US EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) Science and Technical Capabilities
Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta
Prindpal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science
June 19, 2018
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ORD At A Glance
Our Mission
Provide the science, technical support, technology and tools to inform US EPA's mission to protect public health and the environment.
1,513.9 full time equivalents
(proposed OP plan)
$492 million budget 12 locations
Duluth, MN
Narragansett, Rl
jjjjD Las Vegas
4_____ Edison, NJ Washington, DC RTP and Chapel Hill, NC
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l Athens, GA
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Research Authorization
US EPA's research provides science that is authorized by nearly 50 environmental laws including:
- Toxic Substances Control Act: "conduct such research, development, and monitoring as is
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. The Administrator may enter into contracts and may make grants for research, development, and monitoring under this subsection."
TM Safe Drinking Water Act: "conduct research, studies, and demonstrations relating to the
causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of physical and mental diseases and other impairments of man resulting directly or indirectly from contaminants in water, or to the provision of a dependably safe supply of drinking water."
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act: "shall assure the
initiation of a program of research designed to determine the health effects (and techniques for development of methods to determine such health effects) of such substance...and in combination with other substances with which it is commonly found."
Clean Air Act: "shall establish a national research and development program for the
prevention and control of air pollution."
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ORD Research
ORD provides the scientific foundation for US EPA to execute its mandate to protect human health and the environment.
1, Longer Term Research: Conducts innovative and anticipatory research applied to a range of US EPA program and regional needs to solve longer term environmental challenges and provide the basis of future environmental protection.
2, Research on Statutory Requirements and Specific Environmental Challenges: Experts provide research support to US EPA program and regional offices, as well as states, tribes and communities, to help them respond to contemporary environmental challenges.
3, Technical and Emergency Support Because of our expertise, local, state and national officials come to us for technical support to respond to environmental crises and needs, large and small.
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National Research Program
A ir and Energy
Air pollution Air quality monitoring Decision support tools
Chemical Safety for Sustainability
Computational toxicology and exposure Evaluation of risk across ,:~ cycle of manufactured chemicals, materials and products
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Sustainable & Healthy Communities
Ecosystem services Human health
Sustainable materials management Superfund
Human Health Risk Assessment
Risk assessments for specific chemicals Risk assessment methods
Safe & Sustainable W a te r Resources
Watersheds/recreational waters Nutrients and harmful algal blooms (HABs) Water treatment and infrastructure
Homeland Security
Water system security Resilience and remediating wide areas
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State Engagement
ORD regularly engages with state agencies to ensure states' environmental science needs are being met and to provide sciencebased tools, approaches and methods, technical support and training.
* State Research Needs
ECOS/ERIS surveys
ECOS and ORD: Partners fo r Meeting State Research
Needs, Sept 2017
This most recent summary compiles 78 stories of how ORD's
"Ammonia residual in the
work during the past 5 years has supported states
distribution system cun cuuse
nitrification and other operational
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with ECOS and ASTHO
*nightmares/ This EPA ORD
Current project gathered information on how states
supported pilot project in Polo is
communicate the risks of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl successful and the use of biologically
substances (PFAS) and harmful algal blooms (HABs)
actiwe filters is an innowatiae,
Webinars on Research Products and Tools
emerging drinking water technology
EPA Tools & Resources monthly series
that con be a wiable option far
certain other systems." --- Bill Ehm,
Outreach and Collaboration
Director, Environmental Services
Lab visits to share ORD science & technical capabilities and
Division, Iowa Dept of Natural
discuss science-related topics of interest to states
Resources
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EPA Research Supports States
Some Recent Examples
AK - PFAS ID - Modeling for agriculture, energy, water and air .systems interactions O R-W ater nitrate contamination; Tools to help communities identify environmental issues; Ocean acidification research; Reducing methyl mercury levels. Advanced monitoring technologies W A - Managing nutrients in riparian ecosystems; Habitat suitability models
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projections; Synthetic turf field safety;
Decontaminating subway ralicars; Decision support
tools to advance communities' priority projects; Risii
assessment training; Advanced monitoring
technologies
N ~ Groundwater charattferfeatiun and
remediation
0CO-Simulating conditions in drinking water utilities; Advanced monitoring technologies M l --iris assessment for Libby Amphihole Asbestos; Asbestos exposure following forest fires UT -Fine particle air f measurement methods
rO IA - High ammonia fevels in drinking water ICS- Prairie rangeland burning; Community air quality monitoring MO - Modeis and too is to reduce sewer overflows
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OK and TX - Community all-
quality monitoring
OK -Chemical composition
analysis; Evaluating water
interactions at Superfund site
TX - Chemical contamination risks
Mi - Lead contamination technics! support; Simufating conditions in drinking water utilities FAN- Suifate standard development support; Modeling bioaccumuiation of PCBs and mercury in hsh OH - Harmful aigai blooms limiting drinking water; Managing aigai toxins; Smafi drinking water systems; Simuiating condii ions in drinking water utifities Wl --Predicting water quality at beaches
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NJand NY-Stream monitoring network; Planning for energy and air emissions NJ - PFAS N Y - Management o f bio-hazardous wastes; Planning for biological incident; Simulating conditions in drinking water utilities
0 DE, MD. PA, VA .r WV 'U ,'m n. -n. : . . . * ! ! FAD .! ............ >:: > >;m- r ........... Advanced monitoring technologies; Reducing harmful air pollutants; Management of bio-hazardous wastes FAD, PA ana i;A -m.-.v.' r <. .- m,
PA - CADDIS causal assessment; Community air quality monitoring
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NC- communityair qualitymonitoring; stem
education; Wright Chamlcai Suparfund Sita
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https://www.epa .gov/research/us-epa-office-research-and-development-and-environmentai-council-states-partners-meeting 8
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Technical Assistance on PFAS to New Hampshire
Extensive work characterizing "legacy" PFAS previously conducted by NH using contract laboratories
Ongoing technical challenges including limitations influorochemistry and related fate and transport expertise, with handling more complex sample matrices, and with the unknown nature of compounds
NH Department of Environmental Services requested ORD's assistance which resulted in a strong collaborative effort with NH collecting valuable samples and ORD applying novel methods of sampling (air) and analysis (non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometry)
Status: - Sampling and analysis is ongoing - First report (targeted analysis) delivered 4/4/2018 - Non-targeted analysis is identifying novel PFAS Impact:
- This work will help NH determine the needs for and proper design of air pollution control equipment to prevent PFAS emissions
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Technical and Emergency Support: Lead
Supporting States & Regions:
- Researching methods to improve the ability to identify lead service lines in a non-destructive way (e.g., Flint, Ml; Galesburg, IL)
- Assessing composition of pipe scales and treatment progress (e.g., Fall River, MA; Providence, Rl; Flint, Ml)
- Assisting with review of corrosion control plans and studies (e.g., Sebring, OH; Denver, CO; Providence, Rl)
Supporting the Lead & Copper Rule:
- Regulatory option selection - Multimedia exposure modeling to inform a health-based
benchmark for lead in drinking water - Corrosion control treatment options for various water
systems - Sampling methods for monitoring lead - Cost and benefits analysis
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^ Other Emergency Response
# ReAChback for Emergency Response - Quick-response scientific support capability to ensure coordinated, timely response to large-scale disasters
* Corpus Christi, TX Drinking Water Contamination - Identified decontamination approaches to purge the drinking water systems of the contaminant
11 Ebola Response - Responded to Ebola patients in U.S. by identifying decontamination methods for vehicles, facilities, and Personal Protective Equipment for health care workers, technical support for waste management, and the fate of the virus in wastewater
# Gold King Mine - Provided toxicity information and developed modeling for long-term monitoring
Elevating Critical Public Health Issues Policy - Developed a process to allow staff to expedite the elevation of important issues
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Research Products and Tools
To help ensure that the tools and resources EPA develops are accessible and useful to needs on the ground, ORD hosts a public monthly EPA Tools so d Resources webinar series to share our research, demonstrate tools and seek input from our partners.
Webinar Topics:
S Publically available, easily understandable, and not overly technical S Relevant to identified state science needs, including case studies S Highlighting work at the nexus of public health and the environment
When? Generally the 3rdWednesday of every month, 3-4 PM ET.
Past webinars and upcoming registration at: https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-tools-and-resources-webinar-series
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EPA-ECOS-ASTHO MOA
PFAS and HABs Activities with State Partners
, Communicating the Risks of PFAS and HABs: State Case Studies and Toolkits
In early 2018 ASTHO and ECOS interviewed health and environmental agency staff from 13 states about their risk communication strategies and lessons learned for either PFAS contamination or HABs. This project was funded by ORD under the MOA.
Results were compiled into brief case studies that outline the states' overall efforts, risk communication efforts, relevant resources, key messages for the public, and challenges in the states' programs or communications.
- ECOS states for PFAS state case studies (PA, Ml and NH); ASTHO states (CO, MN and NY) - ECOS states for HABs state case studies (MO, NC, OH and UT); ASTHO states (IN, OR and VT)
Public webinars in June 2018 provided key findings from the case studies and offered potential considerations to others seeking to implement or improve their risk communication practices.
ECOS-EPA Bimonthly PFAS Calls
Coordinate calls with ECOS/states to share inform ation on PFAS hum an health/toxicity, analytical m ethods, site ch a ra c te riza tio n /e xp o su re and re m e d ia tio n /tre a tm e n t w o rk. (N ext call is sch e d u le d Ju n e 20, 4 -5 pm ET) 13
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For More Information
EPA Research web page www.epa.Rov/research
- States and ORD: Partners to Meet State Research Needs https://www.epa.gov/research/states-and-ord-partners-meet-state-research-needs
- EPA Tools and Resources webinar series https://www.epa.gov/research/epa-tools-and-resources-webinar-series
- EPA ORD Strategic Research Action Plans http://www.epa.gov/research/strategic-research-action-plans
- EPA Methods, Models, Tools and Databases https://www.epa.gov/research/methods-models-tools-and-databases
EPA Science Matters newsletter https://www.epa.ROv/sciencematters
It All Starts with Science blog
b itB ^Zblog^pa^oy^cienc^
Join more than 100,000 followers on Twitter (@EPAresearch)
h ttp s://tw itter.co m /E P A research
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