This page is designed to help environmental professionals who work for state and local agencies find information on EPA's Web site.
Air quality: Through AIRNow, EPA, other federal agencies,, news media, tribal, state, and local agencies work together to report conditions for ozone and particle pollution.
Indoor air: The IAQ Tools for Schools Program is a comprehensive resource to help schools maintain a healthy environment in school buildings by identifying, correcting, and preventing IAQ problems.
Market-based regulatory programs (“cap and trade”): Provides tools for states and regions to obtain information on EPA’s acid rain, NOx, and other cap and trade programs, and to learn more about the requirements the regulated community must meet.
Radon: Under the State Indoor Radon Grant Program, states and tribes receive grant funds from EPA that help finance radon risk reduction programs
Climate Leaders: Climate Leaders is an EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies. Partner companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions based on a quality management system, setting aggressive reduction goals, and annually reporting their progress to EPA.
Climate Ready Estuaries: The Climate Ready Estuaries website offers information on climate change impacts to different estuary regions, access to tools and resources to monitor changes, and information to help managers develop adaptation plans for estuaries and coastal communities.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Tools and Resources for States and Governments: A variety of tools, guidance and information resources are available to help state and local governments inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, analyze greenhouse gas emissions reduction opportunities and quantify the energy, environmental and economic benefits of lowering greenhouse gases. This compilation includes tools provided by EPA as well as other government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Heat Islands: This Web site provides information on the heat island effect, its impacts, and the strategies that communities can take to reduce urban temperatures. Of the information available to communities, key EPA resources include a compendium of mitigation strategies, a community action database, and regularly scheduled webcasts.
State and Local Climate Actions: This section of EPA’s Climate Change Web site provides details on actions by states and efforts by local agencies to address climate change, along with links to relevant EPA voluntary programs that can help states and localities meet their goals. It also provides a directory of tools that can help state and local governments inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, analyze greenhouse gas reduction opportunities and quantify the energy, environmental and economic benefits of lowering greenhouse gases.
State and Local Emissions: This section of EPA’s Climate Change Web site provides information on state greenhouse gas emission inventories, energy-related state carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and resources for developing inventories at the state and local level.
EPA and state governments working together on compliance and enforcement. EPA works closely with the states to implement federal environmental programs. States authorized to manage federal programs must have enforcement authorities that are at least as stringent as federal law. EPA works with officials in state environmental, health and agricultural agencies on strategic planning, priority-setting and measurement of results.
Local government organizations must comply with federal drinking water, storm water, waste water and solid waste regulations. Learn more about how to comply.
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Database. Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) work to understand chemical hazards in the community, develop emergency plans in case of an accidental release, and look for ways to prevent chemical accidents. The database allows you to find a specific LEPC, or sort the full list by state, name or zip code.
Local Governments Reimbursement Program. In the event of a release (or threatened release) of hazardous substances, EPA may reimburse local governments for expenses related to the release and associated emergency response measures. The Local Governments Reimbursement (LGR) Program provides a "safety net" of up to $25,000 per incident to local governments that do not have funds available to pay for response actions. Learn whether you are eligible, what the requirements for reimbursement are, and how to apply for reimbursement.
State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) Contacts | What are SERCs?
Combined Heat and Power Partnership: The CHP Partnership is a voluntary program seeking to reduce the environmental impact of power generation by promoting the use of combined heat and power (CHP), an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. The State Policy Resources page provides best practices and lessons learned on key state policies to advance the implementation of CHP. The National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Resources page provides a listing of resources developed by the National Action Plan, which is facilitated by EPA and DOE. The majority of resources are designed for state policy makers.
Energy Star for Government: Provides local and state governments, as well as federal agencies, a proven energy management strategy and no-cost tools to save energy and money and demonstrate their environmental leadership.
Green Building – Information about the practice of creating and using healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance and demolition.
Recycling: Tools that states and local governments can use to promote resource conservation and recycling
Renewable energy: EPA is identifying contaminated land and mining sites that present opportunities for renewable energy development. EPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed maps and information about incentives for renewable energy generation on contaminated lands and mining sites in all 50 states.
Smart Growth - The EPA smart growth program conducts research; publishes reports and other publications; showcases outstanding communities; works with communities through grants and technical assistance; and brings together diverse interests to encourage better growth and development.
Water efficiency: EPA’s WaterSense partnership makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment. Consumers can look for the WaterSense label to choose quality, water-efficient products. WaterSense also provides resources for promotional partners, like utilities, state and local governments, who want to establish water efficiency measures. Through water conservation, state and local governments can reduce water and wastewater infrastructure costs while protecting vital resources for future generation. Learn more about becoming a WaterSense promotional partner.
The Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) program offers grants to fund innovative ways for local governments to create collaborative partnerships to reduce toxic pollution in their local environment, and to minimize people's exposure to toxic pollutants.
The Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) is an independent board that provides advice and recommendations to EPA’s Administrator on how to leverage public and private resources to pay for the growing costs of environmental protection and increase investment in environmental infrastructure.
Environmental Finance Center Network: Environmental goals cannot be met without financing, which is essential to implementing state and local programs. Knowledge about how to fund these programs is often limited, especially at the local level. EPA sponsors Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) at universities around the nation. They provide state and local officials and small businesses with advisory services; education, publications, and training; technical assistance; and analyses on financing alternatives.
EFCs:
The Guidebook of Financial Tools: Paying for Sustainable Environmental Systems is a publication that is composed of over 300 tools covering a wide range of approaches that assist public and private sector parties in finding the most appropriate ways to finance their environmental protection needs.
Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs): With PPGs, states (and tribes) can reduce administrative costs through streamlined paperwork and accounting procedures; direct EPA grant funds to priority environmental problems or program needs; and try multi-media approaches and initiatives that were difficult to fund under traditional categorical grants.
Pollution prevention (P2) grants: This Web site provides information on matching funds to state and tribal programs to support P2 activities across all environmental media and to develop state P2 programs.
Pollution prevention and toxics grants and funding: Find information on sources of funding for pollution prevention and other projects.
State Grant Measures Template: EPA developed a standardized template for states to use in reporting results achieved under grant agreements with EPA, in response to OMB’s request.
The State Innovation Grant Program provides funds and technical assistance to state environmental agencies to improve permit compliance and integrate voluntary stewardship approaches.
National Program Managers (NPM) guidance documents are issued from EPA’s five major national programs (Air and Radiation; Water; Solid Waste and Emergency Response; Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances; and Enforcement and Compliance Assurance) and provide EPA Regional offices, states and tribes with guidance on specific priorities and implementation strategies for the coming year.
Performance and Accountability at EPA: Learn about EPA’s short-term and long-term planning and performance in environmental programs.
Aquatic life benchmarks are estimates of the concentrations below which pesticides are not expected to have the potential for adverse effects on aquatic life. States can use these benchmarks to help them target water monitoring studies and to increase the efficiency of regulatory processes for protecting aquatic environments.
Learn about compliance and enforcement of pesticide laws and regulations.
EPA may allow an unregistered use of a pesticide for a limited time if EPA determines that an emergency condition exists. Information about these emergency exemptions.
Read about the pesticide programs conducted by EPA’s Regional offices, and links to state pesticide regulatory agencies
Worker safety and training: Find information and links to web sites on worker protection.
Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) offers an innovative way for communities to organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in their local environment and create a partnership that implements solutions to reduce releases of toxic pollutants and minimize people's exposure to them.
Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule: This March 2008 rule aimed at protecting children from lead-based paint hazards requires contractors and construction professionals that work in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities to follow lead-safe work practice standards. States, tribes, and territories may begin to apply for authorization to implement the program anytime after June 2008.
Pollution prevention and toxics community assistance: Community and business managers, teachers, and parents can take action to reduce pollution and toxics in their communities. This Web site provides information and tools to help you understand and assess environmental data and protect your community’s environment.
Pollution prevention and toxics grants and funding: Find information on sources of funding for pollution prevention and other projects.
Pollution prevention (P2) grants: This Web site provides information on matching funds to state and tribal programs to support P2 activities across all environmental media and to develop state P2 programs.
Burden reduction: In an effort to address state concerns over escalating reporting requirements accompanied by decreases in federal funding, EPA and the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) launched the Burden Reduction Initiative, which aims to reduce states’ low-value, high-burden reporting requirements, thus conserving both states’ and EPA’s valuable resources while maintaining a commitment to protecting human health and the environment.
Laws and Regulations Where You Live: This section of the Laws, Regulations, Guidance, and Dockets site allows you to access plans, programs, and designations developed by your state, district, commonwealth, or territory as required by federal regulations (e.g., your state’s implementation plan under the Clean Air Act). It also provides links to state-level laws, regulations, and administrative agencies.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), as amended by Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA), provides small entities with an expanded opportunity to participate in the development of certain regulations. The RFA/SBREFA defines “small governmental jurisdiction” as the government of a city, county, town, school district or special district with a population of less than 50,000. EPA has an ongoing commitment to minimize the burden of our regulations on small entities to the extent we can while still meeting our statutory requirements.
State and Local Clean Fuels Program: Provides information on states that have adopted their own clean fuel programs for part or all of the state.
State and Local Toolkit: A Guide to Building Clean Diesel Programs: The toolkit provides a broad array of tools and resources for designing, funding, and evaluating programs that reduce diesel engine emissions.
State and local transportation resources/conformity: This Web site provides useful information, tools, and links to resources that identify emission reduction strategies, national policies, regulations, incentive-based programs, funding sources, calculators, and other types of assistance to help states and local areas achieve their air quality and transportation objectives.
Brownfields: State and tribal response programs
Innovations: Land and waste innovations in your Region
Recycling: Tools that states and local governments can use to promote resource conservation and recycling
Renewable energy: Developing contaminated land and mining sites for renewable energy. EPA is encouraging the development of renewable energy by identifying currently and formerly contaminated lands and mining sites that present opportunities for renewable energy development. EPA and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed maps and information about incentives for renewable energy generation on contaminated lands and mining sites in all 50 states.
Climate Ready Estuaries: The Climate Ready Estuaries Web site offers information on climate change impacts to different estuary regions, access to tools and resources to monitor changes, and information to help managers develop adaptation plans for estuaries and coastal communities.
Water efficiency: EPA’s WaterSense partnership makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment. Consumers can look for the WaterSense label to choose quality, water-efficient products. WaterSense also provides resources for promotional partners, like utilities, state and local governments, who want to establish water efficiency measures. Through water conservation, state and local governments can reduce water and wastewater infrastructure costs while protecting vital resources for future generation. Learn more about becoming a WaterSense promotional partner.
Wetlands: State and local wetlands initiatives; financial assistance; and watershed planning
State-specific regulatory information: learn about plans, programs, and designations developed by your state or locality as required by federal regulations (e.g., your state's implementation plan under the Clean Air Act); find links to state-level laws, regulations, and administrative agencies.
EPA Regional offices: Find out about the Regional office that works with your state |
Regional office addresses
Local Government Advisory Committee - The LGAC provides advice and recommendations that assist the EPA in developing a stronger partnership with local governments through building State and local capacity to deliver environmental services and programs.