Reaffirming EPA's Elevation Policy (2024)

Dear Colleagues,

As EPA employees, we are part of a team that’s charged with protecting public health and the environment, and I’m incredibly proud to lead this agency while serving alongside all of you as we carry out EPA’s important mission.

Threats to public health – whether from air pollution, unsafe drinking water, toxic chemicals, or hazardous waste sites – can happen anywhere, and too often, these threats occur in low-income communities and communities of color. EPA continues to partner with state, Tribal and local leaders while working directly with community members to identify and address their concerns.

This work relies on open communication at and between all levels in the agency – among our peers, across organizational lines, and between the regions and headquarters. We must use sound judgment to identify and address community issues, and do so in a way that enables us to engage the full authorities and resources of EPA.

Today, I’m proud to reaffirm an additional mechanism for EPA employees to identify and elevate public health risks they perceive may not be receiving the appropriate level of attention or action as we execute our day-to-day work. In addition to the usual and vital avenues of communication between and among teammates, co-workers, and managers, up through myself, the agency has a web-based tool that allows an EPA employee to provide agency senior management with notice of a perceived unaddressed significant risk to public health or the environment that is within the scope of the EPA’s authorities.

Characteristics of issues that fall under this “report-an-issue” tool could include the following:

• There appears to be a substantial threat to human health or the environment.
• The EPA is or can reasonably be expected to be a focus of the need for action.
• Other authorities have a role in addressing the threat and may need federal assistance, including when those authorities appear to be unable to address or unsuccessful in effectively addressing such a threat.
• Recourse to normal enforcement and compliance tools is not appropriate or unlikely to succeed in the near term.
• High and sustained public attention and concern is possible. The risk may involve a matter or subject handled by EPA or a different governmental body.

We all play a critical role in ensuring that EPA identifies and appropriately addresses public health and environmental risks consistent with its authorities. All of us help the agency carry out its mission when we promptly elevate significant public health or environmental concerns.

Each report-an-issue notification will be shared with the Office of the Administrator (AO) and with a senior-level team that includes representatives of the NPMs, regions, and the AO. The team will promptly assess the report and recommend any next steps.

Providing a notification is as simple as clicking the text, “Elevate an Environmental or Public Health Issue” located at the bottom of all EPA@Work intranet pages. You can also review the record of submitted notifications and corresponding replies by visiting the Reported Issues and Responses webpage.

It is an honor to serve alongside you, and I’m confident that together we can continue to make great and enduring contributions to the health and welfare of all people and the environment.

Michael S. Regan
Administrator