Fiscal Year 2014 - U S Environmental Protection Agency - Bog

This National Water Program Guidance (Guidance) for fiscal year (FY) 2014 describes how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, territories, and tribal governments will work together to protect and improve the quality of the Nation's waters, including wetlands, and ensure safe drinking water. Within EPA, the Office of Water (OW) oversees the delivery of the national water programs, while the regional offices work with states, tribes, territories, and others to implement these programs and other supporting efforts. In drafting this Guidance, OW recognizes that the federal budget is shrinking and that states, tribes, territories, and municipalities may be experiencing budget shortfall due to a slowly recovering economy. In this environment, it is important for EPA to work with partners to focus resources on the highest priorities and find the most efficient path towards achieving clean and safe water goals. Section II, National Areas of Focus Guidance, describes priority program areas for FY 2014. EPA, states, and tribes need to give special attention to these national priority areas to ensure safe and clean water for all Americans. In doing so, OW recognizes that EPA regional offices, states, and tribes need flexibility in determining the best allocation of resources for achieving clean water goals and safe drinking water at the regional, state, and tribal level. Section III, Program Specific Guidance, describes the key actions needed to accomplish the public health and environmental goals in the EPA Strategic Plan1. The Strategic Plan addresses water programs in Goal 2, Protecting America's Waters. In Goal 2, two key objectives, Protect Human Health and Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems, are supported by subobjectives that define specific environmental or public health results to be accomplished by the National Water Program.