Web Standards: Look and Feel Template

Definition of public

Note: public refers to any site meant to be accessed and used by a member of the public. In contrast, internal means intended to be accessed and used only by Federal Government employees or contractors on behalf of an agency. If your site requires authentication, but is still used by members of the public, it is a public site, and therefore must follow this standard and related procedure. 

See the Procedure: Complying with EPA.gov "Look and Feel" for more in-depth information.

Related Information

According to the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA), agencies must adopt the standards developed by GSA—the US Web Design System (USWDS) for all websites and applications. There are no waivers or exemptions. EPA must report conformance to this standard to Congress every year.

EPA public websites have a standard look and feel, consisting of the global header and global footer, as well as individual components. The WebCMS follows this standard and applies this look and feel automatically. All other public EPA applications must also follow this standard and use the components that make up this look and feel.

Content requirements

  • Every public EPA application must use the elements below:
    • Global header, at the top:
      • Banner that identifies your site as an official website of a government organization in the United States
      • EPA logo in the upper left
      • EPA Search box, posting to search.epa.gov, in the upper right
      • EPA main navigation blue bar, with four links (as of April 2025)
    • Global footer, including all links and EPA seal, at the bottom
    • USWDS Components
    • Analytics: include the Agency's standard Google Analytics Tag Manager tracking code
  • Applications should follow all EPA Web Standards and other Web Procedures and meet Section 508 requirements just like all web content.

New applications can download this Pattern Lab page. Existing applications can choose to add the individual components or use the Pattern Lab template.

All public applications must conform to this standard.

About this standard

All EPA public web content must adhere to all federal requirements including; the EPA Web Standards, the U.S. Web Design System guidelines, federal plain language guidelines, and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act. Internal content, including Intranet and Microsoft 365, may differ from the public content. If not explicitly stated, content must adhere to all federal requirements.

Original effective date: 2/11/2015
Last approved on: 05/14/2025
Web Council review by: 05/14/2027 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council) 

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Last updated on May 28, 2025