WASHINGTON (EPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its fiscal year (FY) 2011 to 2015 strategic plan, which provides a blueprint for advancing EPA’s mission and Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s priorities.
This plan presents five strategic goals for advancing the agency’s environmental and human-health mission, accompanied by five cross-cutting fundamental strategies that seek to adapt the EPA’s work inside and outside the agency to meet the growing environmental protection needs of the day. The plan will guide the agency to foster a renewed commitment to new possibilities for achieving the vision of a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable environment.
The five-year plan includes new benchmarks that track progress against Jackson’s seven priorities, such as taking action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change, protecting America’s waters, increasing the use of smart growth and sustainable development strategies in communities, building and maintaining strong state and tribal partnerships, working for environmental justice, and ensuring that chemical health and safety information is available to the public.
The five strategic goals for advancing the agency’s environmental and human-health mission are:
- Taking action on climate change and improving air quality
- Protecting America’s waters
- Cleaning up communities and advancing sustainable development
- Ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution
- Enforcing environmental laws
The administrator has committed the agency to pursuing these priorities in the years ahead to fulfill EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. In addressing these priorities, EPA will continue to affirm the core values of science, transparency and the rule of law. The agency sent notification letters to more than 800 organizations and individuals requesting comment on the draft plan.
Congress requires all federal agencies to develop a strategic plan covering a five-year period, which is updated every three years. EPA developed the FY 2011-2015 strategic plan after receiving extensive comments from stakeholders and the public. The plan is prepared in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.
More information on the strategic plan [1]