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Environmental Impact

Last Updated: September 2, 2022 | Publication

Draft Environmental Assessment for Closure Activities at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island, NY

DHS has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Closure Activities at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) on Plum Island, NY.

Last Updated: August 26, 2022 | Publication

Record of Decision of the Department of Homeland Security to Continue Headquarters Consolidation at the St. Elizabeths West Campus

This Record of Decision documents the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS or Department) decision on its proposed action to continue consolidation of Headquarters offices at the St. Elizabeths West Campus in Washington, DC in accordance with the planned development of facilities established in the General Services Administration’s (GSA) DHS Headquarters Consolidation at St. Elizabeths Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, dated August 2020 (hereafter “Master Plan Amendment 2 SEIS”).

Last Updated: August 10, 2022 | Publication

Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for The Nationwide Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

This Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) evaluates the United States (US) Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ongoing use of small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS; i.e., drone) activities nationwide to meet DHS mission requirements (Proposed Action). This PEA analyzes sUAS as an asset to DHS mission and operations. Potential utilization of sUAS by DHS to counter national security threats (e.g., use of sUAS by foreign adversaries) is outside the scope of this analysis.

Last Updated: March 17, 2022 | Press Releases

Feature Article: Tracing the Path of Pathogens after Rain

DHS S&T and EPA joined forces for a Stormwater Tracer Study to help the Coast Guard locate pathogenic spores after rains and decontaminate the sites.

Last Updated: October 7, 2021 | Publication

DHS Climate Action Plan to Address the Impacts of Climate Change and Ensure the Department’s Climate Resilience

The DHS Climate Action Plan outlines the steps the Department is taking to tackle the climate crisis, including bolstering the Department’s ability to adapt to climate change, building national resilience, undertaking mitigation measures, and addressing key vulnerabilities. This plan is part of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to confronting the climate crisis.

Last Updated: October 7, 2021 | Press Releases

DHS Releases New Climate Action Plan to Address the Impacts of Climate Change and Ensure the Department’s Climate Resilience

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new Climate Action Plan outlining the steps the Department is taking to tackle the climate crisis, including bolstering the Department’s ability to adapt to climate change, building national resilience, undertaking mitigation measures, and addressing key vulnerabilities.  This plan is part of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to confronting the climate crisis. 

Last Updated: September 23, 2021 | Press Releases

Department of Homeland Security Partners with Environmental Protection Agency to Enforce Phasedown of Climate-Damaging HFCs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new interagency task force that will guard against the illegal importation of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  HFCs are potent greenhouse gases with global warming potential that can be thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide.  A global phasedown of HFCs could meaningfully prevent the development of adverse global warming effects over the next century.  

Last Updated: August 16, 2021 | Publication

Final Environmental Assessment of Proposed Tracer Particle and Gas Releases and Finding of No Significant Impact

The United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and other stakeholders in New York City (NYC), is proposing to conduct testing events to improve resiliency of urban areas and transportation systems against chemical or biological terrorist attacks (Proposed Action).

Last Updated: August 3, 2021 | Publication

Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for El Paso Service Processing Center

ICE has prepared this Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 4321 et seq.) and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations, as well as DHS Directive 023-01, Revision 01 and DHS Instruction Manual 023-01-001-01, Revison 01, Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This Draft EA discloses the environmental impacts that would result from the Proposed Action and alternatives.

Last Updated: June 4, 2021 | Site Page

DHS Actions: Climate Change

The climate crisis poses a multi-level threat to the American people, the global community, and DHS operations at home and abroad. It is vital for the Department to provide leadership and act to minimize its own environmental impact, to promote resilience against the risks posed by climate change, and to facilitate adaptation, so as to reduce harms and threats to the American people and abroad.