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EPA Themes for a Sustainable Future

EPA Themes for a Sustainable Future. Michael Kenyon Acting Deputy Regional Administrator AWMA Conference October 25, 2013. Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator. Sworn in on July 19, 2013. Appointed by President Obama in 2009 as Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.

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EPA Themes for a Sustainable Future

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  1. EPA Themes for a Sustainable Future Michael Kenyon Acting Deputy Regional Administrator AWMA Conference October 25, 2013

  2. Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator • Sworn in on July 19, 2013. • Appointed by President Obama in 2009 as Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. • McCarthy previously served as the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.  • During her career, which spans over 30 years, she has worked at both the state and local levels on critical environmental issues and helped coordinate policies on economic growth, energy, transportation and the environment.

  3. Making a Visible Difference in Communities Across the CountryAddressing Climate Change and Improving Air QualityTaking Action on Toxics and Chemical SafetyProtecting Water: A Precious, Limited ResourceLaunching a New Era of State, Tribal and Local PartnershipsEmbracing EPA as a High Performing OrganizationWorking Toward a Sustainable Future EPA’s 7 Themes

  4. 1. Making a Visible Difference in Communities EPA must work each and every day to improve the health of American families and protect the environment one community at a time, all across the country.

  5. 2. Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality We will work to mitigate this threat by reducing carbon pollution and other greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and energy sectors. We will use innovation to help consumers save money with EPA programs such as Energy Star, SmartWay, WaterSense, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), and the Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) program, as well as partnerships with business and manufacturing.

  6. U.S. Greenhouse Gas Pollution Includes:

  7. Reducing Carbon Pollution from Power Plants

  8. Climate Adaptation: Understanding Regional Impacts

  9. Climate Adaptation: Increased Temps in New England

  10. Climate Adaptation: Provide Tools for Climate Resilience

  11. 3. Taking Action on Toxics and Chemical Safety • EPA must implement the existing Toxic Substances Control Act to the maximum extent possible in the near term, while providing technical assistance in support of a bipartisan effort to modernize the law. • EPA must continue to oversee the introduction of new pesticides and of chemical storage and manufacturing. • EPA must also enhance the tracking and management of hazardous waste through modern e-Manifest tracking systems.

  12. New England Green Chemistry Challenge (NEGCC) To broaden the understanding and adoption of green chemistry practices and principles in business, education, government, health care and society as a catalyst to grow a sustainable economy in New England.

  13. 4. Protecting Waters: A Precious and Limited Resource • Take action to reduce uncertainties about the scope of the Clean Water Act, to employ green infrastructure and other locally driven solutions that restore degraded waterways and revitalize communities and focus resources to decrease pollution to our waters and protect high quality waters, we can achieve real, cost-effective solutions to our nation's water quality challenges. • Simultaneously, our efforts will protect drinking water from known and emerging contaminants that endanger public health.

  14. Challenges Addressed Through New Collaborations Students are working with EPA staff on projects examining legal obstacles implementing Green Infrastructure and analyzing regional water quality trading programs.

  15. 5/6. New Era of State, Tribal & Local Partnerships and Embracing EPA as a High Performing Organization • Work must be shared, roles must be refined, and stronger, more efficient and cost-effective partnerships must be built to ensure our continued joint success. EPA must work with our co-regulators as well as the regulated community and the people we serve, to build new tools and strategies that enhance coordination, establish joint priorities, manage resources effectively, and share information through E-Enterprise. • Tomeet our mission, EPA must maintain and attract the workforce of the future, modernize our business practices and take advantage of new tools and technologies.

  16. E-Enterprise: Interoperability of Partner Systems and Partner Use of EPA Systems • Public and regulatory portals • Two-way transactions between agencies & regulated entities • Better service and reduced burden • User-friendly “smart” functionality SAMPLE

  17. Modernizing and Streamlining Programs & Regulations e-Manifest required regulatory reform to change typical hazardous waste manifest inefficiency. Replace regulatory requirements for paper with electronic manifests on digital platform. Projected $75 million cost savings (to regulated entities and regulators) and reduction in potentially 400,000-700,000 FTE hours.

  18. 7. Working Towards a Sustainable Future • Incentive-based efforts to complement our base of solid regulations and a review of new and key existing regulations to examine sustainable enhancements are important actions. • Integrating efforts with a new commitment to innovation, the high-level use of data and information, partnerships, incentives, new and expanded constituencies, and environmental education will build momentum.

  19. Sustainable Future: Chicopee, MA video

  20. Sustainability Programs Making Visible Differences in Communities

  21. EPA’s 7 Themes

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