[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9387-9388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02918]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9779-6]


Notice of Availability for Public Review and Comment: Draft EPA 
Climate Change Adaptation Plan

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.
    EPA and other Federal Agencies and Departments have developed draft 
Agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans 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. 
Today, EPA announces the availability of a public review draft of its 
Agency Plan. The draft Plan will be available for a 60-day public 
review.

DATES: The public should respond to the EPA with comment via the public 
docket no later than April 9, 2013. Only

[[Page 9388]]

comments received by the deadline can be considered by the Agency in 
finalizing its plan.

ADDRESSES: If you have questions about responding to this notice, 
please contact Catherine Allen by phone (202-566-1039), or by mail 
(1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460).
    The public review draft of EPA's Climate Change Adaptation Plan has 
been posted to a public docket and is available on the Agency docket 
Web site at this URL address: http://www.epa.gov/dockets/index.htm. It 
is Docket Number EPA-HQ-OA-2012-0247.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is working to fulfill its mission to 
protect human health and the environment. 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.
    This Plan will help guide the Agency to prepare for future changes 
in climate and to incorporate considerations of climate change into its 
mission-driven activities. Climate adaptation planning will help EPA 
continue to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the 
environment even as the climate changes.
    EPA considers public input to be essential for the development of 
this Plan. 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: January 24, 2013.
Michael Goo,
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-02918 Filed 2-7-13; 8:45 am]
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