protection approaches for unimpaired waters. The EPA will work with 

states and other partners to develop and implement activities and watershed plans to restore and protect 

these waters. This integrated approach will promote transparency, sharing of data and reduce reporting 

burden. 

In FY 2015, the EPA is proposing a realignment of $1 million to support states and tribes in making sound 

permitting decisions and providing oversight related to implementation of EPA’s guidance on hydraulic 

fracturing with diesel fuels. On February 12, 2014, the EPA released an interpretive memorandum and 

technical recommendations for EPA regions and state and tribal Directors responsible for implementing 

the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program Class II requirements under the Safe Drinking Water 

Act for oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels. This work supports the agency’s 

priorities of safeguarding public health and environmental justice, while recognizing the important role that 

energy extraction, including natural gas development, plays in our energy future. These funds will help 

states and tribes review complex data. Funding will also be used to conduct inspections of permitted wells 

to ensure ongoing compliance. Implementation support will ensure that authorized agencies are 

effectively managing and overseeing the rapidly growing energy sector while preventing endangerment of 

underground sources of drinking water. In addition, this also will help address the increased volume of 

wastewater and produced water that comes from hydraulic fracturing activities. 

Addressing Climate Change 

In FY 2015, in support for the President’s Climate Action Plan, the EPA is realigning $2 million to advance 

the long-term sustainability of water sector infrastructure and supplies by incorporating climate change 

and resiliency considerations into effective utility management practices. Climate change and other 

extreme events, in the absence of adequate planning, directly threaten water systems' ability to fulfill their 

public health and environmental missions as is evident from the devastation from Superstorm Sandy. We 

 

5 http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_why.cfm#Community

25
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

will continue working to ensure that water sector utilities have tools and information to prevent, detect, 

respond to, and recover from serious hazards including terrorist attacks, and extreme weather events. 

The EPA will promote more robust drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater (water sector) system 

adaptation by increasing the national prominence of the Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative 

and our emergency response (ER) and preparedness efforts. These redirected resources will improve the 

ability of drinking water and wastewater systems to continue to fulfill their public health and environmental 

missions despite unprecedented extreme weather events. 

Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety

As part of the Drinking Water Strategy, the agency is realigning $1 million and 2 FTE to increase its focus 

on regulating groups of drinking water contaminants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

Grouping contaminants can more effectively addresses potential risks and demonstrates a predictable 

strategy for regulating similar contaminants and/or groups in the future. This group regulation requires 

more scientific input, complex analyses, and supporting documentation than a regulation for a single 

contaminant. The innovative nature of the group regulation also dictates the need for increased 

public/scientific outreach and comment in the form of webinars and/or public meetings. 

Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds

The Administration has strongly supported the SRFs. Including the FY 2015 request, federal capitalization 

totals over $22 billion since 2009. Since their inception, the SRFs have been funded (including the FY 

2015 request) at over $59 billion. Going forward, the EPA will work to target assistance to small and 

underserved communities with a limited ability to repay loans, while maintaining state program integrity. 

The Administration strongly supports efforts to expand the use of green infrastructure to meet Clean 

Water Act goals. To further these efforts, the budget targets 20 percent of the CWSRF capitalization 

grants to green infrastructure projects including those to manage stormwater, which helps communities 

improve water quality while creating green space, mitigating flooding, and enhancing air quality. The 

CWSRFs have provided over $2.6 billion for water and energy efficiency, green infrastructure, and 

environmentally innovative projects.

Agency Priority Goals

The EPA has developed new FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goals that advance the Administrator’s 

Priorities and the agency’s Strategic Plan. The EPA’s two proposed goals to improve water quality are: 

Improve, restore, and maintain water quality by enhancing nonpoint source program leveraging, 

accountability, and on-the-ground effectiveness to address the nation’s largest sources of pollution. By 

September 30, 2015, 100 percent of the states will have updated nonpoint source management programs 

that comport with the new Section 319 grant guidelines that will result in better targeting of resources 

through prioritization and increased coordination with USDA.

Improve public health protection for persons served by small drinking water systems, which account for 

more than 97% of public water systems in the U.S., by strengthening the technical, managerial, and 

financial capacity of those systems. By September 30, 2015, the EPA will engage with an additional ten 

states (for a total of 30 states) and three tribes to improve small drinking water system capability to 

provide safe drinking water, an invaluable resource.

Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can be found at www.performance.gov.

FY 2015 Activities

The EPA will continue to emphasize watershed stewardship, watershed-based approaches, water 

efficiencies, and best practices. In addition to the realignments highlighted above, the EPA will continue to 

implement its core water programs to maximize efficiencies and environmental results. 

26
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Objective 1: Protect Human Health. Achieve and maintain standards and guidelines protective of 

human health in drinking water supplies, fish, shellfish, and recreational waters and protect and 

sustainably manage drinking water resources.

Drinking Water

To help achieve the agency’s priority to protect America’s waters, in FY 2015 the EPA will continue to 

implement its Drinking Water Strategy, an approach to expanding public health protection for drinking 

water. The EPA’s goal is to streamline decision-making, expand protection under existing laws, and 

promote cost-effective new technologies to meet the needs of rural, urban and other water-stressed 

communities. The agency will focus on regulating groups of drinking water contaminants, improving water 

treatment technology and expanding communication with states, tribes and urban and rural communities. 

As part of the strategy, the agency is investing an additional $1 million to increase its focus on regulating 

groups of drinking water contaminants which more effectively addresses potential risks and creates a 

framework for regulating similar contaminants and/or groups in the future. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will invest an additional $7.7 million in PWSS grants to augment state and tribal efforts 

in meeting existing drinking water regulations and prepare for implementation of new regulations, including the 

Revised Total Coliform Rule. States and tribes will work to ensure that systems can acquire and maintain 

basic implementation capabilities and can conduct sanitary surveys according to required schedules. 

These resources also will be used by states and tribes as they provide technical assistance and training 

to help meet the continued needs of the small water systems. The grants have been successful in helping 

public water systems achieve compliance with standards, as well as decreasing the number of small 

systems that have repeat health-based violations of standards. As of the end of FY 2013, 92 percent of 

the population served by community water systems (CWSs) received drinking water that met all 

applicable health-based drinking water standards. This result equaled the performance target. 

To help ensure water is safe to drink and to address the nation’s aging drinking water infrastructure, $757 

million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund will support new infrastructure improvement projects 

for public drinking water systems in FY 2015 and beyond. Getting these funds to where they are most 

needed in a timely manner is important. In FY 2015, appropriated DWSRF funds will again be allocated to 

the states in accordance with each state’s proportion of total drinking water infrastructure need based on 

the new 2011 Needs Survey which was reported to Congress in April 2013. 6

 The EPA also published 

data concerning the drinking water infrastructure needs of water systems serving tribes and Alaskan 

Native Villages as a special focus of this survey. 

These funds have been utilized effectively by the states. Since FY 2006, the fund utilization rate7 for the 

DWSRF has surpassed its target, and most recently in FY 2013, the DWSRF utilization rate of 91 percent 

exceeded the EPA’s target of 89 percent. In concert with the states, the EPA will focus this affordable, 

flexible financial assistance to support utility compliance with safe drinking water standards. The EPA 

requests a funding floor for assistance provided to Tribes, and will reserve the greater of $20 million or 

2% of appropriated funds for the Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. The EPA also will work with 

utilities to promote technical, financial, and managerial capacity as a critical means to meeting 

infrastructure needs and enhancing program performance and efficiency. 

The responsibility for communities and public water systems to continuously provide safe drinking water is 

a key component of the nation’s health and well being. The delivery of safe drinking water is often taken 

for granted and is extremely undervalued. More than 156,000 public water systems provide drinking 

water to the approximately 320 million persons in the U.S. More than 97% of these public water systems 

serve fewer than 10,000 persons. While most small systems consistently provide safe, reliable drinking 

water to their customers, many small systems are facing a number of significant challenges in their ability 

 

6 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. April 2013. 

http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/dwsrf/upload/epa816r13006.pdf

7 Utilization rate is the cumulative dollar amount of loan agreements divided by cumulative funds available 

for projects. Cumulative funds available include the federal capitalization grant portion and everything that 

is in the SRF (state match, interest payments, etc.).

27
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

to achieve and maintain system sustainability. These challenges include aging infrastructure, increased 

regulatory requirements, workforce shortages/high-turnover, increasing costs, and declining rate bases. 

The EPA is emphasizing attention to the needs of these small communities/systems while balancing 

current fiscal realities as the state grant and state assistance programs are implemented. In FY 2012, the 

EPA re-energized its small systems focus by working more closely with state programs to improve public 

water system sustainability and public health protection for persons served by small water systems as 

part of an Agency Priority Goal. Again in 2014 and 2015, by continuing the Priority Goal, the EPA is 

building on its successful efforts to strengthen small system technical, managerial and financial capability 

through the implementation of the Capacity Development Program, the Public Water System Supervision 

state grant program and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The Capacity Development Program 

establishes a framework within which states and water systems can work together to help these small 

systems achieve the SDWA’s public health protection objectives. The state Capacity Development 

programs are supported federally by the Public Water System Supervision state grant funds and the setasides established in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Since the 1996 SDWA Amendments, 

states have implemented a variety of activities to assist small systems with their compliance challenges 

and enhance their technical, managerial, and financial capacity. 

The EPA continues to increase public awareness of the risks to human health associated with the 

consumption of fish contaminated with mercury, an effort directly linked to the agency mission to protect 

human health. EPA analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) 

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) ), show that the geometric mean of blood 

mercury levels decreased by 34 percent in women of childbearing age between the first survey cycle 

(1999 – 2000) and second survey cycle (2001-2002), and then remained fairly constant between 2003 

and 2010.The study also found that there was a 65 percent decrease in the number of women of 

childbearing age with blood levels of mercury above the level of concern between the first and second 

survey cycles of NHANES. While the data do not indicate that women are consuming less fish, the 

analysis suggests that women have reduced their consumption of the types of fish that have higher 

mercury concentrations. Further information is available in the EPA study published in June 2013 entitled 

Trends in Blood Mercury Concentrations and Fish Consumption among U.S. Women of Childbearing 

Age; http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/fishshellfish/fishadvisories/upload/Trends-in-BloodMercury-Concentrations-and-Fish-Consumption-Among-U-S-Women-of-Childbearing-Age-NHANES1999-2010.pdf

Objective 2: Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems: Protect, restore, and sustain 

the quality of rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands on a watershed basis, and sustainably manage and 

protect coastal and ocean resources and ecosystems.

Clean Water

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to collaborate with states and tribes to make progress toward the EPA’s 

clean water goals. Programs for controlling nonpoint sources of pollution are a key to reducing the 

number of impaired waters nationwide. The programs provide a multi-faceted approach to the problem, 

using innovative development strategies to help leverage traditional tools. The EPA will support efforts of 

states, tribes, other federal agencies, and local communities to develop watershed-based plans to 

achieve water quality standards. Working with states to more fully utilize the revolving fund capitalization 

grants will help build, revive, and “green” our aging infrastructure. In FY 2015, funding in categorical 

grants for clean water programs will enable the EPA, states, and tribes to implement core clean water 

programs and promising innovations on a watershed basis to accelerate water quality improvements. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to forge and strengthen strategic partnerships with other federal agency 

programs, in particular with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, which implements Farm 

Bill conservation programs that can help control nonpoint source pollution. Agricultural sources of 

pollution in the form of animal waste, fertilizer, and sediments have a particularly profound effect on water 

quality. In FY 2015, the EPA will partner with USDA to focus federal resources on watersheds in every 

state. As part of our joint work, in FY 2014, 173 priority watersheds were selected in 51 states and areas 

28
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

for targeted USDA conservation investments. In FY 2014, the EPA worked with states as they stood up 

in-stream monitoring support in impaired watersheds to assess water quality progress from implemented 

conservation practices in 68 of the NWQI watersheds; this monitoring will continue in FY2015. Tackling 

nonpoint source pollution is an FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goal with quarterly milestones. 

Building on 30 years of clean water successes, the EPA, in conjunction with states and tribes, will 

address the requirements of the Clean Water Act by focusing on two primary tools: Total Maximum Daily 

Loads8 (TMDLs) and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, built upon 

scientifically sound water quality standards and technology-based pollutant discharge limits. In FY 2015, 

the CWA 303(d) Listing and TMDL Program will continue to engage with states to implement the new 10-

year vision for the program. As part of this effort, the EPA will continue to encourage states to identify 

priority waters for assessment and for completing TMDLs and other restoration plans to address impaired 

segments. The EPA will work with states and other partners to develop and implement activities and 

watershed plans to restore these waters. 

The EPA also will work with states and other partners to improve our ability to identify and protect healthy 

waters/watersheds, and to pursue integration and application of core program tools. As part of an agencywide effort to make regulations easier to implement, resources have been realigned to accelerate 

implementation of e-reporting, which will minimize burden for data entry and error resolution, reduce effort 

in responding to public requests for data, establish consistent requirements for electronic reporting across 

all states, and allow more timely access to NPDES program data in an electronic format for the EPA, 

states, regulated entities, and the public.

 

The EPA will continue to work with states to structure the permit program to better support 

comprehensive protection of water quality on a watershed basis. Progress has been steady in improving 

water quality conditions in impaired watersheds nationwide. Reductions in nutrient levels in sources of 

drinking water reduce treatment costs while strengthening public health protection. In 2008 there were 

only 60 watersheds that experienced improved water quality conditions, as identified by removal of one or 

more causes of impairment. By FY 2013, this number had risen to 376, exceeding the target of 370. 

Water quality conditions remain a significant challenge, with approximately 41,000 known impaired water 

bodies nationwide in 2013. In FY 2015, the EPA will focus on: promoting the use of green infrastructure 

and water quality-based effluent limits in stormwater permits; controlling discharges from concentrated

animal feeding operations; and addressing issues of permitting for new waste streams, such as shale gas 

extraction; and steam electric power plants. To combat stormwater as a main contributor of nutrients and 

sediments, the agency issued a final 2012 NPDES general permit for stormwater discharges from large 

and small construction activities. The general permit will strengthen requirements for stormwater 

discharges from, at minimum, eligible existing and new construction projects in all areas of the country

where the EPA is the NPDES permitting authority.

The EPA requests $1.018 billion in capitalization to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). As 

of June 2012, the CWSRF has offered over 33,000 assistance agreements to local communities, 

providing approximately $100 billion in affordable financing for wastewater infrastructure, nonpoint source 

pollution control, and estuary management projects. In FY 2015, the Agency continues to provide an 

important tool for reaching underserved and disadvantaged communities by allowing the CWSRF to 

provide a portion of the federal funds as additional subsidy in the form of principal forgiveness, negative 

interest, or grants. In 2015, the Agency is requesting that not less than 10 percent but not more than 20 

percent of the CWSRF appropriation made available to each state be used to provide additional subsidy 

to eligible recipients in the form of forgiveness of principal, negative interest loans, or grants (or any 

combination of these). The additional subsidy would apply to the entire CWSRF appropriation.

In FY 2015, the agency is requesting a Tribal set-aside of two percent, or $30 million, whichever is 

greatest, of the funds appropriated from the CWSRF. The agency requests the establishment of a 

funding floor for the Tribes due to overall declining funding levels that have negatively impacted the 

 

8 For more information, visit: http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/index.cfm. 

29
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Tribes. Resources for the tribes will provide much needed assistance to these communities whose 

sanitation infrastructure lags behind the rest of the country causing significant public health concerns. 

The Section 106 Categorical State Grant Program supports prevention and control measures that 

improve water quality. In FY 2015, the agency is requesting an additional $18.4 million in Section 106 

funding for states and tribes to implement water pollution control programs and support state and tribal 

nutrient management efforts consistent with EPA guidance issued in March 2011. Nitrogen and 

phosphorus pollution is one of the costliest and most challenging environmental problems, but there are 

solutions for both point and nonpoint sources that can yield progress.

Through the Monitoring and Assessment Partnership, the EPA will work with states to develop and apply 

innovative and efficient monitoring tools and techniques to optimize availability of high-quality data to 

support Clean Water Act program needs and to expand the use of monitoring data and geo-spatial tools 

for water resource protection to set priorities and evaluate effectiveness of water protection. The EPA, 

states, and tribes will collaborate to plan and mobilize to conduct field sampling for the 2015 National 

Coastal Condition Assessment. In FY 2015, the EPA and states will release the 2012 National Lakes 

Assessment following partner and external peer review. The EPA and states will initiate data analysis and 

peer review of the second National Rivers and Streams Assessment, and the report will be completed in 

FY 2016. In FY 2015, the EPA/State Steering Committee for the National Wetlands Assessment will be 

planning the next survey targeted to be conducted in the field in calendar year 2016.9

The EPA, in cooperation with federal, state and tribal governments and other stakeholders will continue to 

make progress toward achieving the national goal of no net loss of wetlands under the Clean Water Act 

Section 404 regulatory program. In FY 2015, the agency is providing $14.7 million for Wetlands Program 

Development Grants. In addition, in FY 2015, the EPA will be working with other federal and state 

partners to maximize the effectiveness of resources provided through the Resources and Ecosystems 

Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE 

Act) and supporting the Natural Resource Damage Assessment associated with the Deepwater Horizon 

oil spill to restore the Gulf of Mexico.

Since 2002, almost one and a half million acres of habitat have been protected or restored within National 

Estuary Program study areas. The agency’s FY 2015 budget requests $26.7 million for National Estuaries 

Programs and Coastal Waterways that will enable the protection or restoration of more than one hundred 

thousand habitat acres. 

The agency will continue in FY 2015 to assist communities - particularly underserved communities - in 

their local efforts to restore and protect the quality of their urban waters. By integrating water quality 

improvement activities with local priorities, the EPA will help to sustain local commitment for water quality 

improvement in urban watersheds. The EPA will provide grants and technical assistance and will partner 

with federal, state, local, and non-governmental organizations to support community stewardship of local 

urban water restoration efforts, helping communities revitalize their waterfronts and accelerate 

measurable water quality improvements. This work supports the President’s American’s Great Outdoors 

(AGO) initiative. In FY 2015 the EPA will continue to co-lead the Urban Waters Federal Partnership to 

deliver technical assistance to 18 Federal Partnership locations to help advance their water restoration 

and community revitalization goals. In FY 2015 the Partnership will continue to align federal resources to 

meet local needs more effectively and to advance shared multi-agency priorities. For example, the 

partnership will help address storm water management and promote green infrastructure through 

identification and transfer of best practices and successful local approaches. Also in FY 2015, the 

Partnership will continue to support public-private partnerships that leverage additional resources to 

support local efforts to restore watersheds. 

 

9 National Water Quality Assessment Report. http://www.epa.gov/waters/ir/about_integrated.html

30
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Climate Change- Management of Sustainable Resources

Climate change contributes to changes in water quality and poses significant challenges to water 

resource managers. Impacts of climate change include too little water in some places and too much water 

in others, while some locations are subject to both of these conditions during different times of the year. 

Water cycle changes are expected to continue and will adversely affect energy production and use, 

human health, transportation, agriculture, and ecosystems. In 2012, the National Water Program 

published the second National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change, which 

describes a set of long-term goals for the management of sustainable water resources for future 

generations in light of climate change and charts the key “building blocks” that would need to be taken to 

achieve those goals. It also reflects the wider context of climate change-related activity that is underway 

throughout the nation. The 2012 Strategy is intended to be a roadmap to guide future programmatic 

planning.

 

WaterSense, Climate Ready Estuaries, Climate Ready Water Utilities, and Green Infrastructure are 

examples of programs that will help stakeholders adapt to climate change in FY 2015. The Climate Ready 

Water Utilities initiative will help water systems of all sizes integrate climate variability considerations into 

their long-range planning. Efforts to incorporate climate change considerations into key programs will help 

protect water quality and the nation’s investment in drinking water and wastewater treatment 

infrastructure. The Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative would support additional preparation for 

the impacts of climate change by protecting and enhancing coastal wetlands. 

Geographic Water Programs

The Administration has expanded and enhanced numerous cross-agency efforts to promote collaboration 

and coordination among agencies, which include a suite of large aquatic ecosystem restoration efforts. 

Four prominent examples of the EPA of cross-agency restoration efforts are the Puget Sound, the Great 

Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico. Working with its partners and stakeholders, the EPA 

has established special programs to protect and restore each of these unique natural resources. 

The EPA’s ecosystem protection programs encompass a wide range of approaches that address specific 

at-risk regional areas and larger categories of threatened systems, such as urban waters, estuaries, and 

wetlands. Locally generated pollution, combined with pollution carried by rivers and streams and through 

air deposition, can accumulate in these ecosystems and degrade them over time. The EPA and its federal 

partners along with states, tribes, municipalities, and private parties, will continue efforts to restore the 

integrity of these waters.

Puget Sound:

The Puget Sound program’s FY 2015 budget request of $25 million will allow the EPA to continue 

supporting efforts to protect and restore the Puget Sound by implementing the Puget Sound Action 

Agenda. The Action Agenda emphasizes three areas: shellfish, stormwater, and habitat. The goal is for 

the estuary to support balanced indigenous populations of shellfish, fish and wildlife, and the extensive list 

of recognized uses of the Puget Sound, as well as to meet obligations under federal tribal treaties. In FY 

2013 the Puget Sound was able to report 30,128 acres of near shore, riparian, and wetland habitat acres 

protected or restored, an increase of over 6,000 since 2012. 

The EPA provides leadership for the Puget Sound Federal Caucus and co-chairs the overall federal effort 

to address Treaty Rights at Risk10. The EPA addresses its obligations under federal Tribal treaties by 

funding Puget Sound projects that support treaty-protected resources such as indigenous populations of 

shellfish, fish and other wildlife. By emphasizing these areas, the agency’s implementation of the EPA 

actions in the Federal Habitat Plan and its participation in the Tribal-Federal Habitat Forum further 

demonstrate its commitment to Tribal concerns in Puget Sound. In FY 2015, the EPA proposes to provide 

twenty-five percent of the total program funding directly to tribes. Additionally, fifty percent of the total 

funding will be directed to assistance agreements addressing salmon and shellfish recovery, and 

specifically riparian buffers and habitat protection. 

 

10For more information, visit: http://nwifc.org/w/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/08/whitepaper628finalpdf.pdf 

31
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

Great Lakes:

In FY 2015, $275 million in funding for the EPA-led Great Lakes Restoration Initiative will address priority 

environmental issues (e.g., toxic substances, nonpoint source pollution, habitat degradation and loss, and 

invasive species) in the largest freshwater system in the world. This carefully coordinated interagency 

effort involves the White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland 

Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of State, Department of Defense, 

Department of Interior, and Department of Transportation and begins efforts under a new action plan 

beginning in 2015. This effort has contributed to the removal of 29 Beneficial Use Impairments at 13 

different Great Lakes Areas of Concern through FY 2013, meeting the EPA’s FY 2013 cumulative target 

of 41 for this measure.

The EPA expects to continue to achieve substantial public and environmental health results through both 

federal projects and projects conducted in collaboration with states, tribes, municipalities, universities, 

and other organizations. The EPA expects to continue remediating and restoring Areas of Concern, 

preventing and controlling invasive species, protecting nearshore areas and addressing nonpoint sources 

of pollution, protecting and restoring habitats and species, and addressing other crosscutting issues.

The EPA will place a priority on: 1) cleaning up and de-listing Areas of Concern; 2) reducing phosphorus 

contributions from agricultural and urban lands that contribute to harmful algal blooms and other water 

quality impairments; and 3) invasive species prevention. Expected outcomes include remediation of over 

400 thousand cubic yards of contaminated sediment; completing management actions at additional Areas 

of Concern and delisting of one or more Areas of Concern; reduction or control of terrestrial invasive 

species on about 1,000 acres; and targeting of sources of excess nutrients in sub-watersheds of the 

western basin of Lake Erie, Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, and Green Bay on Lake Michigan. 

Chesapeake Bay:

The Chesapeake Bay program is funded in FY 2015 at approximately $73 million which will allow the

EPA-led inter-agency Federal Leadership Committee to continue to implement the President’s Executive 

Order (EO) on Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration, to meet the EPA’s broad responsibilities 

under Clean Water Act Section 117. Key initiatives include: completing and implementing a new 

partnership agreement to establish management strategies and outcomes for fisheries, water quality, 

habitat, and other key areas that are consistent with the EO; continuing to assist states in implementing 

their Phase II Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs); preparing for a mid-point assessment of progress 

made under the Bay TMDL; assisting Bay jurisdictions in developing effective offset and trading 

programs; conducting assessments of jurisdictions’ agricultural, stormwater and trading and offset 

programs; conducting permit reviews; continuing compliance and enforcement in accordance with the EO 

strategy; providing financial support and technical guidance for innovative environmental technologies, 

market mechanisms, and alternative financing approaches to more effectively achieve the goals of the 

TMDL; developing strategies to implement the goals to address toxics; improving the Bay monitoring 

system; implementing a basin-wide Best Management Practice verification framework; and improving the 

publicly available web-based accountability tools ChesapeakeStat and the Bay Tracking and 

Accountability System (BayTAS). 

FY 2015 funding will help the Chesapeake Bay Program continue to implement pollution controls 

necessary to restore Bay water quality. The program met or exceeded its FY 2013 targets for pollution 

controls. Several of the Bay watershed jurisdictions have established or expanded water quality trading 

programs to support the goals of their WIPs and other milestones. By FY 2015, the program expects to 

achieve 37.5 percent of its goals for implementing nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment reduction actions 

to achieve final TMDL allocations (the FY 2010 baseline is 0 percent, and the long term goal is 100 

percent goal achievement by 2025).

The Chesapeake Bay Program’s grant programs are important tools for ensuring progress on the seven 

Bay jurisdictions’ WIPs, and the EPA is working to ensure that the states provide support to local 

governments as they take the on-the-ground actions necessary to achieve the goals of the Chesapeake 

Bay TMDL. The EPA also will direct investments toward local governments and watershed organizations 

based on their ability to reduce nutrient and sediment loads under such key sectors as development and 

32
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

agriculture. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to provide resources to Bay watershed jurisdictions working 

to improve the viability and integrity of their water quality offset and trading programs. 

Gulf of Mexico Program:

The Gulf of Mexico program’s FY 2015 budget request of $3.8 million will allow the EPA to continue its 

support for Gulf restoration work, such as habitat conservation and replenishment and protection of 

coastal and marine resources. The EPA will actively support the Resources and Ecosystems 

Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE 

Act) and other activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico received an 

overall health rating of 2.4 out of 5 in the National Coastal Conditions Report, meeting its FY 2012 target. 

The index is a compilation of 5 individual indices measuring a broad range of environmental conditions: 

water quality, sediment quality, benthic zone conditions, condition of coastal habitats, and fish tissue 

contaminants. During FY 2015, funding will support (through the competitive federal process) the 

development and implementation of comprehensive, stakeholder-informed coastal improvement projects 

and tools. The focus will be efforts that directly enhance community planning, risk assessment, green 

infrastructure and smart growth implementation. The Gulf Program works extensively and collaboratively 

with multiple agencies that share responsibility in this area, including the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Grant Programs and the U.S. Geological Survey. 

Homeland Security

In FY 2015, the EPA will focus on conducting extensive training and outreach on the recently completed 

electronic deployment tool, the Surveillance and Response System, that guides water systems though the 

process of designing and deploying drinking water contamination warning systems. The EPA also will 

continue to support the Water Alliance for Threat Reduction to protect the nation’s critical water 

infrastructure and oversee the national laboratory network that forms the Water Laboratory Alliance. The 

Water Laboratory Alliance enables the water sector to rapidly analyze a surge of laboratory samples 

during a significant contamination event. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will invest $500 thousand in cybersecurity in order to fulfill its obligations under 

Executive Order (EO) 13636 – Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity – which designates the EPA 

as the lead agency responsible for cybersecurity in the water sector. Recent assessments by the 

Department of Homeland Security have supported the widespread concern that the primary threat to the 

nation’s critical infrastructure is cyber-attack on Industrial Control Systems (ICS). Both drinking water and 

wastewater systems rely heavily on ICS that were designed in many cases decades ago with little or no 

consideration of cyber security. Any interruption of a clean and safe water supply would erode public 

confidence and could produce significant public health and economic consequences. As such, the EPA 

will increase its efforts in cybersecurity as consistent with the President’s direction.

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to build its capacity to identify and respond to threats to critical national 

water infrastructure. The EPA’s wastewater and drinking water security efforts will continue to support the 

water sector by providing access to information-sharing tools and mechanisms that provide timely 

information on contaminant properties, water treatment effectiveness, detection technologies, analytical 

protocols, and laboratory capabilities for use in responding to a water contamination event. 

Research

The Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) research program, funded at $114.2 million in FY 

2015, conducts research and provides the information and tools to EPA, water resource managers, and 

other decision makers at all levels of government. Research integrates social, economic, and 

environmental sciences to support the nation’s range of growing water-use and ecological requirements.

33
Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters

The SSWR research program conducts research around two inter-related themes:

Theme 1: Sustainable Water Resources - Integrates environmental, economic, social, and sciences to 

provide effective and efficient tools to ensure safe and sustainable water quality and availability. 

Research focuses on protecting and restoring water resources for designated uses (e.g., drinking water, 

aquatic life, recreation, agriculture, industrial processes).

Theme 2: Sustainable Water Infrastructure Systems – Focuses on developing innovative water 

infrastructure management approaches and techniques for reducing barriers to improved water-resources 

management. Research encompasses system design, treatment alternatives and potential 

negative/positive health effects, life-cycle analysis, best management practices (BMP), resiliency and 

viability. SSWR is increasingly focusing on unique needs for small water systems. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will shift the emphasis of its Green Infrastructure research efforts away from 

performance monitoring of best management practices (BMP) at individual sites to work with communities 

and to expand research efforts with constructed and natural green infrastructure to a more holistic, 

watershed approach. This will include reinvesting $2.3 million for the pilot-testing of approaches for:

• Integrating the use and placement of natural green infrastructure (wetlands, riparian buffers) and 

constructed green infrastructure (permeable pavement, green roofs, etc.) within the watershed for 

maximum stormwater interception and mitigation;

• Mitigating flood events and “heat-island” effects that have associated public health and economic 

consequences, especially during extreme weather events and a warming climate; and 

• Reducing sediment and nutrients in source water watersheds used for drinking water.

Research on long-term performance monitoring and new BMP development will continue through support 

for extramural research at academic institutions. 

Energy and mineral extraction and production also have the potential to impact surface and subsurface 

water resources. The SSWR program is developing assessment techniques to assist our policy and 

decision makers at the local, state, and federal levels, in creating an environmentally responsible energy 

policy. In particular, in FY 2015 hydraulic fracturing (HF) research will focus on understanding any 

potential impacts of energy-associated activities on water resources. In conjunction with this, in 2012, the 

EPA signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DOE and DOI, to develop a multi-agency program 

to focus on timely, policy relevant science to support sound policy decisions by state and Federal 

agencies for ensuring the prudent development of energy sources while protecting human health and the 

environment. Additional goals include minimizing potential risks in developing these resources, 

maximizing each agency’s particular strength, and reducing interagency overlap. Additionally, in a 

coordinated effort between the SSWR and the Air, Climate and Energy (ACE) research programs, the 

EPA will study potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on air, water quality, and ecosystems. The EPA 

expects to publish the Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources final synthesis report 

for peer review in December 2014. This synthesis report will outline the results of research focused on the 

potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, and, if so, what the driving factors 

are.

34
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable 

Development

Strategic Goal: Clean up communities, advance sustainable development, 

and protect disproportionately impacted low-income and minority 

communities. Prevent releases of harmful substances and clean up and 

restore contaminated areas.

Resource Summary

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

President’s

Budget

Difference

FY 2014 EN 

to FY 2015

PresBud

1 - Promote Sustainable and Livable 

 Communities $451,416 $455,794 $457,466 $1,672

2 - Preserve Land $219,421 $226,932 $236,298 $9,366

3 - Restore Land $1,035,216 $1,018,489 $1,094,801 $76,312

4 - Strengthen Human Health and 

 Environmental Protection in Indian 

 Country $83,756 $86,687 $120,273 $33,586

 Goal 3 Total $1,789,809 $1,787,902 $1,908,838 $120,936

Workyears 4,145 3,890 3,865 (25)

NOTE: Numbers may not add due to rounding. 

Introduction

The EPA has made it a priority to work with other federal agencies, states, tribes and local communities to 

improve the health of American families and protect the environment one community at a time, all across 

the country. Resources in Goal 3 will: expand the work we do to enhance the livability and economic 

vitality of neighborhoods in and around brownfields sites and take into consideration the impacts of our 

decisions on environmental justice communities... Increased resources will support improvements to 

oversight of chemical storage and manufacturing, carried out by EPA in coordination with our interagency 

partners. These efforts will remain a key focus of attention. The EPA will continue to enhance the 

tracking and management of hazardous waste through modern e-Manifest tracking systems. 

The EPA strives to protect and restore land, by cleaning up communities to create a safer environment for 

all Americans. Hazardous and non-hazardous wastes on land can migrate to air, groundwater and 

surface water, contaminating drinking water supplies, causing acute illnesses and chronic diseases, and 

threatening healthy ecosystems. Local land use and infrastructure investments also can generate 

unanticipated environmental consequences, such as increased stormwater runoff, loss of open space, 

and increased greenhouse gas emissions. By cleaning up contaminated sites and returning them to 

communities for reuse, assisting communities to use existing infrastructure and plan for more efficient and 

24.2% of Budget

35
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

livable communities, and encouraging the minimization of environmental impacts throughout the full life 

cycle of materials, EPA programs promote sustainability. The EPA leads efforts to preserve, restore, and 

protect our land, for both current and future generations. We will continue our work to prevent and reduce 

exposure to contaminants, accelerate the pace of cleanups, and reduce the environmental impacts 

associated with land use across the country. The EPA works collaboratively with international, state, 

tribal, and local partners to achieve these aims. In addition, we will continue to work with communities to 

address risks posed by intentional and accidental releases of hazardous substances into the environment 

and ensure that communities have an opportunity to participate in environmental decisions that affect 

them. Our efforts are guided by scientific data, tools, and research that alert us to emerging issues and 

inform decisions on managing materials and addressing contaminated properties. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will partner with state and tribes to prevent and reduce exposure to contaminants. 

For example, improved compliance at high-risk oil and chemical facilities through inspections will help 

prevent exposure and lower the risk of accidents. The EPA and its key state, tribal, and local partners, 

including affected communities, have matured in our collaborative approaches to identifying and cleaning 

up contaminated sites and putting these sites back into productive use for communities. The Integrated 

Cleanup Initiative (ICI) has moved into an implementation phase. This initiatve integrates and leverages 

the full range of the agency’s land cleanup authorities to accelerate the pace of cleanups, address a 

greater number of contaminated sites, and put these sites back into productive use while protecting 

human health and the environment. The agency will continue to apply lessons learned from conducting a 

series of project management pilots under the ICI which include practices that better integrate the 

remedial design and remedial action phases of site cleanup. 

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, or Superfund) 

and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) provide legal authority for the EPA’s work to 

protect the land. The agency and its partners use Superfund authority to clean up uncontrolled or 

abandoned hazardous waste sites, allowing land to be returned to productive use. Under RCRA, the EPA 

works in partnership with states and tribes to address risks associated with processes that generates, 

recycles, transports, treats, stores, or disposes of waste.

It is estimated that 27 million people in the U.S. live within a mile of hazardous waste management 

facilities.1 In FY 2015, the agency is providing over $1.1 billion to continue to apply the most effective 

approaches to preserve and restore land by developing and implementing prevention programs, 

improving response capabilities, and maximizing the effectiveness of response and cleanup actions under 

RCRA, Superfund, Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST) and other authorities. This strategy will 

help ensure that human health and the environment are protected and that land is returned to beneficial 

use in the most effective way. Many communities across the country regularly face risks posed by 

intentional and accidental releases of hazardous substances into the environment.

In FY 2015, improvements to land cleanup programs (e.g., Superfund, Brownfields, RCRA Corrective 

Action, and Leaking Underground Storage Tanks) to address the cleanup needs at individual sites will be 

supported by scientific data, research, and cost-effective tools. The EPA is making significant progress in 

assuring that in advance of the full cleanup process, unacceptable human exposures are eliminated or 

controlled as soon as possible. The RCRA Corrective Action and Superfund programs have made 

significant progress in stabilizing exposure, while longer-term cleanup moves forward. Across all cleanup 

programs, the EPA will continue to take action to address any unacceptable exposures and eliminate 

acute risks while also pursuing long-term, permanent cleanups. This approach is exemplified by the 

EPA’s goal to control contaminated groundwater migration at 1,133 final and deleted NPL sites and nonNPL sites through Superfund Alternative Approach (SAA) agreements; and to control human exposures 

 

1 Estimate drawn from OSWER Near Site Population Database, an internal EPA database that merges 

facility size and location information from RCRAInfo with population data, at the block and block group 

levels, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 Census. The demographics were captured around the total 

number of facilities that have approved controls in place that result in the protection of this population (20 

million people).

36
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

to contamination at 1,421 final and deleted NPL sites and non-NPL sites through SAA agreements by the 

end of FY 2015.

The EPA also will continue to implement its Community Engagement Initiative to ensure transparent and 

accessible decision-making processes, deliver information that communities can use to participate 

meaningfully, and help the EPA produce outcomes that are responsive to community perspectives and 

that ensure timely cleanup decisions. 

Under federal environmental statutes, the EPA has responsibility for protecting human health and the 

environment in Indian country. Under the EPA’s 1984 Indian Policy, the agency works with tribes on a 

government-to-government basis in recognition of the federal government's trust responsibility to 

federally-recognized tribes and that the “EPA recognizes tribes as the primary parties for setting 

standards, making environmental policy decisions, and managing programs for reservations consistent 

with agency standards and regulations.” 

Major FY 2015 Changes

The FY 2015 request funds our top priority work in six areas. In Goal 3, resources are focused on Making 

a Visible Difference in Communities Across the Country; Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety; 

Working Toward a Sustainable Future; and Building a High Performing Environmental Protection 

Enterprise. While continuing EPA’s ongoing commitment to science, the rule of law and transparency, we 

have updated and refined our current direction to maximize our effectiveness and guide our agenda in the 

months and years ahead. Goal 3 resources include extramural resources and FTE will be focused to 

enhance our core work in these targeted areas and build on progress to date to advance these priorities 

in FY 2015. Further details are organized below by the Administrator’s themes and found in the specific 

program project narratives.

Making a Visible Difference in Communities across the Country 

Resources to strengthen an integrated approach to communities and tribes across multiple programs are 

essential. We are realigning and focusing resources and substantial FTE for the regional offices to further 

implement and coordinate activities and also to provide support to enhance program design, build new 

tools, and leverage the work of other partners. Redirected FTE will build on current efforts and support 

increased focus on enhancing the livability and economic vitality of neighborhoods in and around 

brownfields sites by furthering on-the ground implementation and coordination activities. The focus will be 

enhancing program design by including considerations of resiliency, adaptation, equitable development, 

and environmental justice, and leveraging the work of other partners. 

Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety

Protecting communities and improving safety is a key responsibility of the EPA. The President’s Executive 

Order on Chemical Safety2 (August 1, 2013) recognized the need to take some common sense steps now 

to improve safety and security and build on ongoing work across federal agencies to reduce the risks 

associated with hazardous chemicals. In FY 2015, resources aligned to this priority area will support 

activities to expand tools, information and materials for State Emergency Response Commissions and 

Local Emergency Planning Committees. Nearly $12 million and 12 FTE in additional resources will be 

used to fund technical support, EPA/interagency data system enhancements, and outreach in the State 

and Local Prevention and Preparedness program.

Working Toward a Sustainable Future

We need to move beyond the foundation of environmental protection that the EPA has built with our state, 

tribal, and community partners. The EPA’s budget proposal provides resources to multiple programs and 

regional offices to support integrated cross-program approaches, which focus on increasing sustainability. 

 

2 Executive Order on Improving Chemical Facility and Security #13650

37
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

A redirection of 5 FTE for Sustainable Materials Management will improve regionally-focused outreach to 

cities, towns, and businesses. 

Building a High Performing Environmental Protection Enterprise 

Necessary to our strategic approach to the FY 2015 budget and constrained resources is redesigning the 

way we do business. Resources have been realigned to focus on the building blocks of a modern, more 

efficient EPA, in order to support and even accelerate the pace of better integrating technology, 

enhancing internal programmatic leveraging, and updating or implementing new approaches to core 

business processes. As part of the E-Enterprise business model, resources and FTE have been realigned 

to E-Manifest for system development and for support of on-going efforts to incorporate e-reporting and 

provide greater efficiency in implementation across the full range of the agency’s of rules updates and 

targeting tools. 

To meet the FY 2015 target and provide support to our top priorities, we will make fundamental changes 

to our long-standing business practices in contracts, grants and oversight of delegated programs, among 

others. Implementing these changes requires realigning resources and people to ensure that we increase 

effectiveness without undermining vital protections or quality and financial management. 

Agency Priority Goals

As part of the formulation of the FY 2015 budget, the EPA has developed FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority 

Goals that advance the Administrator’s Priorities and the agency’s Strategic Plan. 

Clean up contaminated sites to enhance the livability and economic vitality of communities. By 2015, an 

additional 18,970 sites will be made ready for anticipated use, protecting Americans and the environment 

one community at a time. All of OSWER’s cleanup programs (Superfund, RCRA Corrective Action, 

Brownfields, and LUST) contribute to this goal and take positive action to protect human health and the 

environment through the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated properties.

Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can be found at www.performance.gov.

FY 2015 Activities

In FY 2015, the EPA will work to preserve and restore the nation’s land by ensuring proper management 

of waste and petroleum products, reducing waste generation, increasing recycling and by supporting its 

cleanup programs and oversight of oil and chemical facilities. These efforts are integrated with the 

agency’s efforts to promote sustainable and livable communities. Work under Goal 3 supports four 

objectives: 1) Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities, 2) Preserve Land; 3) Restore Land; and 4) 

Strengthen Human Health and Environmental Protection in Indian Country. 

Objective 1: Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities. Support sustainable, resilient, and 

livable communities by working with local, state, tribal, and federal partners to promote smart growth, 

emergency preparedness and recovery planning, redevelopment and reuse of contaminated and formerly

contaminated sites, and the equitable distribution of environmental benefits.

The EPA supports the goals of urban, suburban and rural communities to grow in ways that improve the 

environment, human health and quality of life for their residents. With the support of partners across all 

levels of government, communities can grow in ways that also strengthen the economy, help them adapt 

to climate change, improve their resiliency to disasters, use public resources more efficiently, revitalize 

neighborhoods, and improve access to jobs and amenities. By making sustainable infrastructure 

investments, communities can successfully build innovative and functional systems on neighborhood 

streets and sidewalks to deal with the run-off from stormwater and still provide easy access for 

pedestrians, bicyclists, on-street parking and other beneficial uses. Under local planning and zoning 

codes that account for the environmental impacts of development, the private sector can more easily 

38
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

construct market-ready “green” buildings serving a range of housing needs. Communities also can benefit 

from tools, technology and research that better engage citizens and inform local decision making to 

support smart and sustainable growth.

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to use several approaches to promote sustainable, healthier 

communities and protect vulnerable populations and disproportionately impacted low-income, minority, 

and Tribal communities. The agency especially is concerned about threats to sensitive populations, such 

as children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic diseases.

Brownfields:

The EPA’s Brownfields program is funded at nearly $161 million, which includes related Smart Growth 

activities. This program supports states, local communities, and Tribes in their efforts to assess and 

cleanup sites that may be contaminated within their jurisdiction and return them to productive reuse. The 

Brownfields program also helps address climate change by ensuring that potential climate change 

impacts are taken fully into account when brownfield cleanups are planned and implemented. 

The EPA plans to award approximately 119 assessment grants, 52 cleanup grants, 17 Environmental 

Workforce Development and Job Training grants, 20 area wide planning grants, and a variety of technical 

assistance, targeted assessment, and petroleum brownfields grants. Beginning in FY 2015, the agency 

plans to alternate the grant competition cycle and award Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) cooperative 

agreements to eligible recipients every other year. By holding this competition every other year, the 

program will be able to reduce the costs of the grant competition and will utilize the grant funds in off 

years to fund eligible high performing existing RLF grantees. Additionally, this alternating schedule will 

allow regional staff to provide more assistance and attention to managing existing grants and maximizing 

results and promoting timely implementation. This would have the additional benefit of reducing 

unliquidated obligations in existing RLF grants. The next RLF grant competition will occur in FY 2016. 

In addition, the Brownfields program, in collaboration with the EPA’s Smart Growth program, will address 

critical issues for brownfields redevelopment, including financing, coordination with local government 

efforts to improve land use planning, and other factors that influence the economic viability of brownfields 

redevelopment. In FY 2015, the Brownfields program will continue to foster federal, state, local, and 

public-private partnerships to return 2,800 acres of brownfields properties to productive economic use in 

communities. The Brownfields program generally, and area-wide planning specifically, will continue to be 

a component of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) to advance 

manufacturing uses on redeveloped brownfield sites.

Chemical Safety:

In FY 2015, the EPA is providing $27.5 million for the State and Local Prevention and Preparedness 

program, which includes a an increase of over $12 million to support additional high-risk chemical facility 

inspections, and activities related to the President’s Executive Order on Chemical Safety3

. There is a 

critical need for the agency to continue efforts to prevent and respond to accidental releases of harmful 

substances by developing clear authorities and training personnel. Accidents reported to the EPA since 

2005 by the current universe of Risk Management Program facilities have resulted in approximately 60 

worker and public deaths, over 1,300 injuries, nearly 200 thousand people sheltered in place, and more 

than $1.6 billion in on-site and off-site damages, including recent high profile incidents. States and 

communities often lack the strong infrastructure needed to prepare for and/or respond to these 

emergencies or to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Smart Growth:

The Smart Growth program helps community and government leaders protect the environment and public 

health, build the economy, and improve the quality of people’s everyday lives by making smart growth 

and sustainable design practices commonplace. Also, through the Partnership for Sustainable 

Communities, in its fifth year, EPA’s Smart Growth program works with the U.S. Department of 

 

3

Executive Order on Improving Chemical Facility and Security #13650 

39
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to align 

housing, transportation, and infrastructure investments and policies, and build capacity in communities to 

grow in a more sustainable and resilient manner. The agency’s Smart Growth program works across the 

EPA and with other federal agencies to help communities strengthen their economies and protect the 

environment through use of smart growth, resilient, and sustainable design approaches. This program 

focuses on streamlining, concentrating, and leveraging state and federal assistance in urban, suburban, 

and rural communities that offer the greatest opportunity for development that will deliver environmental 

and economic benefits, and offer protection against the impacts of climate change. 

In FY 2015, the Smart Growth program, under the Integrated Environmental Strategies and the 

Brownfields program projects, will continue work to help community and government leaders meet 

environmental standards through sustainable community and building development, design, policies, and 

infrastructure investment strategies. The program does this by: providing technical assistance to states, 

regions, and local and Tribal governments; conducting research and developing tools that help 

communities see the connection between development and the environment, the economy, and public 

health; and, engaging, leveraging and aligning community-based activities and investments with other 

federal agencies. The program will continue to innovate and use new mechanisms to address the growing 

demand from communities for more direct technical assistance, including in rural areas, in areas that are 

disadvantaged, or in areas that have been adversely affected by contamination and environmental 

degradation. 

Environmental Justice:

The EPA is committed to fostering public health in communities disproportionately burdened by pollution 

by integrating and addressing issues of environmental justice (EJ) in the EPA’s programs and policies as 

part of its day-to-day business. The EPA’s EJ program promotes accountability for compliance with 

Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and 

Low-Income Populations.” The EPA’s program offices implement the EPA’s strategic plan on 

Environmental Justice, Plan EJ 20144

. The EJ Program facilities this implementation by: (1) supporting 

and promoting the agency’s efforts to address environmental justice issues; (2) supporting the EPA’s 

outreach to other federal agencies through the interagency working group on environmental justice; and, 

(3) promoting opportunities for communities to be heard on environmental justice issues. In FY 2015, the 

EPA is providing $8.5 million for the EJ program to continue its efforts to facilitate the integration of 

environmental justice considerations into planning and performance measurement processes. The 

agency will implement environmental justice activities consistent with the vision and commitments 

outlined in the agency’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, the FY 2014 annual action plan for the CrossCutting Fundamental Strategy for EJ and Children’s Health, and Plan EJ 2014. 

Objective 2: Preserve Land. Conserve resources and prevent land contamination by reducing waste 

generation and toxicity, promoting proper management of waste and petroleum products, and increasing 

sustainable materials management. 

RCRA Waste Management

The FY 2015 budget provides $70.5 million to the RCRA Waste Management program. The RCRA 

program is critical to comprehensive and protective management of solid and hazardous materials for the 

entire lifecycle. In FY 2015, RCRA permits for approximately 20,000 hazardous waste units (such as 

incinerators and landfills) at 6,600 treatment, storage, and disposal facilities in the permitting universe will 

be issued, need to be updated or maintained. The EPA provides leadership, work-sharing, and support to 

the 50 states and territories authorized to implement the permitting program and directly implements the 

entire RCRA program in Iowa and Alaska.5

. The EPA is facing an increasing amount of implementation 

support responsibility at the request of states, including addressing complex regulatory and statutory 

interpretation issues. Requests for this type of support are expected to continue through FY 2015.

 

4 Plan EJ 2014 can be found at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/plan-ej/index.html

5 http://www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard/tsd/permit/pgprarpt.htm

40
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

The agency also will support national PCB cleanup and disposal activities by assessing emerging 

technologies and issuing approvals (no states can be authorized for PCBs), evaluating PCB wastes 

against the criteria specified in TSCA. This effort will be tracked by a new performance measure that will 

track all approvals issued by the EPA under TSCA. Beginning in FY 2014, the Agency will have annual 

targets to authorize approvals for cleanup, storage, and disposal activities. The EPA estimates 

approximately 20 disposal and storage approvals and 130 cleanup approvals are issued per year. The 

annual target for both FY 2014 and 2015 for the comprehensive measure for cleanups, disposal, and 

storage activities is 150.

Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest:

On October 5, 2012, the President signed the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest Establishment Act, 

requiring the EPA to assemble and maintain the information contained in the estimated 5 million forms 

accompanying hazardous waste shipments across the nation. In FY 2013, the EPA initiated the effort to 

develop a program that provided for the submission of information electronically, as well as in paper form. 

This investment at the federal level will significantly reduce the time and costs for state regulators and 

regulated entities associated with submitting, maintaining, processing, and publishing data from 

hazardous waste manifests. When fully implemented, the electronic hazardous waste manifest (eManifest) program will reduce the reporting burden for firms regulated under RCRA’s hazardous waste 

provisions by approximately $75 million annually. The legislation contains aggressive deadlines for 

rulemaking and system development. In 2014, EPA completed the regulation that authorizes the 

electronic transmittal of manifest, began work under a new contract for development of the technical 

architecture of the system, and began work on the user fee rule. Once this system is in place, the 

legislation provides that fees collected through the program will be used to fund the operation of the

program and reimburse system development costs. 

In FY 2015, the EPA is providing a total of $10.4 million within the RCRA Waste Management program, to 

continue work on the e-Manifest system. This funding will be used for system acquisition/development; 

development of the economic models to support the user-fee rule; and analyses to support further 

revision of EPA regulations needed to implement an e-Manifest system. E-Manifest remains a key 

component of the E-Enterprise business model. 

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM): 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to advance SMM practices and a cradle-to-cradle perspective 

representing an important emphasis shift from waste management to materials management. The 

agency’s approach to SMM integrates the safe reuse of materials with economic opportunity. In FY 2015, 

the EPA will utilize SMM to offset the use of virgin resources by 8,603,033 tons of materials and products. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to promote the SMM approach in high priority areas (e.g., Sustainable 

Food Management, Used Electronics, and Federal Government), which are selected based on an 

analysis of opportunities for reducing environmental impacts in Sustainable Materials Management: The 

Road Ahead.

6 In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to lead by example, and will help other federal agencies 

adopt SMM approaches and promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which furthers the 

goals of Executive Order 13514 (“Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 

Performance”), and also save money. For example, the EPA estimates that the national implementation 

of the Federal Green Challenge will save the taxpayers more than $10 million by the end of FY 2014. The 

EPA will also explore the application of the SMM approach into other high priority sectors, based on 

lessons learned from the first two years of the national SMM program and re-evaluation of The Road 

Ahead. 

LUST Prevention

There is a strong relationship between LUST clean up success and reducing the number of new releases 

through the prevention program. Since 2007, the EPA has placed an increased emphasis on monitoring 

compliance through increased frequency of inspections and other Energy Policy Act (EPAct) provisions. 

During this time, compliance rates have increased and there has been a significant decrease in new 

 

6 U.S. EPA OSWER ORCR. Sustainable Materials Management: The Road Ahead. June 2009 

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/smm/pdf/vision2.pdf. 

41
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

confirmed releases. The continued reduction in confirmed releases will remain a critical component in 

backlog reduction, but maintaining cleanup progress is essential as well. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to assist states in complying with release prevention activities 

authorized by the EPAct. States rely primarily on federally funded assistance agreements to maintain 

inspection frequency and ensure compliance which will help prevent future confirmed releases. States 

may use money from LUST assistance agreements for inspections, other release prevention and 

compliance assurance activities for federally-regulated USTs, and enforcement activities related to 

release prevention. 

Objective 3: Restore Land. Prepare for and respond to accidental or intentional releases of 

contaminants and clean up and restore polluted sites for reuse. 

Land Cleanup and Revitalization 

In addition to promoting sustainable and livable communities, the EPA’s cleanup programs (e.g., 

Superfund Remedial, Superfund Federal Facilities Response, Superfund Emergency Response and 

Removal, RCRA Corrective Action, Brownfields, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Cleanup and Disposal, and LUST Cooperative Agreements) and its 

partners are taking proactive steps to facilitate the cleanup and revitalization of contaminated properties. 

To support the Land Revitalization Initiative, the EPA created the Land Revitalization Agenda7 to integrate 

reuse into EPA's cleanup programs, establish partnerships, and help make land revitalization part of 

EPA's organizational culture. 

In FY 2015, the agency will continue to help communities clean up and revitalize these once productive 

properties by: removing contamination; helping limit urban sprawl; fostering ecologic habitat 

enhancements; enabling economic development; taking advantage of existing infrastructure; and 

maintaining or improving quality of life. There are multiple benefits associated with cleaning up 

contaminated sites: reducing mortality and morbidity risk; preventing and reducing human exposure to 

contaminants; making land available for commercial, residential, industrial, or recreational reuse; and 

promoting community economic development. A 2011 study suggests that Superfund cleanups reduce 

the incidence of congenital anomalies in infants by roughly 20-25 percent to mothers living within 2,000 

meters of a site.8 In another case, the EPA contracted with researchers at Duke University and the 

University of Pittsburgh to conduct a study to determine the effects of Superfund site status on housing 

values. The study found that when sites are cleaned up and deleted from the National Priorities List 

(NPL), properties within three miles of the sites experience an 18.6 to 24.5 percent increase in value.9

A cummulative total of 1,694 sites have been listed on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), 366 of 

which have been deleted. Sites are placed on the NPL when the presence of contamination, often from 

complex chemical mixtures of hazardous substances, has impacted groundwater, surface water, and/or 

soil. The precise impact of many contaminant mixtures on human health remains uncertain; however, 

substances commonly found at Superfund sites have been linked to a variety of human health problems, 

such as birth defects, infertility, cancer, and changes in neurobehavioral functions. In FY 2015, the 

agency plans to achieve control of all identified unacceptable human exposures at 9 additional sites, 

bringing the program’s cumulative total of Human Exposure Under Control (HEUC) sites to 1,408. 

Additionally, the agency expects to achieve Groundwater Migration Under Control (GMUC) at 13 

additional sites, bringing the program’s cumulative total to 1,119 sites.

The FY 2015 budget provides $187 million for the Superfund Emergency Response and Removal 

program. The agency will continue to support all emergency actions and focus on encouraging viable 

 

7 Additional information on this agenda can be found on http://www.epa.gov/landrevitalization/agenda_full.htm 8 Currie, Janet; Michael Greenstone, and Enrico Moretti. 2011. "Superfund Cleanups and Infant Health." American 

Economic Review, 101(3): 435-41. 9 S. Gamper-Rabindran, C. Timmins. 2013. "Does cleanup of hazardous waste sites raise housing values? Evidence 

of spatially localized benefits," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

42
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), when available, to conduct removal actions. In FY 2015, the EPA 

will oversee 275 removal actions for both Superfund-lead and PRP removals. 

The Superfund Remedial program is funded at $543 million in FY 2015. The agency will continue to give 

priority to completing projects at various stages in the response process, such as investigation, remedy 

design, and remedy construction. This strategy will help support community revitalization and economic 

redevelopment and will provide funding to initiate cleanup construction work at several construction 

projects. The program estimates accomplishing 105 remedial action project completions in FY 2015. 

RCRA Corrective Action

The FY 2015 budget provides $36 million for the RCRA Corrective Action program. The EPA works in 

partnership with states, having authorized 44 states and territories to directly implement the corrective 

action program.10 Resources for state implementation are provided through the Hazardous Waste 

Financial Assistance categorical grant. This program is responsible for overseeing and managing 

cleanups that protect human health and the environment at active RCRA sites. The agency provides 

leadership and support to its state partners and serves as lead regulator at a significant, and increasing, 

number of facilities. States have been challenged in the cleanup area due to downsizing and are looking 

to the federal program for assistance. As a result and at the request of states, the EPA has resumed work 

previously agreed to by states under work-sharing agreements and this trend has been increasing, 

particularly for sites that have complex issues11 or for more specialty components such as ecological risk 

assessments. 

Through its RCRA Corrective Action program, the EPA and its state partners will issue, update, or 

maintain RCRA permits for 3,779 hazardous waste facilities. The facilities are a subset of approximately 

6,000 sites with corrective action obligations and include some of the most highly contaminated, 

technically challenging, and potentially threatening sites the EPA confronts in any of its cleanup 

programs.12 As of the end of FY 2013, a total of 3,212 RCRA facilities are designated as having with 

human exposures to toxins under control. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will focus resources on those sites that present the highest risk to human health and 

the environment and implement actions to end or reduce these threats. The EPA will also place additional 

focus on identifying facilities where the corrective action process can be considered completed (i.e., 

where cleanup performance standards have been met, or no further cleanup action is necessary). These 

activities will be consistent with the programmatic response developed by the agency after a 2011 GAO 

report on the RCRA corrective action program, which also is reflected in revisions to targets for 3 RCRA 

Corrective Action performance measures.13 In FY 2015, the EPA has also developed a new performance 

measure to account for the last step in the cleanup process and will increase the number of RCRA 

facilities with corrective action performance standards attained to 22 percent.14 

LUST Cleanup: 

The EPA's goal is to prevent future releases of wastes in the environment. The agency understands that 

accidents can happen but proper prevention leads to fewer and fewer releases. For example, the number 

of annual confirmed releases from Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) has dropped 25 percent, from 

7,570 in FY 2007 to 5,674 in FY 2012. The number of active tanks over that period dropped 6 percent, 

from 629,866 to 583,508. 

 

10 State implementation of the CA Program is funded through the STAG (Program Project 11) and matching State 

contributions. 

11 For example, vapor intrusion, wetlands contamination or extensive groundwater issues. 12 There are additional facilities that have corrective action obligations that the EPA does not track under GPRA, as 

they are typically smaller, less significant facilities or sites. The EPA recognizes that the total universe of such 

facilities or sites "subject to" corrective action universe is between five and six thousand facilities or sites.

13 Hazardous Waste: Early Goals Have Been Met in EPA’s Corrective Action Program but Resource and Technical 

Challenges Will Constrain Future Progress (GAO-11-514), July 2011. 14 Hazardous Waste: Early Goals Have Been Met in EPA’s Corrective Action Program but Resource and Technical 

Challenges Will Constrain Future Progress (GAO-11-514), July 2011.

43
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

The LUST program has achieved significant success in closing releases since the beginning of the 

program. Of the 507,540 total confirmed releases, by the end of FY 2012, 84 percent (or 424,637) were 

closed. The LUST program continues to make progress decreasing the overall backlog; however, the 

pace of cleanups is declining. In FY 2012, the program completed 97 percent of the annual cleanup goal 

of 11,250 sites by finishing 10,927 cleanups. Achieving these cleanup rates in the future will be more 

challenging due to the complexity of remaining sites, an increased state workload, a decrease in available 

state resources and the increasing costs of cleanups. In FY 2011, the LUST program completed a study 

of its cleanup backlog. The EPA’s backlog study helped identify potential strategies to address the 

approximately 83 thousand UST releases remaining15. The EPA is working with states to develop and 

implement specific strategies and activities applicable to their particular sites to reduce the UST releases 

remaining to be cleaned up. 

Oil Spills Prevention:

The discharge of oil into U.S. waters can threaten human health, cause severe environmental damage, 

and create financial loss to businesses and the public. The Oil Spill program helps protect U.S. waters by 

effectively preventing, preparing for, responding to, and monitoring oil spills. The EPA serves as the lead 

responder for cleanup of all inland zone spills, including transportation-related spills from pipelines, 

trucks, and other transportation systems, and provides technical assistance and support to the U.S. Coast 

Guard for coastal and maritime oil spills. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to focus efforts on oil spill 

prevention, preparedness, compliance assistance, and enforcement activities associated with the more 

than 600 thousand non-transportation-related oil storage facilities that the EPA regulates through its Spill 

Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Program. In addition, the agency will finalize 

development and begin implementation of the National Oil Database including identifying requirements 

for electronic submission of Facility Response Plans (FRP) in order to create reporting efficiencies for the 

agency, states, local government and industry.

In FY 2015, the EPA is providing a total of $20.5 million for the Oil Spill Prevention, Preparedness and 

Response program which include a $2 million increase to improve the federal capacity to prevent oil spills 

by conducting up to 34 additional high-risk facility inspections. The EPA will perform inspections of 

regulated high-risk oil facilities to better implement prevention approaches and to bring 60 percent of 

SPCC and FRP inspected facilities found to be non-compliant during the FY 2010 through FY 2015 

inspection cycle into compliance. 

Homeland Security: 

The EPA’s Homeland Security work is an important component of the agency’s prevention, protection, 

and response activities. The FY 2015 President’s Budget includes $33.8 million to: maintain its capability 

to respond effectively to incidents that may involve harmful chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR)

substances; maintain the Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN); develop and maintain 

agency expertise and operational readiness for all phases of consequential management following a CBR 

incident, specifically environmental characterization, decontamination, laboratory analyses and clearance; 

maintain the Emergency Management Portal (EMP); and conduct CBR training for agency responders to 

improve CBR preparedness.

Objective 4: Strengthen Human Health and Environmental Protection in Indian Country. Directly 

implement federal environmental programs in Indian country and support federal program delegation to 

tribes. Provide tribes with technical assistance and support capacity development for the establishment 

and implementation of sustainable environmental programs in Indian country.

The EPA works under two important Tribal infrastructure Memoranda of Understandings (MOU) amongst 

five federal agencies16. The EPA, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Health and Human 

Services, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development work as 

 

15 For more information, please see The National LUST Cleanup Backlog: A Study of Opportunities at 

http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/cat/backlog.html

16 http://www.epa.gov/tribal/trprograms/2013-itf-memorandum-of-understanding.pdf

44
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

partners to improve infrastructure on Tribal lands and currently focus efforts on providing access to safe 

drinking water and basic wastewater facilities to tribes. 

The first, or umbrella MOU, promotes coordination between federal Tribal infrastructure programs, 

including financial services, while allowing federal programs to retain their unique advantages. Under the 

umbrella MOU, for the first time, five federal departments joined together and agreed to work across 

traditional program boundaries on Tribal infrastructure issues. The efficiencies and partnerships resulting 

from this collaboration will directly assist tribes with their infrastructure needs. The second MOU, 

addressing a specific infrastructure issue, was created under the umbrella authority and addresses the 

issue of access to safe drinking water and wastewater facilities on Tribal lands. Currently, the five federal 

agencies are working together to develop solutions for specific geographic areas of concern (Alaska and 

the Southwest), engaging in coordination of funding, and promoting cross-agency efficiency. These 

activities are completed in coordination with federally recognized tribes. For more information, please see 

the web link: http://www.epa.gov/tribalportal/mous.htm. 

The EPA continues to work closely with other federal agencies as well as the Domestic Policy Council to 

implement the President’s directive regarding the Tribal consultation process. The President’s November 

5th, 2009 Memorandum directs each executive department to develop a detailed plan to implement 

Executive Order (EO) 13175, “Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments17.” Under 

EO 13175, “...all departments and agencies are charged with engaging in regular and meaningful 

consultation and collaboration with Tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have Tribal 

implications, and are responsible for strengthening the government-to-government relationship between 

the United States and Indian tribes.” On May 4, 2011, the EPA released its final policy on consultation 

and coordination with Indian tribes. The EPA is among the first of the federal agencies to finalize its 

consultation policy in response to President Obama’s first tribal leaders summit in November 2009 and, 

following the issuance of Executive Order 13175, to establish regular and meaningful consultation and 

collaboration with tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have tribal implications.

The EPA recently partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service to leverage 

AmeriCorps grant resources, announcing that Indian General Assistance Program (GAP) grants may be 

used as match funding for tribally-sponsored AmeriCorps programs. More than $3 million worth of 

AmeriCorps funding is dedicated to support tribal communities every year, but often, tribal governments 

face financial challenges that prevent them from providing the required matched funding. The 

combination of AmeriCorps grants and EPA program funding, such as GAP, enable tribal governments to 

bring in energetic, committed people to help build an environmental program. Examples of activities 

eligible for funding include conducting environmental education, performing assessments of indoor air 

quality or household pesticide usage, and assessing baseline environmental conditions. Additionally, the 

EPA has entered into a MOU 18with the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior and 

formed an inter-agency work group to understand the implications of hydraulic fracturing on tribal lands. 

Research

In FY 2015, the Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) research program, funded at $158.6 million, 

will continue to support the EPA’s program offices, state, and Tribal partners in protecting and restoring 

land, and providing community decision makers with decision tools to support community health. The 

work of the SHC research program falls into four inter-related themes:

• Decision Support and Innovation will use decision science, interactive social media, spatial 

analyses, and sustainability assessment methods to provide communities with tools to frame their 

decision options, outcomes and potential costs and benefits. 

 

17 http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2010/m10-33.pdf 18 http://unconventional.energy.gov/pdf/oil_and_gas_research_mou.pdf

45
Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

• Community Well-being: Public Health and Ecosystem Goods and Services will utilize the 

sciences of ecosystem services and human health to enable communities to assess how the 

natural and built environment affects the health and well-being of their residents. This research 

will address impacts in all communities including communities and tribes that are at risk for 

disproportionate environmental and health impacts;

• Sustainable Approaches for Contaminated Sites and Materials Management will build upon 

federal, regional and state experiences. This research aims to improve the efficiency and 

effectiveness of mechanisms that address land and groundwater contamination. This research 

also will review and characterize innovative approaches that communities can use to:

o Reduce new sources of contamination, 

o Enable recovery of energy, materials, and nutrients from waste, and

o Enable brownfields sites to be put to new, economically productive uses that benefit 

communities; and

• Integrated Solutions for Sustainable Outcomes research will develop methods and data that will 

allow communities to consider the full costs and benefits of their decisions. For example, SHC will 

review and characterize systems modeling approaches that communities can use to account for 

the linkage among: 

o Waste and materials management, 

o Building codes and zoning for land use planning, 

o Transportation options, and

o Provision of infrastructure, including water and energy. 

The SHC research program will invest $7.8 million in ongoing research to develop models, data bases, 

metrics and other decision-support tools that will empower communities to make decisions regarding 

sustainable approaches to environmental protection. These additional funds will allow EPA to increase its 

capacity to provide community based decision support tools which consider ecosystem goods and 

services, contaminated sites, multimedia pollutants within environmental justice communities, and the 

beneficial use of sustainable materials. In addition, the SHC program will realign $1.3 million to develop 

tools for at risk communities and tribes to examine the impacts of climate change adaptation on 

ecosystems goods and services to support the agency’s goal of working with communities to address 

climate change. 

Consistant with Administration priorities, EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) and the Greater 

Research Opportunities (GRO) fellowship programs, and all funds, will be consolidated across the 

government as part of a comprehensive reorganization to facilitiate a cohesive national strategy of STEM 

education programs to increase the impact of Federal investment in four areas: K-12 instructions; 

undergraduate education; fellowships and scholarships; and information education.

The SHC research program will continue to address many facets of site contamination and cleanup. This 

includes source elimination of contaminated ground water and migration at Superfund sites and plume 

management to reduce exposures via drinking water. This science will be used to develop guidance on 

site assessment, remedial investigations, and to provide technical support resources to agency programs 

and regional offices.

The SHC research program will continue to develop or revise protocols to test oil spill control agents or 

products for listing on the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule, including dispersants’ 

performance and behavior in deep water. Additional research outcomes include improved 

characterization and remediation methods for fuels released from leaking underground storage tanks.

46
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

Strategic Goal: Reduce the risk and increase the safety of chemicals and 

prevent pollution at the source.

Resource Summary

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

President’s

Budget

Difference

FY 2014 EN 

to FY 2015

PresBud

1 - Ensure Chemical Safety $556,186 $578,592 $618,877 $40,285

2 - Promote Pollution Prevention $52,279 $51,797 $54,041 $2,244

 Goal 4 Total $608,465 $630,388 $672,918 $42,530

Workyears 2,481 2,412 2,412 0

NOTE: Numbers may not add due to rounding. 

Introduction

Chemicals are ubiquitous in our everyday lives and products. They are used in the production of 

everything from our homes and cars to the cell phones we carry and the food we eat. Chemicals often are 

released into the environment as a result of their manufacture, processing, use, and disposal. Vulnerable 

populations, including low-income, minority, and indigenous populations, may be disproportionately 

impacted by, and thus particularly at risk from, exposure to chemicals1,2,3

. In addition, research shows 

that children receive greater relative exposures to chemicals because they inhale or ingest more air, food, 

and water on a body-weight basis than adults do.4,5,6,7 The agency’s FY 2015 funding level for Ensuring 

the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution is $672.9 million, an increase of $42.5 million over the 

FY 2014 enacted operating plan.

 

1 Holistic Risk-based Environmental Decision Making: a Native Perspective 

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1241171) 2 Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income 

Populations

3 Interim Guidance on Considering Environmental Justice During the Development of an Action 

(http://www.epa.gov/compliance/ej/resources/policy/considering-ej-in-rulemaking-guide-07-2010.pdf) 4 Guide to Considering Children's Health When Developing EPA Actions: Implementing Executive Order 13045 and 

EPA's Policy on Evaluating Health Risks to Children 

(http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/ADPguide.htm/$File/EPA_ADP_Guide_508.pdf) 5 Holistic Risk-based Environmental Decision Making: A native Perspective 

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1241171) 6 Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks 7 Guide to Considering Children's Health When Developing EPA Actions: Implementing Executive Order 13045 and 

EPA's Policy on Evaluating Health Risks to Children

(http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/ADPguide.htm/$File/EPA_ADP_Guide_508.pdf) 

8.5% of Budget

47
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

Under existing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) authorization, the EPA is charged with the 

responsibility of assessing the safety of commercial chemicals and to act upon those chemicals if they 

pose significant risks to human health or the environment. The $62.7 million provided in FY 2015 for the 

Chemical Risk Review and Reduction Program will allow the EPA to sustain its success in managing the 

potential risks of new chemicals entering commerce without impacting progress in assessing and 

ensuring the safety of existing chemicals. In FY 2015, the approach focuses on: 1) using all available 

authorities under TSCA to take immediate and lasting action to eliminate or reduce identified chemical 

risks and develop proven safer alternatives; 2) using regulatory mechanisms to fill remaining gaps in 

critical exposure data, and increasing transparency and public access to information on TSCA chemicals; 

and 3) using data from all available sources to conduct detailed assessments of priority chemicals to 

determine whether risk management action is warranted and, if so, what type of action. 

In FY 2015, the EPA’s pesticide licensing program will continue to evaluate new pesticides before they 

reach the market and ensure that pesticides already in commerce are safe when used in accordance with 

the label. As directed by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Federal 

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), and the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), the EPA will 

register pesticides to protect consumers, pesticide users, workers who may be exposed to pesticides, 

children, and other sensitive populations. The EPA also will review potential impacts on the environment, 

with particular attention to endangered species.

The EPA has a long history of collaboration to address a wide range of domestic and global 

environmental issues. The EPA envisions that environmental progress in cooperation with international 

partners can catalyze even greater progress toward protecting our environment. Examples include, 

ensuring that trade-related activities sustain environmental protection, enhancing the ability of our trading 

partners to protect their environments and develop in a sustainable manner, enhancing opportunities 

through effective consultation and collaboration related to environmental issues of mutual interest. To 

advance all of these efforts, the EPA continues to focus on the following international priorities: building 

strong environmental institutions and legal structures, improving air quality, expanding access to clean 

water, reducing exposure to toxic chemicals, and cleaning up e-waste.

Pollution prevention is central to the EPA’s sustainability strategies. In FY 2015, the EPA will enhance 

cross-cutting efforts to advance sustainable practices, safer chemicals, sustainable lower risk processes 

and practices, and safer products. The combined effect of community-level actions, geographicallytargeted efforts, attention to chemicals, and concern for ecosystems — implemented through the lens of 

science, transparency, and law — will bring real environmental improvements and protections. 

Major FY 2015 Changes

To meet the FY 2015 target and provide support to our top priorities we will make fundamental changes 

to our long-standing business practices in contracts, grants and oversight of delegated programs, among 

others. Implementing these changes requires realigning resources and personnel to ensure that we 

increase effectiveness without undermining vital protections or quality and financial management. The FY 

2015 President’s Budget funds our top priority work in six areas. In Goal 4 resources are focused on 

Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety; Sustainability; and Building a High Performing 

Environmental Protection Enterprise. While continuing EPA’s ongoing commitment to science, the rule of 

law and transparency, we have updated and refined our current direction to maximize our effectiveness 

and guide our agenda in the months and years ahead. 

Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety

The EPA has evaluated its priorities and made necessary adjustments to focus FY 2015 resources on the 

most significant efforts that help protect health and the environment from chemical risks. The EPA’s 

budget represents an increase in FY 2015 of approximately $4 million above the FY 2014 Enacted 

Budget for critical work in the objective of Ensuring Chemical Safety under the Chemical Risk Review and 

Reduction program. In FY 2015, EPA will be following up on its projected early-achievement in FY 2014 

of its FY 2015 goal to complete reviews and, where appropriate, challenge all of the more than 22,000 

48
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

TSCA CBI claims in health and safety studies in existence as of August 2010. The agency has been 

simultaneously reviewing and, where appropriate, challenging all new TSCA CBI claims for chemical 

identity in health and safety studies as they are submitted, consistent with the EPA’s 2015 Strategic Plan 

goal of making all health and safety studies available to the public for chemicals in commerce, to the 

extent allowed by law. The EPA will continue this important work in FY 2015. In recent years, hundreds of 

such claims have been submitted annually. 

Agency Priority Goals

The EPA has developed FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goals that advance the Administrator’s Priorities 

and the agency’s Strategic Plan. 

By September 30, 2015, the EPA will have completed more than 250 assessments of pesticides and 

other commercially available chemicals to evaluate risks they may pose to human health and the 

environment, including the potential for certain of these chemicals to disrupt endocrine systems. These 

assessments are essential in determining whether products containing these chemicals can be used 

safely for commercial, agricultural and/or industrial uses. 

Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can be found at www.performance.gov.

 

FY 2015 Activities

Objective 1: Ensure Chemical Safety. Reduce the risk and increase the safety of chemicals that enter 

our products, our environment and our bodies.

The TSCA chemical management program addresses new chemicals, existing chemicals and legacy 

chemicals. The major activity of the new chemicals program is premanufacture notices (PMN) review and 

management, which addresses the potential risks from approximately 1,000 chemicals, products of 

biotechnology, and new chemical nanoscale materials received annually prior to their entry into the U.S. 

marketplace. In FY 2015, EPA’s toxics program will maintain its ‘zero tolerance’ goal for preventing the 

introduction of unsafe new chemicals into commerce.

The greatest challenge is to address existing chemicals already in use but where available information is 

limited. Existing chemicals activities fall into three major categories: 1) obtaining, managing, and making 

chemical information public; 2) screening and assessing chemical risks; and 3) taking action to manage 

chemical risks. Progress will be made to address existing chemicals already in commerce under the 

EPA’s comprehensive approach to enhance the agency’s existing chemicals management program, 

giving particular emphasis to assessing the 83 TSCA Work Plan Chemicals identified by the agency in 

March 2012. 

In FY 2015, the agency will continue to implement the chemicals risk management program to further 

eliminate risks from high-risk “legacy” chemicals, albeit at a substantially reduced level. The EPA will 

continue to maintain a base resource level to enable the agency to meet any continuing obligations under 

statutes associated with PCBs and other long-standing chemical risks. The budget request sustains the 

lead program at historic levels. As illustrated in the figure below, the EPA will build on the successful 

national effort to reduce childhood blood lead levels and continue ongoing implementation of the Lead 

Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule through outreach efforts and targeted activities to support 

renovator certifications. 

49
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

* Values are not CDC data; interpolated for graphical display only

** ≥10 μg/dL estimate is considered unreliable (relative standard error greater than 40 percent).

Note: 2007-2010 data is the most currently available data. 

During FY 2015, the agency will fulfill several key milestones in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening 

Program including:

• Prioritizing and selecting additional chemicals for Tier 1 screening using a scientific process 

informed by a combination of scientifically peer-reviewed, in silico, structure activity, expert 

judgement, physiochemical properties based, read across, chemical categorization, and other 

computational toxicology-based approaches, (e.g., high throughput technology);

• Continuing to issue additional Tier 1 Test Orders for select chemicals in the EDSP universe of 

chemicals informed by a combination of scientifically peer-reviewed, in silico, structure activity, 

expert judgement, physiochemical properties based, read across, chemical categorization, and 

other computational toxicology-based approaches, (subject to obtaining an approved Information 

Collection Request; without an approved ICR, test orders cannot be issued to registrants, 

manufacturers or importers for Tier 1 assay data for chemical screening);

• Continuation of the multi-year transition away from the traditional assays used in EDSP through 

efforts to validate and use computational toxicology and high throughput screening methods. This 

will allow the agency to more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively assess potential chemical 

toxicity. 

• Continued collaboration with the EPA's Research and Development program on computational 

toxicology-based approaches to support more refined chemical prioritization and continue efforts 

to increase scientific confidence in these approaches so they can expedite and streamline the 

scientific methods used by the EDSP for screening chemicals for the potential to interact with the 

endocrine system.

• Coordination and collaboration with the Research and Development program to determine the 

applicability of computational toxicology-based approaches for developing more targeted testing 

approaches that better assess a chemical's potential to interact with the estrogen, androgen, and 

thyroid systems.

50
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

• The EPA will continue to evaluate endocrine-relevant ToxCast high throughput assays to 

increase coverage for known endocrine toxicity pathways through the scientific understanding of 

adverse outcome pathways.

The agency also will continue to collaborate with international partners, through the Organization for 

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), to maximize the efficiency of the EPA's resource use 

and promote adoption of internationally harmonized test methods for identifying endocrine disrupting 

chemicals. The EPA represents the U.S. as either the lead or a participant in OECD projects involving the 

improvement of assay systems including the development of non-animal prioritization and screening 

methods and validation of Tier 2 assays.

Identifying, assessing, and reducing the risks presented by the pesticides on which our society and 

economy depend are integral to ensuring environmental and human safety. Chemical and biological 

pesticides help meet national and global demands for food. They provide effective pest control for homes, 

schools, gardens, highways, utility lines, hospitals, and drinking water treatment facilities, while also 

controlling vectors of disease. The program ensures that the pesticides available in the U.S. are safe 

when used as directed. In addition, the program places priority on reduced risk pesticides that, once 

registered, will result in increased societal benefits. 

In FY 2015, $128.8 million is provided to support the EPA pesticide applications review and registration 

program. The EPA will focus this funding on improving pesticide registrations’ compliance with the 

Endangered Species Act. A portion of the funding will ensure that pesticides are correctly registered and 

applied in a manner that protects water quality. The EPA will continue registration and reregistration 

requirements for antimicrobial pesticides which differ somewhat from those of other pesticides. The EPA 

will continue to emphasize the protection of potentially sensitive groups, such as children, by reducing 

exposures from pesticides used in and around homes, schools, and other public areas. In addition, the 

agency worker protection, certification, and training programs will encourage safe application practices. 

Together, these programs will minimize exposure to pesticides, maintain a safe and affordable food 

supply, address public health issues, and minimize property damage that can occur from insects, pests 

and microbes.

Objective 2: Promote Pollution Prevention. Conserve and protect natural resources by promoting 

pollution prevention and the adoption of other sustainability practices by companies, communities, 

governmental organizations, and individuals. 

In FY 2015, the funding level of $18.3 million for the EPA’s pollution prevention (P2) program will target 

technical assistance, information, and assessments to encourage the use of greener chemicals, 

technologies, processes, and products. The P2 program’s efforts advance the agency’s priorities to 

pursue sustainability, take action on climate change and reduce chemical risks. The interplay between 

different media and different statutes requires renewed attention to improve "synergy" to achieve longterm solutions. 

The Pollution Prevention Program accomplishes its mission by fostering the development of P2 solutions 

to environmental problems that eliminate or reduce pollution, waste and risks at the source, such as: 

cleaner production processes and technologies; safer, “greener” materials and products; and improved 

practices such as conservation techniques and reuse and remanufacturing of hazardous secondary 

materials in lieu of their discard, including offsite reuse/remanufacturing under appropriate conditions. The 

program promotes the adoption, use and market penetration of those solutions through such activities as 

providing technical assistance and demonstrating the benefits of P2 solutions. The EPA will continue to 

support the Green Suppliers Network and the Economy, Energy, and Environment (E3) Partnership 

among federal agencies, local governments, and manufacturers to promote energy efficiency, job 

creation, and environmental improvement. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to work with its federal 

partners and state pollution prevention programs to conduct facility-specific assessments for small and 

medium-sized suppliers and increase the implementation rate of E3 final report recommendations to help 

suppliers reduce business costs, improve productivity and efficiency, and measure greenhouse gas 

51
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

(GHG) emissions. The E3 Initiative and GSN have conducted more than 600 assessments, by leveraging 

existing resources across the E3 federal agency partners. In FY 2015, the EPA will leverage expertise 

from other EPA programs to enhance new sustainability and pollution prevention education and outreach 

resources. Through an intra-agency working group, each program office will disseminate educational 

resources and information to the public. 

International Priorities

To achieve our domestic environmental and human health goals, international partnerships, including 

those with the business community and entrepreneurs, are essential. Pollution is often carried by winds 

and water across national boundaries, posing risks to human health and ecosystems many hundreds and 

thousands of miles away.

Through these partnerships, the EPA will maintain focus on several priorities. In FY 2015, the EPA will 

work with other nations to build strong environmental institutions and legal structures with the goal of 

combating climate change by limiting pollutants and improving air quality in the U.S. and around the 

world. The EPA will work to expand access to clean water, and protect vulnerable communities from toxic 

pollution that impacts North America and nations worldwide. Through joint efforts with partners from 

around the world, the EPA is working to facilitate commerce, promote sustainable development, protect 

vulnerable populations and engage in environmental issues. The agency’s international priorities will 

guide collaboration with Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and all international partners. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will enhance sustainability principles through expanded partnership efforts in 

multilateral forums and in key bilateral relationships. In addition, we will strengthen existing and build new 

international partnerships to encourage increased international commitment to sustainability goals and to 

promote a new era of global environmental stewardship based on common interests, shared values, and 

mutual respect. And finally, the EPA will continue to focus on technical and policy support for global and 

regional efforts such as strengthening the EPA leadership in the Arctic Council and with other 

governments to improve policies and implement cooperative projects that address climate change and 

reduce contamination of the arctic. 

Research

The EPA’s Chemical Safety and Sustainability, Human Health Risk Assessment, and Homeland Security 

Research programs underpin the analysis of risks and potential health impacts across the broad 

spectrum of EPA programs and provide the scientific foundation for chemical safety and pollution 

prevention. In FY 2015, the EPA will further strengthen its planning and delivery of science by continuing 

an integrated research approach that tackles problems systematically instead of individually. 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue the multi-year transition away from the traditional assays used in the 

endocrine disruptor screening program through efforts to validate and use computational toxicology and 

high throughput screening methods. This is expected to allow the agency to more quickly, efficiently, and 

cost-effectively assess potential chemical toxicity. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to evaluate 

endocrine-relevant ToxCast high throughput assays to increase coverage for known endocrine toxicity 

pathways through the scientific understanding of adverse outcome pathways. 

In FY 2015, EPA will accelerate EPA’s expansion of the risk-based prioritization effort for application to 

TSCA chemicals, across toxicological endpoints and exposure scenarios beyond those used with 

endocrine disruptors. Specifically, these funds would be used to: (1) model and generate exposure data; 

(2) evaluate background exposure levels and biological relevance of environmental exposures; and (3) 

translate for fit-for-purpose risk-based prioritization. This effort supports the agency’s priority of taking 

action on toxics and chemical safety. This will complement efforts of the Chemical Safety and Pollution 

Prevention program to apply high throughput and other 21st Century exposure information to TSCA 

52
Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution

chemical prioritization. This directly supports the EPA’s efforts to take action on toxics and chemical 

safety.

In FY 2015, the Agency’s Human Health Risk Assessment Research Program will continue to develop 

assessments and scientific products that are used extensively by EPA program and regional offices and 

the risk management community to estimate the potential risk to public health from exposure to 

environmental contaminants. These include:

• Integrated Risk Information System health hazard and dose-response assessments;

• Integrated Science Assessments of criteria air pollutants;

• Community Risk and Technical Support; and

• Methods, models, and approaches to modernize risk assessment for the 21st Century. 

The Homeland Security research program (HSRP) will continue to enhance the nation’s preparedness, 

response, and recovery capabilities for homeland security incidents and other hazards by providing 

stakeholders and partners with valuable detection and response analytics for incidents involving 

chemical, biological, or radiological agents. The program will continue to emphasize the research needed 

to support response and recovery from wide-area attacks involving radiological agents, nuclear agents, 

and biothreat agents such as anthrax. 

The EPA will allocate $162.6 million to the Chemical Safety and Sustainability, Human Health Risk 

Assessment, and Homeland Security Research programs in FY 2015.

53
54
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing 

Laws and Assuring Compliance

Strategic Goal: Protect human health and the environment through vigorous and 

targeted civil and criminal enforcement. Use Next Generation Compliance strategies 

and tools to improve compliance with environmental laws.

Resource Summary

(Dollars in Thousands)

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

President’s

Budget

Difference

FY 2014 EN 

to FY 2015

PresBud

1 - Enforce Environmental Laws to 

 Achieve Compliance $739,321 $751,889 $792,678 $40,789

 Goal 5 Total $739,321 $751,889 $792,678 $40,789

Workyears 3,655 3,503 3,400 (103)

NOTE: Numbers may not add due to rounding

Introduction

The EPA's civil and criminal enforcement programs assure compliance with our nation's environmental 

laws. A strong and effective enforcement program is essential to ensuring compliance with our laws and 

regulations and to maintaining a level economic playing field, and to realizing the public health and 

environmental protections our federal statutes were created to achieve. The EPA is committed to 

supporting public health in communities disproportionately burdened by pollution by integrating and 

addressing issues of environmental justice (EJ) in the EPA’s programs and policies as part of its day-today business. The EPA’s EJ program promotes accountability for compliance with Executive Order 

12898, “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income 

Populations.”

On January 18, 2011, President Obama issued a “Presidential Memoranda – Regulatory Compliance”1

which reaffirms the importance of effective enforcement and compliance with regulations. It states 

“[s]ound regulatory enforcement promotes the welfare of Americans in many ways, by increasing public 

safety, improving working conditions, and protecting the air we breathe and the water we 

drink. Consistent regulatory enforcement also levels the playing field among regulated entities, ensuring 

that those that fail to comply with the law do not have an unfair advantage over their law-abiding 

competitors.” 

In FY 2015, the EPA seeks to maintain the strength of its core national enforcement and compliance 

assurance program. Recognizing the tight fiscal climate at both the federal and state level, the agency will 

implement strategies that use resources more efficiently and find opportunities to focus and leverage 

 

1 Please see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/18/presidential-memoranda-regulatory-compliance

10.0% of Budget

55
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

efforts to assure compliance with environmental laws. Our objective is to pursue vigorous civil and 

criminal enforcement that targets the most serious water, air, and chemical hazards in communities; 

assure strong, consistent, and effective enforcement of federal environmental laws nationwide; and use 

modern, streamlined and data-rich techniques, strategies and tools to improve targeting and transparency 

and increase compliance with environmental laws. The EPA will continue to focus resources on the most 

important environmental problems where noncompliance is having a significant impact. This strategy 

means EPA’s top enforcement priority will be pursuing large, complex cases that require significant 

investment and a long-term commitment. 

The EPA has achieved impressive pollution control and health benefits through vigorous compliance 

monitoring and enforcement, but the sheer number of regulated facilities, the contribution of large 

numbers of smaller sources of pollution, combined with federal and state budget constraints has made it 

necessary for the EPA to find ways to go beyond the traditional single facility inspection and enforcement 

approach to ensure widespread compliance. In light of fiscal constraints, the need to innovate is even 

greater in order for the EPA to reduce pollution and increase compliance over the long-term. The EPA is 

developing and implementing new methods based on advances in both monitoring and information 

technology benefitting government and business alike that will improve compliance and our ability to 

focus on the most serious violations, and through electronic reporting will reduce paperwork burdens on 

business and our governmental partners. 

This initiative, Next Generation Compliance, incorporates multiple components: using state-of-the-art 

monitoring technology to detect pollution problems; leveraging electronic reporting to enhance 

government efficiency, reducing paperwork reporting burden and having more accurate, complete and 

timely information on pollution sources, pollution, and compliance; expanding transparency so the public 

is aware of facility and government environmental performance; developing and implementing innovative 

enforcement approaches; and structuring regulations and permits to be easier to implement with a goal of 

improved compliance and environmental outcomes.2 Implementation of the Next Generation Compliance 

effort will enable the EPA to better evaluate the effectiveness of its enforcement and compliance 

strategies using evidence-based performance approaches. The agency is working to develop tools that 

will help collect data to establish a baseline level of environmental compliance information. More 

complete, timely information will allow the agency to evaluate compliance, experiment with new 

approaches and to identify what works. This more complete data can be made publicly available, with 

transparency itself serving as a compliance driver. 

In FY 2015, the agency proposes to accelerate its Next Generation Compliance approaches to harness 

state-of-the-art technology making this program more efficient and effective. In particular, the burden of 

monitoring and compliance reporting will be reduced for the EPA and others by investing in state-of-theart monitoring technology and supporting electronic interaction with the regulated community. This will 

allow the EPA and others to more effectively deploy its inspection resources. In July 2013, the EPA 

proposed a new rule to convert the NPDES paper based reporting systems to a more effective and 

efficient national electronic based system. The final rule, expected in FY 2015, will benefit the public 

regulated facilities, states, and the EPA by providing high quality, complete, and timely data for the 

NPDES program.

Efforts already being implemented have shown that these approaches will have meaningful benefits. For 

example, the EPA’s Region 6 implemented the first federal General Permit in the nation that required 

electronic submission of data through EPA’s electronic reporting tools. Implemented for the Offshore Oil & 

Gas NPDES General Permit program, the effort uses electronic reporting to reduce reporting burden on 

permitted entities and the EPA, while allowing for automated tracking of permit limits and reporting 

requirements, enhancing data quality, and increasing transparency for regulators and the public. The 

agency estimates that without deployment of the electronic reporting tools, data entry alone would have 

cost the EPA’s Region 6 approximately $2.6 million over a five year permit cycle. This demonstrates that 

 

2 See September/October 2013 article in the Environmental Forum on Next Generation Compliance. 

http://www.eli.org/pdf/forum/30-5/30-5nextgenerationcompliance.pdf

56
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

the benefits from requiring electronic reporting in other programs (such as Ohio’s NPDES program and 

the EPA’s TRI program) are likely to be expanded as electronic reporting becomes the norm. The EPA 

also is developing an exporter interface to enable exporters of hazardous waste to submit notification 

data electronically to the EPA, in order to avoid the expense and errors associated with manual entry and 

to facilitate more effective compliance monitoring.

Next Generation Compliance is part of the agency’s E-Enterprise business model which promotes 

advanced monitoring, electronic reporting and transparency. E-Enterprise supports all of the agency’s 

goals and programs, and will make Next Generation Compliance easier to implement and should result in 

higher compliance. E-Enterprise resources in the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance program will 

support a variety of projects, including: 1) developing a field collection, evidence management, and 

reporting system for conducting compliance monitoring inspections; 2) partnering with states to develop 

and implement fillable e-forms for electronically reporting NPDES information; 3) supporting e-reporting 

rule development and program evaluation; 4) purchasing advanced monitoring equipment; and 5) 

supporting transparency through modernization of Integrated Data and Enforcement Analysis 

(IDEA)/Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO). 

Data transparency is a key foundation of ECHO and the EPA believes making compliance information 

publicly available to better serve the American people and provide an incentive to promote greater 

compliance with environmental laws. ECHO is the EPA’s premier web-based tool that provides public 

access to compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities. 

The EPA, state and local environmental agencies collect/report data from facilities and from their own 

activities and submit that data to EPA databases. ECHO usage has grown to more than 2 million queries 

in FY 2013.

57
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

Major FY 2015 Changes

In FY 20153

, the key changes to the enforcement and compliance budget reflect efforts to reshape and 

realign the workforce to support the Administrator’s themes and priorities and to reflect changes in 

programmatic direction and efficiencies gained from modernizing our business processes. The EPA is 

accelerating our efforts under both E-Enterprise and Next Generation Compliance to reflect advances in 

pollutant monitoring and information technology. These advances, combined with a focus on designing 

rules and permits that are easier to implement, will result in reduced pollution and improved 

environmental results. In addition to the realigned resources supporting the EPA as a High Performing 

Environmental Protection Enterprise, resources across Goal 5 will be focused on advancing efforts in the 

Administrator’s priorities: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality; Cleaning Up Our 

Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development; and Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and 

Preventing Pollution. 

Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality: 

In FY 2015, the EPA will help improve air quality in communities by targeting large pollution sources, 

especially in the coal-fired utility, acid, cement, glass and natural gas exploration and production 

industries that are not complying with environmental laws and regulations. Where the EPA finds noncompliance, the agency will take action to bring them into compliance, which may include installing 

controls that will benefit communities or improving emission monitoring. Enforcement activities which cut 

toxic air pollution in communities will improve the health of residents, particularly those overburdened by 

pollution. In FY 2015 the EPA will undertake an effort to examine the general deterrent effect of EPA 

enforcement actions on the pollution control practices of air toxics emitters. The EPA also will work to 

ensure compliance with climate change standards, including greenhouse gas rules effective in FY 2015.

Protecting America’s Waters: 

In FY 2015, the EPA will work with states to use compliance and enforcement approaches which more 

effectively and efficiently address the most important water pollution problems. Our focus will include 

getting raw sewage out of water, cutting pollution related to animal waste, and reducing pollution from 

stormwater runoff. The EPA also will continue to promote an integrated planning strategy for addressing 

municipal sewage and stormwater challenges, including the use of lower cost and innovative approaches 

and incorporation of green infrastructure in enforcement remedies where appropriate. These efforts will 

help to clean up great waters like the Chesapeake Bay and will focus on revitalizing urban communities 

by protecting and restoring urban waters. These options are proving attractive to communities that need 

to make changes to their CSO programs. Enforcement efforts also will support the goal of assuring clean 

drinking water for all communities, including small systems and in Indian country, and improving the 

quality of Safe Drinking Water Act data reported by states to ensure compliance.

Cleaning Up Our Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development: 

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to protect communities by ensuring that responsible parties conduct 

Superfund and other cleanups, saving federal dollars for sites where there are no viable contributing 

parties. Ensuring that responsible parties clean up the sites also reduces direct human exposure to 

hazardous pollutants and contaminants, provides for long-term human health protection, and ultimately 

makes contaminated properties available for reuse. We will continue to integrate environmental justice 

(EJ) considerations into the site remediation enforcement program by using EJ criteria when enforcing 

RCRA corrective action requirements to meet RCRA 2020 goals and ensuring that institutional controls 

are implemented at sites with potential environmental justice concerns.

Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution: 

In FY 2015, the EPA will strengthen chemical safety enforcement and reduce exposure to pesticides, 

improving the health of Americans. An active enforcement program reduces direct human exposures to 

toxic chemicals and pesticides and supports long-term human health protection. Ensuring compliance 

with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) lead based paint requirements is a top priority for the 

 

3 EPA is providing a total of $552 million for the National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 

program. There are additional resources for the program under Goals 2, 3 and 4.

58
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

TSCA monitoring and enforcement program. Lead exposure is particularly dangerous to children as even 

low levels of exposure have been associated with delays in physical and mental development, lower IQ 

levels, shortened attention spans, and increased behavior problems. An important remaining source of 

lead exposure in children is dust that accumulates on the floors and window sills of homes that were 

painted with pre-1970’s lead-based paint.

Agency Priority Goal

The EPA has developed FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goals that advance the Administrator’s Priorities 

and the agency’s Strategic Plan. E-Enterprise is a state-EPA joint approach to environmental 

management across the agency, including regional offices. The State-EPA E-Enterprise leadership 

council has been convened and is actively working to prioritize and consolidate projects to maximize the 

benefits. The priority goal is housed in Goal 5, but E-Enterprise work will occur in agency programs that 

interact with states, tribes, and industry. The FY 2014-2015 Priority Goal is: 

E-Enterprise: Use advanced monitoring, information technologies, optimized business processes, and 

increased transparency to improve environmental outcomes and enhance service to the regulated 

community and the public. By September 30, 2015 reduce reporting burdens to EPA by one million hours 

through streamlined regulations, provide real-time environmental data to at least two communities, and 

establish a new portal to service the regulated community and public. 

Additional information on the EPA’s Agency Priority Goals can be found at

www.performance.gov

FY 2015 Activities

Objective 1: Enforce Environmental Laws. Pursue vigorous civil and criminal enforcement that targets 

the most serious water, air, and chemical hazards in communities to achieve compliance. Assure strong, 

consistent, and effective enforcement of federal environmental laws nationwide. Use Next Generation 

Compliance strategies and tools to increase compliance with environmental laws.

It is critically important that the EPA continually assess priorities and embrace new approaches that can 

help achieve the agency’s goals more efficiently and effectively. The EPA’s FY 2015 budget submission 

for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance program continues to invest resources in high priority 

areas with the greatest impact on public health, while reducing resources where we have made significant 

progress (and therefore no longer require as active an enforcement presence), or that, while important, 

do not address the most substantial impacts to human health. The EPA carefully evaluated program 

activities and directed limited resources to where they can best protect public health, especially in 

disadvantaged communities; support core work of state and Tribal partners; and focus on the largest 

pollution problems. The EPA will continue to examine the areas most appropriate for reduction while 

implementing new enforcement approaches through Next Generation Compliance to make the program 

more efficient and effective. 

The agency remains committed to implementing a strong enforcement and compliance program focused 

on identifying and reducing non-compliance and deterring future violations. To meet this commitment, the 

program employs a variety of activities, including data collection and analysis, compliance monitoring, 

assistance, civil and criminal enforcement efforts and innovative and evidence-based problem-solving 

approaches to identify and address the most significant environmental issues. In FY 2015 these efforts 

will be enhanced through Next Generation Compliance approaches that rely on modern reporting and 

monitoring tools to advance implementation of the agency’s priorities and core program work. 

Furthermore, in designing and implementing Compliance Monitoring program activities, the EPA tracks 

and assesses recent studies and evaluations regarding the effectiveness and limits of compliance 

monitoring and enforcement in promoting compliance and deterrence. The evidence in the literature 

59
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

consistently demonstrates that strong and active compliance monitoring and enforcement increases 

compliance and reduces pollution.[1] EPA’s Compliance Research Literature web page references many 

of these studies and reports.[2] In addition, the EPA has commissioned its own studies of compliance and 

enforcement interventions, compliance, deterrence, and recidivism to better understand their relationship 

and to support measures development. 

 

Compliance Monitoring - Targeting the Most Serious Hazards in Communities

The EPA’s compliance monitoring program reviews and evaluates the activities of the regulated 

community to determine compliance with applicable laws, regulations, permit conditions and settlement 

agreements. The program also determines whether conditions at facilities present imminent and 

substantial endangerment exist. 

In FY 2015, the EPA’s compliance monitoring activities will be both environmental media-based and 

sector-based. The EPA’s media-based inspections complement those performed by states and Tribes, 

and are a key part of the strategy for meeting the long-term and annual goals established for the air, 

water, pesticides, toxic substances and hazardous waste programs. The EPA will target its inspections to 

the highest priority areas and coordinate inspection activity with states and Tribes to better leverage 

resources and enhance collaboration. In FY 2013, the EPA conducted nearly 18,000 federal inspections 

and evaluations. 

In FY 2015, as part of Next Generation Compliance, the agency will continue to enhance the efficiency 

and effectiveness of the compliance monitoring program by leveraging electronic reporting to reduce 

paperwork burdens, increasing transparency by enhancing systems to report, synthesize, utilize, and 

disseminate monitoring data, designing analytic tools to help understand and utilize data and deploying 

state of the art monitoring equipment to the field. Synchronizing data systems to utilize electronic 

transmissions from regulated facilities will benefit the compliance monitoring program by allowing the EPA 

to better apply evidence-based approaches to the program and determine what strategies achieve the 

best results. 

Compliance monitoring also includes the EPA’s management and use of data systems to oversee its 

compliance and enforcement programs under the various statutes and programs that the agency 

enforces. In FY 2015, the EPA will accelerate the process of enhancing its data systems to integrate with 

E-Enterprise and to support electronic interaction with regulated facilities, providing more comprehensive, 

accessible data to the public and improving integration of environmental information with health data and 

other pertinent data sources from other federal agencies and private entities. The agency will complete 

Phase III of the Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS), the modernization of the Air Facility 

System (AFS). ICIS supports both compliance monitoring and civil enforcement. In addition, the EPA 

plans to work toward modernization of Integrated Data and Enforcement Analysis (IDEA)/Enforcement 

and Compliance History Online (ECHO). ECHO includes State Performance dashboards for the Clean 

Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to allow 

users to assess each state's performance in enforcing the various environmental statutes, as well as 

integrate facility information across media specific data systems. Through ECHO and its reports, users 

can now view this data in a comprehensive and organized manner, including a search function. ECHO 

reports provide a snapshot of a facility’s environmental record, showing dates and types of any violations, 

as well as the state or federal government’s response. The system allows the public to monitor 

environmental compliance in communities, corporations to monitor compliance across facilities they own, 

and investors to more easily factor environmental performance into their decisions.

In FY 2015, the proposed compliance monitoring budget is $120.1 million. 

 

[1] For example: R. Hanna & P. Oliva; The Impact of Inspections on Plant-Level Air Emissions under the 

Clean Air Act; 10 B.E Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy 1 (2010). And J. Shimshack & M. Ward, 

Enforcement and Over-Compliance, J. Environ. Econ. 55(1): 90-105 (2008) [2]For more information, refer to: 

http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resources/reports/compliance/research/index.html

60
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

Assuring Strong, Consistent and Effective Enforcement

Civil Enforcement

The Civil Enforcement program’s overarching goal is to assure compliance with the nation’s 

environmental laws and regulations in order to protect human health and the environment. The program 

collaborates with the Department of Justice, states, local agencies and Tribal governments to ensure 

consistent and fair enforcement of all environmental laws and regulations. The program seeks to protect 

public health and the environment and ensure a level playing field by strengthening partnerships with coimplementers in the states, encouraging regulated entities to rapidly correct their own violations, ensuring 

that violators do not realize an economic benefit from noncompliance and pursuing enforcement to deter 

future violations. 

The Civil Enforcement program develops, litigates and settles administrative and civil judicial cases 

against serious violators of environmental laws. In FY 2013, the EPA’s enforcement actions required 

regulated entities to invest more than $7 billion in actions and equipment to control pollution (injunctive 

relief). Also in FY 2013, the enforcement program obtained a total of $1.1 billion in federal administrative 

and civil judicial penalties primarily due to a record settlement of $1 billion reached with Transocean for its 

liability for the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The EPA’s enforcement actions required 

regulated entities to reduce pollution by an estimated 1.3 billion pounds per year. Sustained and focused 

enforcement attention to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) resulted in a 75 percent reduction in the 

number of public water systems with serious unresolved violations in the past three years; this was the 

result of combined federal and state actions and enforcement work.

In FY 2015, the EPA’s civil enforcement program will focus on the national enforcement initiatives, 

especially in communities that may be disproportionately exposed to risks and harm from pollutants in 

their environment, including minority and/or low-income areas. The National Enforcement Initiatives were 

selected for FY 2014-2016 through a collaborative selection process completed in FY 2013. These 

national initiatives address problems that remain complex and challenging. Current initiatives keep raw 

sewage and contaminated stormwater out of our nation’s waters, prevent animal waste from 

contaminating surface and ground waters, and address violations of the Clean Air Act New Source 

Review/Prevention of Significant Deterioration requirements and Air Toxics regulations, RCRA violations 

at mineral processing facilities, and multi-media problems resulting from energy extraction activities. 

Information on initiatives, regulatory requirements, enforcement alerts and EPA results will be made 

available to the public and the regulated community through websites.4

 

As with the compliance monitoring program, the EPA’s enforcement program will benefit from 

synchronizing data systems to receive electronic transmissions from regulated facilities and by having 

more complete and timely data with which to evaluate which enforcement approaches are most effective. 

This utilizes the transformative information system-based work of the larger E-Enterprise business model. 

The EPA and states will be able to better prioritize enforcement resources in those areas where they are

most needed such as complex industrial operations requiring physical inspection, repeat violators, cases 

involving significant harm to human health or the environment, or potential criminal violations.

The Civil Enforcement program also will focus on how tools, such as fence line monitoring can be applied 

in enforcement settlements, such as in the 2013 CAA settlement with Shell Deer Park, in order to make 

more data available, as well as using independent third parties to monitor compliance with the settlement 

(e.g., the 2013 CWA settlement with Transocean). Fence line monitoring can be used to monitor the 

environment immediately surrounding a regulated entity, thereby providing the community with 

information about local emissions. 

The Civil Enforcement program also provides support for other priority programs, including the 

Environmental Justice program and the Chesapeake Bay program. For example, the civil enforcement

 

4 For more information, refer to http://www.epa.gov/compliance/monitoring/index.html

61
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

program will help to implement a compliance and enforcement strategy for the Chesapeake Bay, 

providing strong oversight to ensure existing regulations are complied with consistently and in a timely 

manner, and making data on government and facility performance in the Bay watershed accessible and 

understandable to the public. 

In FY 2015, the proposed budget for civil enforcement is $183.8 million.

Criminal Enforcement

Criminal enforcement underlies the EPA’s commitment to pursuing the most serious pollution violations. 

The EPA’s criminal enforcement program investigates and helps prosecute environmental violations that 

involve intentional, deliberate or criminal behavior on the part of the violator. The Criminal Enforcement 

program deters violations of environmental laws and regulations by demonstrating that the regulated 

community will be held accountable through jail sentences and criminal fines. Bringing criminal cases to 

court sends a strong deterrence message to potential violators, enhances aggregate compliance with 

laws and regulations, and protects communities at risk. In FY 2013, the conviction rate for criminal 

defendants was 94 percent.

To maximize efficient use of resources, in FY 2015 the program will reduce case work in lower priority 

areas and will use its special agent capacity to identify and investigate cases with the most significant 

environmental, human health and deterrence impact. The EPA’s criminal enforcement program will target 

cases across all media that involve serious harm or injury; hazardous or toxic releases; ongoing, 

repetitive, or multiple releases; serious documented exposure to pollutants; and violators with significant 

repeat or chronic noncompliance or prior criminal conviction. 

In FY 2015, the proposed budget for Criminal Enforcement is $58.3 million.

Forensics Support

The Forensics Support program provides specialized scientific and technical support for the nation’s most 

complex civil and criminal enforcement cases, as well as technical expertise for agency compliance 

efforts. The work of the EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) is critical to 

determining non-compliance and building viable enforcement cases. The NEIC maintains a sophisticated 

chemistry laboratory and a corps of highly trained inspectors and scientists with a wide range of 

environmental scientific expertise. In FY 2015, NEIC will continue to function under rigorous International 

Standards Organization 17025 requirements for environmental data measurements to maintain its 

accreditation. 

In FY 2015, the proposed budget for Forensics Support is $15.3 million. 

Superfund Enforcement

The EPA’s Superfund Enforcement program protects communities by ensuring that responsible parties 

conduct cleanups of hazardous waste sites, preserving federal dollars for sites where there are no viable 

contributing parties. Superfund enforcement uses an “enforcement first” approach that maximizes the 

participation of liable and viable parties in performing and paying for cleanups in both the remedial and 

removal programs. The EPA will focus Superfund enforcement resources to support Potentially 

Responsible Party (PRP) searches, cleanup settlements, and cost recovery. Similarly, the Superfund 

Federal Facilities enforcement program will take action to ensure that federal agencies actively and 

appropriately manage their own cleanup efforts with the legally-required EPA oversight. The agency will 

continually assess its priorities and embrace new approaches that can help achieve its goals more 

efficiently and effectively.

Enforcement authorities play a unique role under the Superfund program. The authorities are used to 

ensure that responsible parties conduct a majority of the cleanup actions and reimburse the federal 

government for cleanups financed by federal resources. In tandem with this approach, various reforms 

have been implemented to increase fairness, reduce transaction costs, promote economic development 

62
Goal 5: Protecting Human Health and the Environment by Enforcing Laws and Assuring Compliance

and make sites available for appropriate reuse.5 Ensuring that responsible parties cleanup sites ultimately 

reduces direct human exposures to hazardous pollutants and contaminants, provides for long-term 

human health protections and makes contaminated properties available for reuse. 

The Department of Justice supports the EPA’s Superfund enforcement program through negotiations and 

judicial actions to compel PRP cleanup and litigation to recover Trust Fund monies. The agency will 

provide $21.8 million to the Department of Justice through an Interagency Agreement. This partnership to 

ensure polluters pay has been very effective. In FY 2013, the Superfund Enforcement program secured 

private party commitments exceeding $1.6 billion. This amount includes three components: PRPs who 

committed to perform future response work with an estimated value of more than $1.2 billion; who agreed 

to reimburse the agency for $292.3 million in past costs; and who were billed by the EPA for 

approximately $92.8 million in oversight costs. The EPA also works to ensure that required legally 

enforceable institutional controls and financial assurance instruments are in place and adhered to at 

Superfund sites and at facilities subject to RCRA Corrective Action to ensure the long-term protectiveness 

of cleanup actions.

In FY 2015 the proposed budget for Superfund enforcement is $154.3 million.

Partnering with States and Tribes

In FY 2015, the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance program will sustain its environmental 

enforcement partnerships with states and Tribes and work to strengthen their ability to address 

environmental and public health threats. In FY 2015, the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance 

program will provide $23.0 million in grants to the states and Tribes to assist in the implementation of 

compliance and enforcement provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal 

Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). These grants support state and Tribal compliance 

activities to protect human health and the environment from harmful chemicals and pesticides. Under the 

Pesticides Enforcement Grant program, the EPA will continue to provide resources to states and Indian 

Tribes to conduct FIFRA compliance inspections and take appropriate enforcement actions. The Toxic 

Substances Compliance Grants protect the public and the environment from PCBs, asbestos, and leadbased paint.

 

5 For more information regarding the EPA’s enforcement program and its various components, please refer to 

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/cleanup/superfund/

63
64
Appendices

65
66
Resources by Appropriation

Summary of Agency Resources by Appropriation

(Dollars in Thousands) 

Appropriation

FY 2013

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015

PresBud

Delta 

FY 15 PB - 

FY 14 ENA

Science & Technology (S&T) $743,791 $759,156 $763,772 $4,616

Environmental Program & Management (EPM) $2,511,406 $2,624,149 $2,737,156 $113,007

Inspector General (IG) $39,740 $41,849 $46,130 $4,281

Building and Facilities (B&F) $34,467 $34,467 $53,507 $19,040

Inland Oil Spill Programs (Oil) $17,291 $18,209 $24,133 $5,924

Hazardous Substance Superfund (SF) $1,113,268 $1,088,769 $1,156,603 $67,834

 - Superfund Program $1,082,118 $1,059,614 $1,126,689 $67,075

 - Inspector General Transfer $9,405 $9,939 $11,064 $1,125

 - Science & Technology Transfer $21,745 $19,216 $18,850 ($366)

Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST) $98,695 $94,566 $97,922 $3,356

State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) $3,392,446 $3,535,161 $3,005,374 ($529,787)

 - Categorical Grants $1,032,031 $1,054,378 $1,130,374 $75,996

 - All Other STAG $2,360,415 $2,480,783 $1,875,000 ($605,783)

E-Manifest $0 $3,674 $10,423 $6,749

Rescission of Prior Year Funds ($50,000)

 

$0 

 

($5,000) ($5,000)

Agency Total $7,901,104 $8,200,000 $7,890,020 ($309,980)

Notes: S&T and IG totals do not include Superfund transfers—see the Superfund line items for 

 annual amounts.

FY 2013 Enacted total reflects operating levels after sequestration and excludes Hurricane Sandy 

Relief supplemental appropriation of $608 million.

67
68
E-Enterprise

Nonpay Pay Total FTE Nonpay Pay Total FTE Nonpay Pay Total FTE

Categorical Grant: Environmental 

Information $0 $0 $0 0.0 $15,700 $0 $15,700 0.0 $15,700 $0 $15,700 0.0

Civil Enforcement $0 $0 $0 0.0 $71 $1,759 $1,830 10.0 $71 $1,759 $1,830 10.0

Compliance Monitoring $0 $2,009 $2,009 12.2 $12,541 $2,213 $14,754 13.2 $12,541 $204 $12,745 1.0

Drinking Water Programs $0 $108 $108 0.7 $3,300 $109 $3,409 0.7 $3,300 $1 $3,301 0.0

Exchange Network $0 $409 $409 2.5 $16,000 $507 $16,507 3.0 $16,000 $98 $16,098 0.5

Federal Support for Air Quality Management $0 $236 $236 1.5 $2,430 $332 $2,762 2.0 $2,430 $96 $2,526 0.5

Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and 

Certification $0 $15 $15 0.1 $400 $15 $415 0.1 $400 $0 $400 0.0

IT / Data Management $0 $0 $0 0.0 $2,315 $2,315 $2,315 $0 $2,315 0.0

Legal Advice: Environmental Program $0 $176 $176 1.0 $0 $178 $178 1.0 $0 $2 $2 0.0

Pesticides: Protect Human Health from 

Pesticide Risk $0 $91 $91 0.6 $575 $92 $667 0.6 $575 $1 $576 0.0

RCRA: Waste Management $2,414 $1,352 $3,766 8.5 $9,150 $1,492 $10,642 9.2 $6,736 $140 $6,876 0.7

Regulatory/Economic-Management and 

Analysis $0 $0 $0 0.0 $200 $0 $200 0.0 $200 $0 $200 0.0

Superfund: Remedial $0 $0 $0 0.0 $0 $32 $32 0.2 $0 $32 $32 0.2

Toxic Substances: Chemical Risk Review and 

Reduction $0 $123 $123 0.8 $575 $124 $699 0.8 $575 $1 $576 0.0

Total $2,414 $4,519 $6,933 27.9 $63,257 $6,853 $70,110 40.8 $60,843 $2,334 $63,177 12.9

FY 2014 Enacted FY 2015 President's Budget Delta FY 2015 PresBud - FY 2014 Enacted

E-Enterprise - FY 2014 Enacted vs FY 2015 President's Budget 

(Dollars in Thousands)

Dollars Dollars Dollars Program Project

69
Environmental Education

Contracts 

and Grants 

Funding FTE

Brownfields $125 0.0

Drinking Water Programs $875 0.0

Federal Support for Air Quality Management $1,500 0.0

Pesticides: Protect Human Health from Pesticide Risk $1,000 0.0

Pollution Prevention Program $250 0.0

RCRA: Waste Management $375 0.0

Surface Water Protection $875 0.0

Executive Management and Operations $0 11.1

Total Environmental Education* $5,000 11.1

*Payroll funding not displayed.

Program Project Title

FY 2015 PresBud

FY 2015 Environmental Education Funding 

(Dollars in Thousands)

70
Categorical Grants

Categorical Program Grants (STAG)

by National Program and State Grant

(Dollars in Thousands)

NPM / Grant

FY 2013 

Actuals

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015 

PresBud

Delta 

FY 15 PB - 

FY 14 EN % Change

Air & Radiation

State and Local Air Quality Management $224,384 $228,219 $243,229 $15,010 6.6%

Tribal Air Quality Management $12,285 $12,829 $12,829 $0 0.0%

Radon $7,322 $8,051 $0 ($8,051) -100.0%

$243,992 $249,099 $256,058 $6,959 2.8%

Water

Pollution Control (Sec. 106) $226,337 $230,806 $249,164 $18,358 8.0%

Beaches Protection $9,452 $9,549 $0 ($9,549) -100.0%

Nonpoint Source (Sec. 319) $157,767 $159,252 $164,915 $5,663 3.6%

Wetlands Program Development $14,253 $14,661 $14,661 $0 0.0%

$407,808 $414,268 $428,740 $14,472 3.5%

Drinking Water

Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) $99,681 $101,963 $109,700 $7,737 7.6%

Underground Injection Control (UIC) $10,060 $10,506 $10,506 $0 0.0%

$109,740 $112,469 $120,206 $7,737 6.9%

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous Waste Financial Assistance $98,077 $99,693 $99,604 ($89) -0.1%

Brownfields $45,871 $47,745 $47,745 $0 0.0%

Underground Storage Tanks $1,489 $1,498 $1,498 $0 0.0%

$145,436 $148,936 $148,847 ($89) -0.1%

Pesticides & Toxics

Pesticides Program Implementation $11,577 $12,701 $12,701 $0 0.0%

Lead $13,515 $14,049 $14,049 $0 0.0%

Toxics Substances Compliance $4,655 $4,919 $4,919 $0 0.0%

Pesticides Enforcement $17,370 $18,050 $18,050 $0 0.0%

$47,116 $49,719 $49,719 $0 0.0%

Multimedia

Environmental Information $9,924 $9,646 $25,664 $16,018 166.1%

Pollution Prevention $4,894 $4,765 $4,765 $0 0.0%

Tribal General Assistance Program $66,494 $65,476 $96,375 $30,899 47.2%

$81,312 $79,887 $126,804 $46,917 58.7%

Total Categorical Grants $1,035,404 $1,054,378 $1,130,374 $75,996 7.2%

Notes: 1) Actuals refer to actual obligations.

3) Totals may not add due to rounding.

2) 2013 totals reflect operating levels after sequestration and excludes Hurricane 

Sandy Relief supplemental appropriation of $608 million. 

71
72
Categorical Grants

Categorical Grants Program (STAG)

(Dollars in millions)

*EN – Enacted, PB – President’s Budget. 2013 totals reflect operating levels after sequestration.

Categorical Grants

In FY 2015, the EPA requests a total of $1.130 billion for 17 “categorical” program grants for state, 

interstate organizations, non-profit organizations, intertribal consortia, and Tribal governments. The EPA 

will continue to pursue its strategy of building and supporting state, local, and Tribal capacity to 

implement, operate, and enforce the nation’s environmental laws. Most environmental laws envision 

establishment of a decentralized nationwide structure to protect public health and the environment. In this 

way, environmental goals will ultimately be achieved through the actions, programs, and commitments of 

state, Tribal, and local governments, organizations, and citizens.

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to offer flexibility to state and Tribal governments to manage their 

environmental programs as well as provide technical and financial assistance to achieve mutual 

environmental goals. First, the EPA and its state and Tribal partners will continue implementing the 

National Environmental Performance Partnership System (NEPPS). NEPPS is designed to allow states 

more flexibility to operate their programs, while increasing emphasis on measuring and reporting 

environmental improvements. Second, Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs) will continue to allow 

states and tribes funding flexibility to combine categorical program grants to address environmental 

priorities.

HIGHLIGHTS:

State & Local Air Quality Management, Radon, and Tribal Air Quality 

Management Grants

The FY 2015 request includes $256.1 million for grants to support state, local, and Tribal air management 

programs, an increase of $15.0 million from the FY 2014 Enacted Budget. Grant funds for State and 

Local Air Quality Management and Tribal Air Quality Management are requested in the amounts of 

$243.2 million and $12.8 million, respectively. These funds provide resources to multi-state, state, local, 

and Tribal air pollution control agencies for the development and implementation of programs for the 

prevention and control of air pollution and for the implementation of National Ambient Air Quality 

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

2005 

EN

2006 

EN

2007 

EN

2008 

EN

2009 

EN

2010 

EN

2011 

EN

2012 

EN

2013 

EN

2014 

EN

2015 

PB

$1,137 $1,113 $1,113 $1,078 $1,095 $1,116 $1,104 $1,089 $1,032 $1,054 $1,130 

73
Categorical Grants

Standards (NAAQS) set to protect public health and the environment. In FY 2015, the EPA will continue 

to work with state and local air pollution control agencies to develop or implement state implementation 

plans (SIPs) for NAAQS (including the 8-hour ozone standard, the fine particle (PM-2.5) standard, and 

the lead standard) and also for regional haze. In addition, the EPA will continue to support state and local

operation of the National Air Toxics Trends Stations network. In FY 2015, states with approved or 

delegated permitting programs will continue to implement new greenhouse gas requirements as part of 

their permitting programs. Additionally, in FY 2015, states will begin to lay the ground work to support key 

portions of the Climate Action Plan. The EPA will work closely with the states in order to achieve the 

common goal of reducing carbon pollution from power plants.

The EPA will work with federally-recognized Tribal governments nationwide to continue development and 

implementation of Tribal air quality management programs. Tribes are active in protection of air quality for 

the land over which they have sovereignty and work closely with the EPA to monitor and report air quality 

information from over 300 monitors. Lastly, the FY 2015 budget eliminates funding for the State Indoor 

Radon Grant (SIRG) program. The SIRG program was authorized in 1988 to provide financial assistance 

to states to develop, implement and enhance state capacity for reducing radon risk. Now that most states 

have indoor radon programs in place, EPA will narrow support to States to technical assistance alone and 

eliminate financial assistance provided under the SIRG program. 

Water Pollution Control (Clean Water Act Section 106) Grants

The FY 2015 EPA request includes $249.2 million for Water Pollution Control grants. The $18.4 million 

increase will strengthen the state, interstate and Tribal water quality programs. These water quality 

programs assist state and Tribal efforts to restore and maintain the quality of the nation’s waters by 

strengthening water quality standards, improving water quality monitoring and assessment, implementing 

Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) and other watershed-related plans, strengthening the National 

Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program and implementing practices to reduce 

pollution from all nonpoint sources. EPA will work with states, interstate agencies and tribes to strengthen 

their nutrient management efforts consistent with EPA Water Program guidance issued in March 2011, 

including the development of numeric nutrient criteria. The EPA will work with states to implement the 

rules governing discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and will continue to 

revise the stormwater regulations to better protect the nation’s waters from stormwater discharges. The 

EPA also will work with states as they implement individual and general pesticide permit programs.

States and authorized tribes will continue to review and update their water quality standards as required 

by the Clean Water Act. The EPA encourages states to continually review and update the water quality 

criteria in their standards to reflect the latest scientific information from the EPA and other sources. The 

EPA’s goal for FY 2015 is that 67.9 percent of states will have updated their standards to reflect the latest 

scientific information in the past three years. In FY 2015, EPA requests $18.5 million for monitoring to 

continue to be designated for states and tribes that participate in collecting statistically valid water 

monitoring data and implement enhancements in their water monitoring programs. 

Wetlands Grants

In FY 2015, the request includes $14.7 million for Wetlands Program grants, which provide technical and 

financial assistance to the states, tribes, and local governments. These grants support development of 

state and Tribal wetland programs that further the national goal of an overall increase in the acreage and 

condition of wetlands. The Wetland Program Development Grants are the EPA’s primary resource for 

supporting state and Tribal wetland program development. Grants are used to develop new or refine 

existing state and Tribal wetland programs in one or more of the following areas: (1) monitoring and 

assessment; (2) voluntary restoration and protection; (3) regulatory programs including Section 401 

certification; and (4) wetland water quality standards. 

74
Categorical Grants

Public Water System Supervision Grants 

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $109.7 million for Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) grants. These 

grants provide assistance to implement and enforce National Primary Drinking Water Regulations to 

ensure the safety of the Nation's drinking water resources and to protect public health. This request 

includes an additional $7.7 million to augment state and tribal efforts in meeting existing drinking water 

regulations and to prepare for implementation of new regulations, including the Revised Total Coliform Rule. 

These resources also will be used by states and tribes as they provide technical assistance and training 

to help meet the continued needs of the small water systems. 

Underground Injection Control (UIC) Grants

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $10.5 million for the Underground Injection Control grants program. 

Ensuring safe underground injection of waste materials and other fluids is a main component of a 

comprehensive source water protection program. Grants are provided to states that have primary 

enforcement authority (primacy) to implement and maintain UIC programs. In December 2010, a rule was 

finalized which established a new class of underground injection well—Class VI—with new federal 

requirements to allow the injection of CO2 for the purpose of Geologic Sequestration (GS). On September 

15, 2011, the EPA published a notice in the Federal Register indicating that the EPA will implement the 

Class VI GS program as no state has applied for, or received, approval for Class VI primacy either 

through a state UIC program revision, or a new application from states without any UIC primary 

enforcement authority. Therefore, in FY 2014, until states receive Class VI primacy approval, the EPA will 

continue to carry out regulatory functions for Class VI geologic sequestration wells in most states, along 

with other classes of wells for which the EPA has direct implementation responsibility. The EPA will 

continue to process primacy applications and permit applications for carbon sequestration projects related 

to Class VI wells. States and the EPA also will process Underground Injection Control permits for other 

nontraditional injection streams such as desalination brines and treated waters injected for storage and 

recovered at a later time. 

Non-Point Source Program Grants (NPS – Clean Water Act Section 319)

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $164.9 million for Nonpoint Source Program grants to states, territories, 

and tribes. These grants enable states to use a range of tools to implement their programs including: both 

non-regulatory and regulatory programs, technical assistance, financial assistance, education, training, 

technology transfer, and demonstration projects. The request also eliminates, for FY 2015, the statutory 

one-third of one-percent cap on Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution grants that may 

be awarded to tribes, allowing the Agency to provide Tribal funding at the Agency’s discretion in 

accordance with Tribal needs. In 2015, the EPA and the USDA will work collaboratively in high priority, 

focused watersheds to address agricultural nonpoint source pollution. The goal of our collaboration is to 

coordinate agency efforts, thereby increasing conservation on the ground to better protect water 

resources from nonpoint sources of pollution, including nitrogen and phosphorus.

Tribal General Assistance Program Grants 

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $96.4 million in General Assistance Program (GAP) grants to provide tribes 

with a stronger foundation to build their capacity to address environmental issues on Indian lands. It will 

further the EPA’s partnership and collaboration with tribes to address a wider set of program 

responsibilities and challenges. The grants will assist Tribal governments in building environmental 

capacity to assess environmental conditions, utilize available federal and other information, and build and 

administer environmental programs tailored to their needs. This additional funding will increase the 

average level of grants made to eligible tribes and focus on mutually agreed-upon concerns in Indian 

country.

75
Categorical Grants

Pesticide Enforcement and Toxics Substances Compliance Grants

The FY 2015 request includes $22.9 million to build environmental enforcement partnerships with states 

and tribes and to strengthen their ability to address environmental and public health threats. The 

enforcement state grants request consists of $18.0 million for Pesticides Enforcement and $4.9 million for 

Toxic Substances Compliance Grants. The Toxic Substance Compliance Grants protect the public and 

the environment from PCBs, asbestos, and lead-based paint. State and Tribal enforcement grants will be 

awarded to assist in the implementation of compliance and enforcement provisions of the Toxic 

Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

These grants support state and Tribal compliance activities to protect the environment from harmful 

chemicals and pesticides.

Under the Pesticides Enforcement Grant program, the EPA provides resources to states and Indian tribes 

to conduct FIFRA compliance inspections and take appropriate enforcement actions and implement 

programs for farm worker protection. The program also sponsors training for state and Tribal inspectors 

through the Pesticide Inspector Residential Program (PIRT) and for state and Tribal managers through 

the Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP). Under the Toxic Substances Compliance Grant 

program, “non-waiver” states inspect on behalf of the EPA and receive funding for compliance inspections 

of asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and "waiver" states inspect under their own regulations 

and receive funding for compliance inspections and enforcement of the asbestos program. States also 

receive funding for implementation of the state lead-based paint certification and training, abatement 

notification and work practice standards compliance and enforcement program. The funds will 

complement other Federal program grants for building state capacity for lead abatement, and enhancing 

compliance with disclosure, certification, and training requirements. 

Pesticides Program Implementation Grants

The FY 2015 request includes $12.7 million for Pesticides Program Implementation grants. These 

resources will assist states, tribes, and partners with outreach, training, technical assistance and 

implementation of various pesticide programs and issues, including, pesticide worker safety, protection of 

endangered species and water sources, bed bugs, pollinator protection, spray drift reduction and 

promotion of environmental stewardship approaches to pesticide use. The EPA’s mission as related to 

pesticides is to protect human health and the environment from pesticide risk and to realize the value of 

pesticide availability by considering the economic, social, and environmental costs and benefits of the use 

of pesticides. Pesticides Program Implementation Grants help state programs stay current with changing 

requirements.

Lead Grants

The FY 2015 request includes $14.0 million for lead grants. This funding will provide assistance to states, 

territories, the District of Columbia, and tribes to develop and implement authorized programs for the 

lead-based paint abatement program to operate in lieu of the federal program. Additionally, the program 

will provide support to those entities to develop and implement authorized Renovation, Repair and 

Painting (RRP) Programs. The EPA implements these programs in all areas of the country that are not 

authorized to do so. Activities conducted as part of this program include accrediting training programs, 

certifying individuals and firms, and providing education and compliance assistance to those subject to 

the abatement and RRP regulations and the general public. 

Pollution Prevention Grants

The FY 2015 request includes $4.8 million for Pollution Prevention grants. The program provides grant 

funds to deliver technical assistance to specific sectors and to address priority environmental problems 

aimed at reducing hazardous materials and hazardous pollution. The goal is to assist businesses and 

industries with identifying improved environmental strategies and solutions for reducing waste at the 

source. The program demonstrates that source reduction can be a cost-effective way of meeting or 

exceeding Federal and state regulatory requirements. 

76
Categorical Grants

Environmental Information Grants

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $25.6 million for the Environmental Information Exchange Network (EN) 

grant program. The EN grants provide funding to states, territories, federally recognized Indian tribes and 

tribal consortia to support their participation in the EN. These grants help EN partners acquire and 

develop the hardware and software needed to connect to the Network; use the EN to collect, report and 

access the data they need with greater efficiency; and integrate environmental data across programs. In 

collaboration with the EPA, the Environmental Council of the States accepts the EN as the standard 

approach for EPA and state data sharing. Tribes and territories have adopted it as well. The grant 

program has provided the funding to make this approach a reality. Specifically, grants will be used to 

develop publishing services, develop desktop and mobile applications that can send and receive data via 

the network, expand the network to new priority data systems, transition network services to an EPAhosted cloud-based node, increase data sharing among partners, bring electronic reporting into 

compliance with the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) using EPA—hosted shared 

services as well as other priorities. 

As part of the agency’s E-Enterprise initiative, in FY 2015, the EPA requests an additional $15.7 million in 

funding for our state, local and Tribal partners to achieve benefits that reach beyond the standardization 

and exchange of data. The grants will fund new efforts to streamline and harmonize the source 

environmental regulations and the services for implementing them with a goal toward enabling the public 

and the regulated community to do business with the environmental protection enterprise in the United 

States, just like they do with any other company. Specific funded efforts in FY 2015 will include 

participation in integrated project teams for regulatory analysis, business process reengineering, 

enterprise architecture analysis, performance measures, and communication efforts. Funded projects 

and outcomes will include pilot approaches for a single sign-on across federal and state programs with 

shared electronic credentials, cost for transitioning to reusable shared solutions offered by the EPA, and 

the joint development of new shared services and components. The return on investment will be 

measured in the numbers of legacy systems that are converted to shared approaches, the hours of 

reduced cumulative burden in paperwork and regulatory reporting, and the costs avoided by avoiding the 

redundant development and maintenance of technology services and infrastructure. This work will build 

on the successful state/EPA collaboration with the Environmental Information Exchange Network, a 

partnership which is enabling the exchange and sharing of critical environmental data, leading to 

enhanced analysis of environmental conditions and improved decision making.

State and Tribal Underground Storage Tanks Program

The FY 2015 request includes $1.5 million for Underground Storage Tank (UST) grants. In FY 2014, the 

EPA will make grants to states under Section 2007 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, available to support 

core program activities as well as the leak prevention activities under Title XV, Subtitle B of the Energy 

Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct).

In FY 2015, the EPA will continue to focus attention on the need to bring all UST systems into compliance 

with release detection and release prevention requirements and continue to implement the provisions of 

the EPAct. States will continue to use the UST categorical grant funding to implement their leak 

prevention and detection programs. Specifically, with these UST categorical grants, states will fund such 

activities as: seeking state program approval to operate the UST program in lieu of the Federal program, 

approving specific technologies to detect leaks from tanks, ensuring that tank owners and operators are 

complying with notification and other requirements, ensuring equipment compatibility, conducting 

inspections, and implementing operator training. 

Hazardous Waste Financial Assistance Grants

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $99.6 million for Hazardous Waste Financial Assistance grants. Hazardous 

Waste Financial Assistance grants are used for the implementation of the Resource Conservation and 

Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste program, which includes permitting, authorization, waste 

77
Categorical Grants

minimization, enforcement, and corrective action activities. In FY 2015, the EPA will work with states to 

meet the annual target of 110 hazardous waste facilities with new or updated controls.

 

By the end of FY 2015, the EPA and the authorized states also will control human exposures to 

contamination at 90 percent of the 2020 universe of 3,779 facilities that may need cleanup under the 

RCRA Corrective Action Program. The EPA also will control migration of contaminated groundwater at 79 

percent of these facilities and complete the construction of final remedies at 60 percent of these facilities.

Brownfields Grants

In FY 2015, the EPA requests $47.7 million for the Brownfields grant program that provides assistance to 

states and tribes to develop and enhance their state and Tribal Brownfields response programs. This 

funding will help states and tribes develop legislation, regulations, procedures, and guidance, to establish 

or enhance the administrative and legal structure of their response programs.

78
SRF Obligations by State

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Resources

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Resources

State-by-State distribution of Actual and Estimated Obligations 

Fiscal Years 2013 to 2015 – Dollars in Thousands

The following tables show state-by-state distribution of resources for EPA’s two 

largest State and Tribal Grant Programs, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund 

and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. These tables do not reflect total 

resources that EPA provides to individual states. 

79
SRF Obligations by State

Infrastructure Assistance: 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)

(Dollars in Thousands) 

FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015

STATE

ACT. OBLIG. EST. 

OBLIG.

EST. 

OBLIG.

Alabama $15,080 $15,836 $11,048

Alaska $8,071 $8,476 $5,913

American Samoa $7,306 $7,693 $5,353

Arizona $14,812 $9,566 $6,673

Arkansas $8,819 $9,265 $6,463

California $98,111 $101,290 $70,662

Colorado $10,787 $11,329 $7,903

Connecticut $16,521 $17,350 $12,104

Delaware $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

District of Columbia $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Florida $45,521 $47,806 $33,350

Georgia $22,801 $23,946 $16,705

Guam $9,133 $5,566 $3,873

Hawaii $10,095 $10,969 $7,652

Idaho $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Illinois $60,992 $64,052 $44,684

Indiana $32,514 $34,131 $23,811

Iowa $11,176 $19,168 $13,372

Kansas $12,173 $12,784 $8,918

Kentucky $17,316 $18,025 $12,575

Louisiana $14,822 $15,569 $10,861

Maine $10,439 $10,963 $7,648

Maryland $32,617 $34,253 $23,896

Massachusetts $45,786 $48,084 $33,545

Michigan $57,986 $60,896 $42,482

Minnesota $24,787 $26,031 $18,160

Mississippi $21,286 $12,760 $8,902

Missouri $37,709 $39,261 $27,389

Montana $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Nebraska $13,812 $7,244 $5,054

Nevada $6,622 $6,953 $4,850

New Hampshire $13,477 $14,153 $9,874

New Jersey $55,109 $248,9801 $40,374

New Mexico $6,617 $6,953 $4,850

New York $149,066 $439,4132 $109,056

North Carolina $49,846 $25,560 $17,831

North Dakota $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Northern Mariana Islands $3,396 $3,575 $2,488

Ohio $75,919 $79,729 $55,621

Oklahoma $10,892 $11,442 $7,982

Oregon $15,234 $15,999 $11,161

Pennsylvania $53,539 $56,100 $39,137

Puerto Rico $17,190 $18,472 $12,886

Rhode Island $9,055 $9,510 $6,634

South Carolina $24,204 $14,509 $10,122

South Dakota $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Tennessee $19,590 $20,574 $14,353

Texas $61,142 $64,731 $45,158

Utah $7,106 $7,462 $5,206

Vermont $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Virgin Islands, U.S. $3,249 $4,465 $3,107

Virginia $27,599 $28,984 $20,220

Washington $23,482 $24,629 $17,182

West Virginia $21,023 $22,077 $15,402

Wisconsin $36,458 $38,288 $26,710

Wyoming $6,620 $6,953 $4,850

Tribal Resources $18,644 $28,978 $30,000

Undistributed National Resources $4393 $4,1224 $0

TOTAL: $1,422,330 $1,923,595 $1,018,000

Notes:

1. Includes $191.1 million from P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.

2. Includes $283.1 million from P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.

3. Includes $62 thousand for a SEE employee supporting SRF activates in Region 7s states, $336 thousand for an award to the Indian Health 

Service overseeing a project in the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, and $41 thousand from P.L. 133-2 for the Management and Oversight of 

Sandy Supplemental funds.

4. Includes $500 thousands for the Management and Oversight of Sandy Supplemental funds, PL 113-2. and $3,622 million for Buy American 

Set Aside, P.L.113-2. 

80
SRF Obligations by State

Infrastructure Assistance:

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)

(Dollars in Thousands)

 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015

STATE

ACT. 

OBLIG.

EST. 

OBLIG.

EST. 

OBLIG.

Alabama $10,438 $16,892 $14,037 

Alaska $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

American Samoa $1,287 $1,542 $1,282 

Arizona $21,274 $15,969 $13,270 

Arkansas $12,743 $13,534 $11,246 

California $79,040 $83,221 $69,154 

Colorado $14,937 $15,394 $12,793 

Connecticut $8,421 $8,962 $7,448 

Delaware $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

District of Columbia $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Florida $27,496 $32,350 $26,883 

Georgia $19,899 $19,284 $16,025 

Guam $5,158 $3,958 $3,289 

Hawaii $7,971 $8,845 $7,350 

Idaho $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Illinois $32,116 $36,911 $30,672 

Indiana $14,046 $14,348 $11,923 

Iowa $29,697 $13,229 $10,993 

Kansas $10,302 $10,080 $8,377 

Kentucky $12,372 $13,770 $11,443 

Louisiana $8,421 $12,127 $10,077 

Maine $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Maryland $13,066 $15,012 $12,475 

Massachusetts $15,699 $16,441 $13,662 

Michigan $25,579 $27,530 $22,877 

Minnesota $14,131 $15,827 $13,152 

Mississippi $8,773 $9,159 $7,611 

Missouri $16,303 $17,855 $14,838 

Montana $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Nebraska $8,500 $8,845 $7,350 

Nevada $8,421 $12,614 $10,482 

New Hampshire $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

New Jersey $17,990 $55,0491 $13,984 

New Mexico $10,463 $8,845 $7,350 

New York $55,485 $99,0762 $35,280 

North Carolina $42,918 $20,695 $17,197 

North Dakota $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Northern Mariana Islands $3,829 $3,389 $2,816 

Ohio $27,058 $24,586 $20,431 

Oklahoma $15,914 $14,251 $11,842 

Oregon $8,421 $12,563 $10,439 

Pennsylvania $24,673 $28,280 $23,501 

Puerto Rico $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Rhode Island $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

South Carolina $17,396 $8,845 $7,350 

South Dakota $8,729 $8,845 $7,350 

Tennessee $9,359 $8,845 $7,350 

Texas $53,517 $63,953 $53,144 

Utah $8,421 $9,229 $7,670 

Vermont $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Virgin Islands, U.S. $9,021 $4,378 $3,638 

Virginia $14,275 $14,654 $12,177 

Washington $21,499 $19,741 $16,404 

West Virginia $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Wisconsin $14,518 $15,425 $12,818 

Wyoming $8,421 $8,845 $7,350 

Tribal Resources $14,371 $18,138 $20,000 

Undistributed National Resources $13,2793 $4,7674 $2,0005

TOTAL: $926,699 $1,002,238 $757,000 

Notes:

1. Includes $38.2 million from P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.

2. Includes $56.6 million from P.L. 113-2, the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.

3. Includes 13.24 million for Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring (UCM), which is EPA is required by Section 1452(o) of the Safe Drinking 

Water Act (SDWA), as amended, to annually set-aside $2 million of State Revolving Funds to pay the costs of small system monitoring and 

sample analysis for contaminants for each cycle of the UCMR, and $36 thousand from P.L. 113-2 for the Management and Oversight of 

Sandy Supplemental funds.

4. Includes $2 million for UCMR set aside, and $500 thousand from P.L. 113-2 for the Management and Oversight of Sandy Supplemental 

funds.

5. UCMR set aside. 

81
82
Infrastructure Financing

Infrastructure / STAG Project Financing

(Dollars in Thousands)

Type / Grant

FY 2013* 

Enacted

FY 2014 

Enacted

FY 2015 

PresBud

Delta

FY 15 PB – 

FY 14 EN

 Clean Water State Revolving Fund $1,376,082 $1,448,887 $1,018,000 ($430,887)

 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund $861,326 $906,896 $757,000 ($149,896)

State Revolving Funds $2,237,408 $2,355,783 $1,775,000 ($580,783)

 Mexico Border $4,732 $5,000 $5,000 $0

 Alaska Native Villages $9,463 $10,000 $10,000 $0

Special Needs Projects $14,195 $15,000 $15,000 $0

Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant 

Program $18,911 $20,000 $0 ($20,000)

Brownfields Projects $89,901 $90,000 $85,000 ($5,000)

Infrastructure Assistance Total $2,360,415 $2,480,783 $1,875,000 ($605,783)

*FY 2013 Enacted excludes Hurricane Sandy Relief supplemental appropriations.

Infrastructure and Special Projects Funds

The FY 2015 President’s Budget includes a total of $1.9 billion for the EPA’s Infrastructure programs in 

the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) account. This budget funds the SRFs at $1.8 billion total.

Infrastructure and targeted projects funding under the STAG appropriation provides financial assistance 

to states, municipalities, interstates, and tribal governments to fund a variety of drinking water, 

wastewater, air, and brownfields environmental projects. These funds help fulfill the federal government’s 

commitment to help our state, tribal and local partners obtain adequate funding to construct the facilities 

required to comply with federal environmental requirements and ensure public health and revitalize 

contaminated properties.

Providing STAG funds to capitalize State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, the EPA works in partnership 

with the states to provide low-cost loans to municipalities for infrastructure construction. All drinking water 

and wastewater projects are funded based on state developed priority lists. Through SRF set-asides, 

grants are available to Indian tribes and U.S. territories for infrastructure projects. 

The resources included in this budget will enable the agency, in conjunction with the EPA’s state, local, 

and tribal partners, to achieve important goals. For example: 92 percent of the population served by 

community water systems will receive drinking water meeting all health-based standards. 

Capitalizing Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds 

The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs demonstrate a true partnership 

between states, localities, and the federal government. These programs provide federal financial 

83
Infrastructure Financing

assistance to protect the nation’s water resources by providing funds for the construction of drinking water 

and wastewater treatment facilities. The state revolving funds are two important elements of the nation’s 

substantial investment in sewage treatment and drinking water systems, which provides Americans with 

significant benefits in the form of reduced water pollution and safe drinking water.

This federal investment also will support the continued work of the SRFs in ensuring that small and 

underserved communities have ready access to funding that helps address their pressing wastewater 

infrastructure and other water quality needs.

The EPA will continue to provide financial assistance for wastewater and other water projects through the 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). CWSRF projects include nonpoint source, estuary, 

stormwater, and sewer overflow projects. The dramatic progress made in improving the quality of 

wastewater treatment since the 1970s is a national success. In 1972, only 78.2 million people were 

served by secondary or advanced wastewater treatment facilities. As of 2008 (from the most recent Clean 

Watersheds Needs Survey), over 99 percent of Publicly Owned Treatment Works, serving 222.6 million 

people, use secondary treatment or better. Water infrastructure projects supported by the program 

contribute to direct ecosystem improvements by lowering the amount of nutrients and toxic pollutants in 

all types of surface waters. While great progress has been made, many rivers, lakes and ocean/coastal 

areas still suffer a significant influx of pollutants after heavy rains resulting in beach closures, infected

fish, and degradation of the ability of watersheds to sustain a healthy ecosystem. 

The FY 2015 request includes $1.018 billion in funding for the CWSRF. Total CWSRF funding available 

for loans from 1988 through June 2012 exceeds $97.4 billion. This total reflects loan repayments, state 

match dollars, as well as other funding sources. The EPA estimates that for every federal dollar 

contributed, more than two dollars are provided to municipalities.

Since its inception in 1997, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program has made $28.3 

billion available to finance 10,652 infrastructure improvement projects nationwide, with an average of 

$1.75 made available to localities for every $1 of federal funds invested. As of June 30, 2013, $15.7 

billion in capitalization grants have been awarded, amounting to loans/assistance of $25.8 billion. The 

DWSRF helps address the costs of ensuring safe drinking water supplies and assists small communities 

in meeting their responsibilities.

 

Through both SRFs, the EPA will work to target assistance to small and underserved communities with 

limited ability to repay loans.

For FY 2015, the EPA requests that not less than 10 percent but not more than 20 percent of the CWSRF 

appropriated funds and not less than 20 percent but not more than 30 percent of the DWSRF funds be 

made available to each state to be used to provide additional subsidy to eligible recipients in the form of 

forgiveness of principle, negative interest loans, or grants (or a combination of these). The CWSRF 

additional subsidy would apply to the entire CWSRF appropriation thereby effectively increasing the 

amount from recent years when the subsidy only applied to appropriated funds above $1 billion. For FY 

2015, the EPA will encourage states to utilize the subsidy to assist small drinking water systems with 

standards compliance. The EPA also is requesting, to the extent there are sufficient eligible project 

applications, that not less than 20 percent of a portion of a CWSRF capitalization grant be made available 

for green infrastructure projects. For funds made available to each State for Drinking Water State 

Revolving Fund capitalization grants may, at the discretion of each State, be used for projects that 

address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or environmentally innovative 

activities.

As part of the Administration’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Policy, the EPA focuses on working with 

federal partners, states, and communities to develop sustainable systems that employ effective utility 

management practices to build and maintain the level of technical, financial, and managerial capacity 

necessary to ensure long-term sustainability. The policy emphasizes the need to build on existing efforts 

to promote sustainable water infrastructure and to employ robust, comprehensive planning processes to 

deliver projects that are cost effective over their life cycle, resource efficient, and consistent with 

84
Infrastructure Financing

community sustainability goals. Through this policy, the EPA is helping to ensure that federal 

investments, policies, and actions support water infrastructure in efficient and sustainable locations to 

best aid existing communities, enhance economic competitiveness, and promote affordable 

neighborhoods. The policy encourages that Federal dollars provided through the SRFs will act as a 

catalyst for efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of sustainable water infrastructure. 

Overall, the Administration requests a combined total of $1.8 billion for the SRFs.

Set-Asides for Tribes and Territories 

To improve public health and water quality on tribal lands, the agency is requesting to increase the tribal 

set asides in the CWSRF to 2 percent, or $30 million, whichever is greater, and to 2 percent, or $20 

million, whichever is greater, in the DWSRF. The EPA also is requesting to maintain the SRF set aside for 

territories at up to 1.5 percent for both the CWSRF and the DWSRF. 

Alaska Native Villages

The President’s Budget requests $10 million for Alaska native villages for the construction of wastewater 

and drinking water facilities to address serious sanitation problems. The EPA will continue to work with 

the Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service, the State of Alaska, the Alaska 

Native Tribal Health Council, and local communities to provide needed financial and technical assistance.

Brownfields Projects 

The President’s Budget requests $85 million for Brownfields projects. With the FY 2015 request, the EPA 

plans to fund at least 119 assessment cooperative agreements and approximately 52 direct cleanup 

cooperative agreements. The EPA also will support cleanup of up to 90 sites contaminated by petroleum 

or petroleum products and award an estimated $3.4 million in environmental workforce development and 

job training grants. In FY 2015, the funding provided is expected to result in the assessment of 1,200 

brownfields properties. Using EPA grant dollars, the brownfields grantees will leverage 4,750 cleanup and 

redevelopment jobs and $1.1 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding.

During FY 2015, the Brownfields program will continue to support the agency’s ongoing brownfields areawide planning efforts. The cooperative agreements and technical assistance provided for brownfields 

area-wide planning will assist approximately 20 communities to identify viable reuses of brownfields 

properties, as well as associated infrastructure investments and environmental improvements needed, 

which will help lead to site cleanup and area revitalization. 

The EPA will continue to provide technical assistance for brownfields redevelopment in cities in transition 

which are struggling with high unemployment as a result of structural changes to their economies. In 

addition, the Brownfields program will continue to work closely with the EPA's Sustainable Communities 

program to address critical issues for brownfields redevelopment, including land assembly, development 

permitting issues, financing, and accountability to uniform systems of information for land use controls, 

greener development practices, and other factors that influence the economic viability of brownfields 

redevelopment. The best practices, tools, and lessons learned from the Sustainable Communities 

program will directly inform and assist the EPA's efforts to increase area-wide planning for assessment, 

cleanup, and redevelopment of brownfields sites. In FY 2015, the Brownfields program will continue to 

foster federal, state, local, and public/private partnerships to return properties to productive economic use 

in communities. The Brownfields projects funding also supports participation in the Administration-wide 

initiative, the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO), by promoting the planning of urban parks and greenways 

on once abandoned or scarred lands.

Mexico Border

The President’s Budget requests a total of $5 million for water infrastructure projects along the U.S.-

Mexico Border. The goal of this program is to reduce environmental and human health risks along the 

U.S.-Mexico Border. The EPA’s U.S.-Mexico Border program provides funds to support the planning, 

85
Infrastructure Financing

design, and construction of high priority water and wastewater treatment projects along the border. The 

agency’s goal is to provide protection to people in the U.S.-Mexico border area from health risks by 

connecting homes to potable water supply and wastewater collection and treatment systems.

86
Trust Funds 

Trust Funds

(Dollars in Millions)

FY 2013

Enacted 

Budget1

FY 2014

Enacted

Budget1

FY 2015

President’s 

Budget1

Trust Funds Program $ FTE $ FTE $ FTE

Superfund2 $1,082 2,794 $1,060 2,630 $1,127 2,542

Inspector General (Transfers) $9 59 $10 60 $11 59

Research & Development 

(Transfers) $22 99 $19 79 $19 75

Superfund Total $1,113 2,952 $1,089 2,769 $1,157 2,676

Base Realignment and 

Closure3 $0 20 $0 14 $0 9

LUST4 $99 64 $95 55 $98 55

Trust Funds Total5: $1,212 3,036 $1,184 2,838 $1,255 2,740

1 Totals may not add due to rounding. 2. FTE numbers include all direct and reimbursable Superfund employees, excluding Base Realignment 

and Closure which is discussed below.

3 Funding for reimbursable FTE provided by the Department of Defense via an Interagency Agreement. 4 EPAct Grants for Prevention activities are included in the FY 2012 Enacted, FY 2013 Enacted, and FY 

2014 President’s Budget.

5 Trust Funds Total includes reimbursable FTE for Base Realignment and Closure as well as other 

Superfund reimbursable FTE.

Superfund 

In FY 2015, the President’s Budget requests a total of $1,157 million in discretionary budget authority and 

2,676 FTE for Superfund. This funding level will address environmental and public health risks resulting 

from releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances associated with any emergency site, as 

well as the over 14,100 active Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) and non-NPL sites. It also provides 

funding to pursue responsible parties for cleanup costs, preserving federal dollars for sites where there 

are no viable contributing parties. As of February 2014, there are 1,694 sites on the NPL. 1,157 sites (68

percent) are construction completed or are deleted, 310 sites (18 percent) are undergoing cleanup 

construction, 215 sites (13 percent) are pending investigation or being investigated. The EPA will 

continue to give attention to all phases of the investigation and cleanup of NPL and non-NPL sites, 

including post-construction completion activities to ensure that Superfund response actions provide for 

the long-term protection of human health and the environment. A significant statutorily required postconstruction activity is a Five-Year Review1

, which generally is necessary when hazardous substances 

 

1 Five-Year Reviews are used to evaluate the implementation and performance of all components of the 

implemented remedy and to determine whether the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment. 

The Five-Year Review includes not only the physical remedy itself, but also institutional controls necessary to 

manage the use of the site. The EPA develops an annual Report to Congress describing the protectiveness of 

87
Trust Funds 

remain on-site above levels that permit unrestricted use and unlimited exposure. In FY 2015, the EPA 

plans to conduct over 200 Five-Year Reviews.

Of the total funding requested for Superfund, $763 million and 1,2572

 FTE are for Superfund cleanups

which include the Superfund Remedial, Emergency Response and Removal, EPA Emergency 

Preparedness, and Federal Facilities programs. The Superfund program protects the American public 

and its resources by cleaning up sites which pose an imminent or long term risk of exposure and harm to 

human health and the environment. In FY 2015, the agency will continue to respond to emergency 

releases of hazardous substances, stabilizing sites and mitigating immediate threats to keep our 

communities safe and healthy. The Superfund Remedial program will continue to maintain focus on 

completing projects at various stages in the response process and maximizing the use of site-specific 

special accounts. The EPA and its partners will focus on completing construction activities at 13 site wide 

construction completions as well as 105 individual project completions by the end of FY 2015, while 

achieving human exposure and groundwater migration under control at 9 and 13 sites, respectively. This 

strategy will help create jobs and reduce the growth in the number of new sites that are ready to begin 

construction of the remedy but are waiting for funding by the end of FY 2015. 

The agency works with several federal agencies that provide essential services in areas where the 

agency does not possess the specialized expertise. Over the last 30 years of operations, the relationship 

between the federal agencies for cleanup activities has become more defined and the agencies that 

received automatic transfers from the EPA have developed their own mission-specific funding for the 

purposes that the EPA had previously subsidized. In FY 2013, the agency eliminated the last remaining 

automatic transfers to other federal agencies, including the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of the Interior (DOI). 

Funding for the other federal agencies may be pursued by Superfund-related support services, on an asneeded basis. 

Of the total funding requested, $171 million and 853 FTE are for Superfund enforcement-related 

activities. One of the Superfund program’s primary goals is to have responsible parties pay for and 

conduct cleanups at abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The agency focuses on 

maximizing all aspects of Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) participation; including reaching a 

settlement with or taking an enforcement action by the time of a Remedial Action start for at least 99 

percent of non-federal Superfund sites that have viable, liable parties. The agency has reached a 

settlement or taken an enforcement action on 100 percent of non-federal Superfund sites with viable, 

liable parties in FY 2013. 

CERCLA authorizes the agency to retain and use funds received pursuant to an agreement with a 

potentially responsible party (PRP) to carry out the purpose of that agreement. The EPA retains such 

funds in special accounts and uses them to finance site-specific CERCLA response actions in 

accordance with the settlement agreement, including, but not limited to, investigations, construction and 

implementation of the remedy, post-construction activities, and oversight of PRPs conducting the 

cleanup. Through the use of special accounts, the EPA pursues its “enforcement first” policy – ensuring 

responsible parties pay for cleanup – so that appropriated resources from the Superfund Trust Fund are 

conserved for sites where no viable or liable PRPs have been identified. Because response actions may 

take many years and the use of special account funding is limited by the terms of the settlement 

agreements, the full use of special account funds may also take many years. Since the inception of 

special accounts through the end of FY 2013, the EPA has collected approximately $4.1 billion from 

PRPs and earned approximately $412.9 million in interest. In addition, the EPA has transferred $23.7 

million to the Superfund Trust Fund. As of the end of FY 2013, over $2.5 billion has been disbursed to 

finance site response actions and approximately $270.1 million has been obligated but not yet disbursed. 

The EPA has spent more than 62 percent ($2.8 billion) of all special account funds, an increase of 4 

 remedies as found through Five-Year Reviews including those conducted by federal agencies and reviewed by the 

EPA through the Superfund Federal Facilities Response program.

2 This includes 9 Superfund reimbursable FTE.

88
Trust Funds 

percent compared from FY 2012. Both special account resources and appropriated resources are critical 

to the Superfund program.

The EPA’s Homeland Security work is an important component of the agency’s prevention, protection, 

and response activities. The FY 2015 President’s Budget requests $33.8 million to: maintain its capability 

to respond effectively to incidents that may involve harmful chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) 

substances; maintain the Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN); develop and maintain 

agency expertise and operational readiness for all phases of consequential management following a CBR 

incident, specifically environmental characterization, decontamination, laboratory analyses and clearance; 

maintain the Emergency Management Portal (EMP); and conduct CBR training for agency responders to 

improve CBR preparedness. 

The FY 2015 President’s Budget also includes resources supporting agencywide resource management 

and control functions. This includes essential infrastructure, contract and grant administration, financial 

accounting, and other fiscal operations.

In addition, the agency provides funds for Superfund program research and for auditing. The President’s 

Budget requests $19 million and 75 FTE to be transferred to Research and Development. Research will 

enable the EPA’s Superfund program to accelerate scientifically defensible and cost-effective decisions 

for cleanup at complex contaminated Superfund sites. The Superfund research program is driven by 

program office needs to reduce the cost of cleaning up Superfund sites, improve the efficiency of 

characterizing and remediating sites, identify effective remediation technologies, and reduce the scientific 

uncertainties for improved decision-making at Superfund sites. The President’s Budget also requests $11 

million and 59 FTE to be transferred to the Inspector General for program auditing.

There are still sites where no viable PRP has been identified and there are many activities that the EPA 

performs that are not otherwise reimbursed. For this reason, the FY 2015 Budget supports reinstatement 

of the Superfund tax. The Superfund tax on petroleum, chemical feedstock and corporate environmental 

income expired in 1995. Since the expiration of Superfund tax, Superfund program funding (the 

“Superfund appropriation”) has been largely financed from General Revenue transfers to the Superfund 

Trust Fund, thus burdening the general public with the costs of cleaning up hazardous waste sites.

Reinstating the Superfund taxes would provide a stable, dedicated source of revenue for the Superfund 

Trust Fund and restore the historic nexus that parties who benefit from the manufacture and sale of 

substances found in hazardous waste sites contribute to the cost of cleanup. The reinstated Superfund 

taxes are estimated to generate a revenue level of approximately $1.8 billion beginning in January 2015 

to more than $2.9 billion annually by 2024. Total tax revenue over the period 2015 to 2024 is predicted to 

be $26.1 billion. The revenues will be placed in the Superfund Trust Fund and would be available for 

appropriation from Congress to support the assessment and cleanup of the Nation’s highest risk sites 

within the Superfund program.

Base Realignment and Closure Act 

The FY 2015 President’s Budget requests 9 reimbursable FTE to conduct the Base Realignment and 

Closure (BRAC) program (BRAC I-IV). The EPA’s participation in the first four rounds of BRAC has been 

funded by an interagency agreement which expires on September 30, 2016. Since 1993, the EPA has 

worked with the Department of Defense (DOD) and state environmental programs to make property 

environmentally acceptable for transfer, while protecting human health and the environment at realigning 

or closing military installations. Between 1988 and 2005, over 500 major military installations representing 

the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Defense Logistics Agency have been slated for realignment or closure. 

Under the first four rounds of BRAC (BRAC I-IV), 107 of those sites were identified as requiring 

accelerated cleanup. The EPA provided critical environmental support to DOD and participated in the 

acceleration process of the first four rounds of BRAC. The accelerated cleanup process strives to make 

parcels available for reuse as quickly as possible, by transfer of uncontaminated or remediated parcels, 

lease of contaminated parcels where cleanup is underway, or “early transfer” of contaminated property 

undergoing cleanup. Seventy-two Federal facilities currently listed on the NPL were identified under the 

fifth round of BRAC (BRAC V) as closing, realigning, or gaining personnel. 

89
Trust Funds 

The FY 2015 request does not include support for BRAC-related services to DOD at BRAC V facilities. 

Rather, the EPA services and resources to support the BRAC V installations may be requested from 

DOD, on an as-needed basis. 

Leaking Underground Storage Tanks 

The FY 2014 President’s Budget requests $98 million and 55 FTE for the Leaking Underground Storage 

Tank (LUST) Trust Fund program. The agency, working with states and tribes, addresses public health 

and environmental threats from releases through prevention and cleanup activities. As required by law

(42 U.S.C. 6991c(f)), not less than 80 percent of LUST appropriated funds will be used for reasonable 

costs incurred under a cooperative agreements with any state to carry out specific purposes. The EPA 

will continue to work with the states to achieve more cleanups, and reduce the backlog of 78,717

cleanups not yet completed. Between 1986 and 2013, the LUST program addressed 85 percent 

(436,406) of all reported releases. In FY 2015, working with state partners, the LUST program will strive 

to achieve 8,600 cleanups, a decrease relative to the FY 2013 target. The FY 2015 target reflects a 

recalibration based on the expiration of this funding source, as well as an overall decrease in expected 

cleanups due to increasing costs of cleanups, and the complexity of remaining sites to be cleaned up.

The LUST Trust Fund financing tax expired on March 30, 2012 and was extended by Public Law 112-141 

through September 30, 2016. While tank owners and operators are liable for the cost of cleanups at sites 

for which they have responsibility, EPA and State regulatory agencies are not always able to identify 

responsible parties and sometimes responsible parties are no longer financially viable or have a limited 

ability to pay. In those cases, the cost of the cleanup is distributed among fuel users through the targeted 

fuel tax, which is available for appropriation from Congress to support the prevention and cleanup of sites 

within the LUST program. For FY 2013, the Trust Fund received more than $185 million in tax receipts.

90
Acronyms

Environmental Protection Agency

List of Acronyms

AA Assistant Administrator

ACE Air, Climate, and Energy

ACE/ITDS Automated Commercial Environment/International Trade Data System

ACRES Assessment Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System

ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution 

AFS Air Facility System

ANCR Annual Non-Compliance Report

AOP Adverse Outcome Pathway 

ARA Assistant Regional Administrator

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

B&F Buildings and Facilities

BFRs Brominated Flame Retardants

BOSC Board of Scientific Counselors

BRAC Base Realignment and Closure

CAA Clean Air Act

CAFO Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

CAIR Clean Air Interstate Rule

CAPF Clean Air Partnership Fund

CARE Community Action for a Renewed Environment

CBEP Community-Based Environmental Protection

CBP Customs and Border Protection

CBR Chemical, Biological and Radiological

CCAP Climate Change Action Plan

CCS Carbon Capture and Storage

CCTI Climate Change Technology Initiative

CEIS Center for Environmental Information and Statistics

CENRS Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CERFA Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act 

CMAQ Community Multiscale Air Quality

CMDS Content Management and Discovery Services

COOP Continuity of Operations

CSI Common Sense Initiative

CSO Combined Sewer Overflows

CWA Clean Water Act

CWAP Clean Water Action Plan

DASEES Decision Analysis for a Sustainable Environment, Economy & Society

DBP Disinfection Byproducts

DFAS Defense Finance and Accounting System

DfE Design for the Environment

DMR Discharge Monitoring Reports 

ECHO Enforcement and Compliance History Online

EDSD Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program

EISA Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

EJ Environmental Justice

ELP Environmental Leadership Project

EMP Emergency Management Portal

EN Enacted (Budget)

EPAct Energy Policy Act of 2005

EPCRA Emergency Preparedness and Community Right-to-Know Act

EPM Environmental Programs and Management

91
Acronyms 

EPP Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program

ERRS Emergency Rapid Response Services

ESC Executive Steering Committee

ETI Environmental Technology Initiative

ETV Environmental Technology Verification

EU European Union

EWDJT Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training

FAN Fixed Account Numbers

FASAB Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board

FCO Funds Certifying Officer

FFDCA Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

FLC Federal Leadership Committee

FMFIA Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act

FQPA Food Quality Protection Act 

FSMA Food Safety Modernization Act

FSMP Financial System Modernization Project

FTE Full-Time Equivalent` 

GAPG General Assistance Program Grants

GHG Greenhouse Gas

GHGRP Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act

GSN Green Suppliers Network

HPPG High Priority Performance Goals

HPV High Production Volume

HS Homeland Security

HSWA Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984

HWIR Hazardous Waste Identification Media and Process Rules

IAG Interagency Agreements

ICR Information Collection Rule

IFMS Integrated Financial Management System

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IPM Integrated Pest Management

IRM Information Resource Management

ISA Integrated Science Assessments

ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act

ITMRA Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1995-AKA 

Clinger/Cohen Act

LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tanks

M&O Management and Oversight

MARL Microarray Research Laboratory

MACT Maximum Achievable Control Technology

MTM Mountaintop Mining

NAAQs National Ambient Air Quality Standards

NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement

NAPA National Academy of Public Administration

NAS National Academy of Sciences

NATA National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment

NCDC National Clean Diesel Campaign

NEA Nuclear Energy Agency

NDPD National Data Processing Division

NEP National Estuary Program

NEPPS National Environmental Performance Partnership System 

NESCA National Enforcement Strategy for Corrective Action

NESHAP National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

NIPP National Infrastructure Protection Plan

NLIC National Lead Information Center

NOA New Obligation Authority

92
Acronyms

NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NPDWRs National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

NPL National Priority List

NPM National Program Manager

NPR National Performance Review

NPS Nonpoint Source

NPSR National Pesticide Standard Repository

NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service

NROC Northeast Regional Ocean Council

NRT National Response Team

NVFEL National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory 

OA Office of the Administrator

OAM Office of Acquisition Management

OAR Office of Air and Radiation

OARM Office of Administration and Resources Management

OCFO Office of the Chief Financial Officer

OCHP Office of Children’s Health Protection

OECA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

OEI Office of Environmental Information

OERR Office of Emergency and Remedial Response

OFA Other Federal Agencies

OFPP Office of Federal Procurement Policy

OGC Office of General Counsel

OIG Office of Inspector General

OMTR Open Market Trading Rule

OPAA Office of Planning, Analysis and Accountability

ORD Office of Research and Development

OSWER Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response

OTAG Ozone Transport Advisory Group

OW Office of Water

PB President’s Budget

PBTs Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxics

PC&B Personnel, Compensation and Benefits

PHEV Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

PIP Plant-incorporated Protectants

PM Particulate Matter

PNGV Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles

POTWs Publicly Owned Treatment Works

PPG Performance Partnership Grants

PPIN Pollution Prevention Information Network

PPRTV Provisional Peer Reviewed Toxicity Values

PRC Program Results Code

PRIA Pesticide Registration Improvement Act 

PRIRA Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act

PWSS Public Water System Supervision

RC Responsibility Center

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976

RGI Regional Geographic Initiative 

RLF Revolving Loan Fund

RMP Risk Management Plan

ROE Report on the Environment

RPIO Responsible Planning Implementation Office

RR Reprogramming Request

RRP Renovation, Repair and Painting 

RWTA Rural Water Technical Assistance

S&T Science and Technology

SALC Sub-allocation (level)

93
Acronyms 

SAP Science Advisory Panel

SAB Science Advisory Board

SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986

SBO Senior Budget Officer

SBLRBRA Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act

SBREFA Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act

SDWIS Safe Drinking Water Information System

SHC Sustainable and Healthy Communities

SIRG State Indoor Radon Grants 

SITE Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation 

SLC Senior Leadership Council

SNEE Southern New England Estuaries

SRF State Revolving Fund

SRO Senior Resource Official

STAG State and Tribal Assistance Grants

STAR METRICS Science and Technology in America’s Reinvestment-Measuring Effects of Research 

on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Science

STORS Sludge-to-Oil-Reactor System

SWP Source Water Protection

SWTR Surface Water Treatment Rule

TIM Technology Infrastructure Modernization

TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load

TRI Toxic Release Inventory

TRIO Taskforce on Research to Inform and Optimize

TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act

TSD Treatment, Storage and Disposal

UIC Underground Injection Control

UST Underground Storage Tanks

WCF Working Capital Fund

WIF Water Infrastructure Funds

WIPP Waste Isolation Pilot Project

WSI Water Security Initiative

WHO World Health Organization

WTO World Trade Organization

94

United States Environmental Protection Agency

www.epa.gov