[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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