[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 213 (Monday, November 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65980-65981]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26354]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9902-05-OP]
Notice of Availability for Public Review and Comment: Draft EPA
Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Scientific evidence demonstrates that the climate is changing
at an increasingly rapid rate, outside the range to which society has
adapted in the past. Climate change can pose significant challenges to
the EPA's ability to fulfill its mission. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency is committed to identifying and responding to the
challenges that a changing climate poses to human health and the
environment. It is essential therefore, that the EPA adapt to climate
change in order to continue fulfilling its statutory, regulatory and
programmatic requirements, chief among these protection of human health
and the environment. Adaptation will involve anticipating and planning
for changes in climate and incorporating considerations of climate
change into many of the Agency's programs, policies, rules and
operations to ensure they are effective under changing climatic
conditions. Adaptation also necessitates close coordination between EPA
and its many partners and stakeholders.
In February 2013, EPA published its draft Agency Climate Change
Adaptation Plan (draft Plan) in response to the President's October
2009 Executive Order (E.O. 13514--``Federal Leadership in
Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance'') and the March 2011
``Implementing Instructions to all Federal Department and Agencies.''
The Plan is being finalized based upon comments received during a 60-
day public review and comment period earlier in 2013. EPA's Program and
Regional Offices have produced draft Climate Change Adaptation
Implementation Plans (``Implementation Plans'') that provide more
detail on how they will carry out the work called for in the Agency-
wide Plan.
Today, EPA announces the availability of public review drafts of
its draft Implementation Plans; one for each of its ten Regions and
seven National Programs. The draft Implementation Plans will be
available for a 60-day public review and comment period.
The public review drafts of EPA's draft Implementation Plans have
been posted to a public docket and they are available on the Agency Web
site at this URL address: http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/fed-programs/EPA-impl-plans.html. The Docket for public
comment can be found on the Federal Government Regulations Web site
(http://www.regulations.gov/# !home). It is Docket Number EPA-HQ-OA-
2013-0568.
DATES: The public should respond to the EPA with comment via the public
docket no later than January 3, 2014. Only comments received by the
deadline will be considered by the Agency in finalizing its plan.
ADDRESSES: If you have questions about responding to this notice,
please contact Gerald Filbin by phone (202-566-2182), or by mail (1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is working to fulfill its mission to
protect human health and the environment. As EPA articulated in its
draft Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plan, many of the goals EPA is
working to attain (e.g., clean air, safe drinking water) are sensitive
to changes in weather and climate. Until now, EPA has been able to
assume that climate is relatively stable and future climate would
mirror past climate. However, with climate changing at an increasingly
rapid rate and outside the range to which society has adapted in the
past, climate change is posing new challenges to EPA's ability to
fulfill its mission. The Agency's draft Implementation Plans provide a
road map for the Agency to
[[Page 65981]]
address future changes in climate and to incorporate considerations of
climate change into its mission-driven activities.
EPA considers public input to be essential for the development of
these draft Implementation Plans. This input will also help the Agency
strengthen its partnerships with states, tribes, local communities, and
non-governmental organizations, many of which have already begun to
develop and implement adaptation measures.
Dated: October 30, 2013.
Shannon Kenny,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-26354 Filed 11-1-13; 8:45 am]
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