DOI Climate Change Task Force Draft Subcommittee Reports

Open Review Period
(Dec 3, 2008 - Jan 18, 2009)

FAQ's

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In March 2007, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne established the DOI Climate Change Task Force, chaired by Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett.  Three subcommittees were formed to undertake this assignment:

1. a Land & Water Management Subcommittee to identify potential issues and challenges facing the Department of the Interior (DOI) as a consequence of climate change and to suggest possible options for addressing them. The subcommittee was composed of 39 staff including economists, geologists, managers, and engineers;

2. a Law & Policy Subcommittee to identify the legal and policy issues facing the DOI and to suggest possible options for addressing them. That subcommittee had 36 staff, including diverse representation from among the career resource managers, representatives of the Solicitor’s office, and personnel from the DOI policy offices; and,

3. a Science Subcommittee to identify the science and information needed to assist the DOI in addressing the consequences of climate change and to suggest possible options for getting the needed science. There were 35 staff members on that subcommittee, including not only scientists from USGS but also multiple other professions from other parts of the Department.

The three Draft DOI Climate Change Task Force subcommittee reports highlight a series of questions and issues (and options for addressing them) that may become increasingly important as a result of climate change.  These reports do not contain budget proposals nor provide legal advice. To the extent that such advice or proposals are warranted, they will be developed by the proper bodies using the appropriate procedures in the future. In addition, the reports are the product of numerous discussions by the members of the subcommittees and are presented in a fashion to organize the material while maintaining the dynamics of subcommittee participation. As such, the drafts do not attempt to prioritize the information presented either by the order of presentation or the length of the presentation associated with any particular issue, option, or grouping of information.

DOI is making the draft reports of these three subcommittees available to the public on this website as part of an informal information exchange and review process.  Although this is not a formal administrative process, DOI would appreciate constructive observations on these draft reports and whether any major challenges, issues or options were not considered.  The DOI would also appreciate receiving a sense of the priorities readers place on the options suggested by the subcommittees, considering not only their ability to address climate change impacts, but also the time and discretionary resources available to DOI. 

In particular, insights from the public on the following questions would be helpful:

• Are there additional options that would be useful for DOI to evaluate in both the short-term and long-term?

• Are there sources of information that would be helpful to DOI as it looks to understand the phenomena of climate change and how DOI can best manage possible impacts?

Your views concerning the Task Force reports can be provided to DOI through the "Open Projects"  website . Views will be used to develop options for the DOI to manage possible climate change impacts.  Since this is not a formal review process, there will not be a response to the ideas submitted; however, the input you provide will be used to craft future reports, policies, and guidelines prepared by the Department.

Listed below are the three Subcommittee reports. If you would like to provide additional information or suggestions concerning these reports during the public review period please click on the PUBLIC INPUT links below.

• Report of the Subcommittee on Land and Water Management ( 908 k)
  An Analysis of Climate Change Impacts and Options Relevant to the Department of the Interior's Managed Lands and Waters    PUBLIC INPUT

• Report of the Subcommittee on Law and Policy ( 435 k)
  An Analysis of Climate Change Impacts and Options Relevant to Legal and Policy Issues at the Department of the Interior    PUBLIC INPUT

• Report of the Subcommittee on Science ( 367 k)
  An Integrated DOI Science Plan For Addressing the Effects of Climate Change on Natural Systems    PUBLIC INPUT