# U

. S

. E P A R e g i o n 5

R e g i o n a l C l i m a t e C h a n g e A d a p t a t i o n

I m p l e m e n t a t i o n P l a n

D r a f t : S e p t e m b e r 1 8

, 2 0 1 3Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

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
legally binding requirements on EPA, States, the public, or the regulated community. Further,
any expressed intention, suggestion or recommendation does not impose any leg ally binding
requirements on EPA, States, tribes, the public, or the regulated community. Agency decision
makers remain free to exercise their discretion in choosing to implement the actions described in
this Plan. Such implementation is contingent upon av ailability of resources and is subject to
change.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft



### 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 , e ach 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 Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

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 the ir efforts in order to understand how well different approaches work and how they can be improved. Each Implementation Plan therefore includes a discussion of how the organization will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of its adaptation efforts and make adjustments where

necessary.

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

Bob Perciasepe
Deputy Administrator

September 2013Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

Table of Contents

Background

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 1

I. Vulnerability Assessment

................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 2

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

.............................. 3

Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters

................................ ................................ ...................... 4

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development

.................... 7

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollu tion

................................ ... 8

Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws

................................ ................................ .................. 9

Region 5 Facilities and Operations

................................ ................................ ........................... 9

II. Regional Priority Actions

................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 1 0

Air & Radiation Division

................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 1 1

Water Division

................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 1 2

Great Lakes National Program Office

................................ ................................ .................. 16

Superfund Division

................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 1 7

Land & Chemicals Division

................................ ................................ ................................ ... 1 9

NEPA Program

................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 20

III. Agency

– wide Strategic Measures on Climate Change Adaptation

................................ .. 21

IV. Legal and Enforcement Issues

................................ ................................ ............................. 2 2

V. Training and Outreach

................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 2 2

VI. Partnerships with Tribes

................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 2 3

VII. Vulnerable Populations and Places

................................ ................................ .................... 2 5

VIII. Measuring & Evaluation

................................ ................................ ................................ ... 2 5

References

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 2 6

Acknowledgments

................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 2 7Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

1 EPA Region 5

Draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan

________________________

**Background**

Executive Order 13514 (“Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance”), issued by the President on October 5, 2009, called on the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force to develop rec ommendations for adapting to climate change impacts both domestically and internationally. On October 5, 2010, the Task Force delivered its initial report and first set of recommendations to the President

. A key recommendation in the report called for ev ery f ederal agency to develop and implement a climate change adaptation plan addressing the challenges posed by climate change to its mission, operations, and programs.

On June 2, 2011, the EPA Administrator issued a Policy Statement on Climate Change

A daptation with a charge t o develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for EPA by June 2012. This charge included the development of Program and Regional Office I mplementation Plans. In response to these directives, EPA established a new cross

- EPA work group on climate change adaptation planning. The work group developed the first ever Climate Change Adaptation Plan

for EPA and delivered it to The White House C ouncil on E nvironmental Q uality ( CEQ ) on June 29, 2012

. The draft Plan was released for public comment on February 7, 2013. EPA’s Program

and Regional Offices have developed their own C limate Change A daptation Implementation

P lans. The purpose of this Plan is to provide an ove rview of how EPA Region 5 will incorporate climate change considerations across the work of the region.

T o promote consistency

, the Agency

- wide Climate Change Adaptation Plan identified eight “Common Areas of Focus” as required sections for all of the Implementation Plans :

1. Vulnerability assessments 2. Priority actions on climate adaptation 3. Agency

- wide s trategic m easures on climate adaptation 4. Legal and enforcement issues 5. Training and outreach 6. Partnerships with tribes 7. Vulnerable po pulations and places

8. Evaluation and cross

- o ffice pilot projectsDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

2 

### I. **Vulnerability Assessment**

**Regional Climate Change**  **Impacts**

According to the U.S . Global Change Research Program (USGCRP, 2009) , the following issues

are among key areas of concern for the Midwest :

• During the summer, public health and quality of life, especially in cities, will be negatively affected by increasing heat waves, reduced air quality, and increasing insect and waterborne diseases. In the winter, warming will have mixed impacts.

• The likely increase in precipitation in winter and spring, more heavy downpours, and greater evaporation in summer would lead to more periods of both floods and water

de ficits.

• Increased storm intensity will lead to an increased risk of water pollution to the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from combined sewer overflows, sediments

, and other threats to water quality.

• While the longer growing season provides the potential for increased crop yields, increases in heat waves, floods, droughts, insects, and weeds will present increasing challenges to managing crops, livestock, and forests

.

• Native species and ecosystems are very likely to face increasing threats from rapidly changing climate conditions, including pests, diseases, and invasive species movi ng in from warmer regions.

Climate change impacts may impose significant costs on communities and people in the

Midwest. For example, many communities are facing the need to update water infrastructure to control combined sewer overflows and protect water quality. Given the increased storm intensities anticipated in the Midwest, additional infrastructure investments may be necessary. While this plan prioritizes actions such as green infrastructure to help make communities more

resilient to increased stor m intensity, additional traditional infrastructure may still be required, and both approaches impose costs on communities. Given the complexity and potential magnitude of climate change and the lead time needed to adapt, preparing for these impacts now

ma y reduce the need for far more costly steps in the decades to come.

Without proper adaptation, climate change impacts may also bring about additional costs through health impacts on both the general and vulnerable populations. The latter of may suffer gr eater consequences due to health disparities such as asthma and lack of access to quality housing, heating and cooling systems and drinking water.

**Regional Vulnerabilities**

Given the general climate change impacts in the R egion, t he following identifies vulnerabilities that we believe, at this time, are most significant to Region 5 divisions and offices

. Many of the

vulnerabilities identified in this R egional assessment have already been established in the High

Level Vulnerability Assessment in the A gen cy

- wide Plan

. T he best professional judgment of

R egional program staff w as used in determining further vulnerabilities. T his assessment relies on the scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( Field et al, 2007Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

3 and Denman et al , 200 7) and USGCRP, 2009. Except where otherwise noted, the environmental conditions described derive from the findings in these reports. A detailed explanation of Region 5’s vulnerabilities to climate change is included in Appendix A, “ Region 5 Vulnerability

Assessment Table .”

The assessment of Region 5’s vulnerabilities is a dynamic process. The extent to which vulnerabilities have been identified and are understood varies across goals. The science of climate change will improve over time, p roviding greater weight of evidence to evaluate the consequences of existing and expected impacts. Region 5 will continue work with its federal, state, tribal and local partners to identify new vulnerabilities and improve our understanding of

known vulnerabilities

.

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

a) Criteria Air Pollutants

Higher temperatures and weaker air circulation in the United States (U.S.) will lead to more

ozone f ormation even with the same level of emissions of ozone forming chemicals. I n addition to the six nonattainment metro areas in the Region, there are several attainment areas that are violating the ozone standard based on recent monitoring data

.

• Increases in tropospheric ozone could lengthen the ozo ne season and make it more

difficult to achieve or maintain attainment

.

W ildfires are not a large contributor to particulate matter ( PM ) issues in the Great Lakes s tates

. H owever, hotter temperatures and increased drought could increase the incidence of wildfires

and increase dust in the air from dry soil

. Droughts can also cause restrictions on water use and an increase in the price of water. This would make it more expensive or difficult for industries to control storage piles, which could also cre ate more PM.

• Increased PM from wildfires and drought could increase PM concentrations and

associated respiratory and cardiovascular health impacts in affected areas.

• Additional PM c ould also increase deposition of some contaminants to the Great Lakes

.

Higher temperatures would likely cause an increase in use of air conditioners and therefore an

increase in the demand for electricity.

I ncrease d demand for electricity c ould increase the emissions of PM, as well as carbon monoxide ( CO )

, sulfur dioxide ( SO 2 ) and nitrogen dioxide ( NO 2 ) from electric generating units. However, energy efficiency efforts and measures to promote cleaner electricity generation may counteract the impacts of this increased demand.

b) Indoor Air Environments

Increased te mperatures and extreme weather may cause residents to spend more time indoors

wit h windows closed, increasin g exposure to indoor air pollutants. Extreme weather conditions may bring about other indoor air issues, including:Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

4 • Power outages or damage to heating, ventilation and air cond ition ing (HVAC) systems due to extreme weather increases the potential for the misuse of generators and combustion sources such as gas stoves. If improperly operated, these combustion sources

can cause elevated levels of C O and nitrogen oxides (NOx) if their exhaust builds up

indoors.

• Residents may weatherize buildings to increase comfort and indoor environmental quality in addition to saving energy. Although in general these actions should be encouraged, this may lead to a reduction in ventilation and an increase in indoor environmental pollutants unless measures are taken to preserve or improve indoor air quality. EPA has developed practical guidance for improving or maintaining indoor environmental quality during hom e energy upgrades or remodeling in single

- family homes and schools. EPA’s guidance and protocols may need to be revised to include state and local considerations for projected climatic changes. In addition, these programs may need to increase partnerships with other agencies to address training needs and workforce development for building owners, managers, and others, as well as develop new tracking mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of weatherization and remodeling techniques as they relate to

indoor environmental quality.

Flooding may increase damage to buildings, leading to poor environmental conditions such as mold and pest infiltration

. Increased temperatures

, including warmer winters with fewer days of temperatures below freezing

, may also increase the type and number of pests.

• O utdoor and indoor air impacts will increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations including individuals with respiratory conditions, children and the elderly, as

well as those confined to alternate/emergency shelters during extreme weat h er situations

. Ex posure to environmental asthma triggers in homes and schools may also increase

.

Goal 2: Protecting America’s Water s

a) Water Quality

Climate change is expected to increase air temperatures, which in turn is likely to increase water temperatures in surface water bodies. Climate change is also expected to change weather patterns, resulting in more frequent intense storms and polluted runoff, separated by periods of drought. V arious water quality impacts are possible, including increased pollutant

concentrations and lower dissolved oxygen ( DO ) levels

, as well as an increase d threat of invasive species in the Great Lakes

. T hese changes are likely to have impacts on EPA water

programs and will affect our ability to achieve C lean Water Act (C WA ) goals in the following

ways:

• I ncreasing numbers of water bodies may be impaired ;

• Revisions to monitoring program s may be needed to assess new conditions

.

• New water quality models and data may be need ed

.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

5 • R equests by states to revise water quality standards (WQS) , including designated uses and water quality criteria that protect those uses may be more frequent

, a s water quality impacts become i ncreasingly serious and lasting.

• Permitting and pollution control programs may see a new workload of permit limit

revisions to reflect new environmental conditions and revised uses.

• W ater quality degradation may impact the availability of water of sufficient quality needed for uses, most notably public water supplies.

b) Pollution Control

– Point Source

Climate change is expected to change weather patterns, resulting in more frequent intense storms and polluted ru noff, separated by periods of drought.

• C urrent wastewater collection and treatment systems may not be adequately designed for

future conditions

.

• C ombined sewer system s may not meet performance expectations and water quality objectives in long term control p lan s EPA and the states have negotiated with

communities.

• S torm water collection systems may be inadequate to remove pollutants or prevent flooding.

• In communities with both combined and separate sewer systems, wastewater infrastructure may be stressed by extreme, variable flows.

• EPA and state wastewater regulatory programs will see workloads increase or evolve as we respond to these challenges and to increased expectations from communities regarding assistance on new resilient practices such as green infrastructure, integrated municipal wet weather planning, and energy efficient practices.

c) Pollution Control

– Nonpoint Source (NPS)

Climate change is expected to change weather patterns, resulting in more frequent intense storms and polluted runoff, separated by periods of drought.

• M anagement practices funded or promoted in the CWA section 319 program may not perform as expected, or may be washed out in extreme events

.

• As resource managers adapt to changing precipitation patterns, practices may change in ways that increase NPS pollution (e.g., increased tile drainage to more efficiently drain heavy precipitation ).

• Climate change may c reate new demands on EPA and states for outreach to promote environmentally protective, climate resilient practices

.

d) Drinking Water/Other Uses

More frequent heavy downpours and floods could increase the amount of sediment and contaminants mobilized and transported to surface waters used for drinking water. Warmer water temperatures can create conditions suitable for pathogens and harmful algal b looms, and the lowering of water tables can expose formations and oxidize arsenic, which makes theDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

6 contaminant more soluble in water.

• The drinking water program will need to address impacts to drinking water supplies associated with changes in drinking wa ter quality, quantity, and infrastructure.

• C hanges in water quality may result in more Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations, which would increase the workload of the regional and state compliance

officers.

Climate change may adversely affect availa bility of surface and ground water supplies for drinking water, irrigation, etc

.

• Increased evaporation associated with warmer temperatures and increased drought conditions could reduce the amount of water available in surface drinking water supplies, as well as reduce the amount of ground water recharge.

• I ncreased demand for water, whether for drinking or other uses, may coincide with decreasing water availability and quality. E ducation about water conservation and source water protection will be increasingly important within all sectors and levels of

government.

• W here drought con ditions affect the presence of surface waters, it may be difficult to establish jurisdiction to implement federal CWA programs to protect vulnerable

resources like wetlands.

W ater infrastructure decisions made under prior climate scenarios may not be re silient in future

climate conditions.

• I ncreased temperature fluctuations could result in increased frequency of main breaks ; flooding can damage water infrastructure ; and reduced water levels could require intake

structure modifications. I nfrastructure costs would increase the demand for funding through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.

e) Great Lakes

Changes in average temperature and precipitation patterns have begun to have noticeable impacts on the Great Lakes ecosystem. For example, extreme storm events have resulted in unprecedented sediment inputs to the l akes, and Lake Superior had rare algal blooms in 2012.

These trends are projected to continue with higher water and air temperatures and increased evaporation rates.

• Ice cover on the Great Lakes is expected to decline, leading to increased evaporation in winter. Climate change will also affect some lake levels, with some models showing a significant decrease.

• Heightened storm intensities are projected to increase flooding, combined sewer overflows, beach closures, waterborne diseases, wildfires and other stressors on the Great Lakes ecosystem.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

7 • EPA ’s ability to achieve the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)

and fulfill the commitments of t he Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 2012 may be compromised by climate change impacts

.

Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Dev elopment

a) Risk of Contaminant R elease

Region 5 has a significant universe of contaminated sites due to our industrial legacy. Increased flood and drought conditions may impact the mobilization of contaminants at these sites and alter the time, cost and effectiveness of cleanups.

• Drier conditions might cause severe erosion issues on terrain and constructed landfills.

• Co rrective action s may need to be altered to ensure they are protective given the po tential for increased flooding

.

• F lood event s could wash away constructed remedies and increase contamination to the environment. Standing water could bring contaminants to the surface and increase exposure potential.

• Potential contaminant releases may pose an increased risk of adverse health impacts, wi th environmental justice and other vulnerable populations most at risk as they may reside

close to these sites

.

b) Emergency Response

I ncreased precipitation may lead to increased riverine flooding, resulting in additional hazardous

waste and domestic white goods removal and cleanup.

• A vailability of emergency response teams to react quickly may be stressed as extreme

weather related events become more frequent.

• The need for emergency response and debris/waste management due to storms resulting in large

- scale releases of chemicals and generation of debris from flooded/damaged and/or demolished buildings may also increase. E xisting waste management capacity may not be adequate to meet the demands of an increased debris stream resulting from

more frequent storms.

• I ncreased extreme temperatures will impact the health and safety of response workers

.

If climate change leads t o more intense weather events and increases EPA’s involvement in disaster response and remediation, then core program work in all media could be affected due to a scarcity of available staff and resources

.

• The need to activate the Response Support Corps and other staf f to respond to emergency/disaster situations within the Region and in support to other Regions may have an adverse impact on the Region’ s ability to consistently and effectively implement

core activities and address identified national and regional priorities.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

8 c) Clean up and Corrective Action

The increase in heavy precipitation events that are likely to occur in the Midwest as a result of climate change may cause an increase in floodin g risk ; droughts are also expected to become

more common.

• Flooding often produces significant debris that must be quickly managed by local

communities in the region

.

• Landfill design and controls may become inadequate to protect the environment and

human health. T he i mpact of flooding on non

- hazardous disposal facilities and their engineered systems is significant as municipal solid waste landfills are only required to design for handling run

- on or run

- off from a 25

- year storm.

• Drought conditions may affect the performance of vegetative caps on closed landfills which may result in increased leachate generation and/or emissions from landfills.

• C ontaminated sites where groundwater is involved may have to consider different remedies that reflect the possibility of long term drought, as well as the purgi ng effect of flooding. Groundwater, gas, and leachate monitoring systems may all be affected. States and local governments may need assistance in evaluating the impacts on these facilities.

Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Polluti on

a) Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

• D amage to homes, buildings and other community infrastructure a s a result of extreme

weather events may increase risk of exposure to lead , polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),

h alogenated f lame r etardants, asbestos and other chemical applicants

. Incidents of flooding may increase Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) chemical impacts to

surface water.

• I ncreased release of toxics resulting from flooding and severe weather may exacerbate exposure and children are particularly vulnerable to this risk. Existing risk assessment methodologies may need adjustment to a ssure that chemical exposure models reflect chang ing climate conditions.

b) Exposure to Pesticides

Climate change may drive changes in crops and agricultural practices, including introduction of new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with new pesticidal traits or immunities and chang e how, where, and the quantity of pesticides used due to increased pest pressure

.

• Increased application amounts, as well as extreme precipitation events and flooding, may result in increased exposure risks and surface water impacts from pesticide application.

• Increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may make weeds more diffi cult to control leading to increases in herbicide use and increased risks of surface and ground water contamination. Existing risk assessment methodologies may need adjustment to assure that pesticide use and exposure models reflect changing climate condi tions.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

9 • Weather changes may also result in pesticide use, application or active ingredient changes that may merit increased or more frequent EPA review or study of specific pesticide uses, applications

, or effects.

c) Pollution Prevention

Increased precipitation and extreme weather events may play a more prominent role in the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program.

• The P2 Program could respond to these changes in a variety of ways, such as building the adaptive capacity of industries to addre ss the impacts of climate change, including supply chain disruption, changing energy uses

, and market demands.

Goal 5: Enforcing Environmental Laws

The e nforcement o f environmental laws is considered within each program area.

a) National Environmental Poli cy Act (NEPA)

The uncertainties associated with climate change present challenges to EPA’s ability to :

• E ffective ly comment to other federal agencies on potential environmental impacts of proposed projects; and

• Help to ensure that proposed project s are able to adapt to a changing climate

.

Region 5 F acilities and O perations

C limate change will not only impact Region 5’s program work, but may also have impacts o n its facilities and operations. Region 5’ s main office and regional laboratory are located in downtown Chicago. Region 5 also has facilities in Westlake

, Ohio

, and Grosse Il e, Michigan. In addition, th e G reat Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) has two research vessels.

• Extreme heat, increased heavy precipitation events and poor air quality may increase the health risks of EPA Region 5 employees engaged in field work or force delays in such

work.

• Increased demands on electrical grids during heat waves could impact Region 5’s facilities, causing greater need for back

- up power sources and contingency planning.

• S evere storms and heat waves could impact public transportation systems

, thus preventing Region 5 employees from commuting in to work. Increased risk of floods and

e xtreme events in Region 5 may increase staff demands to provide Emergency Response support. Staff away from the office for periods of time may pose a challenge to the completion of core programmatic work.

Region 5 has the Homeland Security Work Plan (HSWP) which is a series of tasks and focus

areas for each d ivision to help with regional preparedness and readiness. Tasks and focus area s range fr om databases and mapping tools to external partnerships and re gulatory activities

. ToDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

10 prepare for a disruption in the Region’s ability to work in our facilities, t h e Region 5 C ontinuity

P lan is also covered in the HSWP and includes tasks such as increasing the ability to work from alternate locations and preparing f or the closing of our office s

. The HSWP is revised annually to reflect any changes or new areas that need to be addressed.



### II. **Region al**  **Priority Actions**

The vulnerabilities described in the previous section require that Region 5 adapt to the impacts of climate change and adjust the work of its programs accordingly. T he following criteria were used to identify Priority Actions to adapt to climate change :

1. The action addresses R egional and/or national objectives; it is part of EPA’s core

a ctivities and programs.

2. Legal authority exists for the action.

3. The action is achievable in a reasonable timeframe using existing resources or a moderate

shift of resources.

4. The action has benefits : it reduces the impact on the environment, avoids maladaptation, and increases the effectiveness of EPA’s programs in light of climate change impacts.

Note: Some of these actions will also provide mitigation co

- benefits in that they will also result in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. These acti ons are highlighted in green in the Program

- Specific Priority Actions discussion that follows

. 5. The action addresses vulnerable populations, areas, and/or ecosystems.

**Regional Priority Action Theme s** 

Although the specific needs and actions vary by program area, there are several Priority Action themes that cut across the Region. As practical, actions in these areas will be implement ed at the Regional level to avoid duplication of work

. In addition, actions identified by specific program

ar eas, as described below, may also address these themes.

Training Train staff on climate change adaptation (see also Section V, Training and Outreach ):

a. Core training

— Increase basic level of climate change understanding of all technical staff; such training is currently being developed by Headquarters (HQ)

. b. Targeted training

— Increase staff understanding of potential climate change impacts on specific program areas.

c. Incorporate climate change considerations into health and safety training.

Internal Collaboration Inform EPA national program offices on regional climate change impacts to identify needs and inform rulemaking and guidance development/revision; revise regulations and guidance , in

coordination with other Regions and HQ

, to reflect climate c hange impacts

.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

11 Outreach

Provide o utreach and technical assistance to States, tribes, f ederal agencies, and other partners regarding impacts, vulnerabilities, and incorporating climate change considerations into environmental program activities and coordinating actions

, as appropriate:

a. Provide access to up

- to

- date data (e.g., precipitation and stream flow statistics) and tools to factor climate change into programmatic and regulatory decisions;

b. Identify data and tool needs and seek ways to fill them (e.g., inform HQ, O ffice of Research and Development (O RD );

c. D evelop processes j ointly with States and tribes to incorporate new data into regulatory decisions (e.g., S tate Implementation Plan (S IP ) development);

d. Anticipate and streamline regulatory decisio n

- making processes affected by climate change (e.g., water quality variance requests) to promote timely, protective decisions

.

e. Incorporate climate change considerations into planning work and grant

- related

processes (e.g., NEPA documentation ; state program negotiations, tribal environmental agreements );

Resources Allocate resources to address climate change vulnerabilities to programs:

a. Reassess workload and staffing priorities, as necessary, to accommodate climate change adaptation work , including po tentially increasing emergency/disaster response

work demands

. b. Revise inspection and field work priorities as appropriate to reflect climate change considerations (e.g., target sites that appear to be vulnerable to climate change, such

as hazardous waste l andfills located in areas with increased flooding)

.

**Program**

**- Specific Priority Actions** 

The actions below are priority actions to address important climate change vulne r abilities on Region 5 programs.

**Air &**  **Radiation Division**

1. Address adverse impacts to air quality from climate change, particularly ground

- level

ozone concentrations

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment : Higher temperatures and weaker air circulation due to climate change will increase ozone formation. In addition, other impacts of climate change, including wildfires and increased demand for electricity due to greater need for air conditioning, could increase emissions of PM and other criteria pollutants.

Goal: Meet air quality standards in the Region despite the additional challenges that climate change will present.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

12 A ctions :

a. To the extent that it becomes apparent that a changing climate is preventing attainment of national air quality standards, Clean Air Act provisions may require identification of

additional control measures to reduce criteria pollutant emissions. Region 5 will work with EPA HQ to determine appropriate actions if and when such control measures are needed. Such actions may include:

 C onsideration of Supplemental Environmental Project (SEPs) that would r educe

emissions of ozone precursors ;

 T argeting of enforcement and permit review; and

 P romoting options for reducing criteria pollutant emissions in anticipation of expected adverse climate change impacts, including Ozone Advance, PM Advance, and output

- based standards

.

2. Address increased advers e impacts to indoor air quality (IAQ) from climate change

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: Increased temperatures and extreme weather conditions may worsen existing indoor air quality problems and exposure to indoor air pollutants may increase if weather extremes cause residents to spend more time indoors.

Goal: Continue to improve indoor air quality in the Region and balance energy

- saving measures with ventilation and indoor air quality.

Actions:

a. Contin ue to promote Indoor airPLUS and Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols for Home Energy Upgrades. Indoor airPLUS builds on ENERGY STAR requirements for new homes and provides additional construction specifications to provide indoor air quality protections i n new homes. The Protocols pr ovide a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction wi th energy upgrade work in homes and are intended for voluntary adoption by weatherization assistance programs, federally funded housing programs, private sector home performance contractors, and others working on residential energy upgrade or remodeling efforts.

b. Add information on climate change impacts as they relate to IAQ to stock outreach presentations for schools, health care professionals, etc. Incorporate these messages into collaborative IAQ work wi th state and local health dep artments , Habitat for Humanity,
HUD, etc ., so that our partners are aware of these impacts and the need to weatherize and

make other building improvements with IAQ in mind.

**Water Division**

1. Target highly vulnerable public water systems for source water protection

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: Both the quantity and quality of drinking water sources areDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

13 likely to be adversely affected by climate change. Source water quality degradation, increased demands for water in the face of extreme temperatures, drought and other stresses exacerbated by cli mate change will impact some public water systems, and the people served by them.

Goal: S ource water protection is increasingly used at highly vulnerable systems to minimize risk and make our drinking water sources and water systems more resilient to cli mate change impacts.

Actions:

a. Develop a pr ocess to identify highly vulnerable systems

. Water Division and its partners
will develop a prioritization scheme to identify the high ly vulnerab le public water systems to highlight those water sources and systems most at risk to climate change

effects. This might involve analyzing compliance information or raw water quality data trends to identify those most susceptible to particular impacts of cli mate change.

b. Provide targeted outreach and compliance assistance

. A pply targeted outreach and compliance assistance on measures to reduce negative effects of climate change to those most in need of additional support. Depending on the mechanism for pri oritizing highly vulnerable public water systems, the applicable programmatic tools from across the water program to aid groups of systems receptive to assistance will be utilized

.

c. Coordinate adaptation activities with federal, state, and tribal partner s

. L everage assistance from external partners such as the Indian Health Service and technical assistance providers, as well as the states, to provide a coordinated set of adaptation practices

. Us e source water protection tools to improve resilience of highly vulnerable

water systems. W here necessary, use enforcement actions to compel adoption of approaches other than

, or in addition to

, treatment (i.e., S ource Water Protection (SWP)

and other Sustainable Water Infrastructure ( SWI ) practices) to increa se resiliency and return water systems back to compliance.

2. Increase climate

– readiness at water utilities

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: Wastewater, drinking water and storm water utilities will be under increasing strain to maintain compliance and ac hieve performance and water quality objectives in the face of climate change, as precipitation events are expected to become more extreme throughout the region and may overwhelm infrastructure

.

Goal: Resilience of drinking water and wastewater utilities to climate change is increased through application of SWI practices

.

Actions: C ontinue promoting SWI practices to make water utilities more resilient to climate change impacts, emphasizing the followin g:

a. Incorporate SWI conditions into NPDES permits, where appropriate

. Water Division and

state partner s will identify SWI approaches that are amenable to NPDES permit conditions, for example, green infrastructure and asset management , and develop modelDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

14 lan guage for incorporation into NPDES permits

. EPA will track and report to states, providing case examples and best practices to promote replication.

b. Incorporate SWI considerations into compliance assistance and enforcement settlements, where appropriate. P rovide information to facility operators on SWI tools and resources as a regular part of our municipal inspection program including the Climate Ready Water Utilities (CRWU) initiative and the Climate Resilience Evaluation and Awareness Tool ( CREAT ). Water Division and state partner s will identify SWI approaches that are amenable to NPDES enforcement settlements, for example, green infrastructure and asset management, and develop model language for consideration in settlement negotiations, orders, etc.

c. Be gin tracking EPA enforcement actions for the incorporation of sustainable practices.

I ncorporate new fields in the Water Enforcement Tracking database for tracking sustainable practices and populate the fields to provide a full accounting of existing

effo rts. As it becomes available, performance information will be incorporate d

. T he

results will be used to identify best practices and lessons learned to inform future efforts and promote replication by states.

d. Promote energy management at utilities as resources allow

. C onduct energy management

outreach

, as resources allow

, to replicate the success of initial efforts in the Indiana energy management pilot . Using the information acquired from these demonstrations

, promote the benefits of energy manageme nt and its potential role in utility climate

readiness

, in collaboration with states, professional organizations and others.

3. Improve information on climate change impacts on surface water quality and quantity

available and used for regulatory and assistance actions

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: Climate change is expected to cause changes in surface water characteristics such as water quality (chemical, physical

, and biological), stream flow

characteristics

, and lake levels. The regulatory and assistance programs EPA, s tates and t ribes use to protect water quality will require up

- to

- date information about surface water characteristics to ensure that they remain effective. Monitoring programs may not present ly be designed and managed to acquire appropriate data.

Goal : High quality, up

- to

- date information on water resources is collected through state monitoring programs; such information is factored into regulatory and standards programs (e.g., NPDES, WQS and TMDL) and assistance efforts (e.g., NPS management).

Actions:

a. I dentify

, with state and tribal partners, critical water resources information necessary to inform program work as climate changes

. Such information is likely to include chemical and biological metrics needed to determine the health of water bodies or to demonstrate changes/trends in water quality.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

15 b. I dentify

, with partners, potential information sources

. C ritical water resources

in formation identified will potentially be available through sources such as other federal agencies, while other information is appropriate for state monitoring programs. T he most

cost

- effective approach for meeting our data needs will collectively be ident ified

.

c. I ncorporate climate change into state and tribal monitoring strategies

. Where appropriate, incorporate appropriate metrics and other climate

- related adjustments into

state and tribal monitoring strategies. To the extent that the revisions necessitate trade

offs or require additional resources, approaches to meet those needs will be jointly developed

.

d. E nsure that up

- to

- date climate

- related information is factored into regulatory , standards and assistance programs

. Ensure existing state operating procedures and practices are adjusted

, as necessary
, to access and use up

- to date monitoring data, stream flow metrics, etc. for development of water quality standards, TMDLs, permit conditions and other regulatory decisions. P romote transparenc y by ensuring that documentation of regulatory

decisions clearly identifies where climate change

- related information factors into a

decision , e.g., standard revision submissions, permit fact sheets

.

4. Streamline and standardize water quality standards decis ion

- making processes to ensure timely, protective decisions

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: As the effects of climate change place more stress on our waters, more submissions from states and tribes for WQS revisions are likely . These may come

in two forms: variances from existing criteria, and revised standards (criteria and/or use designations).

Goal: State processes for considering WQS changes are efficient and decisions are well

supported; EPA is able to timely act on changes submitted by States.

Actions :

a. Determine , in consultation with headquarters (Office of Waste/Office of Science and Technology), the f lexibility allowed to change designated uses in surface waters that are adversely impacted by climate change and communicate clear guidance to states and

tribes.

b. I dentify and replicate “best practices” among the states and tribes.

i. I dentify and implement efficient procedures to process large numbers of similar variance requests.

ii. I dentify and implement efficient procedures to process large numbers of use designa tion revisions. For example, Ohio routinely submits multiple use designation change packages including anywhere from 30 to 150 use change proposals, which EPA can review as a package. If other states could be encouraged to submit these types of multiple use change rule packages, this would further enhance the efficiencyDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

16 of our reviews.

c. E nsure that any approach to streamline a WQS process is exercised transparently and that

decisions are well

- supported by data

.

**Great Lakes National Program Office**

1. Continue to r estore and m aintain the c hemical, p hysical, and b iological i ntegrity of the

Great Lakes e cosystem in the f ace of c limate c hange

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: Climate trends are changing the Great Lakes in a variety of ways ( e.g. , the Lake s themselves are getting warmer, storm frequency and intensity are increasing, lake levels are chang ing, etc.). The Great Lakes are expected to be increasingly vulnerable to toxic and nutrient loadings, invasive species and habitat loss.

Goal: Impacts of climate change to the Great Lakes ecosystem are decreased by applying the latest climate change information to GLRI projects and other GLNPO efforts.

Actions:

a. A djust long

- term ecosystem monitoring programs to fulfill the U.S. commitments under

Annex 10 ( Science ) of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. C urrent climate change information will be taken into account when assessing the timing, frequency, scheduling, and geographic scope of water quality and fish monitoring programs. Adjustments may occur annually or as needed during monitoring activities. Climate change

- related indicators (ice cover, water and air temperature, lake levels, critical ecosystem indicators, etc.) will be assessed and reported on an ongoing basis through the

State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) and other channels to advise management actions at a regional and local scale.

b. Integrate climate change knowledge into GLRI

- funded projects, as well as other GLNPO funding mechanisms ( e.g. , Legacy Act, Sustain Ou r Great Lakes), to ensure the latest science informs project design

. Climate change impacts will be required to be considered in all appropriate GLRI Request for Application (RFA) categories annually. For remaining categories, credit for attention to cli mate change in applications will be provided. When feasible, guidance and examples as to how to consider climate change in applications will be provided to applicants in RFAs. A GLRI RFA category for capacity

building of local governments and resource de cision

- makers in the Great Lakes to implement climate change adaptation actions will be offered.

c. D irect necessary revisions to Great Lakes strategic implementation documents, while working with federal, state, tribal and binational partners, using the late st climate change

information. G uide development, revision and implementation of both Remedial Action Plans for Areas of Concern and Lakewide Management and Action Plans, in collaboration with the appropriate partners, with the latest climate change infor mation asDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

17 required under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement . In addition, the next update of the GLRI Action Plan will factor the latest scientific information on climate change.

S **uperfund Division**

1. Revise current Superfund processes to reflect new protocols

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment : Increased temperatures and flood and drought conditions will impact mobilization of contaminants at sites and may alter the time, cost, and effectiveness of cleanups. As a result, recommended processes and remediation techniques may need to be changed.

Goal : Ensure that standard processes and procedures in the Region consider climate change impacts and reflect any changes from Program Offices.

Actions:

a. Review existing Superfund processes to identify where climate change will require process and template changes . Superfund processes include: Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS), Record of Decision (ROD), Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA), Five Year Reviews, and language in Brownfield

grant s terms and conditions (T&C) that considers climate change in evaluating cleanup

alternatives.

b. Adjust requirements and language in Superfund p rocesses to reflect the new protocol s

. This includes reviewing and revising how to:

i. Evaluate alternative remedie s for sites that may be impacted by floods and changing water tables, such as landfills on floodplains;

ii. Choose remediation techniques that incorporate vegetation that might be more tolerant of heat, excessive rain, or drought;

iii. Manage severe erosion issues on terrain and constructed landfills, with larger rain events contributing to additional erosion concerns;

iv. Account for water table fluctuations that might impact changing plume direction and increase smear zones;

v. Redesign corrective actions to manage frequ ent flooding that may bring contaminants to the surface and increase exposure potential;

vi. Manage changes in construction season due to warmer or erratic weather; and

vii. Manage increases in sedimentation and scouring due to larger rain events at sites.

c. Train staff on these new protocols . Once new procedures have been accepted and guidelines are changed, ensure that staff are trained and will follow the new protocol s

.

2. Enhance flexibility of Emergency Response to climate change conditions

.

Link to Vulnerabili ty Assessment : There will be an increased need for emergency response dueDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

18 to frequency of events and duration of response activities. Changing climatic conditions can also pose additional hazards for staff.

Goal : Improve the flexibility of the Emergency Response team to an anticipated increase in

events

.

Actions :

a. Assess how c hanging climatic conditions in the Midwest will impact Emergency Response

. E valuate how changing climatic conditions will impact the ability of staff to respond to emergency situations, including staff readiness, equipment needs, availability of staff, and duration of response action.

b. Evaluation of resource needs . Determine how Superfund will adjust staff flexibility and availability, training, and equipment to ensure timely responses to events. This will also include improvements in communication channels with state and local authorities. Additionally, an increase in training and cross program coordination for Regional Science Council (RSC) and Incident Management Team (IMT) members will be necessary to prepare for more frequent response.

c. Implementation . Create an implementation plan to acquire or train staff, and to acquire equipment.

3. Disseminate climate change information related to risk, safety, requirements, and

alternative remedies to states and tribes.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment : Increased temperatures and flood and drought conditions will impact mobilization of contaminants at sites and may alter the time, cost, and effectiveness of cleanups. As a result, recommended processes and remediation techniques may need to be changed.

Goal : Inform state and tribal partners of any new or revised recommendations on emerg ency response, remedial cleanup, and Brownfields grants terms and conditions.

Actions:

a. Review list of state contacts and tribes that should receive new information related to emergency response, new or modified investigation strategies, remediation techniques, risk based cleanup factors and ranking, disposal of hazardous waste and domestic white goods, and Brownfield cleanup alternatives.

b. D isseminate new fact shee ts and information to state and tribal partners . HQ will be developing new guidelines on risks, safety, new requirements, and alternative remedies.

c. E nsure content on Region 5 website reflects current information related to revised processes and requirem ents under climate change conditions by w ork ing with IT/web content/GIS departments

.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

19 d. Pursue additional opportunities to share information with states and tribes , through
meetings, conferences, webinars, etc.

**Land &**  **Chemicals Division**

1. Maintain and improve available information on managing disaster debris to support planning and emergency response

.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment : An increase in heavy precipitation events may cause an increase in flooding risk which often produces significant debris that must be quickly managed in the region

. State, local, and federal emergency response personnel will need up

- to

- date information to help them plan for debris management and find facilities that can safely manage, and when possible, recover or recycle various types of debris.

Goal : High quality and up

- to

- date information is maintained and readily available for use by federal, state, and local emergency response personnel to support planning for and managing large volumes of debris that may be g enerated by storm or heavy precipitation events.

Actions :

a. V erify, maintain, and annually update at least 1/3 of the records currently maintained in the Disaster Debris Recovery Database in consultation with state and local officials as well as private se ctor information sources

.

b. Continue to provide technical assistance and support to state disaster debris planning

efforts and m aintain and update the planning resources and mapping tools available on Region 5’s website : ( http://www.epa.gov/region5/waste/solidwaste/debris/disaster_debris_resources.html )

.

c. Ensure awareness of the D isaster D ebris R ecovery D atabase and mapping tool and planning resources by c onduct ing at least one presentation annually to local and state emergency planners and response personnel.

2. Maintain and improve pesticide producer information and target pesticide (FIFRA) and chemical (EPCRA

- TRI/TSCA) inspections to identify and address sites that appear to be vulnerable to climate change

.

Link to Vulnerability A ssessment: Increased precipitation events and flooding may result in increased exposure risks and impacts from industrial chemicals and pesticides. For example, chemical manufacturers, processors and formulators might be located in areas of measurably

increased floo ding. Improved data about these facilities will help EPA and other stakeholders to identify and prioritize potential impacts.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

20 Goal: Improved information within managed databases and targeted inspections under FIFRA

and EPCRA

- TRI/TSCA which will be used to identify chemical facilities and pesticide

establishment s that may require re

- assessments or additional attention.

Actions:

a. A dd geographical information on flood

- prone areas to the selectivity criteria to target pesticide producing establishments for inspection under FIFRA and chemical manufacturing/processing facilities for inspection under EPCRA 313 / TSCA.

b. Target establishments and facilities located in flood

- prone areas for inspection, with our State partners under FIFRA

, to address bulk chemical containment requirements.

c. Maintain and update l ocation and other available information on pesticide producer

establishments on an annual basis

. The Region , in collaboration with the regulated community

, will ensure that applications for new establishment registrations under FIFRA and the cancellation of establishment registrations for those facilities no longer engaged in pesticide production.

d. D evelop a database and map of TSCA and TRI regulated chemical manufacturers, processors and formulators for the Region using new TSCA CDR and TRI information

. This map can be used to better target sites that may be more vulnerable to climate change.

e. C reate a list of chemicals , in consultation with the Chemicals of Emerging Concern ( CEC ) Network, other Divisions/Offices, OCSPP, and ORD, whose risk may need to be

re

- assessed or wh ich may have a higher potential for the need for a chemical

- specific mitigation and/or elimination strategy in different climat e change scenarios

.

NEPA Program

1. Address climate change impacts as a required component of a NEPA analysis.

Link to Vulnerability Assessment: New construction or upgrades that require a NEPA analysis, (infrastructure, energy, land use, transportation, e tc.) will likely be impacted by climate change. Impacts resulting from NEPA projects may exacerbate existing environmental and health issues both directly and indirectly. Projects may need to weigh both positive and negative impacts.

Goal: All NEPA proj ects (E nvironmental Impact Statements and E nvironmental Assessments )

will identify and analyze the effects of climate change on the proposed project as well as the impact of the project on climate change.

Actions:

a. Develop a framework of expected analysis that will be conducted by the lead agency and

included in NEPA document s

. EPA will determine what information is relevant forDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

21 inclusion for the proper analysis of the association between the proposed project and climate change. Specific factors, data, and information that EPA will look for in a NEPA review will be clearly listed, defined and disseminated to other federal agencies in a programmatic manner.

b. Coordinate e arly with lead agencies (federal, state, local, and tribal) that submit NEPA

documents for review

. Common language across federal agencies and implementation of permitting standards will be captured in NEPA documents. The NEPA document s will reflect both EPA guidelines (expected from CEQ) as well as adhere to the individual

agenc y’s guidelines to analyze climate change, and climate change priorities and adaptations. It is imperative to coordinate this analysis early in the scoping process. By identifying concerns and working with lead agencies from the onset of a project, many o f the adverse impacts (both direct and indirect) can be adapted and/or mitigated.



### III. **Agency**

**– wide Strategic Measures on Climate**  **Change Adaptation** 

The FY 2011

- 2015 EPA Strategic Plan contains the Agency’s first strategic performance

measures for integrating climate change adaptation into its activities. These strategic performance measures commit the Agency to integrate adaptation planning into five major rulemaking processes and five major financial assistance mechanisms by 2015. They also call for the integration of adaptation planning into five major scientific models or decision

- support tools used in implementing Agency environmental management programs. Region 5 will support these measures through the following:

1. Integrate Adaptation Planning into Rulemaking Processes

• Provide information on regional climate change impacts to EPA national program offices to inform rulemaking and guidance development/revision; revise regulations and guidance , in collaboration with other Region s and EPA HQ

, to reflect climate change impacts

.

• E xplore , with the states, how state rules may need to be changed as a result of climate change

.

2. Integrate Adaptation Planning into Financial Assistance Mechanisms

• Explore opportunities to incorporate cli mate change adaptation considerations into competitive funding announcements in accordance with the October 18, 2011, EPA guidance memo jointly issued by the Office of Policy and the Office of Grants and

Debarment . Th is may include a climate change adapta tion criterion wherever it is relevant to the program’s mission and outcomes

.

o GLNPO will include consideration of climate change as a grants scoring criterion

and ensure that scientific information on climate change impacts and adaptation is incorporated into projects funded by GLRI and other mechanisms (e.g., Sustain

O ur Great Lakes, Great Lakes Legacy Act). Include consideration of climate change as a criterion in reviewing/scoring competitive grants.

o Region 5 I ndian Environmental Office (I EO ) and EPA Headquarters American

I ndian E nvironmental O ffice will jointly determine how to appropriately andDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

22 effectively use Indian General Assistance Program ( GAP ) funds to plan or respond to climate change impacts, and share information on lessons le arned with other Regions.

3. Integrate Adaptation Planning into Models or Decision

- Support Tools

• Identify opportunities to incorporate climate change adaptation considerations into

models or decision

- support tools

. Provide information t o EPA national program offices to identify needs and inform the development of such tools.



### IV. **Legal and Enforcement Issues**

The EPA derives its authority to act from the laws passed by Congress. The Agency is committed to ensuring that its actions are constitutional, authorized by statute, consistent with Congress’s vision and intent, and otherwise legally supported. Congress has given the Agency the broad mandates to protect human health and the environment. This mandate affords the Agency with the broad legal authority to support climate change adaptation work. However, specific questions may arise in the course of adaptati on planning and implementation that cannot be answered without a legal review of Agency policies and/or guidance as well as court precedents.

Region 5 D ivisions and O ffices and Office of Regional Counsel will continue to work closely on matters related to climate change adaptation. To date, the work on climate change adaptation has

not f aced significant legal issues.

• The Region will a ddress any legal and enforcement issues that may arise through the Office of Regional Counsel, in con sultation with the Office of General Counsel and the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), as necessary.

• In addition, Region 5 will confer with OECA on the inclusion of climate change considerations in compliance and enforcement activitie s.



### V. **Training and Outreach**

A central element of the Region’s efforts to adapt to a changing climate will be to increase staff awareness of how climate change may affect their work by providing them with the necessary data, information, and tools. St rengthening adaptive capacity of staff within the Region is necessary to anticipate and plan for future changes in climate and incorporate considerations into our programs, policies, and operations.

Through the development of a regional climate change a daptation training module, consistent training will be provided to all R egional staff. A workgroup formed out of the Region’s Mid

Level Leadership Development Program is currently developing the structure and content for

t raining on R egional impacts of cl imate change, as well as program

- specific training and discussions to further outline changes that need to be made to core work processes

. In addition,Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

23 the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Team will continue in its efforts to educate, foster buy

in, and plan for program resiliency.

Adaptation requires coordination across sectors and should build on the existing efforts and knowledge of stakeholders. S tates, tribes, and local communities share responsibility for protecting human health and the environme nt with EPA

. Working with these partners will be critical for efficient, effective and equitable implementation of climate change adaptation strategies, which will evolve over time.

Region 5 will:

• Provide general and program

- specific training opportun ities to our staff and management to increase their understanding of climate change vulnerabilities in our Region, and how to best incorporate climate change adaptation into our work.

• Encourage our partners to integrate climate change adaptation effecti vely into their work. Share existing decision

- support tools and training opportunities on climate change adaptation, especially where training is local or available on

- line.

• Develop a regional climate adaptation communication strategy to engage and infor m partners

.

• B uild adaptive capacity and encourage climate adaptation planning depending upon state, local, and tribal needs and conditions

.

• Engage the Midwest Natural Resources Group of federal agency senior managers to promote cooperation on climate change adaptation.



### VI. **Partnerships with Tribes**

EPA values its unique government

- to

- government relationship with Indian tribes in planning and decision making. This trust responsibility has been established over time and is further expressed

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

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

- making authority of tribal governments. Supporting the development of adaptive capacity am ong tribes is a priority for the EPA. Tribes are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to the integral nature of the environment within their traditional lifeways and culture. There is a strong need to develop adaptation strategies t hat promote sustainability and reduce the impact of climate change on

Indian tribes.

EPA engaged tribes through a formal consultation process in the development of the Agency’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan . Tribes identified some of the most pressing is sues as erosion, temperature change, drought and various changes in access to and quality of water. Tribes recommended a number of tools and strategies to address these issues, including improving access to data and information; supporting baseline researc h to better track the effects of climate change; developing community

- level education and awareness materials; and providing financial and technical support. At the same time, tribes challenged EPA to coordinate climate change activities among federal agen cies so that resources are better leveraged and administrativeDraft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

24 burdens are reduced.

This Implementation Plan identifies specific steps that will be taken to partner with tribal governments on an ongoing basis to increase their adaptive capacity and addre ss 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 an d 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 GAP. 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 ta king place within EPA Offices and tribal governments.

Tribes in Region 5 are increasingly concerned about the effects of a changing climate on their communities, resource s and traditional cultural practices. Many t ribal populations are already experienci ng climate change impacts ; for example, moose populations and wild rice cultivation have already been adversely impacted on t ribal lands

.

Region 5 is committed to an ongoing partnership with the tribes to strengthen their capacity to
address climate change impacts and address their adaptation

- related priorities. The Region will :

• Integrate climate change adaptation into existing funding mechanisms to help tribes incorporate and consider climate change in their environmental programs

. Region 5’s

IEO will ensure that the GAP funds it manages are used appropriately and effectively to plan for and respond to climate change impacts.

• P rovide outreach and technical assistance on climate change impacts and adaptation that is specific to tribal needs and as sists in meeting their environmental regulatory responsibilities. Region 5 will use existing regional forums/resources, including the annual Tribal Environmental Program Management conference, Region 5 Tribal Operations Committee meetings, and Tribal Cauc us calls or meetings, as appropriate, for outreach and/or training. Region 5 will leverage limited resources and avoid duplication of efforts through coordinat ion of training and outreach efforts with other federal agencies (through the Region 5 Memorandu m of Understanding Workgroup), Headquarters, and other partners

.

• Provide opportunities for meaningful tribal participation in regional climate change

efforts and f acilitate communication with the t ribes to gather updated information on climate change impac ts they are experiencing to inform programmatic work as appropriate.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

25 

### VII. **Vulnerable Populations and Places**

The effects of climate change have the potential to have an adverse impact to specific vulnerable populations, contingent upon their geographic location and demographic information. Impacts may vary depending upon a population’s susceptibility to the health effects of environmental pollution, economic status, education level, income source and access to relevant information. For example, children , the elderly, and individuals with respiratory problems are more vulnerable to poor indoor and outdoor air quality, both of which may worsen in a changed climate. In general, environmental justice issues may be amplified by the impacts of climate change. One of the principles guiding EPA’s efforts to integrate climate change 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, a nd to be designed and implemented with meaningful involvement from all parts of society.

This Implementation Plan identifies key programmatic vulnerabilities and the priority actions

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

Region 5 will integrate consideration of vulnerable populations and environmental justice into our actions as this plan is implemented . Region 5 intends to build on existing partnerships with tribal and environmental justice programs to ensure such populations are represented in climate change impact anal ysis. Finally, we will explore opportunities to share information, case studies, and experiences related to climate change adaptation among tribes and other vulnerable populations with HQ and other r egional o ffices, f ederal a gencies, and non

- governmental organizations

.



### VIII. **Measuring & Evaluation** 

Region 5 will evaluate its climate change adaptation activities, particularly our Priority Actions,

to assess progress toward mainstreaming climate change adaptation into programs, policies, rulemaking processes, and operations. Region 5 will develop a wo rk plan based on the Priority Actions, including additional details on actions and assignment of roles and responsibilities. Using this work plan, the Region will conduct an annual evaluation of our

progress and performance under this Implementation Plan. Based on the lessons learned through

these evaluations, Region 5 will make any necessary adjustments to its approach.

Region 5 recognizes that the integration of climate change adaptation planning will occur over time. This will happen in stages, and m easures should reflect this evolution.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

26 

### References

C.B. Field et al., “North America,” Chapter 14 in Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability , Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Pan el on Climate Change, ed. M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson (Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press, 2007).

Denman, K.L., et al. (2007). Couplings Between Changes in the Cl imate System and Biogeochemistry. 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. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K .B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.

USGCRP, 2009: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, Thomas R. Karl, Jerry M. Melillo, and Thomas C. Peterson,(eds.). Cambridge University Press, 2009.Draft Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan September 18 , 2013 Draft

27 

### Acknowledgements

EPA Region 5 Climate Change Adaptation Team

Tim Henry

Kate Balasa Melissa Hulting John Haugland

Elizabeth LaPlante

Erin Newman

Shanna Horvatin

Brooke Furio

Jerri

- Anne Garl Susan Mooney

Chris Choi Cyndy Colantoni

Andrew Meindl

Eloise Mulford Robert Peachey Cynthia King

Carole Braverman

Matt Mankowski

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

1 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

ARD Increased tropospheric ozone pollution in certain regions Likely 1 Protecting public health and the environment by setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and implementing programs to help meet the standards Could become more difficult to attain NAAQS for ozone in many areas, including areas with existing ozone problems as well as those currently in attainment. High Five of the six Region 5 states already

strug gle with attaining the ozone standard in large urban areas. Increases in tropospheric

ozone could result in more nonattainment areas and lengthen the ozone season. Important across Region, but

new non

- attainment areas could

be in smaller metro areas and i n the northern part of the Region.

ARD Increased frequency or intensity of wildfires Likely 2 Protecting public health and the environment by setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and implementing programs to help meet the standards Could complicate Agency efforts to protect public

health and the environment from risks posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution in areas affected by more frequent wildfires

. Medium Currently wildfires are not a large

contributor to PM issues in the Great Lak es States; however, a significant increase in wildfires could change this profile. Could also increase deposition of certain

contaminants to the Great Lakes. Forest areas are mostly in the northern part of the Region.

ARD Increasing extreme

temperatures Very Likely 3 Protecting public health and the environment by setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and implementing programs to help meet the standards Could complicate efforts to attain NAAQS for various criteria pollutants and increase p ublic health risks, including risks for the young, the elderly, the chronically ill, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Medium Increased temperatures and extreme weather events could increase demand for electricity (for example, through incre ased use of air conditioning units), which would require more electricity creating greater pollution from EGUs, back

- up generators, and peaker plants. This could increase difficulty of meeting NAAQS for O3, PM2.5, SO2, NO2,

and CO. Important across Reg ion, but risks higher in urban areas and

areas with more sources.

ARD Increasing extreme

temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events Very Likely 3

Likely 3 Protect public health by promoting healthy indoor environments through voluntary programs and guidance Could increase public health

risks from indoor air pollution, including risks for the young, the elderly, the chronically ill, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations Medium Susceptible individuals across Region 5 will

be impacted by potentially greater exposure to air pollution, both indoors and outdoors. More time spent inside during extreme weather, mold issues as a result of flooding and storms, and inappropriate energy efficiency measures (i.e., making buildings

too " tight") could all increase IAQ problems. Important across the Region, but particularly in EJ areas and areas with high density of more susceptible populations.

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

2 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

ARD Increasing extreme

temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events Very Likely 3

Likely 3 Atmospheric deposition

initiatives

Ecosystem protection from Agency emissions reduction

programs Effects on ecosystems, including the Great Lakes, to increased atmospheric deposition of sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury (and potentially

increased me thylation of mercury). Also impacts compliance with water quality standards and

TMDLs. High Mercury is a high priority in Region 5 in

both the Great Lakes and inland lakes. All of our states have water bodies impaired by mercury. Increases in mercury d eposition, as well as sulfur and nitrogen, would further

stress our ecosystems. Very important across the Region.

EJ Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing flood risk Likely 3

Likely 7 Drinking water, wastewater

and stormwater infrastructure Inadequate water supply for human consumption (Contaminated wells, water systems)

Damage to water

infrastructure from intense

storms High EJ communities will need added assistance and attention if these events compound already existing c oncerns. Region wide

GLNPO Changes in temperature

Increased water

temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events Very Likely 3

Very Likely 9

Likely 3 GLRI, GLQWA Overall climate change impacts to Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem

characteristics High As a result of its working relationship with Canada under the new GLWQA commitments, GLNPO will be put under increased pressure to develop and coordinate with Canada monitoring, modeling, downscaling and other climate efforts, including capacity building a nd sharing information needed by GL resource

managers.

States, tribes and other GLRI partners will face increasing pressure to address various local impacts to Great Lakes resources and begin adaptation efforts. This will increase Lake Superior, a “cold water” lake, will be extremely affected by climate change in general. The nature of the fish species, aquatic speci es, wildlife habitat will all be tremendously affected (more so than the other lakes) by climate change.

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

3 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

pressure on GLRI pr ograms and funding

sources.

GLNPO will face an increased workload to understand the science of climate change in the Great Lakes and monitor climate change

variables in assessments of the overall health

of the Lakes.

GLNPO will face an increased wo rkload in outreach/communication in helping partners, local communities, cities, etc, adapt to a changing climate.

GLNPO Increased frequency or intensity of wildfires Likely 2 Protecting public health and the environment by setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and implementing programs to help meet the standards Could complicate Agency efforts to protect public

health and the environment from risks posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution in areas affected by more frequent wildfires Medium Mo re forest fires will increase emissions of mercury and other contaminants, thereby hindering progress in reducing mercury in the Great Lakes ecosystem under our

binational commitments in the new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement 2012 (GLWQA), and may com plicate mercury

reduction efforts under GLRI Toxics Focus

Area.

May also prevent the achievement of the mercury reduction goals of the Lake Superior Zero Discharge Demonstration Program. Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan

GLNPO Effects on response of

eco systems to atmospheric deposition of sulfur, nitrogen, and

mercury Likely 5 Ecosystem protection from Agency emissions reduction

programs Based on evolving research, could have consequences for

the effectiveness of ecosystem protections under those programs.

Watershed, aquatic Medium Changes in atmospheric deposition patterns

of these and other toxic chemicals could adversely affect EPA’s ability to fulfill its

commitments to reduce toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes ecosystem under the GLWQA and the GLRI Toxics Focus Area. Could potentially affect the ecosystem Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

4 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

ecosystems and wetlands will

be at risk from runoff

contamination from sulfide mining in the Upper Great Lakes, during heavy precipitation events. response with respect to sulfide levels in

wild rice habitat.

GLNPO Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity

Increased water

temperatures Likely 3

Likely 3

L ikely 7

Very Likely 9 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands

GLRI, GLQWA Increased number of sewer

over flows and wastewater bypasses, as well increased pollutant loads in runoff, fouling streams and threatening public health.

Challenges to coastal wetlands’ ability to migrate.

Reduced streamflow, altering the aquatic environments and increasing impa irments.

Higher nutrient loadings will likely lead to an increase in toxic algae blooms.

Shifts in aquatic habitat will

threaten the economic and cultural practices of tribal

communities. High GLWQA nutrient loading and concentration targets will be harder to achieve if the Great Lakes experience increased runoff from more frequent and intense precipitation events.

GLWQA and GLRI commitments to address risks to water quality from chemicals w ill be

harder to address if increased runoff increases the amount of nonpoint source pollution such as chemicals, pesticides, oil and pharmaceuticals to the Great Lakes.

GLRI

- funded habitat restoration projects will

be at risk from destruction or decrea sed performance due to increased erosion, scouring, wave action, etc. as a result of increased storm intensity. Additional costs and design considerations will result.

Climate change effects on CSOs, NPS and other water pollution loadings will put

curre nt cleanup, remediation and restoration

activities in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) at risk from destruction or decreased performance. Especially Lake Erie, Green Bay, Saginaw Bay

31 US Areas of Concern spread throughout the GL B asin

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

5 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

GLNPO Changes in temperature

Increased water
temperatures Very Likely 3 GLRI, GLQWA Shifting habitat ranges and migration patterns of Great Lakes species. High May force changes in goals for GLRI

- funded restoration projects.

Protection efforts for GLRI

- critical species will require additional analysis and tools to address the increasingly out of sync migrations of some species with the appearance of their food sources. Regionwide

GLNPO Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Increased pathogens on Great

Lakes beaches High Fulfilling EPA’s commitments to remove “beach closings” as a beneficial use impairment from Great Lakes AOCs will be hindered if E. coli increasingly over

- winters

and faces ideal air and water conditions for growth. Regionwide

GLNPO Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing flood risk Likely 3

Likely 3

Likely 7 Drinking water, wastewater

and stormwater infrastructure

GLQWA Water infrastructure could be overwhelmed or damaged.

Integrity of coastal water infrastructure systems could be put at increased risk.

Drinking water and

wastewater utilities will need an ‘all hazards’ approach to planning for emergencies and

extreme weather events.

Problems of safety as well as

access to clean and safe water

will be exacerbated for vulnerable and economically deprived communities. High A significant number of CSOs s till exist in the Great Lakes Basin, so increased precipitation will continue to have a negative impact on EPA’s ability to meet its commitments under the GLWQA.

The Upper Great Lakes basin has a significant and increasing number of mining operations, w hich will face new weather conditions that do not match engineering design assumptions, thereby increasing the vulnerability of Great Lakes waters to contamination. CWA Programs, NEPA, and GLRI programs may have an increased burden in dealing with these c hanges. Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

6 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

GLNPO Changes in temperature

Increased water
temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events Very Likely 3

Very Likely 9

Likely 3 GLRI, GLQWA Changing Seasonality of Great Lakes precipitation, evaporation, tributary flows

Seasonal ice cover over the

Great Lakes has been decreasing measurably, and

will affect evapotranspiration, local weather, etc. High Depending upon changes in evaporation, lake levels, and seasonality of tributary flows, the c oncentration of some toxic chemicals may increase in some places. This will create negative conditions for management of toxic chemicals of concern to Great Lakes waters under the GLWQA and

GLRI.

These changes will complicate goal

- setting, design and im plementation phases of habitat/species restoration under GLRI and to fulfill GLWQA commitments, including projects associated with the AOCs. Regionwide

GLNPO Changes in temperature

Increased water

temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events

Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought Very likely 3

Very likely 9

Likely 3

Likely 7 GLRI, Other non

- EPA programs including Great lakes Compact & IJC Water Regulation Authorities If GL water levels decrease significantly, costs to pollution abatement, habitat restoration and the economy could be significant.

If GL levels increase, current GLRI remediation projects and activities (including those at AOCs) may be in jeopardy. High Further modeling and monitoring of lake

levels is needed, which will require the investment of GLNPO’s federal, state and academic partners. Throughout Great Lakes Basin

GLNPO Increased water

temperatures Very likely 9 GLWQA Increased potential for aquatic invasives to enter the

Great Lakes.

Some invasives already present in Great Lakes can be High The new GLWQA commits US and Canada to undertake an assessment of climate change impacts on AIS. EPA’s contributions to AIS monitoring, prevention, control, and eradication programs may be affected, requiring shifts in priorities or added costs. Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

7 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

triggered to become more

invasive or increase their

range.

Some species may become less invasive in some places

with new conditions.

Longer shipping season

increases the risk that a

greater amount of ballast delivered might include a greater number of species not yet established in the Great

Lakes.

More flooding, due to greater

numbers of severe precipitation events, means that species established (from pathways such as pet, water garden, bait, recreation, etc.)

in isolated inland lakes and

rivers near the Great Lakes will be more likely to be transported within

watersheds and into the Great

Lakes.

GLNPO Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Cleaning up Contaminated

Sites and Waste Management Increased risk of contaminate release from EPA Sites. May

need to alter selected

remedies to ensure protection. Medium Increased volatility of weather and loss of predictability will complicate planning and implementation of AOC remediation projects.

The GL Basin is vulnerable to resuspension Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

8 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

Erosion and flooding could increase the potential for

chemical and hazardous

substances contamination from Superfund and other

sites within Great Lakes

AOCs. and volatilization of toxic chem icals from

sediments due to the increased storm intensity. May render some remedies less effective in AOCs, may require changes in design.

GLNPO Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Emergency Response Increased need for

emergency response. Possible limitations to response capability due to staff and

financial resource constraints. High Increased storm intensity will increase the risk of toxic spills to the Great Lakes from shipping. ER must be coordinated with

Coast Guard and the Canadians. Regionwide

GLNPO Increasing risk of

floods

Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing extreme

temperatures Likely 7

Likely 3

Very likely 3 Operations of Agency facilities, personnel safety, physical security, and emergency communications

Emergency management mission support (protective gear and acquisition) Facilities in coastal or flood

prone areas

Personnel engaged in field

work and vuln erable to

extreme temperatures or

events

Security, lighting and communication systems without backup power

Personnel and real property supporting emergency response and management Medium Increased storm intensity will increase the

risk to EPA vessels an d crews on the Great

Lakes. Regionwide

Homeland Security Increasing risk of

floods

Decreasing Likely 7

Likely 7 COOP Occupant Emergency Plan

Activation of Homeland Security Frameworks Increased occurrence and intensity of natural disasters increase the risks to Region 5 personnel and facilities Medium Impact to EPA Personnel and facilities; response to Natural Disasters; Emergency

Communi cations; Activation of FEMA Support Functions Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

9 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

precipitation days and increasing drought intensity

Increasing intensity of

hurricanes Likely 3

IEO Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing risk of

floods

Changes in temperature Likely 3

Likely 7

Very likely 3 General Assistance Program (GAP) capacity building

program Flooding, heat waves, droughts, etc. can interrupt

essential services such as drinking water systems and

wastewater treatment
facilities.

Subsistence resources may

also be affected. Medium Increased requests for assistance from tribes that are experienc ing climate

- related hazards and impacts. Tribes will likely contact IEO to request assistance from EPA. IEO and the media Divisions will need to identify the types of assistance (technical, financial, personnel, etc.) that may be available from the Agenc y and if there are other federal agencies that should coordinate activities.

May need to adjust how the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) can be used by the tribes to plan for or respond to climate change impacts. Tribal impacts wou ld mostly be limited to MI, WI and MN

LCD Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing risk of

floods

Changes in temperature Likely 3

Likely 7

Very likely 3 Cleaning up Contaminated Sites and Waste Management Increased risk of contaminant

release from EPA Sites.

GW and subsurface

contamination could be impacted by drought and

flood conditions.

Contaminants increase risk of migration from floods. Low May need to consider altering selected remedies to ensure protection; altering (hazardous/nonhazar dous) landfill criteria and BMPs to ensure protection; conduct more frequent targeted inspections at hazardous waste disposal facilities; increase oversight of authorized states and/or provide

increased technical assistance.

Climate changes may trigge r the following impacts at Corrective Action sites and the

selected remedies will reflect these Little variation in impact across Midwest; potentially increased

risk in Great Lakes Basin and Ohio River Valley

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

10 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

considerations:

Increased flood and drought conditions will impact mobilization of contaminants at sites and may alter the time, cost, and

effectiveness o f cleanups.

Vegetation considerations: Whatever plants are used may not be tolerant to heat or excessive water. May need to change plant species or do additional maintenance.

Drier conditions might cause severe erosion

issues on terrain and cons tructed landfills. Might have 500 year flood events. Drier conditions combined with larger rain events might contribute to additional erosion

concerns.

Could have water table fluctuations

- wells might need to be screened in different zones.

Contami nant plumes might change direction. Remedies might become ineffective due to fluctuating water tables which could increase smear zones and additional remedy options may need to be considered.

Frequent Flooding

– may need to design

corrective action t o ensure it is protective given possible increased flooding. High flood event might wash away constructed

remedies and increase contamination to the environment. Standing water could bring

contaminants to the surface and increase

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

11 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

exposure potential.

Colder weather and erratic weather

- could change construction season. Investigations and remedies may take longer to construct.

Ethanol shortage due to corn shortage

change policy of using ethanol; look for other options.

Increased sedimentat ion and scouring due to larger rain events could impact sediment

sites.

LCD Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing risk of

floods

Increasing extreme

temperatures Likely 3

Likely 3

Likely 7

Very likely 3 Emergency Response Emergency Response Support Remedial Response

Clean

- Up & Corrective Action Increased PBT chemical impacts to surface water Low Programs will need to consider updates to operating facility SPCC, contingency and other risk management and P2 plans for listed wastes, solid wastes and

PB Ts/Chemicals of Concern.

Consideration/evaluation of appropriate work times for remedial/removal activities, and impacts to clean

- up timelines.

Consideration of facility and siting issues, as permitting occurs. Regionwide, particularly for permitting and planning activities, where facilities may not have previously required an awareness for water releases, or risk management for water/flooding.

LCD Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing risk of Likely 3

Likely 3

Likely 7 Emergency Response ( debris management and recovery related to disaster response to storm events, flooding, etc.) Emergency Response Support Increased need for emergency response and debris/waste management due to storms resulting in large

- scale releases of

chemicals and/or air emissions (e.g., asbestos, High Possible limitations to response capability

due to staff and financial resource

constraints.

Possible increased need for emerge ncy disposal permits. Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

12 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

floods

Increasing extreme
temperatures Very likely 3 PCBs, Hg, PBTs, SO2) from flooded/damaged and/or demolished buildings.

LCD Increasing extreme

temperatures

Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing flood risk Very likely 3

Likely 3

Likely 7 Protecting human health and ecosystems from chemical

risks.

EPCRA (TRI): o Maintaining inventory of

chemical releases o Maintaining lists of facilities releasing chemicals

TSCA: o Maintaining chemical database (inventories, dossiers and information) on chemicals

within U.S. commerce (currently and previously, including allowances and prohi bitions) o Maintaining lists of major chemical manufacturers, processors and formulators (MPFs)

FIFRA: o Maintain Registration

Review schedules/information o Maintaining establishment (facility) information Increased need for emergency response and

deb ris/waste management due to storms resulting in large

- scale releases of

chemicals from flooded/damaged and/or demolished buildings.

Any regional risk

assessments could be affected

as weather and climate events

could affect RCRA/TSCA and Superfund interpre tations of risk at the facility level . High Risk Assessment Framework may need adjustments in order to: Assure that chemical exposure models reflect changes in the environment; Perform climate change

assessments on chemicals/substances with a

climate chan ge impact; Address risk

- shifting

and new risk considerations where chemicals impact

--- or are impacted by

--- climate change (e.g., changes in chemical applications or uses).

Will need to keep other media offices aware

of chemical use trends that affect thei r

programs.

Facility awareness of these emerging chemical and risk issues and addressing them within their Operation and Emergency Management plans, as needed, but particularly where risk shifting or new risk

considerations occur. More relevant near sites with large densities of chemical Manufacturers, Processors and Formulators (MPFs), and RCRA and Superfund sites.

Extremely relevant, particularly for permitting and planning activities, where facilities may not have previously required an

awareness for w ater releases, or risk management for water/flooding.

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

13 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

RMD Increased water

temperatures

Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity Very likely 9

Likely 7 Water usage at EPA facilities Water temperatures impact research activities or cooling requirements.

Facilities could be located in areas with water shortages Low Use of water in facilities is of medium importance since GSA owns the majority of EPA buildings in the region. R5 has C OOP and extensive flexiplace availability. All field offices except the Lake

Guardian

RMD Increasing risk of

floods

Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing extreme

temperatures Likely 7

Likely 3

Very likely 3 Operations of Agency facilities, personnel safety, physical security, and emergency communications

Emergency management mission support (protective gear and acquisition) Facilities in flood

- prone

areas

Personnel engaged in field

work and vulnerable t o extreme temperatures or

events

Security, lighting and communication systems without backup power

Personnel and real property supporting emergency response and management Medium R5 office is located in an area with low probability for flooding, tornadoes, and earthquakes. There is a greater probability

for blizzards.

Severe Lake Weather is of high regional importance (affects GLNPO operations on Lake Guardian)

R5 has COOP and extensive flexiplace availability. In addition, the Region has

MOAs with R3 and R4 to assist in emergencies. Lake Guardian is a vessel that is affected by changes in the Great

Lakes weather

SFD Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing risk of

floods

Changes in temperature Likely 3

Likely 7

Very likely 3 Cleaning up Contaminated Sites and Waste Management Increased risk of contaminant

release from EPA Sites

May need to alter selected

remedies to ensure protection. Medium Increased flood and drought conditions will impact mobilization of contaminants at sites and may alter the time, cost, and effectiveness of cleanups.

Vegetation considerations: Whatever plants are used may not be tolerant to heat or excessive water. May need to change p lant species or do additional maintenance. Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

14 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

Drier conditions might cause severe erosion

issues on terrain and constructed landfills. Might have 500 year flood events. Drier conditions combined with larger rain events might contribute to additional erosion

concerns.

Could have water table fluctuations

- wells might need to be screened in different zones. Contaminant plumes might change direction. Remedies might become ineffective due to fluctuating water tables which could increase

smear zones and additi onal remedy options may need to be considered.

Frequent Flooding

– may need to design corrective action to ensure it is protective given possible increased flooding. High flood event might wash away constructed

remedies and increase contamination to the environment. Standing water could bring

contaminants to the surface and increase exposure potential.

Colder weather and erratic weather

- could change construction season. Investigations and remedies may take longer to construct.

Ethanol shortage due to corn shortage

change policy of using ethanol; look for other options.

Increased sedimentation and scouring due to larger rain events could impact sediment

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

15 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

sites.

SFD Increasing heavy precipitation events

Increasing flood risk Likely 3

Likely 7 Emergency Response Increased need for

emergency response.

Possible limitations to response capability due to

staff and financial resource

constraints. High Due to population densities along rivers in the Midwest, increased precipitation will lead to increased riverine flooding and to

additional hazardous waste and domestic white goods (refrigerators, stoves) removal and cleanup as a result.

Additionally, the frequency of events may stress availability of emergency response teams to react qui ckly.

Hotter during days, and longer “summers”

– health and safety considerations for the workers; Might need to take mid

- day breaks

and need more breaks

- could change construction season; could take longer to conduct investigations and construct remedy; need to consider health and safety of

workers.

More severe weather

- could take longer to conduct investigations and construct remedy; need to consider health and safety of workers

May have a great proliferation of pests if we

have no freeze and thaw to control them. This could then require additional safety

concerns for workers. Hurricanes are not much of a risk in R5, but there may be an

increased risk of extreme weather especially in the southern part of the Region (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio).

SFD I ncreasing extreme

temperatures Very likely 3 Protecting human health and ecosystems from chemical

risks Changing in planting timing or location may affect the volume and timing of Low Assure that chemical exposure models reflect changes in the environment Unknown (Chemical Preparedness & Prevention)

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

16 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 agricultural chemical use which could impact the appropriate risk management

decisions.

WD Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Increased number of sewer

overflows and wastewater bypasses, as well increased pollutant loads in runoff, fouling streams and threatening public health. High Increased demand for re

- evaluation of

controls and effluent limitations in NPDES permits; re

- evaluation of development of WQBELs and TBELs to account for the pollutant loads. There could be increased requests for variances from water quality standards. Pretreatment progr ams may need

to be assessed for local limit revisions and

other controls on industries to ensure protection of a wastewater treatment plant and the receiving water body. Regionwide

WD Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Increased number of sewer

overflows and wastewater bypasses, as well increased pollutant loads in runoff, fouling streams and threatening public health. High Increased need for wet weather inspections (CSO/SSO communities, stormwater discharges), to assess compliance and confirm appropriate level of control; may lead to increased enforcement action, requests for revisions to consent decrees. Majority of CSO communities are in IL, IN, OH, however SSO

communitie s are spread across region.

WD Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity Likely 7 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Reduced streamflow during summer months, altering the aquatic environments and

incr easing impairments. Medium Changes in watershed hydrology due to climate change will need to be reflected in changes to watershed assessment methodologies and models as well as TMDL development processes in order to predict the effects of pollutant loading s on water quality. These methodologies and models, which are critical in state and EPA development of TMDLs, will need to be revised to ensure TMDLs continue to be effective in attaining water quality standards. Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

17 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

WD Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Challenges to coastal wetlands’ ability to migrate. High Watershed planning and permitting would be impacted should waterbody boundaries move or are displaced

. Regionwide

WD Increasing heavy precipitation events

Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity

Increased water

temperatures Likely 3

Likely 7

Very likely 9 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Changes in hydrology may alter aquatic habitat, ability of water bodies to support historic aquatic life communities may be compromised, prompting requests for use designation changes, revised water quality standards. CWA programs, such as assessments, 3 03(d) lists, TMDLs may not provide adequate protections without revisions. Current practices to control nonpoint sources and nutrient pollution may be

less effective. Economic and cultural practices of tribal communities may be adversely affected. Medium Watershed planning efforts will need to be modified to include projections related to climate change. The 319 program may not have adequate funds and the needed technical expertise to support states/tribes/local units of government in their efforts to co ntinue to meet/maintain water quality standards. The research and models used to inform nonpoint source controls measures may need to be updated to reflect new runoff situations and effectiveness of practices at reducing pollution, particularly nutrient p ollution from agricultural sources.

Biennial listing process for TMDLs likely to be more challenging as hydrology changes. Hydrology strongly affects pollutant loadings, so changes in hydrology will affect the model and TMDL assumptions used to

determine pollutant loading capacities. Impact on staff

- more time on evaluating listings, more sophisticated training on models used in the program , more frequent reviews of TMDLs to determine if loadings are still sufficient to attain water quality

standards. Impact to states/tribes: more time to evaluate the specific hydrodynamics of assessed waterbodies, possible changes in use designations, more frequent reviews of TMDLs to determine if loadings are still Regionwide; tribal impacts limited to MI, WI and MN

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

18 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

sufficient to attain water quality standards

For t ribes, wild rice, occurring in both lakes and streams, conditions may be impacted by climate change, new methods of protecting that crop will be necessary.

WD Increasing heavy precipitation events

Incr easing risk of

floods Likely 3

Likely 7 Drinking water, wastewater

and stormwater infrastructure Water and wastewater

infrastructure could be overwhelmed or damaged, potentially resulting in noncompliance and causing human health and aquatic life

risks.

Existing emergency contingency plans may be

insufficient for affected water

and wastewater utilities.

Problems of safety as well as

access to clean and safe water may be exacerbated for vulnerable and economically deprived communities. High Particular ly likely to affect direct implementation (DI) tribal program (provides oversight of and technical assistance to tribal public water systems), for example: tribes may need more assistance related to infrastructure impacts associated with climate change, pu tting demands on the region to be aware of changes occurring at the system level and educate systems about how best to adapt, (e.g., implement an "all hazards" approach to emergency planning); the DI program could be called on to prioritize an increasing n umber of projects

for contractors and Indian Health Service (IHS) public health officials; we may see demands to assist in emergency response

efforts.

State and tribal technical assistance (promote awareness and information exchange)

— the region may fac e increased demands to assist states and tribes with information sharing on

available downscaled models and tools (climate ready water utilities (CRWU) and

climate resilience evaluation and awareness tool (CREAT)), as well as lessons learned

associated wit h climate change adaptation at DI

— significant (as of 10/4/12,

there are 101 tribal water systems in Region 5)

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

19 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

states, tribes, and systems.

State and tribal grant management and oversight may become more complicated.

WD Increased water

temperatures

In creasing heavy precipitation events

Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity Very likely 9

Likely 3

Likely 7 The quality and availability of safe drinking water High water temperatures and

increased stormwater runoff may increase the need for drinking water treatment, raising costs, or compromise quality of drinking water.

Water supplies may be affected, forcing

communities to seek

alternative sources.

Water demand may shift to underground aquifers or prompt development of

res ervoirs or underground storage of treated water, requiring EPA to ensure safety. Medium DI tribal program

— water quality changes may result in more Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) violations, which would increase the work of the regional compliance officers; State and tribal voluntary programs

— the region could see demands to increase

technical assistance, outreach, and education to further implementation of state and tribal: (1) source water protection programs, including encouraging systems to track water quality/quantity trends (particularly static water levels) and (2) WaterSense/water

conse rvation/green infrastructure/water recycling and reuse programs. Regionwide; tribal impacts limited to MI, WI and MN

WD Increased water

temperatures Very likely 9 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Pollutant limitations in NPDES wastewater permits may no longer be protective of water quality standards. Medium Water quality standards and/or effluent limitations may be revised to continue to be protective of the water body. As water temperatures increase thermal loads in

p ermits would need to be evaluated possibly restricting thermal limitations to lower levels in permits to continue to be protective of the aquatic life in the water body. Inability of permittees to meet revised limits may prompt Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

20 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

permit challenges or lead t o noncompliance, increasing administrative or enforcement workloads, respectively.

WD Increased water

temperatures Very likely 9 Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Ability of water bodies to support historic aquatic life communities may be compromised, prompting requests for use designation changes, revised water quality standards. Medium Requests for more WQS revisions/reviews, including revised uses, criteria, variances; more pressure from states, industry f or flexibility, less stringent WQS; more stresses on listed species will mean more ESA BE work in conjunction with WQS changes; staff will spend more time working with states to develop climate change monitoring strategies

. Variable for two reasons: 1)

cl imate maps appear to show

some inter

- regional variability in degree of change; and 2) cold water systems will be substantially affected, warm water systems less so.

WD Increasing intensity of

hurricanes

Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 3

Likely 3 Drinking water, wastewater

and stormwater infrastructure Damage from intense storms may increase the demand for public infrastructure funding and may require re

prioritizing of infrastructure projects. High Increased demands on the clean water and drinking water State Revolving Fund.

Investments in water infrastructure may be needed to manage both decreases in rainfall (e.g. reservoirs) and increased in rainfall (e.g. increases in pipe and storm water management facilities), straining water

financi ng generally including the State Revolving Funds. Regionwide

WD Decreasing precipitation days and increasing drought intensity

Increasing heavy precipitation events Likely 7

Likely 3 The quality and availability of safe drinking water

Restoring and protecting watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and wetlands Increased number of applications, increased evaluation of more complex applications, and more assistance to primacy states Medium Increased use of lo wer quality aquifers could mean more drinking water treatment residuals that are sometimes disposed of down injection wells.

Increased use of aquifer recharge wells. Some of these may be injecting water from waste water treatment plants. Regionwide

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

21 Office Climate Change Impact a Likelihood of Impact b Focus of Associated EPA Program Example of Risks if Program were Impacted Likelihood EPA Program

will be affected by Impact c Regional Importance of

Vulnerabilities Variation in importance across the Region

Increased water

temperatures Very likely 9 Increased use o f aquifer storage and recovery wells to extend drinking water infrastructure.

Competition for water use between agricultural, municipal/residential and energy uses. This may result in how the Agency evaluates aquifer exemptions. In some cases, aquifers could be so polluted that cleaning them up may be too expensive and they might then be granted exemption from protection under SDWA. However, if the cost of water sources rises due to droughts and dwindling resources, then the comparative cost of cleaning them up might be cheaper than exempting them.

Increased number of storm water drainage and agricultural drainage wells

Increased use of non

- hazardous and hazardous injection wells to dispose of increased fluids that exceed the capacity of their systems (e.g., landfill leachate).

Increased use of warm water for cooling (e.g., power plants) may result in more brackish water that will need to be disposed of instead of discharged via NPDES

a Climate Change impacts are based upon peer

- reviewed s cientific literature.

b In general, the sources cited in this section use Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) likelihood of outcome term inology where the term ‘very likely’ means 90

- 100% probability and the term ‘likely’

means 66

- 100% probabil ity. For some impacts in the table, additional discussion on the likelihood term is provided in the associated footnote.

c High assumes the program will be affected by the impact; Medium assumes the program could be affected under some conditions b y the i mpact; Low assumes that there is a potential for the program to be impacted or uncertainty currently exists as to the potential nature and extent of the impact. This assessment is based on best profession al judgment within EPA at this time. Please note, t his column does not reflect several important

## Appendix A: Region 5 Vulnerability Assessment Table

22 considerations. For example it does not distinguish timeframes (current, near

- term, long

- term). It does not account for regional and local variations. And it does not reflect the priority of actions the agen cy may undertake now or in the future.

1 Denman, K.L., et al. (2007). Couplings Between Changes in the Climate System and Biogeochemistry. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Worki ng Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. C hen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.

2 C.B. Field et al., “North America,” Chapter 14 in Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Co ntribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ed. M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson (Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press, 2007).

3 IPCC, 2012: Summary for Policymakers. In: Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adapta tion [Field, C.B., V. Barros, T.F. Stocker, D. Qin, D.J. Dokken, K.L. Ebi, M.D. Mastrandrea,K.J . Mach, G.

- K. Plattner, S.K. Allen, M. Tignor, and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. A Special Report of Working Groups I and II of the Intergovernm ental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, and New York, NY, USA, pp. 1

- 19.

4 World Meteo rological Organization, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010, Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project

— Report No. 52 (Geneva, Switzerland, 2011). Note: the word “expected” is used in the report to characterize projected climate change impact s on the stratospheric ozone layer. For purposes of this table the word “likely” has been used as a proxy for “expected.”

5 Burns, D.A., Lynch, J.A., Cosby, B.J., Fenn, M.E., Baron, J.S., US EPA Clean Air Markets Div., 2011,National Acid Precipitati on Ass essment Program Report to Congress 2011: An Integrated Assessment, National Science and Technology Council, Washington, DC, p. 114.

6 IPCC, 2012: “It is very likely that mean sea level rise will contribute to upward trends in extreme coastal high water le vels in the future.”

7 USGCRP, 2009: Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . Thomas R. Karl, Jerry M. Melillo, and Thomas C. Peterson ( eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.

8 NRC, 2 010: National Research Council of the National Academies, America’s Climate Choices: Panel on Advancing the Science of Clim ate Change, 2010. p 41. “One of the most certain outcomes from increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere is the acidificat ion of the world’s oceans.” For purposes of this table, the term “certain” is used.

9 USGCRP, 2009: p. 46. [In the case of freshwater] “Increased air temperatures lead to higher water temperatures, which have already been detected in many streams, espe cially during low

- flow periods.” For the purposes of this table “very likely” is used.

10 Bates, B.C., Z.W. Kundzewicz, S. Wu and J.P. Palutikof, Eds., 2008: Climate Change and Water. Technical Paper of the Intergov ernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC Secretariat, Geneva, p. 130