Epa Science

Author : National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Improving Risk Analysis Approaches Used by the U.S. EPA
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 422 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2009-03-24
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780309120463

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Science and Decisions by National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Improving Risk Analysis Approaches Used by the U.S. EPA Pdf

Risk assessment has become a dominant public policy tool for making choices, based on limited resources, to protect public health and the environment. It has been instrumental to the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as other federal agencies in evaluating public health concerns, informing regulatory and technological decisions, prioritizing research needs and funding, and in developing approaches for cost-benefit analysis. However, risk assessment is at a crossroads. Despite advances in the field, risk assessment faces a number of significant challenges including lengthy delays in making complex decisions; lack of data leading to significant uncertainty in risk assessments; and many chemicals in the marketplace that have not been evaluated and emerging agents requiring assessment. Science and Decisions makes practical scientific and technical recommendations to address these challenges. This book is a complement to the widely used 1983 National Academies book, Risk Assessment in the Federal Government (also known as the Red Book). The earlier book established a framework for the concepts and conduct of risk assessment that has been adopted by numerous expert committees, regulatory agencies, and public health institutions. The new book embeds these concepts within a broader framework for risk-based decision-making. Together, these are essential references for those working in the regulatory and public health fields.

Author : David Demortain
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 453 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2020-01-21
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780262537940

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The Science of Bureaucracy by David Demortain Pdf

How the US Environmental Protection Agency designed the governance of risk and forged its legitimacy over the course of four decades. The US Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970 to protect the public health and environment, administering and enforcing a range of statutes and programs. Over four decades, the EPA has been a risk bureaucracy, formalizing many of the methods of the scientific governance of risk, from quantitative risk assessment to risk ranking. Demortain traces the creation of these methods for the governance of risk, the controversies to which they responded, and the controversies that they aroused in turn. He discusses the professional networks in which they were conceived; how they were used; and how they served to legitimize the EPA. Demortain argues that the EPA is structurally embedded in controversy, resulting in constant reevaluation of its credibility and fueling the evolution of the knowledge and technologies it uses to produce decisions and to create a legitimate image of how and why it acts on the environment. He describes the emergence and institutionalization of the risk assessment–risk management framework codified in the National Research Council's Red Book, and its subsequent unraveling as the agency's mission evolved toward environmental justice, ecological restoration, and sustainability, and as controversies over determining risk gained vigor in the 1990s. Through its rise and fall at the EPA, risk decision-making enshrines the science of a bureaucracy that learns how to make credible decisions and to reform itself, amid constant conflicts about the environment, risk, and its own legitimacy.

Author : National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Science for EPA's Future
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2012-12-21
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780309264891

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Science for Environmental Protection by National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Science for EPA's Future Pdf

In anticipation of future environmental science and engineering challenges and technologic advances, EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the overall capabilities of the agency to develop, obtain, and use the best available scientific and technologic information and tools to meet persistent, emerging, and future mission challenges and opportunities. Although the committee cannot predict with certainty what new environmental problems EPA will face in the next 10 years or more, it worked to identify some of the common drivers and common characteristics of problems that are likely to occur. Tensions inherent to the structure of EPA's work contribute to the current and persistent challenges faced by the agency, and meeting those challenges will require development of leading-edge scientific methods, tools, and technologies, and a more deliberate approach to systems thinking and interdisciplinary science. Science for Environmental Protection: The Road Ahead outlines a framework for building science for environmental protection in the 21st century and identified key areas where enhanced leadership and capacity can strengthen the agency's abilities to address current and emerging environmental challenges as well as take advantage of new tools and technologies to address them. The foundation of EPA science is strong, but the agency needs to continue to address numerous present and future challenges if it is to maintain its science leadership and meet its expanding mandates.

Author : National Research Council,Policy and Global Affairs,Science and Technology for Sustainability Program,Committee on Incorporating Sustainability in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 162 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2011-10-08
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9780309212526

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Sustainability and the U.S. EPA by National Research Council,Policy and Global Affairs,Science and Technology for Sustainability Program,Committee on Incorporating Sustainability in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pdf

Sustainability is based on a simple and long-recognized factual premise: Everything that humans require for their survival and well-being depends, directly or indirectly, on the natural environment. The environment provides the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Recognizing the importance of sustainability to its work, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to create programs and applications in a variety of areas to better incorporate sustainability into decision-making at the agency. To further strengthen the scientific basis for sustainability as it applies to human health and environmental protection, the EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to provide a framework for incorporating sustainability into the EPA's principles and decision-making. This framework, Sustainability and the U.S. EPA, provides recommendations for a sustainability approach that both incorporates and goes beyond an approach based on assessing and managing the risks posed by pollutants that has largely shaped environmental policy since the 1980s. Although risk-based methods have led to many successes and remain important tools, the report concludes that they are not adequate to address many of the complex problems that put current and future generations at risk, such as depletion of natural resources, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. Moreover, sophisticated tools are increasingly available to address cross-cutting, complex, and challenging issues that go beyond risk management. The report recommends that EPA formally adopt as its sustainability paradigm the widely used "three pillars" approach, which means considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts of an action or decision. Health should be expressly included in the "social" pillar. EPA should also articulate its vision for sustainability and develop a set of sustainability principles that would underlie all agency policies and programs.

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on the Review of Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results Research Grants Program
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 114 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2017-07-24
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780309458603

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A Review of the Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results Research Program by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on the Review of Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results Research Grants Program Pdf

Environmental research has driven landmark improvements that led to the protection of human and ecosystem health. Recognizing the value of knowledge generated by environmental research and the ingenuity within academic and nonprofit institutions, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a program known as Science to Achieve Results, or STAR, in 1995. STAR is EPA's primary competitive extramural grants program. A Review of the Environmental Protection Agency's Science to Achieve Results Research Program assesses the program's scientific merit, public benefits, and overall contributions in the context of other relevant research and recommends ways to enhance those aspects of the program. This report also considers the conclusions and recommendations of a prior National Research Council review of the STAR program (2003), the STAR program's research priorities in light of the nation's environmental challenges, and the effects of recent STAR funding trends on obtaining scientific information needed to protect public health and the environment.

Author : National Research Council,Commission on Life Sciences,Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources,Board on Environmental Studies in Toxicology,Committee on Research and Peer Review in EPA
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2000-10-25
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780309071277

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Strengthening Science at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by National Research Council,Commission on Life Sciences,Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources,Board on Environmental Studies in Toxicology,Committee on Research and Peer Review in EPA Pdf

In the three decades since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created, the agency's scientific and technical practices and credibility have been independently assessed many times in reports from the National Research Council (NRC), EPA Science Advisory Board, General Accounting Office, and many other organizations; in congressional oversight and judicial proceedings; and in countless criticisms and lawsuits from stakeholders with interests in particular EPA regulatory decisions. As a previous independent panel put it in the 1992 report Safeguarding the Future: Credible Science, Credible Decisions, EPA's policy and regulatory work receives a great deal of public attention, but the agency's scientific performance typically receives a similar degree of attention only when the scientific basis for a decision is questioned. Thus, strong scientific performance is important not only to enable EPA to make informed and effective decisions, but also to gain credibility and public support for the environmental protection efforts of EPA and the nation. This report is the fourth and final one in a series prepared by two independent expert committees convened by the NRC in response to a request from Congress and to subsequent, related requests from EPA. The Committee on Research Opportunities and Priorities for EPA-the companion committee in this study-was charged to provide an overview of significant emerging environmental issues, identify and prioritize research themes most relevant to understanding and resolving those issues, and consider the role of EPA's research program in the context of research being conducted or supported by other organizations. That committee published an interim report in 1996 and a final report, Building a Foundation for Sound Environmental Decisions, in 1997. The Committee on Research and Peer Review in EPA was charged to evaluate research management and scientific peer-review practices in the agency. The committee published an interim report in 1995 and this final report.

Author : National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Commission on Life Sciences,Committee on Risk Assessment of Hazardous Air Pollutants
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 668 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 1994-01-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780309048941

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Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment by National Research Council,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Commission on Life Sciences,Committee on Risk Assessment of Hazardous Air Pollutants Pdf

The public depends on competent risk assessment from the federal government and the scientific community to grapple with the threat of pollution. When risk reports turn out to be overblownâ€"or when risks are overlookedâ€"public skepticism abounds. This comprehensive and readable book explores how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can improve its risk assessment practices, with a focus on implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. With a wealth of detailed information, pertinent examples, and revealing analysis, the volume explores the "default option" and other basic concepts. It offers two views of EPA operations: The first examines how EPA currently assesses exposure to hazardous air pollutants, evaluates the toxicity of a substance, and characterizes the risk to the public. The second, more holistic, view explores how EPA can improve in several critical areas of risk assessment by focusing on cross-cutting themes and incorporating more scientific judgment. This comprehensive volume will be important to the EPA and other agencies, risk managers, environmental advocates, scientists, faculty, students, and concerned individuals.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science and Technology. Subcommittee on the Environment and the Atmosphere
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 984 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1976
Category : Electronic
ISBN : LOC:00000728391

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The Organization and Management of EPA's Office of Research and Development by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science and Technology. Subcommittee on the Environment and the Atmosphere Pdf

Author : National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine,National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri,Cultural Ethical Social and Environmenta,Cultural Ethical Social and Environmental Responsibility in Engineering Program,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Water Science and Technology Board,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Anticipatory Research for Epa's Research and Development Enterprise to Inform Future Environmental Protection the Road Ahead
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2023-12-09
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0309689767

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Transforming EPA Science to Meet Today's and Tomorrow's Challenges by National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine,National Academies Of Sciences Engineeri,Cultural Ethical Social and Environmenta,Cultural Ethical Social and Environmental Responsibility in Engineering Program,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Water Science and Technology Board,Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology,Committee on Anticipatory Research for Epa's Research and Development Enterprise to Inform Future Environmental Protection the Road Ahead Pdf

Since its establishment in 1970, the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. EPA develops regulations, ensures compliance, and issues policies, in coordination with state, tribal, and local governments. To accomplish its mission, EPA should be equipped to produce and access the highest quality and most advanced science. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides the scientific bases for regulatory and public health policies that have broad impacts on the nation's natural resources and quality of human life, and that yield economic benefits and incur compliance costs for the regulated community. In addition, ORD develops the agency core research capabilities, providing tools and methods for meeting current and anticipating future environmental challenges, such as the risks to health and the environment posed by climate change. Because challenges associated with environmental protection today are complex and affected by many interacting factors, the report points to the need for a substantially broader and better integrated approach to environmental protection. This report calls for EPA ORD to pursue all of its scientific aims in a new framework?to apply systems thinking to a One Environment ? One Health approach in all aspects of ORD work. To accomplish this, the report provides actionable recommendations on how ORD might consider incorporating emerging science and systems thinking into the agency research planning, so that ORD can become an increasingly impactful organization. The report identifies a number of high-priority recommendations for ORD to pursue in taking advantage of a broad range of advanced tools, in concert with collaborators in other federal agencies and the broader scientific community. Given the resource constraints, the report recognizes that ORD will have to make decisions about priorities for implementing its recommendations, and that ORD leadership is in the best position to set those priorities as implementation begins. The report concluded by stating that shifting to a systems-thinking approach will require renewed support from science leadership, enhanced strategic planning, investment in new and broader expertise and tools, and a reimagined and inclusive commitment to communication and collaboration.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 688 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 1997
Category : Science
ISBN : STANFORD:36105026899760

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The Science Behind the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Proposed Revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter, Parts I-III by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Pdf

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 338 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 1992
Category : Law
ISBN : STANFORD:36105021028993

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The Role of Science at EPA and Fiscal Year 1993 Budget Authorization for EPA's Office of Research and Development by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Pdf

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (2011)
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 24 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Environmental law
ISBN : STANFORD:36105050680359

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EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015 by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (2011) Pdf

Author : Mark R. Powell
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 469 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2014-04-23
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9781134271696

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Science at EPA by Mark R. Powell Pdf

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created to protect public health and the environment, and it has traditionally emphasized its regulatory mission over its scientific mission. Yet for environmental policy to be credible with the public and policymakers, EPA's actions must have a sound basis in science. In Science at EPA, Mark Powell offers detailed case studies that map the origins, flow, and impact of scientific information in eight EPA decisions involving the agency's major statutory programs. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, he provides the most comprehensive examination available on the acquisition and use of science in environmental regulation. Powell describes the key obstacles to the practical, efficient, and effective acquisition and use of knowledge in what is a crucial, but complex endeavor. His book is an essential contribution for practitioners, scholars and students, and citizens who are determined to protect our environment rationally and effectively.

Author : Mark R. Powell
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 448 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2014-04-23
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 9781134271627

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Science at EPA by Mark R. Powell Pdf

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created to protect public health and the environment, and it has traditionally emphasized its regulatory mission over its scientific mission. Yet for environmental policy to be credible with the public and policymakers, EPA's actions must have a sound basis in science. In Science at EPA, Mark Powell offers detailed case studies that map the origins, flow, and impact of scientific information in eight EPA decisions involving the agency's major statutory programs. Drawing on extensive research and interviews, he provides the most comprehensive examination available on the acquisition and use of science in environmental regulation. Powell describes the key obstacles to the practical, efficient, and effective acquisition and use of knowledge in what is a crucial, but complex endeavor. His book is an essential contribution for practitioners, scholars and students, and citizens who are determined to protect our environment rationally and effectively.

Author : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 132 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Law
ISBN : PSU:000058932872

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EPA's Fiscal Year 2007 Science and Technology Budget Proposal by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards Pdf