Science to Protect Public Health and the Environment - EPA RESEARCH PROGRAM OVERVIEW 2016 2019
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EPA 601/K-15/007 | November 2015 | www.epa.gov/research
Science to Protect
Public Health and the Environment
EPA RESEARCH PROGRAM OVERVIEW
2016 – 2019
Office of Research and Development
Overview: Science for a Sustainable Future
EPA 601/K-15/007
Science to Protect Public Health
and the Environment
EPA Research Program Overview
2016–2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
November 2015
Table of Contents
Introduction��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1
Research Organization and Support for EPA Strategic Plan�������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Guiding Principles for EPA Research�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
Strategic Research Action Plans 2016–2019������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9
Air, Climate, and Energy������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 10
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13
Sustainable and Healthy Communities������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16
Chemical Safety for Sustainability��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
Human Health Risk Assessment������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 25
Homeland Security�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28
Science to Protect Public Health and the Environment������������������������������������������������������������������������ 30
i
Introduction
The United States has made tremendous prog-
ress in environmental protection, and we now
have cleaner air and water, waste sites restored
to useful purposes, and safer consumer prod-
ucts. For more than four decades, EPA research
has informed policies and led to impacts that
define environmental progress. EPA research
provided the evidence and assessments that
led the Agency to ban the use of lead in gaso-
line, protecting an entire generation of children
from hazardous lead exposure. EPA research il-
luminated the critical link between secondhand
tobacco smoke and serious health impacts,
findings that turned the tide so that smoking is
no longer permitted in many public spaces, re-
ducing the risks for all.
EPA researchers continue to build on this prog-
ress by delivering new scientific understanding
and technologies to help solve the complex
environmental challenges affecting our health,
environment and economy. weather patterns which can impact people’s
lives. Many areas have seen changes in
This document provides an overview of EPA’s rainfall, resulting in more frequent and
research programs within the Office of Re- intense flooding and drought events, as well
search and Development. This critically impor- as more frequent and severe heat waves.
tant work is providing the science needed to These events can cause loss of life, injury,
address the biggest problems facing environ- and property damage, and can disrupt basic
mental science, the Agency, and the world. This services such as transportation, electrical
cutting-edge and innovative research portfolio power and water supply. (See text box,
is connecting the dots in an unprecedented and Our Changing Climate.)
integrated way by characterizing problems up
front, recognizing the inherent connections be- • Much of the western U.S. is facing record-
tween a healthy and sustainable environment setting drought with mountain snowpack
and healthy people, and working across histori- levels at or near their lowest levels on
cal media-specific lines with an understanding record. In addition to greatly reducing water
that problems aren’t isolated to just air or water supplies, drought contributes to increased
or land, but in fact, cut across those domains. incidence of wildfires and forest disease,
Environmental challenges include: leading to loss of life and property damage,
air pollution health effects, habitat
• Rising global average temperature is destruction, and potential impacts to water
associated with widespread changes in quality.
1
• Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, • Many communities are disproportionately
are polluting our waterways, creating overburdened by pollution. We need to
another difficult environmental and human better understand the impacts of chemical
health issue affecting local and regional and non-chemical stressors in causing
economies. We face a serious challenge—to disparities in health effects and how to help
achieve the beneficial level of nutrients in communities improve resilience to disasters.
the environment to enhance food
Advances in science and technology, including
production and other services, while
social sciences, can help us address these and
protecting human and ecosystem health.
other complex challenges. EPA’s portfolio of
• Tens of thousands of chemicals are currently research for 2016–2019 builds on the research
used, but only a small fraction have been program from 2012–20161 and is designed to
thoroughly evaluated for potential risks to advance our understanding of the complex
human health, wildlife and the environment. relationships between human activities and
We know very little about people’s real their impacts on public health and the environ-
life exposures to most of these chemicals; ment. This overview of EPA research summa-
in particular we lack data about exposures rizes:
during critical stages of life and Research Organization and Support for EPA
development. Strategic Plan
Guiding Principles for EPA Research
Highlights of EPA Strategic Research Action Plans
Our Changing Climate
Over the past century, the large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released
into the atmosphere have been the most important cause of recent climate change. The earth’s
average temperature has risen by 1.4o F, and if no action is taken to reduce emissions, the average
temperature will rise another 2–11.5o F over the next hundred years*. EPA’s 2015 Report on the
Environment says that, among other impacts, future global warming is projected to produce more
severe droughts in the southwestern U.S.
*Melillo, Jerry M., Terese (T.C.) Richmond, and Gary W. Yohe, Eds., 2014: Climate Change Impacts in the United States:
The Third National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, 841 pp. doi:10.7930/J0Z31WJ2.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2012). Science for a Sustainable Future, EPA Research Program Overview 2012-2016.
1
Available at: http://www2.epa.gov/research/science-sustainable-future-epa-research-program-overview-2012-2016-0.
2
Research Organization and Support for EPA
Strategic Plan
EPA science is anchored in the priorities of the (2014–2018) and cross - Agency strategies
Agency. EPA’s FY 2014–2018 EPA Strategic Plan2 (see Figure 1).
states, “Sustainable, innovative approaches The six programs are:
grounded in science—the underpinning of
the EPA’s decision making—are instrumental • Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE)
to solving today’s environmental challenges. • Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS)
Now more than ever EPA’s leadership as a pre- • Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP)
eminent science and research institution is • Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA)
essential.” • Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR)
• Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC)
To embrace the critical need for science lead-
ership, EPA’s Office of Research and Develop- Each research program engages EPA program
ment (ORD), the science arm of the Agency, and regional offices and outside partners and
has established six highly integrated and trans- stakeholders to identify the research priorities
disciplinary national research programs that that are important for achieving EPA’s strategic
closely align with the Agency’s strategic goals goals and objectives.
Figure 1. ORD’s Six Research Programs Aligned with EPA Strategic Plan. The EPA Office of Research
and Development’s six national research programs are closely aligned with EPA Strategic Goals and
Cross-Agency Strategies. Research in any one program also helps the Agency achieve multiple goals.
2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2014). FY 2014–2018 EPA Strategic Plan.
Available at: http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.
3
EPA staff scientists and engineers conduct
research in laboratories and research facili-
ties at 14 locations across the country. Overall
resources for ORD in fiscal year 2015 included
$521 million and 1755 employees. EPA staff are
joined by a network of collaborators, partners,
fellows, and grantees. For example, scientists in
the research laboratories collaborate with scien-
tists in EPA regional offices on projects address-
ing specific regional concerns. Grantees and fel-
lows compete from across the nation to receive
funding from EPA’s Science to Achieve Results EPA continues to experiment with initiatives
(STAR) extramural research program. EPA is one to foster innovation and creativity in research.
of 11 federal agencies that participate in the Staff are exploring scientific competitions and
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) pro- challenges, citizen science and crowd-sourcing,
gram, enacted in 1982 to strengthen the role of public-private partnerships, and other activities
small businesses in federal research and devel- that promote innovative thinking and sustain-
opment, create jobs, and promote technological able solutions. For example, the “Pathfinder In-
innovation.3 novation Projects” internal agency competition
offers EPA scientists an opportunity to win seed
funding for out-of-the-box ideas that could be
“game-changers” for environmental protection.
3
See http://www2.epa.gov/research-grants
4
Guiding Principles for Ensure Science Quality and
Transparency
EPA Research Given the stakes of environmental decisions,
Several principles guide the design and imple- it is imperative that EPA produce and rely on
mentation of EPA research programs. They are: high quality science. Whether it’s a community
Protect Public Health and Advance Sustainabil- determining the safety of reusing precious wa-
ity; Ensure Science Quality and Transparency; ter for a variety of purposes, a national policy
Achieve Broad Impact; Innovate; Inform Deci- under scrutiny by the Supreme Court, or an
sions and Actions; Seek Collaboration; and Sup- enforcement action requiring an industry to re-
port High-Performing Workforce. Completed vamp its processes to prevent toxic emissions,
and ongoing research activities that illustrate the science and technology underlying these
these principles are highlighted below. important decisions must be of the highest
quality and accessible to the public. EPA’s com-
mitment to quality science includes a rigorous
Protect Public Health and Advance peer review policy, publishing results in peer-
Sustainability reviewed journals, and review by external sci-
entific committees such as the National Acad-
Protecting public health is one of EPA’s fun-
emy of Sciences and EPA’s Science Advisory
damental goals. EPA research uses a systems
Board and Board of Scientific Counselors. Our
approach to understand what causes environ-
commitment to transparency includes public
mental problems, and to design solutions that
access to EPA’s publications and supporting sci-
benefit health, the environment, and the econ-
entific data.
omy—all of which are interconnected. Systems
approaches help advance understanding of the • Scientific advice: Each research program
complex relationships between human health benefits from the advice of a dedicated
and the environment, and this knowledge leads subcommittee of EPA’s Board of Scientific
to progress in achieving sustainability—meeting Counselors with ongoing engagement
today’s needs without compromising the ability throughout the duration of the 2016-2019
of future generations to meet their needs. One research program. EPA recognizes that its
example of current research: sound, high quality research will be used not
only by the Agency, but also by other federal,
• Clean energy future: natural gas is playing
state and local agencies, private companies
a key role in reducing carbon emissions,
and organizations around the world.
creating jobs, and providing a domestic
source of energy. EPA’s research on the
potential drinking water impacts of the Achieve Broad Impact
development of America’s shale gas
EPA’s research addresses environmental prob-
resources is helping ensure that responsible
lems of national and international significance
development will benefit the economy,
and strives to produce scientific results that are
energy security, and the environment.
timely and solution-oriented. For example:
• Climate change: EPA research contributed
evidence that provided the scientific
foundation for EPA to move forward
with regulations to reduce greenhouse
5
gas emissions from stationary sources. • Clean air: Over the last 45 years, air quality
Groundbreaking research on the role of in the U.S. has improved dramatically. EPA’s
black carbon in climate change is helping National Ambient Air Quality Standards are
decision makers assess benefits of reducing the highest impact regulations, ensuring
these emissions on a global to local scale. U.S. air quality that prevents thousands of
This work, together with other air quality heart attacks and premature deaths, and
research, such as studies on cookstoves, has millions of cases of respiratory illness, such
global impact affecting billions of people. as bronchitis and asthma. Every five years,
EPA reviews the standards for air pollutants
such as particulate matter, ozone, and
nitrogen oxides. The standards often face
legal challenges, including cases that
are decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
EPA depends on the sound, peer-reviewed
scientific research and assessments that
characterize the health, ecological and
welfare effects from exposure to these
pollutants.
The World Health Organization estimates that
exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves
and open fires leads to 4.3 million deaths each
year. EPA research helps to improve air quality,
protect public health and slow climate change.4
• Streams and wetlands impact water quality:
Smaller water bodies play an important role EPA’s CMAQ Model is a powerful computational
tool used by EPA and states for air quality
in the health of larger downstream
management. The National Weather Service
waterways such as rivers and lakes, as uses the model to produce daily U.S. forecasts
described in an extensive EPA for ozone air quality. CMAQ is also used
state-of-the-science report5. The report by states to assess implementation actions
provided the science behind the 2015 Clean needed to attain National Ambient Air Quality
Water Rule that clarified the jurisdiction of Standards.
the Clean Water Act, protecting the streams
and wetlands that form the foundation of
the nation’s water resources.
World Health Organization: Household Air Pollution and Health, Fact Sheet No. 292, March 2014
4
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs292/en/
US EPA (2015) Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Review and Synthesis of the Scientific
5
Evidence (Final Report) http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=296414
6
Innovate environment, to make its laboratories and tech-
nical experts available to provide immediate
Fostering creativity and stimulating transforma-
assistance to the on-site decision makers. Re-
tional change can solve complex problems in
search plans and products are peer-reviewed
new and innovative ways. Sometimes, it’s the
to ensure transparency of methods and results.
advent of technological advances in other fields
For EPA research to be relevant and accessible,
that can be applied to an environmental prob-
it also has to be translated and delivered such
lem. Examples include:
that it can be of real value to the end users. The
• Rapid, automated chemical testing: clients for EPA research range from scientists to
Agency researchers and their partners are policymakers, lawyers, and the general public.
revolutionizing the assessment of Examples include:
potential risks to humans and the
• Asbestos assessment in Region 8:
environment from exposures to chemicals
EPA and federal partners assessed the risk
and forging a new generation of predictive
to public health from asbestos-contaminated
capabilities, technologies and solutions.
vermiculite in Libby, MT. This assessment
New tools enable rapid screening of
informs risk management decisions,
chemicals for adverse effects, using very
including the ongoing clean-up and
small amounts of chemicals in laboratory
remediation activities in the Libby
test samples, high-throughput robotics, and
community. These activities have reduced
automated analysis.
the asbestos outdoor air concentrations in
• Satellite data for water monitoring: Libby, making the air quality in Libby similar
A team of scientists from EPA, NASA and to other Montana cities and reducing risks
the U.S. Geological Survey used satellites of cancer and respiratory disease from
to monitor and assess water quality and asbestos.
harmful algal blooms in lakes, reservoirs and
• Reducing stormwater runoff: Stormwater
estuaries. This new approach can provide
flowing from paved streets, parking lots, and
early warning to environmental and public
building rooftops can accumulate chemicals
health agencies to prepare for action.
and other pollutants that can adversely
affect water quality. Green infrastructure,
Inform Decisions and Actions
which includes approaches such as rain
EPA relies on sound science to inform decisions gardens, porous pavement, and green roofs,
that affect communities across the nation. To can alleviate flooding and protect water
ensure research is relevant, ORD works very quality. EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator
closely with EPA partners to define the most is a desktop application that estimates
pressing environmental problems, research reductions in stormwater runoff for various
needs, and data gaps. EPA research is intended green infrastructure options, and it is a
to be accessible and meet both near- and long- practical and easy-to-use tool for local
term science needs. Significant research efforts decision makers such as urban planners,
focus on developing the science that serves as landscape architects, site developers and
the foundation for environmental regulations. homeowners.
Providing technical support to help with more EPA green infrastructure
immediate local issues continues to be of great researchers provide key
value to EPA regions. ORD is also poised in times tools, such as the National
Stormwater Calculator,
of crisis, such as chemical spills, explosions or
to address stormwater
other potentially hazardous releases into the management.
7Seek Collaboration agencies to conduct joint research and
operational activities. For example, a
EPA science has even greater impact through
recent full-scale test operation focused on
strong collaboration with public health and en-
sampling, decontamination and waste
vironmental partners. ORD works collaborative-
management for a facility contaminated
ly across its research programs and also devel-
with simulated anthrax spores. EPA’s
ops partnerships within EPA and with external
partners in the effort included the U.S.
organizations to accomplish its work. Partners
Departments of Homeland Security, Health
include scientists, engineers, decision makers,
and Human Services, Justice, Defense, and
risk managers, and other experts in EPA pro-
Energy.
gram and regional offices, other federal agen-
cies, state and local governments, and other
research organizations. Developing scientific
tools and information jointly with partners, and
soliciting feedback from EPA partners and out-
side stakeholders, helps ensure that research
results are meaningful and that research prod-
ucts are tailored to meet the needs of decision
makers at the federal, state and local levels.
EPA partnered with the U.S. Department of
• Children’s environmental health: Health and Human Services on a campaign
Children’s environmental health research to promote heart health.
involves many disciplines, such as
reproductive and developmental health,
genetics, exposure science, sociology, and Support High-Performing Workforce
pediatrics, and requires coordination and EPA’s research organization is unique in its
collaboration across EPA research programs, breadth of expertise and science leadership
laboratories and centers. In a long-running to address multifaceted environmental issues.
partnership with the National Institute of Engineering, environmental health, ecology,
Environmental Health Sciences, EPA supports computer science, and meteorology are just a
university-based, multi-disciplinary research few examples of the many scientific and tech-
centers dedicated to children’s health6. nical fields represented. Multidisciplinary re-
These centers have provided the search is encouraged so that scientists can
foundational science for understanding work together across many different areas of
environmental health impacts on children expertise. As science evolves, so do the areas
and have contributed evidence supporting of expertise needed to maintain highly relevant
policy decisions related to air pollution, and outstanding research. EPA’s Office of Re-
pesticides and endocrine-disrupting search and Development developed a work-
chemicals. force strategy to address the critical expertise
• Homeland security: Multiple agencies are gaps in the next three to five years and to serve
involved in responding to environmental as a guide for future hiring decisions. Social
disasters, including terrorist incidents. EPA science is just one area of expertise needed
regularly collaborates with other federal for research planned in the next several years.
NIEHS/EPA Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers http://www2.epa.gov/research-
6
grants/niehsepa-childrens-environmental-health-and-disease-prevention-research-centers
8Strategic Research In addition, because of their Agency-wide
prominence, four key topic areas have been se-
Action Plans 2016–2019 lected for focused and active integration across
the six national programs: climate change,
EPA has developed six Strategic Research children’s environmental health, nitrogen and
Action Plans, one for each of the national co-pollutants, and environmental justice (see
research programs. The plans describe Figure 2). Each of these efforts is described in
the research vision, objectives, topics, and a cross-cutting research roadmap led by one
expected accomplishments. Each explains of the research programs. The roadmaps de-
the programs’ efforts to collaborate with EPA scribe ongoing research and also help inform
partners and stakeholders. Involving those the national research programs’ strategic plan-
who rely on EPA research, from staff to senior ning activities. EPA program and regional office
managers, in setting priorities and following partners provide instrumental input that helps
research progress through to translation is vital shape ORD’s investment in these cross-cutting
to program success and ultimate impact. topics. The research programs work together
to address additional important cross-cutting
Integrating across the six programs is a particu- issues, such as community resilience and inte-
lar focus for the 2016–2019 plans. Many envi- grating new data streams into risk assessment.
ronmental issues cut across the six programs.
ORD puts special emphasis on ensuring that Highlights from the six Strategic Research
research on cross-cutting issues is coordinated Action plans, including examples of research
and collaborative. Embracing such integration planned for the years 2016–2019 and exam-
ensures that the work is designed to tackle the ples of research collaboration on cross cutting
increasingly complex nature of environmental issues, are summarized in the following pages.
challenges and threats.
Figure 2. Integration
across the six national
research programs and
four roadmap topics.
9Air, Climate, and Energy Research Challenges
We breathe a mixture of air pollutants.
The Air, Climate, and Energy (ACE) research pro- Current scientific understanding of
gram builds upon 40 years of achievement in environmental and health risks of air
air pollution research that has led to landmark pollution is based on single pollutants.
outcomes—including visibly cleaner air, health-
ier communities, and longer life expectancies. The effects of climate change on air, water
Looking forward, we understand that air quality and ecosystems will vary by region and
locality. Helping communities prepare for
and climate are inextricably linked, and global
climate change requires scientific data
climate change is adversely affecting public across a range of geographic scales, not
health and the environment in many areas of currently available.
the country. Energy production and use have
major impacts on both air quality and climate Energy choices have trade-offs, but
with conventional energy options generally the health and environmental risks
and benefits of new technologies and
representing the major source of air pollution
approaches are not well understood.
emissions, including greenhouse gases.
Social, behavioral, and economic factors
ACE research will directly advance EPA’s strate- influence the effectiveness of air quality
gic goal to address climate change and improve and climate policies, and methods are
air quality. The ACE program continues to fulfill lacking to address all factors together.
Clean Air Act requirements by providing scien-
tific support to decision makers on individual air engineers work collaboratively with those who
pollutants of concern. However, we all breathe use and depend upon our research—EPA policy
mixtures of air and are not often exposed to air makers, state, local and regional officials and
pollutants one at a time. As a result, ACE re- external stakeholders—to ensure the ACE pro-
search is also focused on assessing impacts of gram is responsive and relevant to the greatest
exposures to a combination of many pollutants needs. By working together to articulate high-
in the air, analyzing approaches for preventing est priority problems and research, the ACE
and reducing emissions of pollutants including program is focused on three main objectives:
greenhouse gases, and helping communities,
1) Assess Impacts
states, and regions respond to the impacts of
Develop and apply methods to assess the
changes in climate and air quality.
impacts and effects of air pollution
exposure and climate change at individual,
By addressing air, climate, and energy issues in
community, regional, and global scales.
an integrated way, the ACE research program
provides the scientific results and innovative 2) Prevent and Reduce Emissions
technologies that are needed to take action on Provide the science needed to develop and
climate change and improve air quality. evaluate approaches to prevent and
reduce harmful air emissions. The data
The ACE program has brought together scien- and methods resulting from this research
tists from a broad range of disciplines including can be used to analyze the full life cycle
atmospheric and climate science, air and water impacts of new and existing technologies
quality, environmental health, exposure, ecol- and assess the sustainability of various
ogy, economics, and more. These scientists and energy choices.
103) Respond to Changes in Climate and Air 2016–2019 ACE Strategic Research
Quality Action Plan: Research Examples
Provide modeling and monitoring tools
and information to help government The ACE program encompasses research relat-
agencies and communities prepare for ed to air quality monitoring, modeling, public
impacts to air, water, and land from health, climate change and energy sustainabil-
climate change. While reducing ity. Examples of this research for 2016-2019 are
greenhouse gas emissions is a critical described below.
part of minimizing future climate
change, it is also necessary to adapt to the Next Generation Air Pollution Monitoring
environmental impacts caused by
Historically, approaches for monitoring air pol-
unavoidable changes in climate.
lution generally use expensive, complex, sta-
The ACE program will continue to provide di- tionary equipment, which limits who collects
rect technical assistance to its EPA partners in data, what data are collected and how data
the program offices and regions; provide re- are accessed. This landscape is changing rap-
search needed for immediate policy or regu- idly with the emergence of lower-cost, easy-to-
latory action; and anticipate and develop the use, portable air pollution monitors (e.g., sen-
science needed for decisions in the coming de- sors) that provide high-resolution data in near
cade. As the lead for the cross-cutting issue of real time and may be used by state and local
climate change research, the ACE program agencies, research scientists, regulated facili-
works closely with scientists from other federal ties, communities and individuals for a range of
programs and across EPA, including the other different purposes. ORD collaborates with EPA
five research programs (see text box). EPA is one programs and regions, states and federal part-
of 13 departments and agencies that contribute ners on this research.
to the U.S. Global Change Research Program Agency scientists will continue to evaluate and
(USGCRP)7, which coordinates federal climate utilize versatile, next-generation air monitor-
change research. ACE research is of interest to ing technologies in novel ways, such as mount-
scientists and environmental managers all over ed to vehicles or applied along fence lines.
the world.
Global Climate Change Research Roadmap
EPA’s mission to safeguard the environment and protect human health puts the Agency at
the forefront of federal efforts to mitigate and prepare for climate change impacts to air,
water, land, ecosystems, and human health. Highlighting the unique role that EPA plays,
the Climate Change Research Roadmap illustrates how EPA’s research will: improve the
understanding of the interactions between climate change and the environment; evaluate
the resulting impacts on human health and welfare; develop strategies to prepare for and
respond to these impacts; and ensure that such responses promote sustainability and
avoid further, unintended adverse impacts. The Roadmap illustrates the coordination and
integration of research related to climate change across the six national research programs
(ACE, CSS, HHRA, HSRP, SHC and SSWR), responding to the needs of EPA’s Office of Air
and Radiation, Office of Water, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Office of
Policy, Office of Children’s Health Protection and the EPA regional offices.
7
See http://www.globalchange.gov/
11Working with the industrial community and EPA-supported Air, Climate, and Energy
other partners, they are providing spatial and Research Centers
temporal data useful for assessing both air pol- Through the highly-competitive Science to
lution source emissions and ambient air quality Achieve Results (STAR) grants program, EPA will
around facilities and areas of high interest, such fund the fourth-generation of air research cen-
as energy production and processing plants, in- ters, now the Air, Climate, and Energy Research
dustrial facilities, agricultural operations, land- Centers, a network of university-based, multi-
fills, brownfields and waste water treatment disciplinary consortia. Center researchers are
operations. focusing on the challenges faced by different
regions of the country in achieving and sustain-
ing air quality as climate change continues. Lo-
cal conditions can be highly variable, including
differences in emission sources, topography,
climate, meteorology, demographics, and so-
cioeconomic and cultural patterns. Research-
ers are improving understanding of how these
social, economic, environmental and other fac-
tors affect regional differences in the mix and
magnitude of air pollution. Results will inform
policy makers on the development of innova-
tive approaches that enhance the effectiveness
EPA researchers are advancing next generation of air pollution control strategies and achieve
mobile air quality monitors.
the greatest public health benefits.
Helping to Protect Local Air Quality in a
Changing Climate
As part of their efforts to protect public health,
states across the nation rely on EPA’s Commu-
nity Multi-scale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) to
help predict changes to air quality as a result of
proposed actions to meet clean air standards.
But while that system has proved invaluable
for more than a decade, a new challenge has
emerged: climate change. EPA modelers are
developing new frameworks for incorporating
EPA researchers designed and installed solar-
powered, community-based air monitoring systems critical data across multiple scales, down-scal-
(“Village Green Benches”) to explore real-world ing global climate meteorological projections to
applications of next-generation air monitors, expand CMAQ’s powerful capabilities for calcu-
and develop new approaches for harnessing the lating local and regional air quality projections.
proliferation of new data they are generating. The work will support air quality managers who
must consider how changes in climate would af-
fect their state efforts to achieve clean air.
12Public-Private Research Partnership: Health
Effects of Air Pollution
Through a long-term partnership, EPA and the
motor vehicle industry jointly fund the Health
Effects Institute, which sponsors independent,
peer-reviewed research on the health impacts
of motor vehicle emissions. For 2015-2020, the
Institute is focusing on research to inform deci-
sions on air quality and on climate-driven tech-
nology. The program has four core program ele- EPA and the Health Effects Institute are developing
ments: (1) addressing the continuing challenges the next generation of tools and scientific
of multipollutant science; (2) accountability and information to examine the combined effects of
transparency; (3) assessing emerging fuels and air pollution on human health and the relationship
between air quality and climate change.
technologies; and (4) global health.
Research Challenges
Safe and Sustainable
Water Resources Excess levels of nutrients and sediment
remain the Nation’s largest contributor to
water-quality deterioration. The rate at which
Water is one of our Nation’s most precious re- water bodies are newly listed for water-
sources. The United States uses about 400 bil- quality impairment exceeds the pace that
lion gallons of water each day. We depend upon restored waters are removed from the list.
it for our lives and our livelihoods, for healthy Surplus nutrients cause widespread damage
ecosystems and a robust economy. Yet a host to aquatic ecosystems and impact public
health.
of challenges threaten the safety and sustain-
ability of our water resources, including biologi- Sustainability of groundwater, with regard to
cal and chemical contaminants, aging water- drawdown, recharge, and increasing potential
system infrastructure, demands of the energy, of contamination, is a growing concern.
agriculture and manufacturing sectors, popula- Current drinking water and water treatment
tion change, climate change, extreme weather systems are inadequate to meet future
events and homeland security threats. needs.
To address these challenges, EPA’s Safe and Sus- Many water systems are outdated and
tainable Water Resources (SSWR) research pro- inefficient, losing trillions of gallons of
treated water each year because of pipe
gram is using an integrated, systems approach
leaks and breaks.
to develop scientific and technological solutions
to protect human health and to protect and re- Stormwater overflows in combined sewer
store watersheds and aquatic ecosystems. systems send billions of gallons of untreated
sewage into lakes and rivers.
The research directly advances EPA’s strategic
Changes in population, land use, climate and
goal “Protecting America’s Waters” and pro-
extreme events will affect water resources
vides scientific and technical support to meet and aquatic ecosystems.
13Agency obligations enforcing key legislative 4) Translate Research into Real-world
mandates, including the Clean Water Act and Solutions
the Safe Drinking Water Act. Move results out of the lab and into
the hands of end users who can use those
SSWR scientists have worked closely with part- applications to sustainably manage water
ners from EPA programs and regional offices, as resources and infrastructure.
well as federal and state agencies, public and
private stakeholders and the scientific commu- As the lead for the cross-cutting issue of nitro-
nity to identify research priorities. Four main gen and co-pollutants research, the SSWR pro-
objectives guide the SSWR research program: gram works closely with scientists from other
research programs, EPA program and regional
1) Address Complex Chemical and Microbial offices and other federal agencies (see text
Pollutants box).
Develop new methods for detecting,
quantifying, monitoring, and treating
complex chemical and microbial Nitrogen and Co-pollutants
pollutants. This research focuses on new Research Roadmap
and emerging contaminants that threaten Excess nutrients in water are causing
human health and aquatic ecosystems, widespread damage to aquatic systems
providing scientific and engineering and impacting public health. Significant,
guidance to strengthen drinking water and sustainable reductions in nutrients must be
water quality standards. economically efficient, socially acceptable,
environmentally sound, adaptable to climate
2) Transform the Concept of ‘Waste’ to change, land-use and demographic changes,
‘Resource’ and permanent. These requirements can be
Develop innovative water treatment met only through integrated research that
technologies and green infrastructure informs the systematic collective, adaptive
techniques to tap current streams of management of nutrients across air, land,
wastewater for resources. Through and water. To achieve that, SSWR is leading
this research, stormwater runoff as a collaboration on nitrogen and co-pollutants
well as wastewater from homes and research across multiple media and spatial
scales. The Nitrogen and Co-pollutant
industries has the potential to become a
Roadmap is a collaboration among ORD’s
source for certain, closely defined
research programs (ACE, HHRA, SHC, and
(“fit-for-purpose”) water use, and as a SSWR), EPA’s Office of Water, EPA’s Office
source for recovering energy, nutrients, of Air and Radiation, and EPA’s Regional
metals and other valuable substances. Offices. The roadmap provides a cross-media,
integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to
3) Quantify the Benefits of Water Quality sustainably manage reactive nitrogen and co-
Clean water and healthy ecosystems pollutant (in particular phosphorus, but also
provide many services that are currently sulfur, sediments) loadings to air, surface
undervalued. By developing models and and ground water to reduce adverse impacts
tools to estimate the economic benefits of on the environment and human health.
water-quality improvements, this research
will aid in the protection or restoration of
water quality.
142016–2019 SSWR Strategic Green Infrastructure in Communities
Research Action Plan: Research For many cities, stormwater management re-
Examples mains one of the greatest challenges to meeting
water quality standards. Local communities can
SSWR research focuses on high-priority, cur- realize cost savings and many other benefits by
rent and long-term water resource challenges using green infrastructure—natural and engi-
identified in partnership with EPA program and neered techniques that increase the capacity of
regional office partners and other partners and local watersheds to absorb stormwater runoff
stakeholders. Examples of research for 2016-19 and seasonal snow and ice melt. EPA research-
are described below. ers are developing a green infrastructure classi-
fication framework, and advancing research to
Addressing Harmful Algal Blooms test and refine sophisticated tools, models, and
screens that incorporate multiple community-
Human activities appear to be increasing the
based parameters, including the evaluation of
frequency of harmful algal blooms — the rapid
financial strategies and economic costs. Results
overgrowth of certain types of toxin-contain-
will help communities effectively use innovative
ing algae and cyanobacteria. The proliferation
green infrastructure techniques to meet their
of such organisms can pose risks to human
goals for minimizing stormwater discharge and
health by contaminating recreational waters
mitigating combined sewer overflow events.
and drinking water supplies. EPA researchers
Green infrastructure can potentially improve
are developing predictive capabilities, analyti-
water quality, while providing other benefits
cal methods, and remote sensing techniques
such as additional green space in urban settings
to detect blooms. EPA works with partners at
and recharging ground water supplies.
NASA, NOAA and USGS to use data collected
by satellites. That and other innovative work
will provide stakeholders and decision makers
with improved scientific information and tools
to effectively assess and manage harmful algal
blooms and associated toxicity events.
Green roofs can be used effectively to reduce
stormwater runoff from commercial, industrial, and
residential buildings.
Reducing Risks from Water Treatment
Disinfection By-products
The presence and potential health effects of
NASA satellite image of harmful algal bloom striking by-products from chemical water treatment,
Lake Erie in the summer of 2014, resulting in a known as disinfection by-products, are a con-
“do not drink” water advisory for the entire City of cern for water treatment facilities and public
Toledo, OH. health officials. EPA researchers are tapping
15recent technical advances in integrated toxico- Quantifying National Water Quality Benefits
logical and chemical characterization studies The long-term sustainability of water quan-
(see more in the Chemical Safety for Sustain- tity and quality depends on better assessing
ability section of this document) to advance the value of clean, abundant water that con-
the understanding of the joint impacts of initial tributes to human health, recreation, food
source water quality and the choice of disinfec- production and other environmental services.
tion techniques and technologies. Results will Without that understanding, the degradation
advance water treatment techniques and bet- of water quality due to chemical and microbial
ter protect public health. contaminants, including nutrients, will con-
tinue to outpace water quality improvements.
ORD and EPA policy partners are advancing
national water quality benefit-cost analyses
and modeling tools that will build the capacity
for estimating the economic benefits of water
quality improvements. These resources include
a new generation of studies that will identify
market and non-market values associated with
water quality, and will identify useful metrics
for linking water quality models to economic
EPA researchers are helping water quality treatment
valuation.
facilities reduce risks from disinfection by-products.
Sustainable and Research Challenges
Healthy Communities Communities need information to make
decisions on infrastructure, land use,
transportation, and waste management that
How do communities meet their day-to-day
meet short-term priorities while minimizing
needs without compromising the ability of impacts to, and maximizing benefits for
their children and future generations to one long-term public health and community
day meet their own? And more specifically, how prosperity.
can we take action to protect our shared envi-
ronment—air, water, land, and ecosystems—in The complex and dynamic interactions of
social, economic, and environmental trade-
ways that are economically viable, beneficial to
offs are not well understood, nor incorporated
human health and well-being, and socially just? into usable, accessible tools and models.
The Sustainable and Healthy Communities Information is limited on linkages between
(SHC) research program is developing the human health and well-being, ecosystems,
knowledge, data, and tools to answer those local economies, and disproportionate
questions. The program is focused on providing environmental burden.
scientifically sound information to EPA program
and regional offices and U.S. communities to
16inform decisions that produce more sustain- Collectively, the SHC research program delivers
able outcomes for our environment, society, information and tools needed to support and
and economy. inform decisions that advance outcomes that
sustain a healthy environment, society, and
The SHC program is strongly aligned with ad- economy. Four broad research objectives guide
vancing EPA’s strategic goal, “Cleaning Up that work:
Communities and Advancing Sustainable De-
velopment,” and the cross-agency strategies 1) Support Community Decisions
of “Working Toward a Sustainable Future” Assist decision makers through the
and “Working to Make a Visible Difference in development of information, methods and
Communities.” The program is also helping tools incorporating decision science,
the Agency implement key recommendations citizen science, spatial analysis, cause-
made by the National Research Council (NRC) and-effect modeling, and sustainability
in its reports Sustainability and the US EPA and assessments. These resources help
Sustainability for the Nation8. The NRC explicitly decision makers frame different options,
recommends adopting a sustainability frame- increase community-engagement, and
work that requires a comprehensive approach identify potential solutions that promote a
for incorporating sustainability into decisions more sustainable future.
and actions. 2) Develop Tools and Metrics to Identify,
Monitor, and Track the Links between
Traditional methods for evaluating environ-
Human Well-being and the Environment
mental impacts typically focus on one pollut-
Explore ecosystem services, natural and
ant or one type of activity. To better evaluate
built environments, and the interactions
effects of policies or programs, SHC focuses on
of chemical and nonchemical
incorporating environmental science into more
environmental factors to better
holistic approaches (such as health impact as-
understand how environmental conditions
sessment) that consider the interaction of envi-
provide a foundation for human well-
ronmental, social and economic factors on the
being. SHC researchers and their partners
health of a population. SHC is partnering with
are developing metrics, including
EPA regional offices and communities to apply
indicators and indices (combinations of
these methods to help solve complex commu- indicators), that communities can use to
nity issues. better assess and predict the
environmental, public health, and
SHC research is focused on many of our na-
economic implications of decision
tion’s most pressing problems, including: con-
alternatives. A particular emphasis is
taminated sites and revitalizing communities,
on identifying the links between the
oil spill response and clean up, and shifting the
environment and disproportionate impacts
paradigm from disposal of waste to reuse of
on vulnerable groups and lifestages.
materials and resource management.
National Research Council (2011). Sustainability and the U.S. EPA. National Academies Press: Washington, DC.
8
National Research Council (2013). Sustainability for the Nation. National Academies Press: Washington, DC.
173) Research and Technical Support for Environmental Justice
Environmental Clean Up, Mitigation, and Research Roadmap
Restoration, and for Advancing
Sustainable Development EPA has long recognized that environmental
risks are often greater for low income and
Help community stakeholders improve
minority communities. The impacts on
the efficiency and effectiveness of
communities at higher risk are influenced not
addressing contaminated sediments, only by differential exposures due to close
land, and ground water, and resultant proximity to sources of harmful chemicals,
vapor intrusion. The program also provides but also by interactions with non-chemical
and evaluates standards, products, data, stressors that may impact effects posed by
and approaches to prevent, characterize, exposures to environmental contaminants.
and clean up environmental releases of Disproportionate impacts can also arise
petroleum and other fuel products. from enhanced susceptibilities, as well as
SHC methods, models, tools, and data are from the lack of sufficient health services
designed to enhance sustainable materials or benefits. Communities may suffer
management. from inadequate physical and economic
infrastructures, such as poor housing,
4) Develop and Apply a Sustainability lack of transportation, and inadequate
Assessment and Management Toolbox water systems. SHC is the lead on the
Provide community stakeholders with a Environmental Justice Research roadmap to
suite of tools that, when used promote sustainable, healthy communities
together, produce a full accounting that by providing state-of-the-science tools and
information that can be used to characterize
links environmental decisions with human
and mitigate environmental and health
well-being. The “Sustainability Toolbox”
inequities. The program will collaborate
can be used to identify and characterize with the other programs in ORD (ACE,
the costs, benefits, and potential tradeoffs HHRA, SSWR, HSRP and CSS) and EPA
of different decisions as they relate to partners, including the Office of Solid Waste
social (including public health), economic, and Emergency Response, the Office of
and environmental outcomes. Environmental Justice, and the Office of
Children’s Health Protection, on research to
As the lead for developing the cross-cutting advance EPA’s EJ 2020 Action Agenda.
roadmap for environmental justice research,
the SHC program works closely with EPA’s Of-
fice of Environmental Justice and the five other
national research programs (see text box).
182016–2019 SHC Strategic Research EPA researchers are developing a suite
Action Plan: Research Examples of environmental indicators to charac-
terize current conditions across a host
SHC is developing information and tools to offer of environmental media, particularly as they
solutions to community-based decision makers connect to human well-being. For example,
within and outside the Agency. Examples of re- the indices and indexes inform EPA’s Report on
search planned for the 2016-19 timeframe are the Environment9, an easily accessible, on-line
described below. resource that presents the best available indi-
cators of national trends in environmental and
Making the Connection: Developing human health conditions. Other searchable
Environmental Indicators and Indices to databases allow users to find the appropriate
Inform Decision Making and Track Progress metrics for different decision contexts, such as
Local communities face multiple and sometimes land use, materials management, community
conflicting priorities when it comes to balanc- revitalization, or commercial, residential, or
ing immediate goals with long-term needs and transportation planning.
stability. To help them meet those challenges,
Indicators of national environmental and human health trends are readily accessible from
EPA’s Report on the Environment10.
9,10
EPA’s Report on the Environment, http://cfpub.epa.gov/roe/
19Helping Communities Identify the Benefits of Helping Address Contaminated Sites
Ecosystems SHC plays a major role in advancing techniques
An important goal of the SHC research pro- and technologies to help communities and oth-
gram is to help community stakeholders and ers remediate and rehabilitate Superfund and
national decision makers assess, and predict other contaminated sites, including address-
effects due to the interactions between people ing challenges sparked by hazardous materials
and the natural environment. EPA is conduct- reaching groundwater, which can lead to con-
ing research to identify the benefits that local tamination of drinking water and vapor intru-
communities derive from the natural environ- sion—when volatile organic compounds and
ment, “community-based ecosystem goods other gases migrate from underlying water and
and services.” For example, natural wetlands soil into the air of homes and other buildings.
help purify water and provide flood control, Examples of this work include improving the ap-
but these benefits are hard to quantify. There plication and interpretation of high-resolution
are a whole host of resources like wetlands groundwater characterization technologies, ad-
that provide important goods and services that vancing the long-term evaluation of the use of
are often undervalued. The research includes permeable reactive barriers for the treatment
the identification and inventory of ecosystem of groundwater contamination, novel vapor
goods and services at multiple geographic intrusion studies using real-time observations
scales, approaches communities can use to and modeling scenarios, and the continued
measure those benefits, and the development operation of three technical support centers
of a library of ecological production models. focused on site characterization and monitor-
Researchers are also advancing the understand- ing, engineering and groundwater issues at
ing of how climate change and other major driv- contaminated sites.
ers and stressors affect the production, delivery,
and benefits of ecosystem goods and services.
EPA is providing innovative science solutions for
contaminated sites, while restoring and protecting
the environment and public health from exposure to
environmental chemicals and toxins.
EPA led a multi-agency collaboration on the first-
ever report on wetland ecological condition as part
of its National Aquatic Resources Surveys.
20Supporting EPA Regional Science Needs EPA’s EnviroAtlas: A Mapping Tool to Assess
SHC sponsors collaborative projects in com- the Benefits of Nature
munities across the country, taking advantage EPA researchers are expanding EnviroAtlas, a
of unique opportunities to apply new research collection of interactive tools and resources
tools, gaining immediate feedback, and improv- that allow users to explore and visualize the
ing the design and delivery of research results many benefits people receive from nature in
as they are used more widely to make a differ- ways that are immediately applicable to de-
ence in communities. SHC’s Regional Sustain- cision-making and planning. The dynamic re-
able Environmental Sciences Research program source combines multiple ecosystem-based
unites problem-solvers from the Office of Re- data sets, sophisticated geographic information
search and Development directly with experts systems, and visualization tools to present fine-
from each of the Agency’s ten regional offices scaled, multilayered maps and other resources
located across the country. that people can download and use to inform
decisions to keep their communities healthy
Examples of regional projects include: Engag- and resilient. Development plans for EnviroAt-
ing Communities and Citizen Science to Assess las extend out to 2017, incorporating updates,
and Address Children’s Environmental Health additional data, analytical tools, and increased
from Transit and Air Pollution; Improving Pub- functionality as they become available.
lic Health through Urban and Roadside Vegeta-
tion; and Using Ecosystem Services Assessment
and Health Impact Assessments as Part of a
Stakeholder-driven Approach to Storm Recov-
ery: Long Island Case Study.
Using EnviroAtlas, many types of users can access, view, and analyze diverse information to better understand
how various decisions can affect an array of ecological and human health outcomes.
21You can also read
