Climate Change Activities in EPA Region 8

NEW: Knowledge Building Series
This three part "Knowledge Building Series" provides readers with a variety of facts, information, and resources on climate change. Part one of the Series, Climate Change 101, contains a definition of climate change and other terms, and provides simple steps individuals can take to mitigate its impacts. Part two of the Series, Communicating Climate Change, educates readers on the best approaches to discussing climate change with various audiences. Part three of the Series, Climate Change, Human Health and Welfare, discusses how humans, including vulnerable populations, might be affected by a changing climate.

Climate change is an EPA Region 8 priority, and is being considered in the work we do throughout the regional office, including the following program areas:

Air Quality	Pollution Prevention	Solid Waste
State Partnerships	Internal Operations	Groundwater
Environmental Education	Ecosystems Remediation	Brownfields
Ecosystems Protection	Wetlands and Watersheds	Wastewater
Emergency Response	Superfund Remedial	Tribal Assistance
Technical Enforcement	Environmental Justice	NEPA

In 2008, we developed an EPA Region 8 Climate Change Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan) to demonstrate our continued commitment to this issue. The draft Strategic Plan underwent a 45-day public review and comment period that ended October 6, 2008. This draft of the Strategic Plan is available below, and is currently being updated to incorporate the comments we received, and reflect the status of our activities. The Strategic Plan and its appendices are PDF files (about PDF).

image of the Region 8 building's atrium

Draft Region 8 Climate Change Strategic Plan (30 pp, 2.2 MB)
Appendix A: Climate Change Activities Matrix - 2008 Update (13 pp, 88K)
Appendix B: Summary of State Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories in EPA Region 8 (9 pp, 264K)
Appendix C: Comparison of State Climate Change Action Plans - Colorado, Utah, Montana (5 pp, 206K)

The objectives of the Strategic Plan are to:

Assess and plan for the effects of climate change on current and future responsibilities of the regional office
Identify and implement goals and priority activities that have the highest potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Identify and implement goals and priority activities that have the highest potential to increase our capacity to adapt to climate variability
Support our partners in their response to the challenge of climate change through knowledge building, technical assistance, and partnerships
Demonstrate the specific accomplishments of the Plan.

The Strategic Plan includes activities to reduce greenhouse gases through the following efforts:

We are leading-by-example with our state-of-the-art green building, which has received a gold level of LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for new construction, and is being used as a laboratory for green building design and operating techniques.
We are achieving results through EPA's voluntary partnership programs and initiatives, including ENERGY STAR®, WasteWise, the Coal Combustion Products Partnership, SmartWay, and the Federal Electronics Challenge.
We are also achieving results through other means, such as revitalization of contaminated lands, enforcement actions, climate change education, and other ongoing program activities.

The Strategic Plan also includes assessment and planning activities that will help us strategically prioritize and measure the success of our efforts, including a suite of regional climate change indicators. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions related to our Strategic Plan, or climate change in general, please contact:

Laura Farris
EPA Region 8 Climate Change Coordinator
1595 Wynkoop Street
Mail Code 8P-SA
Denver, CO 80202-1129
Email: farris.laura@epa.gov
Phone: 303-312-6388

State and Municipal Actions to Address Climate Change in EPA Region 8:

States and municipalities in EPA Region 8 are addressing climate change through various means. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, their activities are realizing co-benefits such as lower energy bills, improved air quality, less traffic congestion, and increased energy security. The following charts illustrate the actions being taken by our six states and various municipalities:

Activities to Address Climate Change by EPA Region 8 States

Programs	CO	MT	ND	SD	UT	WY
EPA Clean Energy-Environment Partner	X				X
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory	X	X		X	X	X
Climate Action Plan	X	X			X
Climate Registry	X	X			X	X
Western Climate Initiative - Partner		X			X
Western Climate Initiative - Observer	X					X
Renewable Portfolio Standard - Mandatory	X	X
Renewable Portfolio Standard - Voluntary			X	X	X