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3 Disclaimer

To the extent this document mentions or discusses statutory or regulatory authority, it does so for informational purposes only. This document does not substitute for those statutes or regulations, and readers should consult the statutes or regulations to learn what they require. Neither this document, no r any part of it, is itself a rule or a regulation. Thus, it cannot change or impose legall y binding requirements on EPA, s tates, the public, or the regulated community. Further, any expressed intention, suggestion or recommendation does not impose any leg all y binding requirements on EPA, s tates, t ribes , the public, or the regulated community. Agency decision makers remain free to exercise their discretion in choosing to implement the actions described in this Plan. Such implementation is contingent upon av ailability of resources and is subject to change.Draft September 18, 2013

4 Preface

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to identifying and responding to the challenges that a changing climate poses to human health and the environment.

Scientific evidence demonstrates that the climate is changing at an increasingly rapid rate, outside the range to which society has adapted in the past. These changes can pose significant challenges to the EPA’s ability to fulfill its mission. The EPA must adapt to climate change if it is to continue fulfilling its statutory, regulatory and programmatic requirements. The Agency is therefore anticipating and planning for future changes in climate to ensure it continues to fulfill its mission of protecting hu man health and the environment even as the climate changes.

In February 2013, the EPA released its draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan to the public for review and comment. The plan relies on peer

- reviewed scientific information and expert judgment to i dentify vulnerabilities to EPA’s mission and goals from climate change. The plan also presents 10 priority actions that EPA will take to ensure that its programs, policies, rules, and operations will remain effective under future climatic conditions. The p riority placed on mainstreaming climate adaptation within EPA complements efforts to encourage and mainstream adaptation planning across the entire federal government.

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

Env ironmental Program Office, all 10 Regional Offices, and several National Support Offices developed a Climate Adaptation Implementation Plan to provide more detail on how it will carry out the work called for in the agency

- wide plan. Each Implementation Pla n articulates how the office will integrate climate adaptation into its planning and work in a manner consistent and compatible with its goals and objectives.

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

wide priorities presented in the Climate Change Adaptation Plan . A central element of all of EPA’s plans is to build and strengthen its adaptive capacity and work with its partners to build capacity in states, tribes, and local communities. EPA will empower its staff and partners by increasing their awareness of ways that climate change may affect their ability to implement effective programs, and by providing them with the necessary data, information, and tools to integrate climate adaptation into their work.

Each Program and Regional Office’s Implementation Plan contains an initial assessment of the implications of climate change for the organization’s goals and objectives. These “program vulnerability assessments” are living documents that will be updated as needed to account for new knowledge, data, and scientific evidence about the impacts of climate change on EPA’s mission. The plan then identifies specific priority actions that the office will take to begin addressing its vulnerabilities and mainstreaming climate change adaptation into its activities. Criteria for the selection of priorities are discussed. An emphasis is placed on protecting the most vulnerable people and places, on supporting the development of adaptive capacity in the tribes, and on ident ifying clear steps for ongoing collaboration with tribal governments.Draft September 18, 2013

5 Because EPA’s Programs and Regions and partners will be learning by experience as they mainstream climate adaptation planning into their activities, it will be essential to evaluate th eir efforts in order to understand how well different approaches work and how they can be improved. Each Implementation Plan therefore includes a discussion of how the organization will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of its adaptation efforts and mak e adjustments where

necessary.

The set of Implementation Plans are a sign of EPA’s leadership and commitment to help build the nation’s adaptive capacity that is so vital to the goal of protecting human health and the environment. Working with its partner s, the Agency will help promote a healthy and prosperous nation that is resilient to a changing climate.

Bob Perciasepe
Deputy Administrator

September 2013Draft September 18, 2013

6 Contributors

This document was produced by select members of the Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Work Group. Contributors include:

James R. Brown, National Climate Change Adaptation Workgroup Member and Co

- author Jim Yarbrough, National Climate Change Adaptation Workgroup Alternate Member and Co

- author Barbara Keeler, National Water P rogram Climate Change Workgroup Member

, Editor , and Contributor Rob Lawrence, EPA Region 6 Energy Advisor and Contributor William Rhea, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Brian Graves, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climat e Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Joshua Olszewski, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Verne McFarland, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Casey Luckett , Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Randy Gee, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Mark Allen, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Jessica Hernandez, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Julie Alderete, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and Contributor Kenneth McPherson, Region 6 Clean Energy and Climate Change Workgroup Member and ContributorDraft September 18, 2013

7 Table of Contents

Introduction 8

Relationship to Sustainability 9

Part 1: Vulnerability Assessment 10

Part 2: Responding to Vulnerabilities: Priority Actions 20

Part 3: Measuring and Evaluating Performance 2 4

Part 4: Working with Tribes and Other Sensitive Populations 2 7

Part 5: Conclusions 30

Figures and Tables 31

References Cited 3 5

Appendix 3 7Draft September 18, 2013

8 Introduction

The EPA Region 6 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan stems from the National Climate Adaptation Plan which was prepared by EPA to fulfill the requirements of Executive Order 13514, calling for all Federal Agencies to develop a plan on how they wi ll address climate change adaptation. EPA’s draft Adaptation Plan was submitted to the White House Council on Environmental Quality in June of 2012, and has undergone a tribal consultation as well as a public review and comment period that ended April 9, 2 012. EPA expects to publish the final Climate Adaptation Plan in 2013. While the Adaptation Plan was under development,

EPA Administrator Jackson issued a Policy Statement on Climate Change in June 2011. The Policy Statement recognizes that climate change can pose significant challenges to EPA’s ability to fulfill its mission, and calls for the Agency to anticipate and plan for future changes in climate and incorporate considerations of climate change into its activities. The Policy
Statement also directs a ll EPA Program and Regional Offices to develop Implementation Plans that provide more detail on how they will meet the priorities and carry out the work called for in the Agency’s Adaptation Plan.

Regional Implementation Plans explain how climate change considerations will be integrated and mainstreamed into programs, policies and operations to ensure they are effective under future climate conditions. Through the Implementation Plans, EPA will continue to protect

human health a nd the environment while accounting for the effects of climate change. The EPA Region 6 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan discusses climate change vulnerabilities the Region will face in coming years, identifies priority actions the Region will take in response to these vulnerabilities, outlines an approach for measuring and evaluating performance, and stresses the importance of working in partnership with stakeholders, states, tribes, and vulnerable communities and places to address the challen ges posed by a changing

climate. The Implementation Plan is a living document, and will certainly change as new information about the climate and ways to mitigate and adapt to it become available. As a result, periodic updates and changes to this Plan are expected.Draft September 18, 2013

9 Relationship to Sustainability

Many of the adaptations described in this Implementation Plan relate to sustainability. EPA’s efforts to address sustainability are described at:

http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/basicinfo.htm#sustainability

.

Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well

be ing depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability has emerged as a serious concern as a result of the unintended social, environmental, and economic consequences of rapid population growth, economic growth and consumpti on of our

natural resourc es. Climate change impacts can a ffect the natural environment and even our survival and well being. Adaptation will be needed to maintain the delicate balance among a healthy environment, societal well

- being, and a strong economy.

In the context of this Implementation Plan, sustainability also refers to the momentum and persistence of Region 6 efforts to champion certain approaches or changes in behavior that promote adaptation to a changing climate. Should EPA’s involvement at s ome point become

more lim ited or need to be redirected, Region 6 wants to ensure that the initiative will contin ue to grow without our presence.

In some cases, market forces will continue to push desired outcomes even without the Agency’s involvement. For ex ample, in the drought stricken S tate of Texas, water conservation and efficiency campaigns through the WaterSense program have been launched by EPA to encourage changes in the way Texans use water in the industrial, agricultural, municipal and

domestic sectors. As the demand for water continues to grow and supplies diminish, water will inevitably become more expensive and t he free market economy will respond with a variety of water saving devices and products that were previously not widely available. This economic response would likely occur with or without government sponsored water conservation campaigns. Moreover, local watering restrictions and state permitting procedures would enforce water use restrictions beyond involvement by the Federal government. Thus, sustainability in water conservation and efficiency would be achieved by market forces, even though an early cata lyst to use water more efficiently was created by government. In other cases where market forces provide less motivation to change, EPA’s partnerships with organizations aligned with our environmental and public health protection goals will be needed

to co ntinue promoting climate adaptation initiatives.

The federal government has an important and unique role in climate change adaptation, but is only one part of a broader effort that must include public and private partners throughout the country and inte rnationally. Partnerships with local communities, tribes , states, other governments, businesses, and international organizations, many of which have already begun to implement adaptation measures, are essential. EPA’s leadership and commitment to help

buil d the nation’s adaptive capacity are vital to the goal of protecting human health and the environment. Working with our partners, the Agency will help promote a healthy and prosperous nation that is resilient to a changing climate.Draft September 18, 2013

10 Part 1: V ulnerability Assessment

1.1 Geographic Setting

R egion 6 straddles three different climate regions identified by the U.S. Global Change Research Program: the Southeast, Great Plains, and Southwest. The majority of Region 6 lies in the Great Plains Climate Region.

The Great Plains Climate R egion extends from the Dakotas and eastern half of Montana in the north to Texas in the south. On the west, it is bounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Basin and Range geographic provinces, and the central lowlands and coastal plain provinces to the east and to the south. Parts of ten states in three EPA Regions (6, 7, and 8) are located in this vast grassland prairie, which nevertheless includes several very large and rapid ly growing

urban areas. Key issues for Region 6 relate to gen eral population growth ; loss of snowpack ; declining surface and groundwater quality and quantity ; and competition for water among the

energy, industrial, agri cultur al and public water supply sectors

. South Louisiana and coastal Texas belong to the Southeast Climate Region , which extends from Virginia to the Texas border with Mexico. It includes the South Atlantic Coast, the Piedmont Coastal Plain, the Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Gulf Coast and the southern Mississippi River w atershed. All of EPA Region 4 and parts of Regions 3 and 6 are

included. The area includes a wealth of ecological and economic resources, such as barrier islands, extensive estuaries, busy shipping ports, and important commercial and recreational fishing resources. Given the continuing population and business growth along the Gulf coast

, major environmental issues relate to decreased water supply and increased flooding; sea level rise and intense tropical storms compounded by land subsidence; and heat

- related stress on

aqu atic ecosystems and human health

. The Southwest Climate R egion covers portions of EPA Regions 6, 8, and 9 and includes California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and the westernmost portions of Colorado and Texas. Much of the region is characterized as arid with relatively high air temperatures . Parts of the area are influenced by several mountain ranges, where w ater is stored as snowpack during the winter and released to streams in the spring and early summer, helping to meet increasing water demands

. T he lack of precipitation as rainfall, decreasing snowpack and the prospect of increasingly severe droughts are significant concern s , especially because the Southwest continues to lead the nation in population growth.

As a result of this geographic and cl imate diversity

, Region 6 will face many different types of climate change impacts

, includ ing increases in air and water temperatures, drought, increased flooding, increased frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events, loss of habitat and

reduced ecosystem function s , and a general deterioration of water quality. The southeastern part of Region 6 will face continuing problems of sea level rise and coastal land loss, while the

western section of Region 6 will likely experience reduced snowpac k and associated impacts

to natural water storage and discharge in the mountains of New Mexico. These impacts are expected to be compounded by population growth and competing demands for fresh water

among the industrial, agricultural, energy and municipal sectors throughout Region 6.Draft September 18, 2013

11 1.2 Adaptation Planning

The term “ a daptation” relates , in this context, to changes in n atural ecosystems that are induced by climate change or to adjustments we make to expecte d changes in climate. Such adjustments can be defensive in nature ( e.g.

, infrastructure changes to protect against negative cultural impacts of climate change) or opportunistic ( e.g., expanding agriculture in

areas that have become more climatically amenable ).

Historically, human s have adapted to environmental and climate changes by growing different crops, modifying shelter types, and moving to new areas (Adger et al., 2007). However, with the current pressures of clima te change on expanding populations , it will be increasingly

di fficult for societies to adapt. With increasing i nterdependen ce

, impacts on one population or

econom y can have world

- wide repercussions (USGCRP, 2009 ; U

. S

. EPA, 2012 a )

. In response to this challenge, an Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force has

been created and is co

- chaired by the White House Counci l on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy , and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . There are also representatives from over 20 federal agencies on this Task F orce . The objective is to develop recommendations to the President about what federal government can do to better prepare for climate change impacts

. One of the first steps

is for each agency to integrat e climate change adaptation into their planning, operations, and policies and to develop a climate change adaptation plan (U.S. EPA, 2012b)

.
EPA issued a climate change adaptation policy statement in June 2011 (U.S. EPA, 2011) and a year later completed a n agency

- wide Climate Adaptation Plan

. The policy statement requires

every program and each regional office to develop an Implementation Plan outlining the projected impacts of climate change o n its operations and programs, a s we well as carry ing out the work called for in the Agency

- wide P lan.

In response, Region 6 coordinated among all its Divisions and with its standing Clean Energy

Climate Change (CECC) Workgroup. In 2008

, the CECC Workgroup produced a strategic plan for Regional climate change priorities , which served as a starting point for the Implemen tation

Plan. T he EPA Office of Water ’s “National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change” proved to be another valuable resource. The Region also gleaned insights by coordinating in 2011 and 2012 with s tate, tribal, and local governments in the south

- central
U.S. The challenges expressed by these governments assisted our effort s to clarify potential

vulnerabilities.

Region 6 concluded that our main vulnerabilities involve emergency response challenges, contaminated site cleanups (CERCLA, RCRA, Brownfields, LUST), water quantity and quality issues, worsening air quality, the consequents of enhanced use of pesticides and herbicides,

increased req uests for assistance from vulnerable populations and tribes, and supporting the continuity of Region 6 i nternal information technology operations by providing consistent electrical power and water to Regional facilities.

Although this document speaks specifically to climate change adaptation, the Region has a host of additional climate change efforts that fall under the separate category of climate change mitigation. As a review, climate change adaptation relates to adjust ing to a changing environment while climate change mitigation refers to reducing the human influences on the climate system. E xample s of climate change mitigation would include strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing the capacity of carbon sinks

. By contrast, anDraft September 18, 2013

12 adaptation measure might be to move coastal infrastructure further from the coast in response

to the effects of relative sea level rise.

Region 6 has a strong and ongoing climate change mitigation program including a green house gas reduction initiative, technical programs to enhance geosequestration capacity, and efforts to promote energy efficiency used for irrigation and water utilities

. However, this implementation plan speaks specifically to adaptation actions. Future revisions to this Implementation Plan may include mitigation activities.

1.3 Vulnerabilities to Climate Change Impacts

Generally, climate scientists predict that mean temperatures in the five s tates of Region 6 will

rise significantly in the 21 st century. This will be seen as higher mean low temperatures in the

winters . In summers, greater frequencies of heat waves are expected , with elevated high and low temperatures

.

W hile projections differ, lower annual precipitation in the central and western parts of the Region is expected , while precipitation may increase in the eastern parts of the Region

. M uch of the southern plains and New Mexico currently experience modest to little precipitation

, but it comes with a high degre e of inter

- annual variability

. T here are indications that “extreme precipitation events” will constitute a larger percentage of the total, thus prompting greater flooding. Seasonal shifts are likely to affect snow packs in the mountains of New Mexico

, where run off is expected earlier in the s pring and s ummer, with attendant decreases in runoff

in the warmer month s

. D r oughts are expected to become more freque nt and larger in spatial extent and thus more damaging. Drought conditions l ead ing to an i ncrease d frequency and spatial extent of wildfires are likely.

Climate change may also play a role in the seasonal effects of hurricanes along the Gulf coast. Hurricanes and tropical storms of increased intensity could further imperil populations, industry, land, and wildlife in Louisiana and Texas. Coastal land loss and relative sea

- level rise

are ongoing challenges in Louisiana and Texas , where some of the highest existing rates of

wetland loss occur. Climate cha nge projections indicate that Gulf coastal ecosystems and communities will face increasing risks. Two of the largest population centers in the Region, the

Houston

- Galveston and the Baton Rouge

- New Orleans corridor s , have been subject to major

hurricane and tropical storm damage in the past and are of particular concern , though vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure occur throughout the Gulf coastal zone

.
These expected changes in temperature, precipitation, and seasonality are anticipate d to significantly impact municipal water availability, agricultur al practices

, ecosystem functio ns, types and extent of habitat coverage, occurrence of pest problems, human health , population displacement, coastal infrastructure security, coastal land loss

, and air quality in the Region

. Complicating this overall picture of warming is a continuing, underlying variability in weather systems which may temporarily modify these overall trends and subject the Region to greater weather variability (Christens en et al., 2007; U.S. EPA, 2012c; Nielse n

- Gammon, 2009; Deser et al., 2012 ; Longergan, 1998; Hanes et al., 2000; Martens et al., 1997 ).

In order t o evaluate fully the vulnerabilities these changing conditions pose to the Region, a full assessment was made of the Regional responsibilities by programmatic Division s . A Regional organizational chart is included for reference as Figure 1

, and a summary of the results isDraft September 18, 2013

13 provided in Table 1. Overall, many of the projections for climate ch ange impacts and environmental consequences were found to be consistent with findings from the Intergovernment al Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report (Field et al., 2007).

1.4 Region 6 Program Impacts

1.4.1 M ultimedia Planning and Permitting Division

1.4.1.1 Air Q uality

Currently there are three metropolitan areas that fail to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone in Region 6. However, up to 1 8 other areas in Region 6 have recently monitored concentrations exceeding the new NAAQA standard of 75 parts per billion and may ultimately become “nonattainment” areas . With expected higher temperatures likely to enhance the photochemical process for ozone production, it is to be expected that more stringent emissions controls will have to be implemented so that attainment with the NAAQS is

achieved in these areas. Exacerbating the health impacts from ozone pollution on urban populations will likely b e higher nighttime temperatures expected in urban areas, both as a

co nsequence of climate change but also because of enhanced effects from urban heat islands. This is apparently particularly evident in sprawling urban centers, which are common in Region 6 (Stone et al., 2010).

A related complication for ozone pollution is a n anticipated increase in electricity demand due to higher temperatures in the summer, along with the associated nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from power plants. This assumes that new power generation will remain largely

fossil

- fuel ed in nature. A further, related complication is the availability of water for power plant cooling purposes. Without sufficient quantities of water that is cool enough, interruptions in

service or even shutdowns could occur at these power plants, as happened during the su mmer of 2011 in Texas ( E lectricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) , 2011).

Further, other air pollutants, such as particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, may become problematic in Region 6

, particularly if many additional fossil

- fueled power plants ar e built to meet an accelerating electricity demand. More NOx emissions may be a consequence of

additional natural gas exploration and production activities resulting from increased electricity demand. These may also negatively impact progress in attaining the goals of the Regional Haze Program in Class I National Park and Wilderness Areas. Increased frequency and spatial extent of wildfires due to enhanced droughts may significantly increase particulate matter loadings in the atmosphere (U.S. EPA, 2009)

.
Re flecting a national issue, Region 6 air permitting and air quality implementation plan development may prove to be flawed because of the Agency’s conventional reliance on historic meteorological data sets for dispersion modeling. With air quality plans som etimes stretching for decades, climate change can manifest itself in future temperatures and wind directions/speeds that an historic meteorological data set cannot accurately simulate.

GHG emissions from power plants and industrial sources in Region 6 co n tribute to elevated atmospheric concentrations of GHG pollutants

, which endanger both public health and welfare. EPA has made a decision that new major stationary sources and major modifications at existing stationary sources are required by the Clean Air Act to obtain a GHG air quality permit before commencing operations.Draft September 18, 2013

14 EPA Region 6 is currently the GHG Permitting authority for GHG Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) in Texas and is implementing this permitting program in Texas under a

Feder al Implementation Plan. The other Region 6 states are implementing their own GHG PSD permitting program s through their EPA approved regulations

. With an expectation of

increased i ndustrial activity in Region 6 s tates, EPA

- Region 6 will continue to perform direct permit development or permit development oversight in those s tates.

Best Available Control Technology ( BACT ) determinations for GHGs currently consider options that improve the overall energy efficiency of new stationary sources or existing sources undergoing a major modification . T hese BACT determinations and overall permitting involvement may well become more detailed and comprehensive in the future as Agency policy may evolve in response to climate change impacts. For example

, Region 6 may

evaluate how carbon capture sequestration meets the criteria for BACT, but we would also evaluate the potential impacts that such technology will have on increasing GHG and non

GHG emissions from an individual permit basis. In that way, we would ensure that sources are constructed and operated in a manner consistent with achieving the energy efficiency

limitations established as BACT.

1.4.1.2 Pesticides

Local, regional, and global climate changes that result in an increase and duration of mean and extreme temper ature, and the reduced average rain fall in combination with extreme precipitation events and floods, are predicted to result in the increased use of pesticides by volume, target site, and type.

The region is likely to experience increased incidence of exi sting pests, exotic invasive species, and the rise of new endemic pests. The reduced availability of land for agricultural use, decrease in favorable growing seasons, and increased demand on commodities will have a significant impact on crops. The risk of vector

- borne diseases that affect public health and agriculture will likely increase dramatically. This is not only due a predicted increase in abundance of endemic and invasive pest species, but also changes to migration patterns of vertebrate hosts, huma n introduction, and temperature conditions that promote pathogen amplification.

As a consequence of the impacts that pests and pest

- borne diseases will have on crops and

humans , it is expected that the quantity, formulation s , and classification of pesticid es will change in order to combat these pests. It is reasonable to expect that this increase in pesticide use will generate additional risk to workers, specifically those in agriculture. The use of new and/or unfamiliar pesticides for new or invasive speci es will pose challenges in communicating the implications to workers . Issues will include exposure, reentry requirements, health, and personal prote ctive equipment requirements. With an increase in extreme rainfall events and

floods

, increased pesticide run

- off and contamination o f both surface and ground water may

occur. Such events could reasonably be expected to have significant implications for surface and grou ndwater quality throughout the R egion

.

1.4.1.3 Waste Site M anagement

Flooding from more intense and /or frequent storms may lead to contaminant releases from

Corrective Action waste management sites. Inundation and flooding may lead to transport of contaminants through surface soils, ground water, surface waters and/or coastal waters. Saltwater intrusion and increased ground water salinity in coastal aquifers may also increaseDraft September 18, 2013

15 the permeability of clay liners installed at waste sites, such as landfills, allowing contaminants to spread to nearby properties. These contaminant releases may pose an increased risk of adverse health and environmental impacts.

Additionally, increased incidents of flooding may disrupt existing hazardous waste management networks. Inundation from relative sea level rise or severe storms may disrupt the transportation system in place to handle hazardous waste or may damage t reatment

, s torage or d isposal f acility infrastructure. A major storm event may increase the amount of hazardous waste generated, as well as, lead to the release of hazardous materials. Smaller

entities that use and store hazardous materials may lack resources for emergency planning, which may increase the risk of abandoned hazardous materials during a flooding or storm

event.

Changes in precipitation patterns and temperature may adversely affect the performance/ efficacy of remedies, and cleanup timing and duration. To the extent that climate change leads

to more prolonged droughts, water intensive remedies may be come limited and the risk of wildfires spreading to contaminated sites may increase (e

. g., Los Alamos National Lab). Changes in precipitation may affect the rate at which vegetation grows, impacting landfill covers, phytoremediation, ecological revitalization efforts, and remedies relying on biological processes (e.g.

, land farming and e nhanced m onitored n atural a ttenuation ). The impacts may be positive or negative, depending on conditions at each sit e. Groundwater characteristics ( i

. e ., depth, flow, chemistry) may also be altered, resulting in potential adverse impacts on the performance and cost of remediation. To the extent that temperatures increase with climate change, contaminants at cleanup site s may become more volatile, increasing risks for local populations.

1.4.2 Water Quality Protection Division

Numerous environmental complications from expected climate change in Region 6 center
around the complex and interrelated issues of drought and inundation. General population growth and s hifts in population from the R egion’s rural areas to urban centers will continue to create demands for water storage to maintain sustainable water supplies and increase competition among water users (e.g., en ergy, industrial, agricultural and municipal uses).

Decreased water availability due to increased temperature, increased evaporation, and longer periods of time between rainfall events, coupled with an increase in societal demand, is very likely to affect many sectors of the Region’s economy. More frequent and more intense droughts could adversely impact agriculture, silvaculture, energy production and a myriad of

other industries and economic sectors.

Declines in soil moisture are expected to increase t he magnitude and frequency of wildfires

, which have increased over the last 30 years , and to impact severely water quality in streams, creeks, rivers, lakes. Reduced groundw ater supply due to a lack of recharge will also be a

concern. Declining surface and groundwater quantity and quality, coupled with more frequent and severe droughts, will continue to exa cerbate water shortages in the R egion

. Loss of snowpack in the western portion of the R egion will further impact water use, storage, and irrigation pract ices. W armer temperatures will reduce mountain snow packs and peak spring runoff from snow melt will shift to earlier in the season, increasing the shortage of fresh water during the summer. A longer and hotter warm season will likely result in longer peri ods of extremely low flow and lower minimum flows in late summer. Water supply systems thatDraft September 18, 2013

16 have no storage or limited storage (e.g., small municipal reservoirs) may suffer seasonal shortages in summer and ecosystems and wildlife may be stressed

. This must also be taken

into considera tion as infrastructure is added.

Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems,

and infrastructure. Increased flood ing could occur as a result of an increased percentage of

winter precipitation falling as rain. Water quality impacts will be amplified both by increases in precipitation intensity and by longer periods of low flow in streams. I ncreased nonpoint source pollution (e.g., sediments, phosphorus, and nitrogen) is to be expected as a result of increased periods of intense rainfall. This could result in changes to natural stream morphology and could negatively impact the function ing of aquatic ecosystems.

As relative sea levels rise and rainfall patterns change, the physi cal and chemical structure of estuaries, coastal wetlands, and tidal rivers are likely to become more variable and potentially less sustainable. Some of the fastest rates of relative sea level rise in the U.S. are occurring in

areas where the land is subsi ding, including parts of the Gulf coast. For example, in coastal Louisiana, relative sea level rise was about eight inches or more during the last 50 years, which is slightly faster than twice the global rate. Much of New Orleans sits below the mean

local sea level and the State’s only inhabited barrier island, Grand Isle, is reporting one of the highest sea level rise rates in the world. Projections are that an additional 1,750 square miles of Louisiana’s coastal zone will be inundated in the next 50 years (CPRA, 2012). As the ecological risks grow so do the financial costs of maintaining and restoring coastal ecosystems. The challenge will be to leverage financial and technical resources with those from outside the agency in order to focus more on landscap e scale coastal restoration projects, rather than on small projects yielding more limited results.

Relative sea levels will vary along the Gulf coast and will contribute to changing barrier island configurations and coastal shorelines. Wetlands will be dr owned or eroded and low

- lying areas, including some populated areas, will be inundated more frequently or permanently. Salinities will increase in the estuaries and aquifers. Hurricanes often have their greatest impact at the coastal margin where they make landfall, intensifying beach erosion, inland flooding, and wind

- related damage to both cultural and natural resources

. Increasing relative

sea level rise combined with the damaging effects of more intense storm surges and

hurricanes are expected to pose s evere and growing risks to people

, personal property, and public infrastructure along the coast, including to wastewater treatment facilities and drinking water systems.

The Water Quality Protection Division will continue to heighten the focus on sustainab le infrastructure issues from both the emergency response perspective and from the perspective of long

- term strategic planning.

1.4.3 Management Division

Region 6 has its main facilities in three different Texas cities. The main Regional office is in

d owntown Dallas, the Regional laboratory is in Houston, and the U.S.

- Mexico Border Office is

in El Paso. Additionally, a Training and Conference Center is located in Addison, a suburb of

Dallas.

In addition to fulfilling Executive Order commitments to reduce energy use, conserve water, reduce waste, and expand recycling, the Region will likely face acute power and waterDraft September 18, 2013

17 challenges in these locations. This is a consequence of being in an area of rapid population growth that is expected to experience significant warming and less reliable precipitation.

Therefore , all these facilities could suffer from decreasing reliability of electrical power and water availability. For example, load

- shedding occurred in the Texas electrical grid, ERCOT, in February 201 1 , with Electricity Emergency Alerts in summer 2011. In addition to employee discomfort from such a situation, without reliable power and water , information technology equipment may be compromised. Whether e nhancing employee telework would be an effective response to these challenges is unclear.

1.4.4 Superfund Division

1.4.4.1 Emergency Response

Region 6 Emergency Response personnel are very familiar with the challenges of responding

to emergencies and natural disasters , having worked for months in several different hurricane response activities, including that for Katrina in 2005. With hurricanes affecting the Gulf of Mexico coast perhaps being more powerful, coupled with an expected increase in extreme precipitation ev ents, Emergency Response in Region 6 will be further challenged. Although the Region maintains a volunteer, basically trained “Reg ional Support Corps” to assist emergency

response activities in an extreme short

- term need, it is likely there will be shortag es of specialized Emergency Response personnel to respond to these kinds of events in the future. This is particularly true of major events that may require many weeks or months of follow

- up cleanup activities. Further, if the str ength of future hurricanes and extreme precipitation events is as predicted, Emergency Response personnel may be confronted with a whole new set of challenges such as massive storm surges, larger and more widespread flash floods, and long

lived breakdowns in electricity grids and w ater and sewer systems.

1.4.4.2 Superfund Sites

A number of Superfund sites are located in vulnerable areas of Region 6, particularly the Gulf Coast regions of Texas and Louisiana. Rising coastal waters and massive storm surges could potentially flood sites where waste has been capped and left in place. Although most caps and barriers at Superfund sites are engineered to contain waste for many years, the possibility of long term and extensive flooding, even permanent submersion, could affect the integrity of engin eered remedies at many sites where waste has been consolidated and remains in place.

Additionally, there are active Superfund cleanups expected to be ongoing for many years to

come in the vulnerable Gulf Coast area s that will likely be impacted by energy shortages, flooding, storm surges, water shortages and other expected climate change impacts. For example, domestic or public water supplies could be affected in areas where Gulf Coast Superfund sites are utilizing energy intensive pump and treat methods to remedy groundwater contamination in aquifers used to supply drinking water. Or, as discussed above, EPA’s common practice of consolidating waste and leaving it in place in landfills or under engineered caps may no longer be protective of human health an d the environment if climate changes result in frequent, massive flooding in the Gulf Coast areas.

1.4.4.3 Brownfields Sites

Brownfield sites in Region 6 exist in many different forms. Brownfield sites can vary from an old abandoned gas station or movie theater to an illegal dump site or old airport. Some of these sites are relatively small while others may cover many a cres. It is the goal of theDraft September 18, 2013

18 B rownfields pr ogram in Region 6 to encourage state, tribal, or l ocal enti ties that are redeveloping old B rownfield sites to consider green technologies and sustainable practices that reduce energy use . In urban areas, the Region encoura ges development that reduces
GHG effect s and minimizes the urban fo otprint. Some of the Region 6 B rownfield sites have been returned to parks and to new construction that utilizes practices resulting in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ( LEED ) certification. These sustainable practices will

continue t o be important in the Region 6 B rownfield program and as a means of contributing to climate change adaptation.

1.4.5 Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs

The Region 6 Office of Envir onmental Justice and Tribal Affairs (OEJTA) oversees affirmative

federal environmental protection programs for vulnerable communities and 66 tribal lands in Region 6. These represent populations that may be at great est risk as climate change occurs in the future. Many lower

- i ncome minority areas are ones characterized by substandard infrastructure which may be the first to fail during times of high temperatures, drought or extreme precipitation events, for example. Olde r residents of urban areas may be particularly

vulnerable to synergistic health impacts due to elevated nighttime temperatures which are expected as the climate changes

. T ribes may be particularly affected by heat waves and drought condition s , as many are dependent upon natural resources on their tribal lands.
OEJTA will be challenged to understand fully the differential impacts on these various communities, to educate themselves about how EPA may be able to assist these populations to protect human and env ironmental health, and to conduct effective outreach to these vulnerable populations.

As more of the Region’s t ribal p artners begin to develop their own climate change adaptation plans, O EJTA will need assistance from R egional staff to help with these efforts

. OEJTA

should see an increase in this effort and the current draft Indian General Assistance Program guidance mentions this work as an eligible activity. This increase may occur as soon as 2013

. Demands for funding to address climate change can be expected to increase and

, therefore

, there will be a greater need for grant funding from the Region 6 Management D ivision and OEJTA's EJ Small Grant program.

1.4.6 Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Division

Regional compliance and enforcement activities may be complicated by shifting priorities influenced by climate change. These could include a surge in violations of water

- related regulations that may occur as a result of excess ive precipitation events and floods. Air

- related regulations could be more frequently violated because of stress on regional electricity grids. With electricity demand increasing, problematic financing for new electricity generating units, and long

- term fuel trends complicating decision

- making, construction of new power plants may not keep pace. Ensuring grid integrity may portend increasing difficulty meeting air emissions limits. These same factors can also influence success in meeting water quality effluent limits. Regular assessment of such trends will be necessary t o ensure Regional compliance and

enforcement resources are appropriately tailored to meet future challenges.Draft September 18, 2013

19 1.4.7 Office of Regional Counsel

The Region’s broad mandates to protect human health and the environment afford a reservoir of legal authority to support adaptation work. However, specific legal questions that may arise in the course of adaptation programming cannot be answered in the abstract. As part of a federal agency, EPA Region 6 derives its authority to act from the U.S. Constitution and t he laws passed by Congress. Because the legality of its actions is such a high priority for EPA, program managers and staff will consult with the appropriate attorneys in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Offices of Regional Counsel (ORC), and the Offic e of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) as they conduct their adaptation work.

The variation among the statutes our Region administers, as well as the regulatory programs EPA designs, implements, and enforces under those laws will require special attention and legal analysis on a case by case basis. The evolving scientific understanding of climate change impacts and the sensitivity of EPA programs to those impacts will also necessitate case specific analysis. The relative weight climate change con siderations should be given in evaluating options for EPA action will depend on many factors including, but no t limited to, the time and geographic scale of the relevant climate impacts compared to the temporal and spatial scale of the proposed EPA action; the scientific understanding of the climate impacts; and the environmental and economic consequences estimated to result from the proposed climate change adaptation measures. Considerations such as these are by definition case

specific. As such, Regional program managers and staff will consult with this Region’s ORC branch for special analysis and legal application as discrete issues develop.

1.4.8 Cross Program Impacts

Cross

- Divisional and interoffice communications and partnerships are essential method s for Region 6 to understand better its climate change adaptation vulnerabilities and to make plan s to address these. The following is an illustrative, but certainly not exhaustive, list of these:

1.4.8.1 Communications

— In light of a changing climate, Region 6 will need to

m aintain strong EPA headquarters and Regional c ommunications, as well as with s tates and

tribes

. We will also need to c ontinue Regional training related to climate change (Regional

Science Council and Clean Energy

- Climate Change Workgroup ), as well as outreach initiatives (WaterSense , meetings with elected officials, presentations to citizen groups ) and conferences (M unicipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (M S4 )

, Low Impact Development ( LID ) , G reen I nfrastructure (GI), Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency Conference, and the Texas Combined

Heat and Power Conference )

.
1.4.8.2 Partnerships

— To leverage resources, involvement and cultivate a synergistic response from vested stakeholders, Region 6 will c o ntinue a nd expand partnerships with public, non

- governmental organizations , and private sector organizations, such as Councils of Governments and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (e.g., NCTCOG ) , N orth T exas Sustainable Materials Forum, T exas Assoc iation of Builders, T exas AgriLife, DFW International Airport, Region 6 Tribes and vulnerable c ommunities

, sporting o rganizations (Greening Sports Initiative)

, the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas , T exas Public Utilities Commission

, Arkansas Public Servi ce Commission, and the Southwest Power Pool. Climate change adaptation will not be inclusive, integrated or effective unless these key relationships are developed, fostered, and mobilized into action through active EPA leadership.Draft September 18, 2013

20 1.5 Summary of V ulnerabilities

Region 6 faces many serious vulnerabilities in successfully fulfilling its mission as the climate changes. As an area of rapid population growth but one subject to major future temperature and prec ipitation changes, increasing numbers of peo ple will be impacted by increased environmental pressures due to climate change. It is our goal to anticipate fully and understand the nature of such pressures in order to achieve our mission to protect human

health and the environment in the Region . This vulnerability assessment reveals the current state of knowledge but will necessarily change as additional information is received and new scientific and technical knowledge is gained . Thus, the vulnerabilities outlined herein are expected to take on new characteristics and to continue to pose challenges over time

.

Part 2: Responding to Vulnerabilities

— P riority Actions

2.1 Overview

From an Agency

- wide perspective , ten separate priorities have been identified to respond to the climate change adaptation challenge :

(1) Fulfill strategic measures in FY 2011

- 2015 EPA Strategic Plan by such actions as integrat ing climate change trends and scenarios into five rule

- making processes, five major financial mechanisms, and five major scientific models and/or decision support
tools ;

(2) Protect Agency facilities and operations ;

(3) Factor legal considerations into adaptation efforts ;

(4) Strengthen adaptive capacity of E PA staff and partners through training ;

(5) Develop decision

- support tools that enable EPA staff and partners to integrate climate adaptation planning into their work ;

(6) Identify cross

- EPA science needs related to climate adaptation ;

(7) Partner with tribes to increase adaptive capacity ;

(8) Focus on most vulnerable people and places ;

(9) Measure and evaluate performance ; and

10) Develop Program and Regional Office Implementation Plans

. From the Region 6 perspective, we believe items 2, 4 , 7, 8, 9, and 10 are the most relevant and lend themselves to direct Regional action. The other priorities are mor e properly

addressed at the EPA headquarters program o ffice level . T he Region will defer to headquarters in tho se areas and will respond when guidance is issued

. To further clarify the Regional roles, EPA’s Offi ce of Policy identified several common areas of focus for the Regions:

(a) Vuln erability assessments ;Draft September 18, 2013

21 (b) Priority actions on climate adaptation ;

(c) Agency

- wide strategic m easures on climate adaptation ;

(d) Legal and enforcement issues ;

(e) Training and outreach ;

(f) Partnerships with tribes ;
(g) Vulnerable populations and places ; and

(h) Evaluation and cross

- o ffice pilot projects

. As a precursor to completing this priority actions section of the Regional Implementation Plan, Region 6 completed a vulnerability assessment which broadly covers the major climate change

- induced conditions to which the Region is expected to be susceptible.

2.2 Selection Criteria

The criteria for selecting priority actions comprise d two categories. First, the major Regional vulnerabilities identified above provided the substance from which priority actions were

derived. S econd, agency priorities numbered 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 informed the process by which the Region proposed to d eal with these priority actions.

2.3 Impacts and Actions

Priority actions relating to the Regional vulnerabilities are summarized in Table 1 and t he

discussion below provides more detail

. In order to most effectively adapt our ways of conducting business to the realities of climate change, the Region proposes a process that relies on training, some infrastructure enhancements, and constant mo nitoring and evaluation of indicators that signal climate change in the Region

. This approach lends itself to more quickly responding to the effects of climate change than by prescribing many specific actions now which may be deemed ineffective and inappro priate in short order. The discussion below reflects this philosophy.

N onetheless, Table 2 presents specific programs the Region anticipates continuing to emphasize in order to minimize the effects of climate change on Regional operations.

2.4 Priority Actions

2.4.1 Higher mean temperatures, with more frequent and intense summer heat waves

The priority action in response to this anticipated impact would involve expanded training for Regional staff in the air p rogram, p esticides p rogram, environmental j ustice p rogram , and in

the Management Division. This training would emphasize the scientific basis and engineering implications of climate change for human health

, the efficiencies and risks in employing new

and/or alternate do s es of existing pesticides, a nd safeguarding vulnerable urban populations. This latter concern may influence debate and decision

- making about the robustness of ozone mitigation strategies in the Region. Also, Regional a ir p rogram staff should understand the increasing role of energy p roduction emissions in air quality implementation strategies. Management Division staff are likely to benefit from training that imparts better understanding of energy vulnerabilities and needs for Regional facilities.Draft September 18, 2013

22 Together with existing Executive Orde rs 13514 and 13423 and the expiration of the lease on the main Region 6 offices in Downtown Dallas in 2017

, the Management Division may want to consider options with the General Services Administration for a facility that makes broad use of distributed generation energy such as solar, wind, and fuel cells, as well as highly energy efficient technologies such as grou nd

- source heat pumps. This emphasis would greatly reduce the vulnerability of the Region to an increasingly stressed electricity grid and would sig nificantly reduce the Regional o ffice’s carbon emissions.

2.4.2 More frequent and intense droughts in centra l and western areas of Region 6

The use of existing programs and tools will be expanded to accomplish priority goals in this arena. Priority actions will include: e valuat ing the possibilities for enhancing water conservation in new Regional Office space ; b uild ing upon the existing Region 6 web page devoted to the topic of drought; promot ing and expanding the use of tools such as Climate Ready Utilities and programs such as Water Sense, Sustainable Communities, Green Infrastru cture, and Healthy Watersheds; l everag ing and assisting states in using existing funding vehicles to support green infrastructure, such as SRF, Green Project Reserve, and Clean Water Act Section 319 grants.

Expanded t raining for Water Quality Protection Division and Environmental Justice

- Tribal

Affairs staff would focus on the increased pressures on agriculture, urban and rural residents,

and the power generation industry. While this would focus on water availability, increased water quality concerns would also be part of this training, w hich would seek alternative ways to conserve, reuse, and process water. Management Division staff would receive training in implications for Regional facilities from increased droughts and water availability. In conjunction with Executive Orders 13514 and 13423, Management Division staff may consider

enhanced water conservation measures. M ultimedia Planning and Permitting Division staff should receive training to educate them about the role of intense and more frequent droughts

and increased wildfires on re gulatory programs such as the Regional Haze Program and achieving the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).

2.4.3 Increase in extreme precipitation events

Given the intensive efforts in responding to hurricanes such as Katrina in 2005, the Region is very aware of the magnitude of labor and resources required to respond to major natural disasters. Because a climate change

- forced future is likely to encourage stronger and perhaps more numerous hurricanes striking Louisiana and Tex as, the Region’s Emergency Response Branch in the Superfund Division will probably be even more active in this arena . Training for these staff is necessary to prepare them for this likely increase in effort, emphasizing opportunities for even more efficien t operations; this training may also reveal a need for additional personnel or contractor capability.

Beyond training, the recent events from Hurricane Sandy in the n ortheast U.S. reveal a critical need for sufficient, uninterruptible power supplies

, particularly critical for emergency responders . In the future, with electricity grids perhaps chronically weakened and stressed by the long

- term effects of climate change

, the demands of natural disasters such as major hurricanes may be significantly more challenging and long

- lasting to electricity generation and

transmission infrastructure. The same kinds of pressures can result from increased non

hurricane flooding. Therefore, Region 6 believes its Emergency Response Branch should be equipped with distrib uted generation equipment to produce the electricity it will need to ensureDraft September 18, 2013

23 that power is supplied to field operations. Further analysis would be needed to determine the optimal mix of power modes (e.g., solar, wind, fuel cell, others). This infrastructure priority would require a dedicated budget commitment, one that would likely require negotiations between the Region and headquarters

.
The Water Quality Protection Division and the Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal

Affairs staffs would benefit from supplemental training, emphasizing the special anticipated needs for citizens increasingly impacted by flooding events, as well as temporary infrastructure dislocations (e.g., waste water treatment plans and water distribution sy stems).

2.4.4 Seasonal weather shifts

Water quality and quantity issues will drive adaptations that Region 6 staff should anticipate and to which the Region will conform policies and procedures. Priorities will be placed on working with state partners to e xplor e existing infrastructure funding such as SRF to enhance resiliency , p romot ing watershed planning tools to address the loss of natural storage and to better absorb flashy runoff

. Promoting the use of EPA developed software tools among water utility groups such as Climate Ready Utilities software will enhance climate adaptation planning in this sector. Additionally, training of Regional Water Quality Protection Division and Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division staff member s is a goal. Pesticide s staff in the Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division should be trained to anticipate new and expanded pest and weed problems that will endanger public, agricultural, and natural flora and fauna health.

2.4.5 Increasing rates of relative sea level ri se and continued coastal land loss

Sea level rise and coastal land loss have long been significant problem s in Region 6

. The Ecosystem Protection Branch will look for increased efficiencies in working with federal, state, and local partners with a goal of optimizing ongoing efforts to restore, protect, and enhance coastal habitats. The three Region 6 National Estuary Progra ms and the CWPPRA program will lead the charge and efforts will be made to improve the effectiveness of the limited resources available. Numerous other coastal protection programs will play a role and additional ways to better integrate them into other Reg ional programs will be evaluated.

Emerging priorities will involve providing technical and planning support for efforts such as the Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, the Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Council, the Gulf of Mexico Regional Planning Body as part of the National Ocean Council , and the Gulf of Mexico

Alliance . Climate change adaptation goals will be addressed by establish ing, refining, or expanding coastal restoration priorities

. Promoting the use of EPA developed software tools such as Climate Ready Estuaries software among key stakeholders who advocate for the protection and restoration of estuaries and similar coastal environments will enhance climate adaptation planning in coastal areas. Internally, t raining to better familiarize Region 6 staff with long

- term i mplications of sea level

rise on “ core programs” could be accel erated . Staff of the Water Quality Protection Division, the Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs, and the Superfund Division would be the main recipients of the training.Draft September 18, 2013

24 2.4.6 Outreach, P artnerships

, C ommunication , and A wareness

Beyond those actions described

, t he Region plans to enhance our outreach, partnership, and communication efforts. One of the top priorities would be to meet regularly with tribes

, s tates,
and other government entities about anticipated climate change impacts and adaptation challenges.

T he Region has initiated this process by sponsoring specific climate change discussion

sessions at the 2011 and 2012 Annual Tribal Environmental Summi ts

, by convening the first Sustainable Practices Symposium for local elected officials in the Dallas

- Fort Worth area in August 2012 (including anticipated climate change impacts and adaptation options ) , and by hosting a climate change roundtab le with agenc ies from Region 6 s tates in July 2008 . The Region has sponsored numerous other specialized workshops.

In the future, the Region proposes to continue holding climate change sessions at the Annual Tribal Environmental Summits, sponsor climate change listening sessions at Regional Tribal Operation Committee meetings, speak to individual tribes about climate change, support
sustainable practice/climate change wor kshops for local elected officials in the Region, and schedule at least annual meetings with critical agencies o f governments in each Region 6

s tate. The Region will also continue its actions to encourage climate change mitigation and adap t ation through ap proximately 30 national and regionally

- initiated partnership programs.

Region 6 will also main tain close communications with state, local and t ribal governments

, non

- governmental organizations

, colleges and universities

, the private sector

, other federal agencies

, and other EPA offices in order to properly sense and assess indicators of climate change in the Region. This process will help inform the Region as to next specific steps to take in coping with climate change.

Part 3: Measuring an d Evaluating Performance

An important facet of both the priority actions relating to Regional vulnerabilities and those involving outreach, partnerships, and communication will be performance measurement and evaluation. To this end the Region plans to deve lop a methodology to assess its effectiveness in accomplishing specific priority actions that grow from this Regional Implementation Plan.

3.1 Background

The EPA Climate Change Adaptation Plan emphasizes the need for measuring and evaluating performance s o that climate change adaptation is successfully integrated into the Agency’s operations. The agency

- wide FY 2011

- 2015 Strategic Measures address this need by including three such metrics. These include measures to integrate climate change science into

at least five rule

- making processes; to integrate climate change adaptation impacts and measures into at least five major grants, loans, contracts or technical assistance programs; and to integrate such science into at least five major models and/or decision

- support tools.

EPA understands the tran sition will be a gradual one as we strive to account for projected climate change impacts into day

- to

- day operations. As the national Climate Change Adaptation

Plan states:Draft September 18, 2013

25 EPA recognizes that the integration of clima te adaptation planning into its programs, policies, rules, and operations will occur over time. This change will happen in stages and measures should reflect this evolution. The earliest changes in many programs will be changes in knowledge and awareness ( e.g., increase in the awareness of EPA staff and their external partners of the relevance of adaptation planning to their programs). Building on this knowledge, they then will begin to change their behavior ( e.g., increase their use of available

decision s upport tools to integrate adaptation planning into their work). As programs mature, there will be evidence of more projects implemented as a

result of increased attention to climate

- related programmatic issues. Finally, in the long

- term, adaptation plannin g efforts will lead to changes in condition ( e.g., percentage of flood

- prone communities that have increased their resilience to storm events) to directly support EPA’s mission to protect human health and the

environment (U.S. EPA, 2012d).

3.2 App roach to M easur ing and Evaluating Performance

Region 6 employs several tracking mechanisms to measure and evaluate performance of internal operations and programmatic activities and outcomes during the year , many of which relate directly to climate change adap t ation

. Each year, t he Region is active in setting commitments, monitoring progress and reporting results under the various National Program Managers (NPM) Guidance documents issued by EPA program offices. In addition, Region 6 develops and reports semiannu ally on an Annual Plan designed to track additional measures either not covered or sufficiently emphasized in the NPM guidance. The Annual Plan showcases regional accomplishments in important program sectors and geographic and ecological regions that uniqu ely characterize the priorities and challenges faced by Region 6.

The R egion also tracks a variety of progress indicators under its Environmental Management System. As shown in Appendix A, Regional involvement in developing and reporting progress

on climat e adaptation and mitigation related initiatives is part of a cross division, multimedia reporting and tracking effort

. More ov er, the Region recently began hosting what will become an annual “Earthapalooza” event which will serve as an Internal Educational Forum for Region 6 Employees to better acquaint them on climate change and sustainability topics (also presented in Appendix A). Another tracking mechanism for measuring and evaluating climate adaptation related progress involves the Region’s Clean Energy and Climate Change (CECC) workgroup. Initially charged with developing a CECC strategic plan which was completed in

2008 , the workgroup reports annually on progress made in furthering the goals and objectives outlined in the strategy , many of which relate to climate adaptation efforts. Finally, the Water Quality Protection Division produces its own 5

- year strategic plan to help guide priority

- setting and resource allocation for unique Regional initiatives. While this Implementation Plan overlaps somewhat w ith annual reporting in t he tracking mechanisms described above , it offers commentary on strategic partnerships the Division is building to leverage stakeholder

involvement and to assist in achieving goals. Several initiatives discussed in the Division
Str ategic P lan such as the WaterSense program and coastal protection and restoration efforts

relate specifically to climate adaptation activities being pursued by the Region.

The Region will continue to observe and evaluate our operations and the dynamic needs of our customers in the midst of a changing climate. This will be an adaptive process in order toDraft September 18, 2013

26 constantly identify any additional Regional priority actions that might be necessary. We will

engag e in ongoing communications with state, local, and t ribal governments; non

governmental organizations; colleges and universities; the private sector; other federal agencies; and other EPA offices in order to properly sense and as sess indicators of climate change in the Region

. This process will help inform the Region as to next specific steps to take in coping with climate change.

3.3 Measures

As Table 1 indicates, Region 6 priority adaptation actions in response to climate chan ge constitute significant amounts of personnel training. Most Divisions will require such training

first to evaluate the climate change impacts from the perspective of the various environmental

p rograms and then to evaluate the means with which the Region can best address the impacts. Aside from program specific training, the Region will commit to holding at least one annual training event on climate adaptation such as the “ Earthapalooza ” event to ensure employees are aware of the issue and opportunities on how to integrate adaptation into their daily work.

As part of implementing this plan, Region 6 will also develop a specific list of needed programmatic training courses and a schedule f or delivery. We will establish a roster of Regional personnel that should receive this training and develop a post

- training assessment survey to determine the effectiveness of the training. Deficiencies in knowledge acquisition will be addressed through tr aining revisions and/or course repetition. This training will be subject to the availability of sufficient resources.

Beyond the Region’s training efforts

, several priority actions relate to the operation of Regional office space , as reflected in the Regio nal Environmental Management System . These include evaluating alternatives for electricity, energy efficiency, water, and distributed generation

infrastructure. Currently, it is not possible to measure these parameters given the way our leased space meters electrical and water use. Should a lternatives that would allow these metrics to be tracked become available in the future, the Region will track electricity, energy, and water use in its office and laboratory space, comparing these totals against those to tals prior to such improvements. In the case of any future acquisition of distributed generation equipment for use in Regional Emergency Response actions, the Region will investigate the feasibility of track ing the specific activities that required such po wer use and the amount of power produced and used in the field. It will also assess the overall value in deploying the se types of u nits.

A dditional programmatic metrics that will be trac ked and reported on under this Implementation

P lan include the follow ing initiatives (with the project lead given in parentheses) :

1. Expand Partnerships with stakeholders to leverage their support with climate change implementation efforts (6PD, 6SF, 6WQ) ; 2. Distribute Information on Availability of Assistance Agreements (e.g., grants) to stakeholders facilitate climate change adaptation planning and implementation (6WQ

, 6MD ) ; 3. Provide technical assistance to tribes and environmental justice communities on the development of climate change implementation plans (6PD, 6WQ) ;Draft September 18, 2013

27 4. Promote the use of tools such as Climate Ready Utilities and Climate Ready Estuaries

among s tates, tribes and stakeholder groups (6WQ) ;
5. Promote energy efficiency at water utilities through a series of workshops, focusing on

the US

- Mexico Border area (6WQ) ; 6. Contin ue to require that 10% Regional Drinking Water and Clean Water State revolving

fund programs support green projects (6WQ) ;
7. Meet with Tribal and Environmental Justice communities at least once a year to provide training on climate science and adaptation op portunities and practices (6PD, 6WQ) ; 8. Recruit 30 additional WaterSense partners each year as part of a Regional water efficiency and conservation campaign (6WQ) ; 9. Seek opportunities in permitting, compliance assistance and enforcement actions,

remediation a nd site redevelopment options, as well as funding programs to further green infrastructure, low impact development, and other sustainable practices (Region 6) ; 10. Participate in ou treach and pilot projects with s tates, local governments, tribes

, non

governmental organizations, and the private sector focused on implementation of low

impact development (e.g., with the Texas L and

- Water Sustainability Forum) (6PD) ; 11. R estore coastal habitat and reduce coastal land loss

. R egion 6 will work with a variety

of partners and through several programs to promote these efforts in Louisiana and

Texas . Working through the Barataria

- Terrebonne National Estuary Program, the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, and

the Coastal We tlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act Program we will track and report on progress in terms of the number of acres restored, protected, or enhanced per year, with a current goal of at least 3,000 ac res per year (6WQ) ; and

12. W ork with EPA headquart ers to evaluate what, if any, specific Regional actions may be appropriate to include in the Agency’s pilot rule

- making processes; grants, loans, contracts or technical assistance programs; or scientific models or decision

- support

tools (Region 6)

.

These m easures will be tracked and reported on annually. In addition, the measures will be reviewed regularly and revised as needed to include new initiatives to promote climate adaptation.

Part 4: Working with Tribes and Other Sensitive Populations

Two fundamental priorities of the National Climate Change Adapta tion Plan involve working

with t ribes to improve their adaptation capacity and focusing on the most vulnerable peoples and places. Many climate change strategy documents conclude that tribal and o ther vulnerable populations will be the hardest hit by changes in climate because they rely on the land for subsistence and may be less able to readily adapt due to a lack of resources. The Region 6 Implementation Plan aims to improve and expand communicat ions, training, and other outreach efforts with these groups to enable them to better adapt to climate change impacts.

4.1 Partnerships with Tribes

EPA values its unique government

- to

- government relationship with Indian tribes in planning

and decision mak ing. This trust responsibility has been established over time and is furtherDraft September 18, 2013

28 expressed in the 1984 EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian

Reservations and the 2011 Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes . T hese
policies recognize and support the sovereign decision

- making authority of tribal governments.

Supporting the development of adaptive capacity among tribes is a priority for the EPA. Tribes
are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change d ue to the integral nature of the
environment within their traditional lifeways and culture. There is a strong need to develop
adaptation strategies that promote sustainability and reduce the impact of climate change on

Indian tribes.

EPA engaged tribes thr ough a formal consultation process in the development of the Agency’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan . Tribes identified some of the most pressing issues as
erosion, temperature change, drought and various changes in access to and quality of water.

Tribes r ecommended a number of tools and strategies to address these issues, including
improving access to data and information; supporting baseline research to better track the
effects of climate change; developing community

- level education and awareness material s; and providing financial and technical support. At the same time, tribes challenged EPA to
coordinate climate change activities among federal agencies so that resources are better
leveraged and administrative burdens are reduced.

This Implementation Pla n identifies specific steps that will be taken to partner with tribal
governments on an ongoing basis to increase their adaptive capacity and address their
adaptation

- related priorities. These collaborative efforts will benefit from the expertise provide d by our tribal partners and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) they possess. TEK is a
valuable body of knowledge in assessing the current and future impacts of climate change and
has been used by tribes for millennia as a valuable tool to adapt to changing surroundings. Consistent with the principles in the 1984 Indian Policy, TEK is viewed as a complementary
resource that can inform planning and decision

- making.

Networks and partnerships already in place will be used to assist tribes with climate change issues, including Regional Tribal Operations Committees, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals and the Indian General Assistance Program (IGAP). Additionally, efforts will be made to coordinate with other Regional and Program Offices in EPA, since climate change has
many impacts that transcend media and regional boundaries. Transparency and information sharing will be a focus, in order to leverage activities already taking place within EPA Offices
and tribal governments.

4.1.1 Buil d ing Tribal Adaptive Capacity

Sixty

- six f ederally recognized tribes are located in Region 6. Consistent with tribal sovereignty, Region 6 partners with these tribes on a government to government basis to strengthen our relationships so we are better able to fulfill our mission of protecting human health and the environment for all Region 6 residents. Tribal communities will potentially experience disproportionate impacts of climate change because of their reliance on natural resources

,Draft September 18, 2013

29 which support subsis tence hunting, fishing, recreational and other important cultural practices. Moreover, a general lack of resources to implement adaptation measures will further compound climate change impacts. In response, Region 6 announced at the Spring Regional

Tribal Operations Council meeting in Tulsa (April 3, 2013) the formation of a Region 6 Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Planning Workgroup . The purpose of the workgroup is to form a community of practice among EPA Region 6 and its t ribal communities to assist in the development of climate adaptation plans. The o bjectives are: 1) Create a network of professionals to help inform the development of adaptation plans for Tribal communities; 2) Share scientific information, TEK, grant opportunities, adaptation tools, best practices, and success stories; 3) Provide tribes with guidance and feedback from EPA as they develop their adaptation plans; and 4) Replicate effective adaptation planning efforts.

EPA Region 6 will also partner with the South Central Climate Center ( Norman, Oklahoma ) and other federal agencies to deliver information and training and to announce the availability of grants, tools and pertinent resources to support adaptation activities.

4.2 Focusin g on the Most Vulnerable People and Places

Certain parts of the population, such as children, the elderly, minorities and the poor, persons
with underlying medical conditions and disabilities, those with limited access to information,
and tribal and indigenous populations, can be especially vulnerable to the impac ts of climate
change. Also, certain geographic locations and communities are particularly vulnerable, such

as those located in low

- lying coastal areas. One of the principles guiding EPA’s efforts to
integrate climate adaptation into its programs, policies and rules calls for its adaptation plans to
prioritize helping people, places and infrastructure that are most vulnerable to climate impacts,
and to be designed and implemented with meaningful involvement from all parts of society.

This Implementation Pla n identifies key programmatic vulnerabilities and the priority actions

that will be taken to address those vulnerabilities over time. As the work called for in this Plan
is conducted, the communities and demographic groups most vulnerable to the impacts of
climate change will be identified. The Agency will then work in partnership with these
communities to increase their adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change impacts. These efforts will be informed by experiences with previous extreme weather ev ents ( e.g., Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy) and the subsequent recovery efforts.

Direct impacts on the vulnerable groups in areas experiencing rapid climate change may include not only changes in ecosystem function and production, but also human h ealth impacts

such as increa sed illnesses, injuries and deaths from heat waves, extreme weather events, flooding

, and wildfires, as well as respiratory illnesses caused by deteriorations in air quality. Indirect health impacts could include illnesses and d eaths that may arise from climate

- related changes in ecosystems, migration of infectious agents and disease vectors, or reductions in agricultural and livestock production. Through the Office of Environmental Justice and Tribal

Affairs and other program of fices, EPA Region 6 will strive to build the adaptive capacity ofDraft September 18, 2013

30 populations in all areas of the region, but in particular those residing in the most vulnerable places.

In Region 6, people living in areas al ong the U.S.

- Mexico Border and along c oastal Louisiana are perhaps among the most vulnerable to c limate change effects. Along the b order, increases in ambient air temperatures, reduced air and water quality, drought, and the threat of wildfires represent perhaps the greatest climate change impacts. T hese stressors heighten the importance of a strategic management of water resources, rangelands

, and air quality, which remain a critical part of the Region’s environmen tal protection goals along the border.

Ecosystems in c oastal Louisiana are already exp eriencing many stressors that threaten a way of life for peopling living in this area. Some of these include t he loss of h abitat and alterations

in ecosystem function s due to factors such as land subsidence, eustatic sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, co astal development, habitat fragmentation, hydrology and landscape modifications resulting from dams and levees, water and air pollution, and declining fishery

resources . All of these can be compounded

, if not accelerated

, by climate change effects.

Moreove r, increased storm intensity for the area profoundly threaten human health and alter ecosystem s, as evidenced by recent hurricanes Katrina

, Rita , Gustav, and Ike

.

Region 6 program staff and managers will continue to work with within existing networks such as the Region 6 U.S. Mexico Border Program Office, the Mexican Government, the Border Environmental Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank in the

U.S. Me xico Border area, and with the Gulf of Mexico Program Office, the S tate of Lou isiana and related coastal conservation and protection agencies to ensure they possess the adaptive capacity to integrate climate change considerations into existing programs, policies, operations, and funding considerations. A daptive capacity will be stre ngthened through outreach and educational efforts, funding opportunities relating to climate adaptation, and the delivery of climate adaptation tools such as Climate Ready Utilities and Climate Ready Estuaries. In addition, Region 6 will continue to promot e the Agency’s water utility energy efficiency and WaterSense programs to further strengthen adaptation activities while introducing mitigation elements at the same time.

Part 5: Conclusions

Region 6 faces significant planning and implementation challenges as climate change occurs

in the 21 st century and will practice an overall anticipatory philosophy regarding climate change adaptation planning. This Regional Implementation Plan has identified internal priority actions including infrastructure e nhancement and training , which stem from five major identified climate change vulnerabilities. Externally , the Region has identified technical assistance efforts with a variety of partners, as well as enhanced o utreach a nd communication to be important priority actions to fully address those vulnerabilities. Measuring and eval uating new priority

actions and ongoing adaptation initiatives will be important in gaug ing Regional effectiveness in fulfilling our mission. This R egional Implementation Plan is certainly not an endpoint. It is

intended to be the first version of a plan that will change and mature as the Region’s knowledge of, and experience with, climate change adaptation grows. The Region’s most important goal rema ins to serve all its stakeholders in the most efficient and thorough means possible

, even as climate changes.Draft September 18, 2013

31 F igures and Tables

Figure 1

– EPA

- Region 6 Program OrganizationDraft September 18, 2013

32 

### Table 1

EPA Region 6 Climate Change Vulnerabilities & Priority Actions

Anticipated Consequences Involved Priority Actions

Impacts Programs

A.

Higher mean temperatures,
with more frequent and

intense

summer “heat

waves” High er O3 and other criteria air pollutants with increased difficulty in attaining health standards;

Increased he alth risks from “heat island” impacts; Higher electricity

demand s, with inc.

p ollution from fossil

- fueled plants and impacts from gas exploration and production ; Greater health risks due to changes affecting pests and patterns of disease Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division; Management

Division (facilities);

Office of

Environ mental

Justice and

Tribal Affairs Evaluate the potential for using distributed generation electricity & energy efficiency

infrastructure enhancements in new Regional office space and energy infrastructure improvements to existing office space, contingent u pon budget & GSA considerations; Training for Air, Pesticides, Environmental Justice/Tribal Affairs, and Management Division staff.

B.

More frequent

and intense droughts in

central and western part of Region 6 Reduced agricultural yields; decreased pow er plant cooling capabilities; consumer rationing;

decreased industrial water availability; more wildfires; increased blowing dust Water Quality

Protection Division; Management

Division (facilities) ; Office of

Environmental

Justice and Tribal Affairs;

Mu ltimedia Planning and Permitting Div. Evaluate the possibilities for enhancing water conservation in new Regional Office

space; Build upon the existing Region 6 web page devoted to the topic of drought ; promote tools such as Climate Ready Utilities and pro grams such as Water Sense, Sustainable Communities, Green

Infrastru cture, and Healthy Watersheds;

L everage and assist states in using existing funding vehicles to support green infrastructure, such as SRF, Green Project Reserve, and Clean Water Act Section 319 grants ; Training for Water Quality Protection Division, Environmental Justice/Tribal Affairs, and Management

Division staff.

C.

Increase in

extreme precipitation

events More extensive flooding and wind damage from hurricanes; increased

stormwater runoff and

flashfloods from other

extreme weather events Superfund

Division ; Water Quality

Protection

Division ; Office of

Environmental

Justice and

Tribal Affairs Enhance emergency response capabilities for these types of events; Enhance the capabilities of the Center of Excellence for quickly getting water and wastewater facilities back on line following these
events; Provide technical assistance for

coastal habitat restoration and protection through such venues as the Urban Waters Initiative, three NEPs and CWPPRA ; Provide technical assistance in watershed protection and planning through the 319 and CZARA programs in order to enhance

flood water retention ; Training for staff inDraft September 18, 2013

33 Superfund and Emergency Response Branch, Water Quality Protection Division,

an d Environmental Justice/Tribal Affairs.

D.

Seasonal

weather shifts High

- country snow melt earlier in spring, with early

floods and summer water deficits downstream; increased pests and non

native noxious weeds with longer warm

- season periods Multimedi a Planning and Permitting Division; Water Quality

Protection

Division Explore existing infrastructure funding such as SRF to enhance resiliency; Promote watershed planning tools to address the loss of natural storage and to better absorb flashy runoff ; Training for Water Quality

Protection Division and Pesticides Section

staff

E.

Increasing

rates of relative

s ea level rise

and continued

coastal land

loss Accelerated loss and degradation of estuarine habitats, barrier islands,

and shorelines in

Louisian a and Texas;

Increase in inland floods from coastal storms, local precipitation, and upstream flooding in major river systems Water Quality

Protection Division;
Office of

Environmental

Justice and Tribal Affairs; Superfund

Division Provide technical and pl anning support for the Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Council, National Ocean Policy, and Gulf

of Mexico Alliance to establish restoration priorities; Develop and implement restoration projects through three National

Estu ary Programs, Climate Ready Estuaries Program, and CWPPRA ; Training for staff in Superfund and Emergency Response, Water Quality Protection Division, and Environmental
Justice/Tribal Affairs.Draft September 18, 2013

34 

### Table 2

Current Climate Change Partnerships

Lead Region 6 Division Program

Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division Ozone Advance, Energy Star, Federal Green Challenge, Landfill Methane Outreach Program, Repowering America, North Central Texas

En vironmental Stewardship Forum, Blue Skyways Collaborative, WasteWise, Urban Heat Island Mitigation, Energy Efficiency

- Renewable Energy in SIPs, promoting ecological enhancements at RCRA

sites Water Quality Protection Division WaterSense, Green Infrastructure, HUD

- DOT

- EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities, National Estuary Program, Climate Ready Water Utilities Program, NEPs, CWPPRA

, National Ocean Council, Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and Council,

Gulf of Mexico Program, Gulf Alliance, Gulf Tribal Climate Adaptation Advisory Workgroup Management Division Regional Environmental Management System, E

. O

. 13514 and 13423 compliance Superfund Division Superfund and Brownfields projects utilizing renewable

energy Offi ce of Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs Environmental Justice Showcase Communities Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division P artnering with Office of Regional Counsel to fulfill regulatory responsibilities while optimizing responses to

climate change

- forced water and air compliance issues Office of Regional Counsel Continuing coordination with R6 program offices to map out appropriate climate change adaptation support while ensuring regulatory fidelityDraft September 18, 2013

35 

### References Cited

Adger, W.N., S. Agrawala, M.M.Q. Mirza, C. Conde, K. O’Brien, J. Pulhin, R. Pulwarty, B. Smit, and K. Takahashi (2007). Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. In Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 717

- 743.

Christensen, J.H., B. Hewitson, A. Busuioc, A. Chen, X. Gao, I. Held, R. Jones, R.K. Kolli, W.

- T. Kwon, R. Laprise, V. Magaña Rueda, L. Mearns, C.G. Menéndez, J. Räisänen, A. Rinke, A

. Sarr and P. Whetton, 2007: Regional Climate Projections. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Mannin g, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Unite d Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 887

- 892.

CPRA, 2012. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana. Louisiana’s
Comprehens ive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast, May 23, 2012

. http://www.coastalmasterplan.louisiana.gov

Deser, C

., R. Knutti, S. Solomon, and A. Phillips

. Communication of the role of natural variability

in future North American climate

. Nature Climate Change 2 : 775

- 779 (2012).

Electricity Reliability Council of Texas, 2011. Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Events Summary August 2 ― August 5, 2011 available at: http://search.ercot.com/search?q=Energy+Emergency+Alert+%28EEA%29+Events+Summary +August+2+%E2%80%95+August+5%2C+2011+&btnG=Search+%3E&site=www_All_docume nts&client=default_frontend&proxystylesheet=ercot_com&output=x ml_no_dtd&ie=utf

8&oe=utf

- 8&ud=1&sort=date%253AD%253AL%253Ad1&entqr=0

Field, C.B., L.D. Mortsch,, M. Brklacich, D.L. Forbes, P. Kovacs, J.A. Patz, S.W. Running and M.J. Scott, 2007: North America. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U K, 617

- 652.

Haines, A, A. McMichael, and P. Epstein. Environment and Health: 2. Global Climate Change

and Health

, C anadian Medical Association Journal 163 (6) : 729

- 734 ( 2000 ).

Longergan, S. The Role of Environmental Degradation in Population Displacement

, Environmental Change and Security Project Report 4 : 5

- 15 ( 1 998)

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Martens, W., T. Jetten, and D. Focks. Sensitivity of Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Dengue to Global Warming , Climate Change, 35 (2) : 145

- 156 (1997).Draft September 18, 2013

36 Nielsen

- Gammon, J.C. The Changing Climate of Texas in: The Impact of Global Warming on

Texas Second Edition [Schmandt, J., J. Clarkson, and G. North (eds.)]. University of Texas

Press , Austin, 2011.

Stone, B, J. Hess, and H. Frumkin. Urban Form and Extreme Heat Events: Are Sprawling Cities More Vulnerable to Climate Change Than Compact Cities? Environmental Health Perspectives. 118(10): 1425

- 1428 (2010)

.

U.S. EPA, 2012a. Adaptation Overview

. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts

adaptation/adapt

- overview.html

U.S. EPA, 2012b. Feder al and EPA Adaptation Programs. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/impacts

- adaptation/fed

- programs.html

U.S. EPA, 2012c. Great Plains Impa cts & Adaptation

. http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts

adaptation/greatpl ains.html

U.S. EPA, 2012d. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plan (Draft)

, June 2012

. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/pdfs/EPA

- climate

- change

- adaptation

plan

- final

- for

- public

- comment

- 2

- 7

- 13.pdf

U.S. EPA, 2011. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Statement on Climate Change Adaptation , Lisa Jackson, Administrator, June 2, 2011. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/Downlo ads/impacts

- adaptation/adaptation

- statement.pdf

U.S. EPA. Assessment of the Impacts of Global Change on Regional U.S. Air Quality: A Synthesis of Climate Change Impacts on Ground

- Level Ozone (An Interim Report of the U.S. EPA Global Change Research Program). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R

- 07/094F, 2009.

USGCRP (2009). Global Climate Change Impa cts in the United States . Karl, T.R., J.M. Melillo, and T.C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.Draft September 18, 2013

37 Appendix

Copy of All Hands Memo Announcing Regional Involvement in Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Related Initiatives and the Announcement of “Earthapalooza” which will serve as an Internal Educational Forum for Region 6 Employees

This is being sent as R6 All Employee Memo

- Please do not reply to this mass mailing
This m emo and all Region 6 "All Employee Memos" may be viewed on the Region 6 Intranet

***************************************************
NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW

April 4, 2013

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: How EPA Region 6 is Working to Achieve Better Environmental Practices

FROM: Ronnie Crossland /s/ Ronnie Crossland Acting Assistant Regional Administrator

for Management

TO: All EPA Region 6 Employees/SEEs/Contractors

As Earth Day approaches, I want to take this opport unity to highlight some of the exciting ways EPA Region 6 is working to achieve better environmental practices, and how we as individuals can each contribute. EPA is leading a change in how our society protects the environment and conserves

resources for f uture generations by encouraging Americans to rethink the way we manage our resources. Not only are we taking steps within our own organization to reduce our environmental footprint through the hard work of our Environmental Management System Team, but we are also challenging other agencies, organizations, and municipalities to do the same through EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program; exploring ways to “green” sports events and venues as part of EPA’s Green Sports workgroup; and engaging in a pilo t climate change mitigation initiative.

Below are highlights of these programs and what you can do to help.

Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Programs:

The SMM Programs provide opportunities for businesses, universities and government entities to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and gain recognition for protecting human health and the environment. There are three SMM programs:Draft September 18, 2013

38 • Food Recovery Challenge (FRC)

– Grocers, universities, stadiums, and other venues commit to

a three

- year goal for redu cing the amount of food reaching landfills by learning to purchase leaner and divert food away from landfills for better uses. We currently have 143 participants signed on to the challenge and collectively diverted 71,521 tons of food from landfills in 201 1.

Contact: Golam Mustafa

• Electronics Challenge (FEC)

– Electronics manufacturers and retailers who become a partner of the Electronics Challenge commit to sending all their collected electronics to only certified electronics recyclers. Certification seeks to ensure environmental excellence in managing used electronics. EPA Region 6 has also lead by example by achieving the Federal Electronics Challenge Platinum award for ensuring environmental excellence in the way we purchase, use, and dispose of fed erally owned electronics.

Contact: Stephen Sturdivant

• Federal Green Challenge (FGC)

– Federal Agencies commit to lead by example by reducing their facilities’ environmental impact and save money in two of six areas: waste, purchasing,
electronics, ene rgy, water and transportation. We currently have 29 facilities representing 12 different federal agencies signed up as participants, including the EPA Region 6 facilities.

Contact: Joyce Stubblefield

Environmental Management System (EMS) Team:

The EMS team is a group of representatives from each division working towards encouraging improvement in EPA Region 6’s designated Significant Environmental Aspects: Electricity Use, Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Use, Waste Reduction and Recycling, Electronics Stewar dship and Green Purchasing. Along with a focus on the Significant Environmental Aspects, the EMS team helps Region 6 meet SMM program commitments. Through the EMS team:

• Our goal of 5% paper reduction each FY has been exceeded, FY 2012 being the best year by

far

• The next big focus in our Regional Office will be green purchasing

• Region 6 joined the FGC, reducing their environmental impact in purchasing and electronics

Climate Change:

The Region’s Clean Energy

- Climate Change Workgroup, formed in 2008 w ith Divisional representatives, continues to track and report annually on climate change mitigation and adaptation activities in six sectors. These sectors include Greenhouse Gas Regulatory, Internal Conservation and Efficiency, Alternative and Renewable E nergy and Green Remediation, Climate Change Adaptation, Sea Level Rise/Coastal Land Loss, and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Partnerships. Many different activities which either directly or indirectly benefit climate stewardship are occurring throughout the Reg ion and are captured within these sectors.

The Region is completing a Regional Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan, required by the Council on Environmental Quality. It will focus on assessing challenges to Regional operations from

future clima te change and taking steps to cope with these challenges. The Water Quality Protection Division and the Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division are taking the lead in drafting the plan,Draft September 18, 2013

39 with input from the other Divisions. Also, the Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division is engaged in a pilot climate change mitigation initiative in 2013. This initiative focuses on encouraging voluntary greenhouse gas emissions from stationary/area sources and on accelerating the purchase of green power

and installa tion of on

- site renewable energy.

What can you do?

• Consider ways to reduce your food waste ( Learn how to reduce food waste )

• Reduce paper usage by printing double sided or not printing at all

• Ensure electronic purchases are EPEAT certified and energy efficient options are enabled ( EPEAT )

• Recycle all paper and #1 plastics

• Turn off equipment and lights when not in use

• Commute efficiently by utilizing pub lic transportation, carpooling, walking or riding your bike when possible

• Participate in the EMS Team (contact Julia Alderete or David Bond for more information)

What’s next?

• Come to the open house on April 11 from 10 am

– 2 pm in

the 12 th floor conference rooms to hear more about the SMM and EMS activities in Region 6

• Enjoy Earth Day themed movies the week of April 15