2007-2011 Region 10 Strategy: Clean, Affordable Energy and Climate Change

The Region recognizes that energy production and use and climate change are closely linked, affecting many dimensions of the environment and the programs designed to protect and sustain it. The Region has extensive expertise from which to advance an integrated strategy for clean, affordable energy and climate change in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The three major components within this strategic endeavor are: (1) the development and implementation of a regional approach to address climate change, (2) participation in the West Coast Collaborative to address diesel, and (3) the appropriate application of EPA authorities related to oil and gas exploration, development, and production in Alaska to maximize permitting efficiencies and maintain environmental standards.

Climate Change
Climate change poses a serious challenge to the people of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and their environment, threatening to erode environmental progress achieved over the past several decades, and contributing to the emergence of new problems. Energy-related initiatives will figure prominently in our strategy responding to the challenge.

By April 2008, EPA Region 10 will implement an integrated strategy for systematically: (1) characterizing current and projected greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), impacts, and programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska; and (2) mitigating, adapting to, and studying climate change impacts in the region. The strategy will feature three-year action plans for each of its principal components, including: logic models, performance measures/environmental indicators, and adaptive management mechanisms.

By September 2007, Region 10 will finalize a plan for developing the overall strategy, including the following elements:

Characterization efforts will include gathering and analyzing informationon:

Current and projected GHG emission source inventories and needs.
Monitoring and modeling (diagnostic and prognostic) information.
Current and projected climate change impact scenarios in Region 10.
Opportunities to support the efforts of Region 10 state, tribal, local, and federal entities.
Opportunities for using existing grant and contract programs to promote mitigation, adaptation and science efforts.

	Regional Information
	Report Home Regional Administrator's Message R10 Mission, Vision & Values Regional Priorities Support the Core Clean, Affordable Energy and Climate Change Enhancing Tribal Environments Protecting and Restoring Watersheds Sustainability and Strategic Partnerships A Stronger EPA Download Report (PDF) (20pp, 656K) Summary of Strategic Endeavors (PDF) (2pp, 424K)

Mitigation, Adaptation and Science/Technical efforts will involve analyzing and prioritizing:

Internal Region 10 efforts to fulfill needs, perform work, and track progress.
Opportunities to partner with EPA programs external to Region 10 and with other governmental, public, and private entities.

Integration efforts will involve:

Promoting relevant elements of the Administrator’s National Clean Energy and Climate priority in Region 10’s strategy.
Prioritizing activities across all ofthe foregoing elements, developing a coordinated implementation plan reflecting a schedule of major deliverables, significant milestones and completion timelines, relevant performance measures and/or environmental indicators, and an active communications (in-reach and out-reach) program.

The West Coast Collaborative
The West Coast Collaborative is a public-private partnership dedicated to reducing diesel emissions from legacy engines along the west coast. Working with partners in EPA regions in Seattle and San Francisco, the Collaborative has leveraged significant federal, state and local funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting heavy duty engines through cleaner technologies, practices and fuels. Since it was convened in April 2004, the Collaborative has made significant improvements in air quality and public health by targeting the highest polluting engines with the most cost effective control strategies. EPA Region 10 will continue to support the work of the West Coast Collaborative.

By 2011 we will:

Reduce particulate matter emissions from heavy duty engines by 40%.
Displace 10% of petroleum fuel use with biofuels, compressed natural gas and other alternative fuels which contain 25% of renewable fuels produced in the Northwest from regional feedstock (agriculture and forestry). Achievement of these goals is contingent on Energy Policy Act 2005 Authority (over $200 million per year through 2010) and proposed funding support of $50 million annually in the FY2007 budgets and beyond (FY07 is presently at $5 million and the President’s budget for FY08 is $35 million).

Alaska Oil and Gas Sector
EPA will exercise its authorities in a timely and coordinated manner in the oil and gas sector in Alaska to meet the highest standards of environmental and subsistence resource protection, while not unnecessarily limiting or restricting
industry in contributing to the energy needs of the United States. As a component of the Clean, Affordable Energy and Climate Change strategic endeavor, sound decision-making will reflect integration of agency initiatives and programs with early project involvement to facilitate issue resolution. Working collaboratively with state, federal and tribal government partners, EPA programs and actions will be consistent with the need to:

allow current production and exploration levels to be maintained or expanded in an environmentally sound manner; and
assure that the effects, direct and cumulative, will be identified, minimized and mitigated, where possible, by integrating input from partners, stakeholders and the public.

Success in achieving these goals will be assessed by monitoring compliance with oil and gas permits and regulations that will result in protection of Alaska’s surface and groundwater resources and air quality.

2007-2011 Region 10 Strategy: Clean, Affordable Energy and Climate Change

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