Draft = Secretarial Order on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

THE SECRETARY OF THE=20 INTERIOR

Washington

ORDER NO. =20 3289

SIGNATURE DATE: =20 September 14, 2009 =20

Subject: =20 Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America=92s Water, Land, = and Other=20 Natural and Cultural Resources

Sec. 1 Purpose and Background. Secretarial Order No. 3285, = issued on=20 March 11, 2009, made production and transmission of renewable energy on = public=20 lands a priority for the Department. =20 This Order establishes a Department-wide approach for applying = scientific=20 tools to increase understanding of climate change and to coordinate an = effective=20 response to its impacts on tribes and on the land, water, ocean, fish = and=20 wildlife, and cultural heritage resources that the Department = manages. This Order replaces = Secretarial Order=20 No. 3226, Amendment No. 1, issued on January 16, 2009, and reinstates = the=20 provisions of Secretarial Order No. 3226, issued on January 19, = 2001.

To fulfill our nation=92s = vision for a=20 clean energy economy, Interior is now managing America=92s public lands = and oceans=20 not just for balanced oil, natural gas, and coal development, but also = =96 for the=20 first time ever =96 to promote environmentally responsible renewable = energy=20 development. Sun, wind, = biomass,=20 and geothermal energy from our public and tribal lands is creating new = jobs and=20 will power millions of American homes and electric vehicles.

The Department is also = taking the=20 lead in protecting our country=92s water, land, fish and wildlife, and = cultural=20 heritage and tribal lands and resources from the dramatic effects of = climate=20 change that are already occurring =96 from the Arctic to the = Everglades. The realities of climate = change require=20 us to change how we manage the land, water, fish and wildlife, and = cultural=20 heritage and tribal lands and resources we oversee. For example:

=B7 =20 =20 New water management imperatives associated with climate change = may=20 require restoration of natural systems and construction of new = infrastructure to=20 reduce new flood risks or to capture early run-off.

=B7 =20 =20 Strategies to address sea level rise may require acquisition of = upland=20 habitat and creation of wetlands and other natural filters and barriers = to=20 protect against sea level rise and storm surges. It may be necessary to = relocate certain=20 iconic and culturally historic structures.

=B7 =20 =20 Shifting wildlife and habitat populations may require investments = in new=20 wildlife corridors.

=B7 =20 =20 New invasions of exotic species and new wildland fire threats due = to=20 longer fire seasons and more severe droughts will require innovation and = more=20 effective ways of managing the Department=92s resources.

The Department of the = Interior, with=20 its 67,000 employees and scientific and resource management expertise, = is=20 responsible for helping protect the nation from the impacts of climate=20 change. In particular the = Department must:

=B7 =20 =20 Adapt its water management strategies to address the possibility = of=20 shrinking water supplies and more frequent and extended droughts to = continue to=20 supply drinking water to more than 31 million people and irrigation = water to=20 140,000 farmers.

=B7 =20 =20 Wisely manage millions of acres of parks, refuges and other = public lands,=20 and prudently exercise its shared responsibility for managing the 1.7 = billion=20 acres of the U.S. outer continental = shelf.

=B7 =20 =20 Conserve and manage fish and wildlife resources, including over = 800=20 native migratory bird species and nearly 2,000 federally listed = threatened and=20 endangered species.

=B7 =20 =20 Protect cultural and archaeological resources and iconic = structures that=20 may be affected by climate change.

=B7 =20 =20 Address the impacts of climate change on American Indians and = Alaska=20 Natives, for whom the Department holds trust responsibilities on behalf = of the=20 Federal government.

=B7 =20 =20 Continue to provide state-of-the art science to better understand = the=20 impacts of climate change and to develop science-based adaptive = management=20 strategies for natural and cultural resource managers.

=B7 =20 =20 Continue its work to quantify the amount of carbon stored in our = forests,=20 wetlands, and grasslands, identifying areas where carbon dioxide can be = safely=20 stored underground, and ways to reduce the Department=92s carbon = footprint.

Sec. 2 Authority. This Order is issued under the = authority=20 of Section 2 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1262), as=20 amended.

Sec. 3 Coordinating the Department=92s = Response to=20 Climate Change Impacts on Our Resources. This Order establishes a Climate Change Response = Council within=20 the Office of the Secretary that will execute a coordinated = Department-wide=20 strategy to increase scientific understanding of and development of = effective=20 adaptive management tools to address the impacts of climate change on = our=20 natural and cultural resources. = The=20 Climate Change Response Council will be composed of the Secretary = (Chair),=20 Deputy Secretary (Vice-Chair), Counselor to the Secretary (Vice-Chair),=20 Assistant Secretaries, Bureau Directors and the Solicitor. The Council will help = coordinate=20 activities within and among the Department=92s agencies and bureaus to = develop and=20 implement an integrated strategy for responding to climate change = impacts=20 involving the resources managed by the Department. The Department=92s Climate = Change Response=20 Council will also coordinate its climate change activities with all = relevant=20 Federal Departments and agencies including, but not limited to, the = Council on=20 Environmental Quality, the Office of Energy and Climate Change, the = Office of=20 Science and Technology Policy, the National Science and Technology = Council, the=20 Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of = Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Climate Change = Response Council=20 will implement Department-specific climate change activities through the = following mechanisms:

=20 (a) =20 Climate Change Response Planning Requirements. Each bureau and office of the = Department=20 must consider and analyze potential climate change impacts when = undertaking=20 long-range planning exercises, setting priorities for scientific = research and=20 investigations, developing multi-year management plans, and making major = decisions regarding potential use of resources under the Department=92s = purview.=20 These requirements were = set forth=20 in Secretarial Order

No. 3226, and remain in = effect. The organizational changes = made by this=20 Order will enable the bureaus and agencies to fulfill these planning=20 requirements.

=20 (b) = DOI=20 Regional Climate Change Response Centers. Management decisions made in = response to=20 climate change impacts must be informed by science and require that = scientists=20 work in tandem with those managers who are confronting climate change = impacts=20 and evaluating options to respond to such impacts. Pursuant to P.L. 110-161, the = United=20 States Geological Survey (USGS) has been developing regional science = centers to=20 provide climate change impact data and analysis geared to the needs of = fish and=20 wildlife managers as they develop adaptation strategies in response to = climate=20 change. These centers are = currently=20 known as =93regional hubs=94 of the National Climate Change and = Wildlife = Science Center, and are being developed = in close=20 collaboration with Interior agencies and other federal, state, = university, and=20 non-governmental partners.

The Climate Change = Response Council=20 will work with USGS and other Department bureaus to rename these = regional=20 science centers as Regional Climate Change Response Centers and broaden = their=20 mandate to encompass other climate-change-related impacts on = Departmental=20 resources. These eight = Response=20 Centers will synthesize and integrate climate change impact data and = develop=20 tools that the Department=92s managers and partners can use when = managing the=20 Department=92s land, water, fish and wildlife, and cultural heritage = resources.=20

=20 (c) =20 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. Given the broad impacts of = climate=20 change, management responses to such impacts must be coordinated on a=20 landscape-level basis. = For example,=20 wildlife migration and related needs for new wildlife corridors, the = spread of=20 invasive species and wildfire risks, typically will extend beyond the = borders of=20 National Wildlife Refuges, BLM lands, or National Parks. Additionally, some bureau=20 responsibilities (e.g., Fish and Wildlife Service migratory bird and = threatened=20 and endangered species responsibilities) extend nationally and = globally. Because of the unprecedented = scope of=20 affected landscapes, Interior bureaus and agencies must work together, = and with=20 other federal, state, tribal and local governments, and private = landowner=20 partners, to develop landscape-level strategies for understanding and = responding=20 to climate change impacts. = Interior=20 bureaus and agencies, guided by the=20 Climate Response Council, will work to stimulate the development of = a=20 network of collaborative =93Landscape Conservation Cooperatives.=94 These cooperatives, which = already have=20 been formed in some regions, will work interactively with the relevant = DOI=20 Regional Climate Change Response Center(s) and help coordinate = adaptation=20 efforts in the region. =20

Sec. 4 Additional Departmental Action to = Mitigate=20 Climate Change. In = accordance=20 with Secretarial Order No. 3285, the Department has prioritized = development of=20 renewable energy on public lands and offshore waters to reduce our = dependence on=20 foreign oil and to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. This Order establishes two = additional=20 projects to mitigate climate change: =20 the DOI Carbon Storage Project, and the DOI Carbon Footprint=20 Project. Additional = mitigation=20 projects will be encouraged and supported by the Climate Change Response = Council.

=20 (a) = The=20 DOI Carbon Storage Project. This project is being = implemented=20 under P.L. 110-140, =93The Energy Independence and Security Act of = 2007,=94 which=20 gives the Department statutory responsibility to develop carbon = sequestration=20 methodologies for geological (i.e., underground) and biological (e.g., = forests=20 and rangelands) carbon storage. = The=20 USGS has the lead in administering the Carbon Storage Project, but will = work=20 closely with other bureaus and agencies in the Department and external = partners=20 to enhance carbon storage in geologic formations and in plants and soils = in a=20 manner consistent with the Department=92s responsibility to provide = comprehensive,=20 long-term stewardship of its resources. =20 The DOI Carbon Storage Project is vital for successful domestic = and=20 global geological and biological carbon sequestration efforts.

=20 (b) = The=20 DOI Carbon Footprint Project. The project will develop a unified = greenhouse=20 gas emission reduction program, including setting a baseline and = reduction goal=20 for the Department=92s greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. The Assistant Secretary for = Policy,=20 Management and Budget will have the lead in administering the DOI Carbon = Footprint Project, with the cooperation of all of the Department=92s = agencies and=20 bureaus.

Sec. 5 =20 American Indians and Alaska Natives. =20 Climate change may disproportionately affect tribes and their = lands=20 because they are heavily dependent on their natural resources for = economic and=20 cultural identity. As the = Department has the primary trust responsibility for the Federal = government for=20 American Indians, Alaska Natives, and tribal lands and resources, the = Department=20 will ensure consistent and in-depth government-to-government = consultation with=20 tribes and Alaska Natives on the Department=92s climate change = initiatives. Tribal values are critical to=20 determining what is to be protected, why, and how to protect the = interests of=20 their communities. The = Department=20 will support the use of the best available science, including = traditional=20 ecological knowledge, in formulating policy pertaining to climate = change. The Department will also = support=20 substantive participation by tribes in deliberations on climate-related=20 mechanisms, agreements, rules, and regulations.

Sec. 6 =20 Implementation. = The=20 Deputy Secretary is responsible for ensuring implementation of all = aspects of=20 this Order. This = responsibility may=20 be delegated as appropriate. = This=20 Order does not alter or affect any existing duty or authority of = individual=20 bureaus.

Sec. 7 Effective Date. This Order is effective = immediately and=20 will remain in effect until its provisions are converted to the = Departmental=20 Manual or until it is amended, superseded, or revoked, whichever occurs = first.=20

&nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 /s/ Kenneth L. Salazar

&nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 Secretary of the Interior

SO#3289 9/14/09