Procedure: Obtaining an EPA.gov Subdomain

On this page:

• Definitions
• Required steps
• Examples
• Rationale
• Exemptions
• Full metadata about this standard

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Definitions

EPA’s primary domain name is epa.gov. Epa.gov refers to the EPA’s primary public access website that provides publicly accessible data and information.

Subdomain is a domain that is a part of a larger domain. Examples include https://echo.epa.gov/ and https://climateadaptation.epa.gov/.

EPA Web environment includes the servers that provides unrestricted access to EPA’s public information. The Agency central server cluster, hosted by the National Computer Center (NCC), is the official server domain location for Agency public communications via the Web.

Required Steps

1. Consult with the Office of Mission Support (OMS) Office of Information Management (OIM) and the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) Office of Digital Communications (ODC) to determine if it will be feasible or appropriate to obtain a new EPA.GOV subdomain. You will be expected to provide a rationale over email or in a meeting setting for why your content cannot be located at www.epa.gov/yournamehere (see Procedure: Hosting EPA Public Content on the EPA Environment) or work.epa.gov/yournamehere (see Intranet Standard: Enterprise Intranet Content Management System).
2. Request permission for the EPA subdomain from OMS and OPA using the Subdomain Request Memo Template (docx) (35.54 KB, July 17, 2024)
   1. First, fill out the subdomain request memo template with your subdomain's information and send it to the subdomain manager.
   2. The subdomain manager will review your request and go through any questions they may have with you.
   3. After the subdomain manager has completed review, you will then be asked to obtain the requester's and Web Council Representative's signatures. Hand or esignatures are fine.
   4. After the request memo has been reviewed by the subdomain manager, and signed by the requester and Web Council Representative, the memo will next be routed through the National Infrastructure Manager. OIM will review the request.
   5. Finally, you will receive a subdomain request letter of approval.
   6. Once you have the subdomain request letter of approval, you may submit a ticket to EISD Enterprise DNS/DHCP/IPAM to establish or revise the subdomain.
   7. Note that the DNS team will need to review your new subdomain request and verify that it is being hosted by EPA. If it will be hosted outside of EPA, the subdomain request may be denied.
3. Fill out the subdomain request memo with:
   1. Two Points of Contact. These POCs control the content and manage or backup the operations of the subdomain.
   2. The Subdomain owner is expected to keep its POCs up-to-date.
   3. The IP address where this subdomain will be pointed. Note you must comply with the Procedure: Ensuring EPA Public Content in the EPA Web Environment or provide information about your separate ATO.
   4. Check the certifications boxes at the end of the request to certify that your office will comply with federal subdomain requirements.
4. The requesting office should allow a minimum of 5-10 days for the entire process of requesting and obtaining a .gov subdomain. This time includes working with OIM and OPA, the requesting office obtaining signature from their Web Council Representative on the memo request, OIM to review, as well as working with the NCC to set up the subdomain.
5. After OIM & OPA have approved the request and the technical review has been performed, an electronic version of the memo will be emailed to you and uploaded to the Domain Management SharePoint site.
6. It is the requesting office's responsibility to respond to OMS or the NCC to establish the new EPA subdomain.
7. It is the requesting office's responsibility to comply with all of the appropriate directives, such as OMB Memorandum M-17-06 and DHS BOD 18-01.
8. To request the removal of an existing subdomain, email the EISD Help Desk to request a ticket be opened for the retirement of a subdomain. In the email, provide the url of the subdomain to be removed and cc DDI@epa.gov and the subdomain manager. After the subdomain removal is complete, notify the subdomain manager so they can note that the subdomain has retired.
9. Got a question? Email your friendly subdomain manager for any questions or assistance.

Examples

Examples of EPA .gov subdomains include: https://echo.epa.gov/ and https://climateadaptation.epa.gov/.

Rationale

OMB Memorandum M-17-06, which rescinded and replaced M-05-04, requires compliance of all Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital Services across 17 items. GSA regularly reports on their DotGov Dashboard how agencies are implementing the policies in this Memorandum. Since EPA.GOV must comply with this memorandum, any subdomain residing on epa.gov must also comply.

Federal agencies are also required to comply with DHS developed binding operational directives on security issues. Since EPA.GOV must comply with these directives, any subdomain residing on epa.gov must also comply.

Exemptions

There are no exemptions from these requirements.

See Also

• To request a new government domain (.gov), follow the Obtaining a .Gov Domain Procedure.

Related Governance Documents

EPA

Related Policies

• None

Related Procedures

• Procedure: Obtaining a .Gov Domain
• Procedure: Hosting EPA Public Content on the EPA Environment

Related Standards

• Intranet Standard: Enterprise Intranet Content Management System

Related Guidance

• None

Non-EPA

• 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, Dec 2018
• OMB M-17-06: Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital Services (pdf) (1.2 MB, 18 pages, November 2016)
• DigitalGov's Checklist of Requirements for Federal Websites and Digital Services page
• OMB M-15-13, “Policy to Require Secure Connections across Federal Websites and Web Services (pdf)” (5 pp, 260 K, June 2015)
• OMB Memorandum, Policies for Dot Gov Domain Issuance for Federal Agency Public Websites (pdf) (2 pp., 236 KB, December 8, 2014
• OMB M-11-24 Implementing Executive Order 13571 on Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service (pdf), (6 pp., 2.37 MB, June 13, 2011)

Full Metadata about this standard

Name Obtaining an EPA.gov subdomain
Type Procedure
Required or Recommended Required
Effective date 05/11/2018
Last Date approved 12/14/2022
Category Area Setup
Web Council review by 12/14/2025 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council)
Governing Policy Web Governance and Management