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Our Responsibilities
OHS is charged by the Administrator with several major areas of responsibility, including:
- Providing leadership and coordinating homeland security policy across the Agency (Headquarters, Regions, and Laboratories), including EPA's planning, prevention, preparedness, and response for incidents of national significance. (In the event of an incident of national significance, the Associate Administrator of Homeland Security serves as the Agency Director of Emergency Operations in coordination with the relevant program offices.)
- Directing implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directives and the Agency's Homeland Security Strategic Plan.
- Advising the Administrator and other senior leadership on matters related to national security and intelligence; serving as the principal Agency liaison to the U.S. intelligence community; and coordinating the EPA programs and Regions on matters related to classified and other sensitive information.
- Coordinating with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in developing the overall Agency Homeland Security budget.
- Serving as primary liaison with senior officials in the White House's Homeland Security Council, Department of Homeland Security, other federal agencies, and our non-governmental partners.
- Coordinating with the Office of Public Affairs on homeland security communications and media inquiries.
- Coordinating with the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations on legislation, testimony, and Congressional inquiries related to homeland security.