523 DM 1 - Climate Change Policy

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Department of the Interior

Departmental Manual

______________________________________________________________________________

Effective Date: 12/20/12

Series: Environmental Quality Programs

Part 523: Climate Change Adaptation

Chapter 1: Climate Change Policy

Originating Office: Office of Policy Analysis

______________________________________________________________________________

523 DM 1

1.1 Purpose. This chapter establishes Departmental policy and provides guidance to bureaus

and offices for addressing climate change impacts upon the Department’s mission, programs,

operations, and personnel.

1.2 Scope.

A. The policy in this chapter applies to all bureaus and offices responsible for the

management of water, lands, natural and cultural resources, and infrastructure under the

jurisdiction of the Department.

B. This chapter does not apply to the Office of the Inspector General.

1.3 Authorities. This chapter is consistent with the following:

A. Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and

Economic Performance, issued October 5, 2009.

B. Council on Environmental Quality’s Federal Agency Climate Change Adaptation

Planning: Implementing Instructions, issued March 4, 2011.

1.4 Policy. It is the policy of the Department to effectively and efficiently adapt to the

challenges posed by climate change to its mission, programs, operations, and personnel. The

Department will use the best available science to increase understanding of climate change

impacts, inform decisionmaking, and coordinate an appropriate response to impacts on land,

water, wildlife, cultural and tribal resources, and other assets. The Department will integrate

climate change adaptation strategies into its policies, planning, programs, and operations,

including, but not limited to, park, refuge, and public land management; habitat restoration;

conservation of species and ecosystems; services and support for tribes and Alaska Natives;

protection and restoration of cultural, archeological and tribal resources; water management;

scientific research and data collection; land acquisition; management of employees and

volunteers; visitor services; construction; use authorizations; and facilities maintenance.

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A. Consistent with existing laws and regulations, it is the Department’s policy to:

(1) Ensure that climate adaptation plans are grounded in the best available

science and understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities, incorporating

traditional knowledge where available.

(2) Use the network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, Climate

Science Centers, and other partnerships to increase understanding of climate change impacts;

build upon and monitor existing response efforts; coordinate adaptation strategies across multiple

sectors, geographical scales, and levels of government; and inform decision makers.

(3) Ensure consistent and in-depth government-to-government engagement

with tribes, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to address climate change impacts on health,

infrastructure, livelihoods, traditional practices, natural and cultural resources, and to apply

adaptation strategies.

(4) Consider climate change when developing or revising management plans,

setting priorities for scientific research and assessments, and making major investment decisions.

(5) Identify and avoid investments that are likely to be undermined by climate

impacts, such as investing in infrastructure likely to be adversely affected by repeated floods or

inundation, or planting/introducing species vulnerable to changes in temperature or precipitation

patterns.

(6) Address the impacts of climate change on the U.S. territories and Freely

Associated States.

(7) Use well-defined and established approaches, as appropriate, for managing

through uncertainty, including: (1) vulnerability assessments, (2) scenario planning, (3) adaptive

management, and (4) other risk management or structured decision making approaches. The

Department’s Adaptive Management Implementation Policy is provided in 522 DM 1.

(8) Avoid “maladaptive” actions, that is, actions intended to avoid or reduce

vulnerability to climate change that negatively impact or increase the vulnerability of other

systems, sectors, or social groups.

(9) Promote landscape-scale, ecosystem-based management approaches to

enhance the resilience and sustainability of linked human and natural systems.

(10) Advance approaches to managing linked human and natural systems that

help mitigate the impacts of climate change, including:

(a) Protect diversity of habitat, communities and species;

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(b) Protect and restore core, unfragmented habitat areas and the key

habitat linkages among them;

(d) Maintain key ecosystem services;

(e) Monitor, prevent, and slow the spread of invasive species (defined

in Executive Order 13112 as alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic

or environmental harm or harm to human health); and

(f) Focus development activities in ecologically disturbed areas when

possible, and avoid ecologically sensitive landscapes, culturally sensitive areas, and crucial

wildlife corridors.

(11) Routinely track, record, and report on the progress and results of climate

change adaptation activities to help further public understanding, encourage the engagement of

partners, promote the conduct of similar activities, and better inform decision making on a

broader scale.

B. The Department will promote existing processes and, when necessary, institute

new processes to:

(1) Conduct assessments of vulnerability to anticipated or current climate

impacts;

(2) Develop and implement comprehensive climate change adaptation

strategies based on vulnerability assessments and other factors;

(3) Include measurable goals and performance metrics in all management

plans that address climate change adaptation, regularly assess and report on whether adaptive

actions are achieving desired outcomes and, where appropriate, include measures in employee

performance appraisal plans;

(4) Facilitate and support data integration and dissemination to enable broad

use of scientific information for management decisions; and

(5) Coordinate with interagency teams such as the Interagency Climate

Change Adaptation Task Force, the United States Global Change Research Program, the

National Invasive Species Council, and the National Ocean Council; and undertake actions

consistent with relevant national strategies and plans that address, for example, fish, wildlife,

plants, marine resources, and/or freshwater resources.

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1.5 Responsibilities.

A. Deputy Secretary. Serves as Co-Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Task

Force and oversees the Department’s compliance with this policy.

B. Assistant Secretaries. Ensure that their bureaus and offices comply with the

policy in this chapter.

C. Heads of Bureaus and Offices.

(1) Ensure that their organizations comply with this policy.

(2) Develop and periodically update appropriate bureau or office policy and

guidance to address climate change adaptation as it relates to bureau and office specific missions

and authorities consistent with this policy.

(3) Incorporate climate change adaptation into existing planning processes

and develop and implement climate change adaptation plans as appropriate; formally report on

the progress made against those plans on a regular basis.

(4) Establish and support an internal climate adaptation network within the

bureau and appoint employees with appropriate technical expertise to serve on work groups of

the Departmental Energy and Climate Change Task Force or any successor Department-wide

task force that addresses climate change impacts.

(a) Representatives to such work groups are required for the Bureau

of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau

of Reclamation, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, National Park Service,

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, and Office of Policy

Analysis.

(b) Bureaus and offices not identified in 4(a) above are encouraged,

but not required, to appoint a representative to serve on such work groups.

(5) Provide support for Departmental reviews of climate change adaptation

activities and associated policies when requested.

(6) Ensure that persons conducting climate change adaptation activities have

the appropriate experience and training in climate change adaptation and planning processes, and

where appropriate, include measures in employee performance appraisal plans.

(7) Review and update existing decision making processes and management

plans to allow the integration of the principles and values identified in this policy.

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(8) Ensure full engagement with Landscape Conservation Cooperatives and

Climate Science Centers by providing executive-level representation on the Steering Committee

for each Landscape Conservation Cooperative and the Stakeholder Advisory Committee for each

Climate Science Center, as appropriate.

(9) Appoint employees with appropriate technical expertise to participate in

climate change adaptation groups involving other Federal, state, and local agencies, tribes, and

other entities, as appropriate.

(10) Address the vulnerability of mission critical and mission dependent

infrastructure and facilities. This includes seeking expert assistance, as appropriate, and

partnering with the General Services Administration (GSA) with respect to sites and facilities

leased from or through GSA.

1.6 Legal Effect. This policy is intended to improve the internal management of the

Department of the Interior. It does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any person against the United States, its agencies, its officers

or employees, or any other person. It does not alter or affect any existing duty or authority of

individual bureaus.