Administrator Michael Regan Message to EPA Employees - Reaffirming EPA's Elevation Policy September 1, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Since I arrived at EPA in March, I have had the opportunity to observe first-hand the hard work and dedication of the EPA workforce. I am incredibly proud to lead and serve beside all of you as we carry out EPA’s vital mission of protecting human health and the environment.

That mission includes helping ensure that EPA identifies and appropriately addresses human health and environmental risks consistent with its authorities. In January 2016, then Administrator McCarthy issued the first Elevation Memo in response to the Flint Water Crisis. Today, I am reaffirming the importance of elevating human health and environmental risks so that we can assess and respond at the appropriate level in a timely and effective manner.

As you may know, I visited Flint, Michigan recently and I want to underscore our efforts, and those of our colleagues in Region 5, to rebuild trust and demonstrate our commitment to the Flint community and all communities across this country. The Flint Water Crisis is a tragic example of why each of us has a responsibility to help elevate public health risks when we believe they may not be adequately addressed.

Threats to a community’s public health—whether from air pollution, drinking water, toxic chemicals, or hazardous waste sites—can happen anywhere. But too often they occur in communities of color and low-income communities. Our mission to address these threats is a shared responsibility of EPA and our partners at the state, local, and Tribal levels, and the agency also works directly with communities to identify and address risks. However, it is ultimately EPA’s responsibility to ensure protection of all communities regardless of where a person lives. That means we must consider when public health risks are not receiving the appropriate level of awareness and action through our usual processes.

We need open communication at all levels in the agency to ensure such risks can be elevated—among our peers, across organizational lines, and between the regions and headquarters. It is expected that all of us use sound judgment in identifying and communicating issues and do so in a way that enables us to engage the full decision-making resources of the agency.

In addition to the usual and vital avenues of communication with teammates, co-workers, and managers, 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 EPA authorities.  

Characteristics of issues that fall under this “Report an Issue” tool could include the following:

• There appears to be a substantial threat to the environment or human health;
• 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.

When an EPA employee uses the “Report an Issue” tool, the notification will be shared with the Office of the Administrator, including a senior-level team that includes representatives of regional and national offices. The role of the team is to promptly assess and recommend any next steps for the reported concern.  Since the tool was launched, the issues raised were resolved to the employees’ satisfaction.

It is important that everyone raise concerns quickly and think creatively when a broader perspective would suggest that a larger public health or environmental issue is at stake. Together we help the agency carry out its mission when we promptly elevate within the agency significant human health or environmental risks.

It is an honor to serve with you and I am confident that together we can continue to make great and enduring contributions to the health and welfare of all people in this nation.

Michael S. Regan
Administrator