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 7. AFTERWORD 

NEXT STEPS 

EPA is committed to continually improving both the quality and quantity of information available to 

answer important questions about the condition of air, water, land, human health, and ecological systems, 

and how that condition is changing over time. The results of these improvements will be communicated to 

the public via regular updates of EPA’s Report on the Environment. Specific plans for updating the 

Report include: 

• EPA’s 2007 ROE Science Report: Revised editions of this Science Report will be produced 

every 3 years and timed to provide input to the Agency’s strategic planning process. New editions 

will reflect revisions or additions to the ROE questions, updates and revisions of the indicators in 

this report, addition of new indicators, and revisions to the “Introduction” and “Discussion” 

sections of the report. 

• Electronic Report on the Environment (e-ROE): EPA’s e-ROE, which provides users with the 

ability to navigate and query the ROE content, will be updated on an ongoing basis to enable 

users to obtain indicator revisions as soon as they are available. 

• EPA ROE Highlights of National Trends 2007: This document, which communicates key 

information in the Science Report to the interested public, will be updated periodically. 

To strengthen its ability to answer the ROE questions, the Agency will work to improve current indicators 

and add relevant new indicators that meet the ROE definition and criteria. EPA plans to: 

• Expand its ability to present indicators and supporting data at variable geographical scales. 

• Strengthen existing indicators, both by resolving their limitations and by filling specific spatial 

and temporal gaps. 

• Utilize improved research, science, and technology to develop new indicators. 

• Work with the scientific community to ensure that the information reported meets EPA’s high 

standards for science. 

Partnerships with federal, state, and non-government organizations to support indicator development and 

improvement through coordinated research, monitoring, and data sharing will be critical to fulfilling this 

commitment. 

CHALLENGES 

Throughout this report, EPA uses indicators to answer what it believes are among the most important 

questions about the environment and human health. For many of these questions, the answers are 

incomplete. Three important challenges affect EPA’s ability to answer these questions: 

• Gaps and limitations in ROE indicators. 

• Emerging issues that suggest potential new areas of concern for which indicators are not yet 

available. 

• Difficulty in synthesizing and integrating information from multiple indicators to obtain a 

coherent understanding of their interrelationships relevant to answering the ROE questions. 

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All three areas offer opportunities for improvement in future editions of this report. 

Indicator Gaps and Limitations 

Each ROE question in this document focuses on a set of interrelated environmental issues (described in 

the “Introduction” to the question) about which there is a good scientific understanding. In general, there 

are ROE indicators that describe status and trends relating to some but not all of these issues. The 

“Discussion” section for each question describes the limitations in the current indicators and their 

underlying data, as well as gaps where no appropriate indicators are available to answer important parts of 

the questions. EPA is working to strategically analyze gaps and limitations in order to identify priorities 

for developing additional indicators and improving existing indicators for future reports. 

Emerging Issues 

In this report, “emerging issues” are issues whose potential to affect human health and the environment is 

not well understood. Emerging issues pose different challenges to EPA’s ability to answer the ROE 

questions than do indicator gaps and limitations. For example, many emerging issues have only recently 

been described in the scientific literature and popular press. Therefore, the current state of scientific 

understanding makes it unclear whether indicators are needed, and if so, how they should be constructed 

and tracked. Areas where issues potentially relevant to the ROE questions are emerging include: 

• New technologies, contaminants, or environmental effects potentially related to such 

contaminants. Examples include: brominated flame retardants;1,2

 residues of pharmaceuticals 

and personal care products;3, 4, 5 air pollutants related to the use of alternative fuels (e.g., biodiesel);6

 new chemicals and new uses for existing chemicals;7 wastes that contain multiple 

1

 Rayne, S., Ikonomou, M.G., and Antcliffe, B. 2003. “Rapidly increasing polybrominated diphenyl ether 

concentrations in the Columbia River system from 1992 to 2000.” Environmental Science and Technology 37(13): 

2847-2854. 

2

 Birnbaum, L.S., and D.F. Staskal. 2004. Brominated Flame Retardants: Cause for Concern? Environmental Health 

Perspectives 112(1): 9-17. 

3

 Daughton, C.G., and Ternes, T.A. 1999. Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment: Agents 

of Subtle Change? Environmental Health Perspectives 107(suppl 6): 907-944. Online at 

http://www.epa.gov/nerlesd1/chemistry/ppcp/images/errata.pdf. 

4

 Koplin, D.W., E.T. Furlong, M.T. Meyer, E.M. Thurman, S.D. Zaugg, L.B. Barber, and H.T. Buxton. 2002. 

Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999–2000: A national 

reconnaissance. Environmental Science and Technology 36:1202-1211. Available at 

http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/36/i06/pdf/es011055j.pdf 

5

 Lindsey, M.E., Meyer, M.T., and Thurman, E.M. 2001. Analysis of trace levels of sulfonamide and tetracycline 

antimicrobials in groundwater and surface water using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass 

spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry 73(19): 4640-4646. 

6

 Morris, R.E., et al.. 2003. Impact of Biodiesel Fuels on Air Quality and Human Health. NREL/SR-540-33793. 

Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/33793.pdf 

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materials that are challenging to separate, particularly for recycling and reuse;8

 the growing field 

of nanotechnology and the potential release of engineered nanomaterials (e.g., nanoparticles) to 

the environment;9

 and diseases and conditions for which there is emerging evidence that exposure 

to environmental contaminants may be a risk factor (see Section 5.3.3). 

• Issues for which the inherent complexity of the interactions between pollutants, 

environmental media, and ecological systems makes it unclear what should be measured. 

Examples include: (1) interactions between changing climate and feedback mechanisms and the 

effects of a wide range of pollutants on human health, water resources, ecosystems, coastal areas, 

and other valued resources,10,11,12,13 including the distribution and occurrence of harmful algal 

blooms or other pathogens;14 and (2) loss of genetic diversity, which may result in the loss of an 

entire species if that species becomes less able to adapt to changing conditions.15 

These examples are neither definitive nor prioritized, but offered simply to illustrate the types of 

challenges that lie ahead. 

Synthesis and Integration 

Synthesizing and integrating information across multiple indicators has been a major challenge in 

developing this report. Linkages between trends in different indicators have been noted where they are 

7

 U.S. DOE. 2000. Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Chemical Industry Report prepared by Energetics 

Incorporated. Columbia, MD http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/chemicals/ 

8

 U.S. EPA 2001.Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling United States Solid 

Waste and EPA 530-F-01-006. Environmental Protection Emergency Response http://www.epa.gov/epr 

9

 Oberdörster, G., E. Oberdörster, and J. Oberdörster. 2005. Nanotoxicology: An emerging discipline evolving from 

studies of ultrafine particles. Environ Health Perspect. 113:823-39. 

10 Foley, J. 2005. Atmospheric Science: Tipping Points in the Tundra. Science 310(5,748):627-628. 

11 Milkov, A.V. 2004. Global estimates of hydrate-bound gas in marine sediments: how much is really out there? 

Earth Sci. Rev. 66(3-4):183-197. 

12 Faeth, P., and Greenhalgh, S. 2000. A Climate and Environmental Strategy for U.S. Agriculture. WRI Issue Brief, 

World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, November 2000. 

13 Harrison, J., and P. Matson. 2003. “Patterns and controls of nitrous oxide emissions from waters draining a 

subtropical agricultural valley.” Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 17(3): 1080. 

14 Daniels, N.A., and Shafaie, A. 2000. A Review of Pathogenic Vibrio Infections for Clinicians. Infections in 

Medicine 17(10): 665-685. Online at 

http://www.issc.org/Vibrio_vulnificus_Education/Published%20Vibrio%20vulnificus%20Reference%20Materials.p 

df. 

15 Bagley, M. J., S. E. Franson, S. A. Christ, E. R. Waits, and G. P. Toth. 2003. Genetic Diversity As An Indicator 

Of Ecosystem Condition And Sustainability: Utility For Regional Assessments Of Stream Condition In The Eastern 

United States. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-03/056. 

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clear and scientifically defensible (e.g., acid deposition and the acid neutralizing capacity in lakes and 

streams, or air emissions and concentration of sulfur dioxide). However, in many cases, it is not clear 

whether a trend in a human health or ecological indicator is directly linked to trends in other, potentially 

related indicators. In developing future editions of the ROE, EPA will strive to identify approaches and 

criteria for synthesis and integration that have a sound scientific basis. 

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APPENDIX A: 

GLOSSARY AND ACRONYMS 

This glossary provides definitions for a limited set of terms. Most of these terms are included because 

they have a particular usage or meaning either within EPA or in the context of this report. A few others 

are included to ensure understanding of intended meaning because they are key terms within this report. 

This glossary does not include other scientific terms for which standard definitions are readily available. 

[Note: Acronyms will be added at a later stage.] 

A 

advisory: A nonregulatory document that communicates risk information to those who may have to make 

risk management decisions. For example, a fish consumption advisory may recommend that people limit 

or avoid eating certain species of fish caught from certain lakes, rivers, or coastal waters. In some cases, 

advisories may include recommendations for specific groups (such as infants, children, the elderly, or 

women who are pregnant or may become pregnant). 

agricultural and animal waste: Waste generated by the production and harvest of crops or trees or the 

rearing of animals. Animal waste is a subset of agricultural waste and includes waste (e.g., feed waste, 

bedding and litter, and feedlot and paddock runoff) from livestock, dairy, and other animal-related 

agricultural and farming practices. 

air pollutant: Any substance in air that could, in high enough concentration, harm humans, animals, 

vegetation, or material. Air pollutants can include almost any natural or artificial composition of matter 

capable of being airborne—solid particles, liquid droplets, gases, or a combination thereof. Air pollutants 

are often grouped in categories for ease in classification; some of the categories are sulfur compounds, 

volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, nitrogen compounds, and radioactive compounds 

Air Quality Index (AQI): An index for reporting daily air quality that characterizes air pollution levels 

and associated health effects that might be of concern. EPA calculates the AQI for five criteria pollutants. 

AQI values range from 0 to 500; the higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the 

greater the health concern. AQI values below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI 

values are above 100, air quality is considered to be unhealthy—at first for certain sensitive groups of 

people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher. Refer to EPA’s AIRNOW Web site 

(http://www.epa.gov/airnow) for more information on the AQI and how it is calculated. 

Air Quality System (AQS): EPA’s electronic repository of ambient air monitoring data collected by 

EPA, state, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies from thousands of monitoring stations. AQS 

contains monitoring data, descriptive information about monitoring stations, and data quality assurance 

and quality control information. 

air toxics: Air pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as 

reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects. Examples of toxic 

air pollutants include benzene, found in gasoline; perchloroethylene, emitted from some dry cleaning 

facilities; and methylene chloride, used as a solvent by a number of industries. Air toxics are also known 

as hazardous air pollutants. 

anthropogenic: Originating from humans; not naturally occurring. 

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area source: A source of air pollution that is released over an area that cannot be classified as a point 

source. Area sources can include vehicles and other small engines, small businesses and household 

activities, or biogenic sources such as a forest that releases hydrocarbons. 

B 

baseline: A reference condition against which changes or trends are judged—usually a set of conditions 

that exist at a particular point in time. 

benchmark: A concentration or other accepted measure against which environmental conditions are 

compared. 

bioaccumulative compound: A compound that tends to accumulate in tissues and build up in food webs. 

Some bioaccumulative compounds can potentially have adverse effects on ecosystems or human health. 

biogenic source: An air emissions source created by some sort of biological activity. Examples include 

emissions resulting from microbial activity in soils and emissions from trees and other vegetation. 

Emissions from biogenic sources are a subset of emissions from natural sources (see natural source). 

biological balance: The interrelationships among organisms, including the structure of food webs and the 

ability of ecological systems to maintain themselves over time. Balance is a dynamic characteristic, rather 

than a fixed state. 

biological diversity: The variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in 

which they occur. Though it most often refers to the numbers of species, the term can apply to levels of 

organization ranging from genes to ecoystems. 

biomarker: A molecular or cellular indicator (or “marker”) of an event or condition (exposure, effect, 

susceptibility) in a biological system or sample. The product of an interaction between a contaminant and 

some target molecule or cell. 

biomarker of effect: A measure of disease progression, representing a measurable alteration at the 

molecular, cellular, or some other structural level in the body that can be recognized as a potential or 

established adverse health effect. Such a biomarker can indicate a biological response or health effect 

related to a chemical or other stressor; however, it is not always possible to link a biomarker with 

exposure to a single substance. 

biomarker of exposure: The level of a contaminant or its metabolite collected from the body or from 

substances produced or excreted within biological systems. In humans, this measurement can reflect the 

amount of the contaminant that is stored in the body, and is sometimes referred to as the body burden. It 

indicates the level of exposure. 

biomarker of susceptibility: A measurement of individual factors that can affect response to 

environmental agents. Examples include enzymes whose presence or absence may reflect a particular 

genetic condition. 

biomonitoring: The measurement of human tissues or excreta from biological systems for direct or 

indirect evidence of exposure to chemical, biological, or radiological substances. 

biotic environment: The biological component of an ecosystem, including plants and animals. 

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C 

cleanup: Action taken to deal with a release (or threat of release) of a hazardous substance that could 

affect humans and/or the environment. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with the terms 

“remedial action,” “removal action,” “response action,” and “corrective action.” 

climate change: A term sometimes used to refer to all forms of climatic inconsistency; because the 

Earth’s climate is never static, the term is more properly used to imply a significant change from one 

climatic condition to another. In some cases, “climate change” has been used synonymously with “global 

warming.” Scientists, however, tend to use “climate change” in the wider sense to also include natural 

changes in climate. 

coastal waters: Waters at the interface between terrestrial environments and the open ocean. Many 

unique habitats lie in coastal waters—for example, estuaries, coastal wetlands, seagrass meadows, coral 

reefs, mangrove and kelp forests, and upwelling areas. 

community: In ecology, an assemblage of populations of different species within a specified location in 

space and time. Sometimes, a particular subgrouping may be specified, such as the fish community in a 

lake or the soil arthropod community in a forest. 

community water system: A water system that supplies drinking water to 25 or more of the same people 

year-round in their residences. 

condition: The state of a resource, generally reflecting a combination of physical, chemical, and 

biological characteristics such as temperature, water clarity, chemical composition, or the status of 

biological communities. ROE questions address the condition of fresh surface waters, ground water, 

wetlands, coastal waters, recreational waters, and consumable fish and shellfish. (Also see ecological 

condition.) 

construction and demolition debris: Waste materials generated during the construction, renovation, and 

demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges. Construction and demolition debris often contains bulky, 

heavy materials such as concrete, wood (from buildings), asphalt (from roads and roofing shingles), 

gypsum (from drywall), metals, bricks, glass, plastics, building components (doors, windows, plumbing 

fixtures), and trees, stumps, earth, and rock from clearing sites. 

contaminant: Any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter that has an adverse 

effect on air, water, or soil. 

contaminated land: Land that has been polluted with hazardous materials and requires cleanup or 

remediation. Contaminated lands include sites contaminated as a result of improper handling or disposal 

of toxic and hazardous wastes, sites where improper handling or accidents released toxic or hazardous 

materials that are not wastes, and sites where toxics may have been deposited by wind or flooding. 

criteria pollutants: A group of six widespread and common air pollutants that EPA regulates on the 

basis of standards set to protect public health or the environment (see National Ambient Air Quality 

Standards). The six criteria pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particulate 

matter, and sulfur dioxide. 

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D 

deleted NPL site: A site that has been deleted from the Superfund National Priorities List because its 

cleanup goals have been met and there is no further need for federal action. See Superfund and National 

Priorities List. 

drinking water quality: Refers to whether contaminants are present in water that people drink—

including water from the tap, private wells, hauled water, untreated surface water sources, and bottled 

water—at levels that could affect human health. 

drinking water standards: Regulations that EPA sets to control the level of contaminants in the nation’s 

drinking water. Enforceable standards include Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) and Treatment 

Techniques (TTs) (see separate entries for each). Drinking water standards apply to all public water 

systems (see public water system). 

E 

ecological condition: A term referring to the state of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics 

of the environment, and the processes and interactions that connect them. 

ecological connectivity: A term referring to the connected system of open space throughout an ecosystem 

and adjacent ecosystems. Includes the presence of ecotones, the transitional regions between ecosystems. 

ecological processes: The metabolic functions of ecosystems—energy flow, elemental cycling, and the 

production, consumption, and decomposition of organic matter. 

ecological system: A hierarchically nested area that includes all living organisms (people, plants, 

animals, and microorganisms), their physical surroundings (such as soil, water, and air), and the natural 

cycles that sustain them. 

ecoregion: An area within which the ecosystems—and the type, quality, and quantity of environmental 

resources—are generally similar. An ecoregion can serve as a spatial framework for the research, 

assessment, management, and monitoring of ecosystems and ecosystem components. Several different 

classification schemes have been developed, at various resolutions. For more information about EPA’s 

ecoregion designations for North America, visit 

http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/ecoregions/ecoregions.htm. 

ecosystem: The interacting system of a particular biological community and its non-living environmental 

surroundings, or a class of such systems (e.g., forests or wetlands). 

emission factor: The relationship between the amount of pollution produced by a particular source and 

the amount of raw material processed. For example, an emission factor for a blast furnace making iron 

might be pounds of particulates emitted per ton of raw materials processed. 

emission inventory: A listing, by source and pollutant, of the amount of air pollutants discharged into the 

atmosphere. Emission inventories can be based on emissions estimates, emissions measurements, or both. 

end state: Any one of a number of ecosystem characteristics observed at a point in time. The term is 

commonly used to represent the results of ecological processes. 

endpoint: A biological or ecological characteristic that is the basis for evaluation or measurement. 

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EPA Region: One of ten EPA geographic divisions, each responsible for executing the Agency’s

programs within a specific group of states and territories. A map of the EPA Regions is provided in 

Figure 1-1. 

ephemeral waters: Waterbodies (e.g., streams or wetlands) that contain water for brief periods, usually 

in direct response to a precipitation event. Ephemeral waters generally flow for a shorter time period than 

intermittent waters, although in some cases the terms are used interchangeably (see intermittent waters). 

exposure: For humans, the amount of a chemical, physical, or biological contaminant at the outer 

boundary of the body available for exchange or intake via inhalation, ingestion, or skin or eye contact. 

extent: The amount and distribution of a resource, which may be measured in terms of spatial area, 

volume, depth, or flow (e.g., for water resources). ROE questions address the extent of fresh surface 

waters, ground water, wetlands, and coastal waters. 

extraction and mining waste: Soil and rock generated during the process of gaining access to the ore or 

mineral body, as well as water that infiltrates the mine during the extraction process. This category also 

includes certain wastes associated with the beneficiation of ores and minerals, including wastes from the 

following activities: crushing, grinding, washing, dissolution, crystallization, filtration, sorting, sizing, 

drying, sintering, pelletizing, briquetting, calcining to remove water and/or carbon dioxide, roasting in 

preparation for leaching (except where the roasting/leaching sequence produces a final or intermediate 

product that does not undergo further beneficiation or processing), gravity concentration, magnetic 

separation, electrostatic separation, floatation, ion exchange, solvent extraction, electrowinning, 

precipitation, amalgamation, and heap, dump, vat, tank, and in situ leaching. 

F 

final NPL site: A site that has been formally added to the Superfund National Priorities List. See 

Superfund and National Priorities List. 

finished water: Water that has been treated and is ready to be delivered to customers. 

fossil fuel combustion waste: Waste from the combustion of oil, natural gas, or petroleum coke; the 

combustion of coal at electric utilities and independent power-producing facilities, non-utilities, and 

facilities with fluidized bed combustion technology; or the combustion of mixtures of coal and other fuels 

(i.e., coburning of coal with other fuels where coal is at least 50 percent of the total fuel. 

G 

global climate change: See climate change. 

greenhouse gas: Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include 

water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons 

(HCFCs), ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 

H 

hazardous air pollutants: See air toxics. 

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hazardous waste: Waste with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health 

or the environment. The universe of hazardous wastes is large and diverse. Hazardous wastes can be 

liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludges. They can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or 

simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides. Hazardous waste is regulated 

under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C (see RCRA hazardous waste for 

the regulatory definition). States can identify additional wastes as hazardous beyond those identified by 

EPA. 

health-based standards: Standards based on an evaluation of available data on existing or potential risks 

to human health. 

high-priority Corrective Action site: One of 1,714 RCRA Corrective Action Program Cleanup Baseline 

sites, designated in 1999 as having high priority for cleanup by federal and state agencies. See RCRA 

Cleanup Baseline. 

hypoxia: The occurrence of low dissolved oxygen concentrations in water. Hypoxia is generally defined 

with respect to saturation; because saturation levels vary with temperature and salinity, the concentration 

that defines hypoxia may vary seasonally and geographically. In practice, scientists often use a threshold 

of 2 parts per million, the generally accepted minimum required for most marine life to survive and 

reproduce. 

I 

impervious surface: A hard surface area that either prevents or retards the entry of water into the soil 

mantle or causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow. Common 

impervious surfaces include rooftops, walkways, patios, driveways, parking lots, storage areas, concrete 

or asphalt paving, and gravel roads. 

index: A single number, derived from two or more environmental variables, that is intended to simplify 

complex information. For example, the Index of Biological Integrity combines several metrics of benthic 

community condition into a single index score. 

index period: In EPA’s aquatic resource monitoring, a term used to describe the portion of the year when 

data are collected. The index period is often selected based on ecological considerations. 

indicator: A numerical value derived from actual measurements of a stressor, state or ambient condition, 

exposure, or human health or ecological condition over a specified geographic domain, whose trends over 

time represent or draw attention to underlying trends in the condition of the environment. 

industrial non-hazardous waste: Waste generated from processes associated with the production of 

goods and products, such as electric power generation and manufacturing of materials such as pulp and 

paper, iron and steel, glass, and concrete. This waste usually is not classified as municipal solid waste by 

the federal government, but some states may classify it as such if it enters the municipal solid waste 

stream. 

industrial source: A term used in this report to describe air emissions sources of industrial origin. The 

report breaks industrial sources down into contributions from selected industries, as appropriate. 

intermittent waters: Waterbodies (e.g., streams or wetlands) that contain water for part of each year, due 

to precipitation events and some ground water contributions. Intermittent streams and wetlands typically 

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contain water for weeks or months, while “ephemeral” streams and wetlands contain water for briefer 

periods—but in some cases these terms are used interchangeably (see ephemeral waters). 

invasive species: A non-indigenous plant or animal species that can harm the environment, human health, 

or the economy. 

L 

land treatment unit: A site where physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring in the topsoil 

layers (e.g., naturally occurring soil microbes and sunlight) are used to treat and contain waste. Hazardous 

waste is applied directly to the soil surface or incorporated into the upper layers of the soil, where its 

constituents are degraded, transformed, or immobilized. Liner systems or leachate collection and removal 

systems are not required for land treatment units. Closure consists primarily of placing a vegetative cover 

over the unit and certifying that hazardous constituent levels in the treatment zone do not exceed 

background levels. 

landfill: A disposal site for solid wastes spread in layers, compacted to the smallest practical volume, and 

covered by material (e.g., soil). Landfills are designed to isolate waste from the surrounding environment 

(e.g., ground water, rain, air). Landfills are subject to requirements that include installing and maintaining 

a final cover, operating leachate collection and removal systems, maintaining and monitoring the leak 

detection system, ground water monitoring, preventing storm water run-on and -off, and installing and 

protecting surveyed benchmarks. 

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Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that EPA allows in drinking 

water. MCLs are enforceable standards that ensure that drinking water does not pose either a short-term 

or long-term health risk. EPA sets MCLs at levels that are economically and technologically feasible. 

Some states set MCLs that are more strict than EPA’s. 

medical waste: Any solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings 

or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals, excluding 

hazardous waste identified or listed under 40 CFR Part 261 or any household waste as defined in 40 CFR 

Sub-Section 261.4(b)(1). 

metal mining sector: Metal mining facilities that fall within Standard Industrial Classification Code 10 

and must report to the Toxics Release Inventory in accordance with Section 313 of the Emergency 

Planning and Community Right to Know Act. 

mobile source: A term used to describe a wide variety of vehicles, engines, and equipment that generate 

air pollution and that move, or can be moved, from place to place. “On-road” sources are vehicles used on 

roads to transport passengers or freight. “Nonroad” sources include vehicles, engines, and equipment used 

for construction, agriculture, transportation, recreation, and many other purposes. 

municipal solid waste: Waste from homes, institutions, and commercial sources consisting of everyday 

items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles and cans, food scraps, 

newspapers, appliances, consumer electronics, and batteries. (Excluded from this category are municipal 

wastewater treatment sludges, industrial process wastes, automobile bodies, combustion ash, and 

construction and demolition debris.) 

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National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS): Standards established by EPA that apply to 

outdoor air throughout the country. The Clean Air Act established two types of national air quality 

standards. Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of “sensitive” 

populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards set limits to protect public 

welfare, including protection against decreased visibility, damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and 

buildings. EPA has set NAAQS for the six criteria pollutants. 

national indicator: An ROE indicator for which nationally consistent data are available, and which helps 

to answer an ROE question at a national scale. Some national indicators also present data broken down by 

EPA Region. See ROE indicator. 

National Priorities List (NPL): EPA’s list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous 

waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund. See Superfund. 

natural source: A term used in this report to describe any air emissions source of natural origin. 

Examples include volcanoes, wild fires, wind-blown dust, and releases due to biological processes (see 

biogenic source. 

non-indigenous species: A species that has been introduced by human action, either intentionally or by 

accident, into an area outside its natural geographical range; also called an alien, exotic, introduced, or 

non-native species. Certain non-indigenous species are considered “invasive.” (See invasive species.) 

non-production-related waste: Waste that is not production-related; for example, waste associated with 

catastrophic events and cleanup actions. Toxic chemicals in non-production-related waste must be 

reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (see Toxics Release Inventory). 

non-transient non-community water system: A type of public water system that supplies water to 25 or 

more of the same people at least six months per year in places other than their residences. Some examples 

are schools, factories, office buildings, and hospitals that have their own water systems. (See public water 

system.) 

nonpoint source: A diffuse source of pollution, having no single point of origin. This term is commonly 

used to describe water pollution caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground and 

carrying natural and human-made contaminants into lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, estuaries, other 

coastal waters, and ground water. Atmospheric deposition and hydrologic modification are also sources of 

nonpoint water pollution. 

non-public water system: A water system that does not provide water for human consumption through at 

least 15 service connections, or regularly serve at least 25 individuals, for at least 60 days per year. 

nutrient: Any substance assimilated by living things that promotes growth. The term is generally applied 

to nitrogen and phosphorus but is also applied to other essential and trace elements. 

O 

oil and gas production waste: Gas and oil drilling muds, oil production brines, and other waste 

associated with exploration for, or development and production of, crude oil or natural gas. 

onsite treatment: See treatment. 

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ozone-depleting substance: Any compound that contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion (see ozone 

depletion). 

ozone depletion: Destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer, which shields the earth from ultraviolet 

radiation harmful to life. This destruction of ozone is caused by the breakdown of certain chlorine- and/or 

bromine-containing compounds (chlorofluorocarbons or halons). These compounds break down when 

they reach the stratosphere and then catalytically destroy ozone molecules. 

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point source: A fixed location or facility that discharges pollution—for example, a factory smokestack, a 

ship, an ore pit, a ditch, or a pipe discharging treated industrial wastewater or treated sewage into a 

waterway. 

pollutant: Any substance introduced into the environment that may adversely affect the usefulness of a 

resource or the health of humans, animals, or ecosystems. For most environmental media, this term is 

commonly understood to refer to substances introduced by human activities. In the case of air, the 

convention is to include substances emitted from natural sources as well (see air pollutant). 

population: In ecology, a group of interbreeding organisms occupying a particular space. In other 

contexts, including human health, this term generally refers to the number of humans living in a 

designated area. 

precursor: In photochemistry, any compound antecedent to a pollutant. For example, volatile organic 

compounds and nitrogen oxides react in sunlight to form ozone or other photochemical oxidants. As such, 

VOCs and nitrogen oxides are precursors. 

primary pollutant: Any pollutant that is emitted into the atmosphere directly from its source and that 

retains the same chemical form. An example of a primary pollutant is dust that blows into the air from a 

landfill. 

Priority Chemicals: A set of chemicals, found in the nation’s products and wastes, that EPA targets for 

voluntary reduction (or recovery and recycling if they cannot be eliminated or reduced at the source). The 

list of Priority Chemicals is available at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/chemlist.htm. 

production-related waste: The sum of a facility’s production-related onsite waste releases, onsite waste 

management (recycling, treatment, and combustion for energy recovery), and offsite transfers for 

disposal, treatment, recycling, or energy recovery. Toxic chemicals in production-related waste must be 

reported to the Toxics Release Inventory (see Toxics Release Inventory). 

public water system: A system that provides water for human consumption through at least 15 service 

connections, or regularly serves at least 25 individuals, for at least 60 days per year. Public water systems 

are divided into three categories (see community water system, non-transient non-community water 

system, and transient non-community water system). Examples of public water systems include municipal 

water companies, homeowner associations, schools, businesses, campgrounds, and shopping malls. 

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radioactive waste:

classified by regula

considered “radioa

 Waste containing substances that emit ionizing radiation. Radioactive waste is 

tion according to its source and/or content. The types of waste that are typically 

ctive waste” include high-level waste, low-level waste, mixed low-level waste, 

transuranic waste (i.e., elements heavier than uranium), and certain wastes from the extraction and 

processing of uranium or thorium ore. Spent nuclear fuel, which is produced as a result of the controlled 

nuclear fission process in nuclear reactors, is considered a nuclear material rather than radioactive waste. 

RCRA Cleanup Baseline: A priority subset of the universe of facilities that are subject to cleanup under 

the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) due to past or current treatment, storage, or 

disposal of hazardous wastes, and that have historical releases of contamination. 

RCRA hazardous waste: A national regulatory designation for certain wastes under the Resource 

Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Some wastes are given this designation because they are 

specifically listed on one of four RCRA hazardous waste lists (see 

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/hazwaste.htm). Other wastes receive this designation because they 

exhibit at least one of four characteristics—ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. 

regional indicator: An ROE indicator that helps to answer an ROE question on a smaller-than-national 

geographic scale. A regional indicator may cover a topic for which nationally consistent data are 

unavailable, or it may present an issue that is of particular concern within a certain geographic area. See 

ROE indicator. 

risk factor: A characteristic (e.g., race, sex, age, obesity) or variable (e.g., smoking, occupational 

exposure level) associated with increased probability of an adverse effect. 

ROE indicator: An indicator that meets the ROE criteria (see Box 1-1, p. 1-7) and has been peerreviewed. See indicator. 

S 

secondary pollutant: Any pollutant that is formed by atmospheric reactions of precursor or primary 

emissions. Secondary pollutants undergo chemical or physical changes once they reach the atmosphere. 

An example of a secondary pollutant is ground-level ozone, which forms from chemical reactions 

involving airborne nitrogen oxides, airborne volatile organic compounds, and sunlight 

sewage sludge: A semi-solid residue from any of a number of air or water treatment processes. When 

treated and processed, sewage sludge becomes a nutrient-rich organic material called biosolids. 

stratosphere: The layer of the atmosphere that starts about 6 to 9 miles above the Earth’s surface at midlatitudes and lies atop the troposphere. The stratosphere contains small amounts of gaseous ozone, which 

filters out about 99 percent of the incoming ultraviolet radiation. 

stressor: A physical, chemical, or biological entity that can induce adverse effects on ecosystems or 

human health. 

Superfund: A program, operated under the legislative authority of the Comprehensive Environmental 

Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, 

that funds and carries out EPA solid waste emergency and long-term removal and remedial activities. 

These activities include establishing the National Priorities List, investigating sites for inclusion on the 

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list, determining their priority, and conducting and/or supervising cleanup and other remedial actions. See 

National Priorities List. 

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toxic chemical: A chemical that can produce injury if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. 

Toxics Release Inventory (TRI): A database containing detailed information on nearly 650 chemicals 

and chemical categories that over 23,000 industrial and other facilities manage through disposal or other 

releases, recycling, energy recovery, or treatment. 

Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals: The chemicals and chemical categories that appear on the 

current TRI toxic chemical list. As of March 2006, the TRI toxic chemical list contains 581 individually 

listed chemicals and 30 chemical categories (including 3 delimited categories containing 58 chemicals). 

The list of TRI chemicals is available at http://www.epa.gov/tri/chemical/index.htm. 

Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facilities: The facilities that are required by Section 313 of the 

Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act to report to the TRI. In the 2003 reporting year, 

23,811 facilities reported to the TRI. 

transient non-community water system: A type of public water system that provides water in a place— 

such as a gas station or campground—where people do not remain for long periods of time. These 

systems do not have to test or treat their water for contaminants that pose long-term health risks, because 

fewer than 25 people drink the water over a long period. They still must test their water for microbes and 

several chemicals. (See public water system.) 

treatment: Any process that changes the physical, chemical, or biological character of a waste to make it 

less of an environmental threat. Treatment can neutralize the waste, recover energy or material resources 

from it, render it less hazardous, or make it safer to transport, store, or dispose of. 

Treatment Technique (TT): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in 

drinking water. 

troposphere: The layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth’s surface. The troposphere extends from 

the surface up to about 6 to 9 miles. 

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underground injection: The technology of placing fluids underground in porous formations of rocks, 

through wells or other conveyance systems. The fluids may be water, wastewater, or water mixed with 

chemicals. Regulations for disposing of waste this way vary depending on type of waste. RCRA 

hazardous waste is placed in highly regulated (Class 1) wells. 

urbanization: The concentration of development in relatively small areas (cities and suburbs). The U.S. 

Census Bureau defines “urban” as referring to areas with more than 1.5 people per acre. 

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wadeable stream: A stream, creek, or small river that is shallow enough to be sampled using methods 

that involve wading into the water. Wadeable streams typically include waters classified as first through 

fourth order in the Strahler Stream Order classification system (Strahler, 1952). 

wetland: An area that is inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration 

sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation 

typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, 

and similar areas. 

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1 APPENDIX B: 

2 DEVELOPMENT OF EPA’s 2007 ROE: SCIENCE REPORT 

3 

4 EPA’s 2007 Report on the Environment: Science Report (2007 ROE SR) was developed by the U.S. 

5 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) led this 

6 collaborative project, which involved EPA’s program and Regional offices as well as external partners. 

7 This appendix describes the key elements of the 2007 ROE development process. 

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9 Section 1.01 Laying the Foundation 

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11 EPA published its Draft Report on the Environment (2003 Draft ROE) in June 2003 and invited feedback. 

12 The Agency received comments from several sources: 

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14 • The Science Advisory Board (SAB) reviewed the 2003 Draft ROE Technical Document in 

15 March 2004, issuing draft comments shortly afterwards and publishing final comments in 

16 December 2004 (SAB, 2004). 

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18 • Through February 2004, the public provided comments on the 2003 Draft ROE Technical 

19 Document via EPA’s on-line public comment system (EPA, 2004a). 

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21 • Stakeholders commented on the 2003 Draft ROE Public Report during six dialogue sessions 

22 across the nation in 2003 and early 2004 (EPA, 2004b). 

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24 In January 2004, the EPA Administrator requested that work begin to develop the next version of the 

25 Report on the Environment. Exhibit B-1 shows the organizational structure for development of EPA’s 

26 2007 ROE: Science Report1. A standing ROE Work Group took the lead in all phases of development. 

27 The group included five theme leads, each responsible for development for a particular chapter of the 

28 2007 ROE, plus representatives of EPA Regions and other relevant EPA offices. During the development 

29 process, the theme leads coordinated with other federal agencies and organizations involved in indicator 

30 development or data collection. An Environmental Indicators Steering Committee, comprised of senior 

31 managers from across the Agency, oversaw development of the Science Report. The Steering Committee 

32 reviewed work group activities and draft products. 

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34 The ROE Science Report is based on three fundamental components: 

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36 • (1) A series of fundamental questions about the condition of the environment and its impact 

37 on human health that the Agency considers to be most important and relevant to its mission. 

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39 • (2) An indicator definition. 

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41 • (3) Criteria against which indicators are evaluated in terms of how they answer the questions. 

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An additional organizational element, the Indicators Work Group, was added to the process as the indicators were 

being finalized for the July 2005 peer review. The Indicators Work Group provided coordination between the ROE 

Work Group and the Steering Committee. 

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The first step in developing the 2007 Report on the Environment was to review and refine the 2003 Draft 

ROE version of these components: 

• Questions: Over 100 EPA specialists from across the Agency were convened in the five 

ROE theme areas: air, water, land, human health, and ecological condition. Each theme team was 

charged with considering feedback and refining the ROE questions. The questions were finalized 

after review by the Environmental Indicators Steering Committee. 

• Indicator definition and criteria: The 2003 Draft ROE indicator definition and criteria 

were refined for the 2007 ROE using an iterative process that included input from EPA specialists 

and review by the Environmental Indicators Steering Committee. Care was taken to ensure that 

the criteria were consistent with requirements of EPA’s Information Quality Guidelines. 

Section 1.02 Indicator Development 

Once the questions, definition, and criteria were refined, the next step was to identify and develop 

indicators to answer the questions: 

• 2003 Draft ROE indicators were screened against the 2007 ROE indicator definition and 

criteria. Many 2003 Draft ROE indicators were proposed for the 2007 ROE; some were 

withdrawn. 

• Ideas for new indicators were solicited from across EPA, other federal agencies, and 

organizations. Newly proposed indicators were screened for their ability to meet the indicator 

definition and criteria and for their value in answering the ROE questions. 

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For indicators that passed screening, three components were developed: 

• Text describing the indicator. 

• A graphic or table displaying the indicator data. 

• A metadata form that documents the data source and quality (see Box B-1). 

The 2007 ROE development team worked with staff at other departments, agencies, and private 

organizations that originally developed indicators or provided indicator data to ensure that indicator 

graphics, data, and quality assurance information were up to date and accurate. Indicators were reviewed 

by the Environmental Indicators Steering Committee. 

Section 1.03 Indicator Peer Review and Public Comment 

Once the full suite of proposed indicators was assembled, all indicators were independently peer reviewed 

by nationally recognized experts to ensure that they were scientifically sound and properly documented, 

met the indicator definition and criteria, and were useful for answering the questions posed in the ROE. 

Two rounds of review were conducted: 

• At a workshop in July 2005, 21 experts reviewed the initial set of 88 proposed indicators. 

• In November 2005, nine experts reviewed 11 indicators that were new or substantially 

revised since the July review. 

The peer review, organized by a contractor, was conducted following Office of Management and 

Budget’s (OMB’s) specifications for peer review of “Highly Influential Scientific Assessments” as 

specified in OMB’s “Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review” (OMB, 2004). The reviewer 

selection criteria, list of reviewers, charge to reviewers, and reviewer comments can be found in the peer 

review summary report (EPA, 2006). EPA announced the peer reviews in the Federal Register and also 

posted the proposed indicators on a website for public comment. Key questions addressed during the 

review are listed in Box B-2. After the peer review and public comment period, EPA revised and finalized 

the indicators. EPA’s responses to reviewer and public comments are available at [provide url]. 

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Box B-1. Questions Addressed in the 2007 ROE Metadata Forms 

 Are the physical, chemical, or biological measurements upon which this indicator is based widely accepted as 

scientifically and technically valid? 

 Is the sampling design and/or monitoring plan used to collect the data over time and space based on sound 

scientific principles? 

 Is the conceptual model used to transform these measurements into an indicator widely accepted as a 

scientifically sound representation of the phenomenon it indicates? 

 To what extent is the indicator sampling design and monitoring plan appropriate for answering the relevant 

question in the ROE? 

 To what extent does the sampling design represent sensitive populations or ecosystems? 

 Are there established reference points, thresholds or ranges of values for this indicator that unambiguously 

reflect the state of the environment? 

 What documentation clearly and completely describes the underlying sampling and analytical procedures 

used? 

 Is the complete data set accessible, including metadata, data-dictionaries and embedded definitions or are there 

confidentiality issues that may limit accessibility to the complete data set? 

 Are the descriptions of the study or survey design clear, complete and sufficient to enable the study or survey 

to be reproduced? 

 To what extent are the procedures for quality assurance and quality control of the data documented and 

accessible? 

 Have appropriate statistical methods been used to generalize or portray data beyond the time or spatial 

locations where measurements were made (e.g., statistical survey inference, no generalization is possible)? 

 Are uncertainty measurements or estimates available for the indicator and/or the underlying data set? 

 Do the uncertainty and variability impact the conclusions that can be inferred from the data and the utility of 

the indicator? 

 Are there limitations, or gaps in the data that may mislead a user about fundamental trends in the indicator over 

space or time period for which data are available? 

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Section 1.04 Science Report Review 

Concurrent with indicator development, EPA’s ROE team, working with specialists across the Agency, 

developed the text elements of the 2007 ROE Science Report. The final indicators were incorporated into 

the text to produce the full 2007 ROE Science Report. This document was reviewed three times: 

• Internally at EPA 

• Externally by other federal agencies and the Office of Management and Budget 

• Externally by EPA’s Science Advisory Board (includes public comment on the federal 

docket) 

EPA revised the document based on comments and, after the third review, finalized it for publication in 

2007 [provide url]. 

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Box B-2. Charge Questions for Peer Review of the Proposed 2007 ROE Indicators 

 Indicate the extent to which you think the proposed indicator is appropriate, adequate, and useful for 

evaluating [see footnote]? 

 Indicate the extent to which you think the proposed indicator makes an important contribution to answering the 

specific ROE question it is intended to answer. 

 To what extent do you think the indicator meets the indicator definition? 

 To what extent do you think the indicator meets each of the indicator criteria? 

 Do you have any suggestions for more effective graphic presentation of the data? 

 Provide any additional comments, suggestions, or concerns regarding the indicator that you have not already 

noted earlier. In particular, note any limitations to the indicator. 

 Select one: Overall, this indicator (1) ___ should be included in the ROE07 SR; (2) ___ should be included in 

the ROE07 SR with the modifications identified above; or (3) ___ should not be included in the ROE07 SR. 

 Do any of the proposed indicators clearly seem to be more appropriate, adequate, or useful for evaluating [see 

footnote] than others? Do any seem to be more important than the others for answering the question(s) they 

are intended to answer? 

 Are there any additional national-level indicators that make an important contribution to answering one of the 

ROE questions in your topic area, but were not proposed for ROE07, that you would recommend? As you 

consider this question, consider the list of indicators presented in ROE03 that EPA does not intend to carry 

forward to ROE07, along with EPA’s rationale for withdrawing them. If you disagree with EPA’s rationale 

and feel any of these indicators should be included in ROE07, please so indicate in your response to this 

question, along with your rationale for why they should be included. 

Footnote: 

This part of the charge varied according to theme area as follows: 

 Air: “...our nation’s air and therefore useful for contributing to an overall picture of our nation’s air” 

 Water: “...our nation’s waters and for contributing to an overall picture of our nation’s waters” 

 Chemicals on land: “...trends in chemicals used on land and their effects on human health and the 

environment” 

 Land wastes: “...trends in wastes and their effects on human health and the environment” 

 Health: “...human health and for contributing to an overall picture of human health” 

 Ecological Condition: “...ecological conditions and therefore useful for contributing to an overall picture 

of ecological conditions” 

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Section 1.05 

Section 1.06 References 

EPA, 2006. Report of the Peer Review of Proposed ROE07 Indicators. Washington, DC: EPA Office of 

Research and Development. Give website pdf location here 

EPA, 2004a. E-docket for Draft Report on the Environmental Technical Document. Docket Number: 

OEI-2003-0030. Through February 29, 2004. Available at: 

http://docket.epa.gov/edkpub/do/EDKStaffCollectionDetailView?objectId=0b0007d48016af48. 

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EPA, 2004b. Summary Report of the National Dialogue on the EPA Draft Report on the Environment 

2003. EPA Office of Environmental Information. Available at: 

http://www.epa.gov/indicators/docs/National_Dialogue_Summary_Report.pdf. 

OMB, 2004. Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review. December 16, 2004. Washington, DC: 

Office of Management and Budget. 

SAB, 2004. EPA’s Draft Report on the Environment (ROE) 2003: An Advisory by the ROE Advisory 

Panel of the EPA Science Advisory Board, EPA-SAB-05-004. Available at: 

http://www.epa.gov/science1/fiscal05.htm. 

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Appendix C: 

Comparison of Indicators Used in EPA’s 2003 Draft ROE and 

2007 ROE 

- Indicators new to the 2007 report are listed in bold font 

- Indicators in the 2003 report but withdrawn in 2007 are highlighted gray 

- Explanation of indicators used in the 2003 Draft ROE but not in the 2007 ROE is provided at 

the end of this appendix 

AIR CHAPTER 

OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY 

2007 ROE Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Particulate Matter Emissions Emissions: Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), 

Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, and Volatile 

Organic Compounds 

Sulfur Dioxide Emissions 

Nitrogen Oxides Emissions 

Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions 

Emissions (utility): Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen 

Oxides 

Lead Emissions Lead Emissions 

Air Toxics Emissions Air Toxics Emissions 

Acid Deposition 

Deposition: Wet Sulfate and Wet Nitrogen 

Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen (From the 

Water Chapter) 

Ambient Concentrations of Particulate Matter Ambient Concentrations of Particulate Matter: 

PM2.5 and PM10 

Ambient Concentrations of Ozone 

Ambient Concentrations of Ozone: 8-hour and 1-

hour 

Ambient Concentrations of Lead Ambient Concentrations of Lead 

Ambient Concentrations of Benzene Ambient Concentrations of Selected Air Toxics 

Percent of Days with Air Quality Index Values 

Greater Than 100 

Number and Percentage of Days that Metropolitan 

Statistical Areas (MSAs) have Air Quality Index 

(AQI) Values Greater than 100 

Ozone Levels over North America Ozone Levels Over North America 

Concentrations of Ozone-Depleting Substances 

Concentrations of Ozone-Depleting Substances 

(Effective Equivalent Chlorine) 

Regional Haze Visibility 

Lake and Stream Acidity Acid Sensitivity in Lakes and Streams (From the 

Water Chapter) 

Ozone Injury to Forest Plants Ozone Injury to Trees (From the Eco Chapter) 

Carbon Monoxide Emissions 

Mercury Emissions 

Ambient Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide 

Ambient Concentrations of Nitrogen Dioxide 

Ambient Concentrations of Manganese 

Compounds in EPA Region 5 

Ozone and Particulate Matter Concentrations 

for U.S. Counties in the U.S./Mexico Border 

Region 

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Withdrawn Worldwide and U.S. Production of OzoneDepleting Substances (ODSs) 

Withdrawn 

Number of People Living in Areas with Air Quality 

Levels Above the NAAQS for Particulate Matter 

(PM) and Ozone 

GREENHOUSE GASES 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

Atmospheric Concentrations of Greenhouse 

Gases 

INDOOR AIR QUALITY 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

U.S. Homes Above EPA's Radon Action Level U.S. Homes Above EPA's Radon Action Levels 

Blood Cotinine Level (From the Health Chapter) 

Blood Cotinine Level 

Blood Cotinine Level in Children (From the Health 

Chapter) 

Withdrawn Percentage of Homes Where Young Children are 

Exposed to Environmental Tobacco Smoke 

WATER CHAPTER

FRESH SURFACE WATERS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

High and Low Stream Flows 

Changing Stream Flows 

Number/Duration of Dry Stream Flow Periods in 

Grassland/Shrublands 

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Discharge from Large 

Rivers 

Partly New Information and Part from Indicator: 

Movement of Nitrogen (From the Eco Chapter) 

Pesticides in Streams in Agricultural 

Watersheds 

Pesticides in Farmland Streams and Ground 

Water 

Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Streams in 

Agricultural Watersheds 

Nitrate in Farmland, Forested, and Urban Streams 

and Ground Water (part replaced, part withdrawn) 

Phosphorus in Farmland, Forested, and Urban 

Streams (part replaced, part withdrawn) 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Wadeable 

Streams 

 Macroinvertebrate Biotic Integrity Index for 

Streams 

Streambed Stability in Wadeable Streams 

Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Wadeable 

Streams 

Withdrawn Altered Fresh Water Ecosystems 

Withdrawn Lake Trophic State Index 

Withdrawn Percent Urban Land Cover in Riparian Areas 

Withdrawn Agricultural Lands in Riparian Areas 

Withdrawn Sedimentation Index 

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Withdrawn Phosphorus in Large Rivers 

Withdrawn Atmospheric Deposition of Mercury 

Withdrawn Chemical Contamination in Streams and Ground 

Water 

Withdrawn Toxic Releases to Water of Mercury, Dioxin, Lead, 

PCBs, and PBTs 

Withdrawn Sediment Contamination of Inland Waters 

Withdrawn Fish Index of Biotic Integrity in Streams 

GROUND WATER 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Nitrate and Pesticides in Shallow Ground 

Water in Agricultural Areas 

Pesticides in Farmland Streams and Ground 

Water 

Nitrate in Farmland, Forested, and Urban Streams 

and Ground Water (part replaced, part withdrawn) 

WETLANDS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Wetland 

Change 

Extent, Change, and Sources of Wetland Extent and Change 

Sources of Wetland Change/Loss 

COASTAL WATERS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Trophic State of Coastal Waters 

Water Clarity in Coastal Waters 

Dissolved Oxygen in Coastal Waters 

Chlorophyll Concentrations 

Total Nitrogen in Coastal Waters 

Total Phosphorus in Coastal Waters 

Coastal Benthic Communities Benthic Community Index for Coastal Waters 

Coastal Sediment Quality 

Sediment Contamination of Coastal Waters 

Sediment Toxicity in Estuaries 

Total Organic Carbon in Sediments 

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the 

Chesapeake Bay 

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (changed to a 

Regional indicator) (From the Eco Chapter) 

Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and Long 

Island Sound 

Harmful Algal Bloom Outbreaks Along the 

Western Florida Coastline 

Withdrawn Population Density in Coastal Areas 

SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD REVIEW DRAFT: Please do not distribute, cite, or quote. C-3 
DRINKING WATER 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Population Served by Community Water 

Systems with No Reported Violations of HealthBased Standards 

Population Served by Community Water Systems 

that Meet all Health-Based Standards 

RECREATION IN AND ON THE WATER 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Withdrawn Number of Beach Days that Beaches are Closed 

or Under Advisory 

CONSUMPTION OF FISH AND SHELLFISH 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Contaminants in Lake Fish Tissue Contaminants in Fresh Water Fish 

Coastal Fish Tissue Contaminants Chemical Contamination (From the Eco Chapter) 

(part withdrawn) 

Withdrawn Percent of River Miles and Lake Acres Under Fish 

Consumption Advisories 

Withdrawn 

Number of Watersheds Exceeding Health-Based 

National Water Quality Criteria for Mercury and 

PCBs in Fish Tissue 

LAND CHAPTER 

LAND COVER 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Land Cover 

Extent of Grasslands and Shrublands 

Extent of forest area, ownership, and 

management 

Patches of Forest, Grassland, Shrubland, and 

Wetland in Urban/Suburban Areas (From the Eco 

Chapter) 

Ecosystem Extent (From the Eco Chapter) 

Land Cover in the Puget Sound/Georgia 

Basin 

LAND USE 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Land Use Extent of Urban and Suburban Lands 

Extent of Agricultural Land Uses 

Urbanization and Population Change Extent of Developed Lands (plus Land Chapter 

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Intro from 2003 Draft ROE) 

Withdrawn The Farmland Landscape 

Withdrawn Sediment Runoff Potential from Croplands and 

Pasturelands 

CHEMICALS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Fertilizer Applied for Agricultural Purposes Fertilizer Use 

Toxic Chemicals in Production-Related Wastes 

Released, Treated, Recycled, or Recovered for 

Energy Use 

Quantity and Type of Toxic Chemicals Released 

and Managed 

Toxic Releases to Water of Mercury, Dioxin, Lead, 

PCBs, and PBTs 

Pesticide Residues in Food Pesticide Residues in Food 

Reported Pesticide Incidents 

Withdrawn Agricultural Pesticide Use 

Withdrawn Potential Pesticide Runoff from Farm Fields 

Withdrawn Risk of Nitrogen Export 

Withdrawn Risk of Phosphorus Export 

Withdrawn Pesticide Leaching Potential (from the Eco 

Chapter) 

WASTE 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Quantity of Municipal Solid Waste Generated 

and Managed 

Quantity of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) 

Generated and Managed 

Number and Location of Municipal Solid Waste 

(MSW) Landfills (part replaced, part withdrawn) 

Quantity of RCRA Hazardous Waste Generated 

and Managed 

Quantity of RCRA Hazardous Waste Generated 

and Managed 

Number and Location of RCRA Hazardous Waste 

Management Facilities (part replaced, part 

withdrawn) 

Withdrawn Quantity of Radioactive Waste Generated and in 

Inventory 

Withdrawn Number and Location of Municipal Solid Waste 

(MSW) Landfills 

Withdrawn Number and Location of RCRA Hazardous Waste 

Management Facilities 

Withdrawn Number and Location of Superfund National 

Priorities List (NPL) Sites 

Withdrawn Number and Location of RCRA Corrective Action 

Sites 

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CONTAMINATED LANDS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

High-Priority Cleanup Sites Where 

Contaminated Ground Water Is Not 

Continuing to Spread Above Levels of 

Concern 

High-Priority Cleanup Sites with No Human 

Contact to Contamination in Excess of 

Health-Based Standards 

HUMAN HEALTH CHAPTER 

HEALTH STATUS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Life Expectancy at Birth Life Expectancy 

Infant Mortality Infant Mortality 

General Mortality 

DISEASE AND CONDITIONS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Cancer Incidence Cancer Incidence 

Childhood Cancer Incidence Childhood Cancer Incidence 

Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence and 

Mortality 

Cardiovascular Disease Mortality 

Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence 

Asthma Prevalence 

Asthma Prevalence 

Childhood Asthma Prevalence 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 

Prevalence and Mortality Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mortality 

Low Birthweight Low Birthweight Incidence 

Birth Defects Rates and Mortality Deaths Due to Birth Defects 

Birth Defect Incidence 

Infectious Diseases Associated with 

Environmental Exposures or Conditions 

(with the following new additions: Giardiasis, 

Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted 

Fever, West Nile Virus, Legionellosis) 

Cholera Prevalence 

Cryptosporidiosis Prevalence 

E. coli O157:H7 Prevalence 

Hepatitis A Prevalence 

Salmonellosis Prevalence 

Shigellosis Prevalence 

Typhoid Fever Prevalence 

Preterm Delivery 

Withdrawn Cancer Mortality 

Withdrawn Asthma Mortality 

Withdrawn Childhood Cancer Mortality 

Withdrawn Childhood Asthma Mortality 

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HUMAN EXPOSURE TO POLLUTANTS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Blood Lead Level Blood Lead Level 

Blood Lead Level in Children 

Blood Mercury Level Blood Mercury Level 

Blood Mercury Level in children 

Blood Cadmium Level Blood Cadmium Level 

Urinary Pesticide Level Urine Organophosphate Levels to Indicate 

Pesticides 

Blood Persistent Organic Pollutants Level 

Urinary Phthalate Level 

Withdrawn Urine Arsenic Level 

Withdrawn Blood Volatile Organic Compound Levels 

ECOLOGICAL CONDITION CHAPTER 

EXTENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Forest Extent and Type Extent of Area by Forest Type 

Forest Age Class 

Forest Fragmentation Forest Pattern and Fragmentation 

Ecological Connectivity in EPA Region 4 

Relative Ecological Condition of 

Undeveloped Land in EPA Region 5 

Withdrawn Extent of Ponds, Lakes, and Reservoirs 

Withdrawn Extent of Estuaries and Coastline 

DIVERSITY AND BIOLOGICAL BALANCE 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Fish Faunal Intactness 

Bird Populations 

Non-Indigenous Species in the Estuaries of 

the Pacific Northwest 

Withdrawn At-risk Native Forest Species 

Withdrawn Populations of Representative Forest Species 

Withdrawn Tree Condition 

Withdrawn At-risk Native Grassland and Shrubland Species 

Withdrawn Population Trends of Invasive and Native NonInvasive Bird Species 

Withdrawn Non-native Fresh Water Species 

Withdrawn At-risk Fresh Water Plant Communities 

Withdrawn At-risk Native Fresh Water Species 

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Withdrawn Coastal Living Habitats 

Withdrawn Fish Diversity 

Withdrawn At-risk Native Species 

Withdrawn Bird Community Index 

Withdrawn Shoreline Types 

ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Carbon Storage in Forests Carbon Storage 

Withdrawn Forest Disturbance: Fire, Insects, and Disease 

CRITICAL PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

U.S. and Global Mean Temperature and 

Precipitation 

Sea Level 

Sea Surface Temperature 

Withdrawn Soil Compaction 

Withdrawn Soil Erosion (Forests) 

Withdrawn Soil Erosion (Farmland) 

Withdrawn Processes Beyond the Range of Historic Variation 

Withdrawn Soil Quality Index 

Withdrawn Terrestrial Plant Growth Index 

EXPOSURE TO POLLUTANTS 

ROE 2007 Indicator Title Corresponding 2003 Draft ROE Indicator Title 

Withdrawn Animal Deaths and Deformities 

Withdrawn Fish Abnormalities 

Withdrawn Unusual Marine Mortalities 

Explanation of indicators used in the 2003 Draft ROE but not in the 2007 ROE 

A number of indicators were included in EPA’s 2003 Draft ROE that are not included in the 2007 ROE. 

The general reasons for these changes are described below, followed by indicator-specific explanations. 

Members of the independent scientific review panel that reviewed the draft indicators for the 2007 

ROE recommended their withdrawal. 

EPA’s Science Advisory Board Committee review of the 2003 Draft ROE recommended EPA 

develop and utilize a more precise definition of “indicator” than was used for 2003 Draft ROE. 

EPA developed a set of specific indicator criteria to provide a more precise conformance to Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) and EPA Information Quality Guidelines. 

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The 2007 ROE introduced a Regional Pilot Project and developed and implemented a relevant 

process. Sub-national or regional indicators that were included in 2003 Draft ROE but did not go 

through this pilot are not included in the 2007 ROE. 

When screened against these factors, a small number of the indicators in 2003 DRAFT ROE did not 

conform to one or more of these requirements. Explanations for not including these indicators were peer 

reviewed by an independent scientific panel along with the indicators in this report. Broadly speaking, the 

explanations for withdrawal fall into four categories, coded as follows: 

(D) Definition – The indicator fails to meet the improved indicator definition for the 2007 ROE. 

(C) Criteria – The indicator fails to meet one of the six indicator criteria that were established to 

conform to EPA Information Quality Guidelines. 

(N) New indicator – The indicator is replaced by a “new” and superior indicator that was not 

available for the 2003 Draft ROE. 

(R) Regional – The indicator is not national in scope and is not part of the 2007 ROE Regional 

Pilot Project. 

(P) Peer Review – The independent peer review panel recommended withdrawing the indicator 

from the 2007 ROE. 

The following information briefly explains the rationale for withdrawing specific indicators from the 2007 

ROE. Each indicator is categorized as D, C, N, R, or P. The indicators are organized by chapter. 

Air Chapter 

Worldwide and U.S. Production of Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODSs) – C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator presented estimates of the amount of ODSs produced worldwide in 1986 

and 1999, and annual U.S. production from 1958 to 1993. This indicator was withdrawn because of 

issues concerning data reliability and relevance. Global ODC production data are not reliable with 

respect to comparability among reporting countries. The US estimates are more reliable because of 

legal reporting requirements and the small number of sources. However, the data set fails to account 

for imports, and annual production is not a good surrogate for emissions of ODCs into the environment 

because of the time between production and eventual entry into the environment is highly variable 

among the various products and recovery systems. 

Number of People Living in Areas with Air Quality Levels above the NAAQS for Particulate Matter 

(PM) and Ozone - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator conveyed how many people (based on census) lived in counties where 

air pollutant levels at times were above the level of the NAAQS during the year stated. It was intended 

to give the reader some indication of the number of people potentially exposed to unhealthy air. 

Because of changing populations and air quality standards, however, this indicator masks actual trends 

in the levels of air pollutants. It is not a valid exposure indicator for the ROE because it is not based on 

measurement of an actual marker of exposure measured on or in individuals. 

Percentage of Homes Where Young Children are Exposed to Environmental Tobacco Smoke - D 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator portrayed the percentage of homes in the U.S. in which young children 

were exposed to tobacco smoke in 1998 versus 1957. The survey is based on a questionnaire (do 

children live in the home, and does someone who smokes regularly live in the home), rather than on 

actual measurements of the amount of smoke actually present or the degree to which children are 

exposed to the resulting smoke. This indicator violates the ROE indicator definition, requiring that 

indicators be based on actual measurements, and the indicator “Blood Cotinine” provides a better 

indicator of children’s exposure to smoke. 

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Water Chapter 

Altered Fresh Water Ecosystems - C 

Percent Urban Land Cover in Riparian Areas - C 

Agricultural Lands in Riparian Areas - C 

These 2003 Draft ROE indicators were based on the percentage of land within 30 m of the edge of a 

stream or lake that is classified as urban or agriculture based on 1991 satellite data (NLCD). Baseline 

data are incomplete, and there are no reference points for the appropriate percentage of such cover, 

and it is not clear that the indicators could be reproduced with newer satellite data. There are no data 

for other alterations such as damming, channelization, etc. 

Lake Trophic State Index – R, C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on phosphorous data collected in a one-time a statistical 

sample of lakes in the Northeast US during 1991-94. It is not included in the 2007 ROE Regional Pilot 

Project. 

Sedimentation Index – R, C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on data collected on freshwater streams in the Mid Atlantic 

Highlands Region during a one-time 1993-94 statistical survey. It is not included in the 2007 ROE 

Regional Pilot Project. 

Phosphorus in Large Rivers - C 

The indicator was based on phosphorus concentrations in large rivers sampled periodically by the 

USGS National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN). Monitoring at many of the large river 

NASQAN sites has been discontinued. 

Atmospheric Deposition of Mercury - C 

This indicator was withdrawn following peer review of the indicators because trend data could not be 

analyzed in time to revise the indicator. 

Chemical Contamination in Streams and Ground Water - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on data from a large number of NAWQA watersheds. The 

sampling and analytical protocols (including the analytes measured) are not comparable across all 

NAWQA watersheds. 

Sediment Contamination of Inland Waters - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on reported concentrations of sediment contaminants 

collected by a large number of organizations focusing particularly on places where sediment 

contamination is perceived to be a problem (the EPA National Sediment Inventory). The database 

suffers from a number of limitations: the data are heavily biased toward sites at which there is a known 

or suspected toxicity problem and to particular geographic areas (non-representative of the nation), the 

data cover different dates in different locations- making estimation of trends difficult, and the data and 

procedures used to assign sites to a toxicity category are not uniform from watershed to watershed. It 

is unsuitable for trend estimation. 

Fish Index of Biotic Integrity in Streams – R, C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on fish community data collected on freshwater fish in the 

Mid Atlantic Highlands Region during a one-time1993-96 statistical survey. Condition cannot be 

assessed in streams where no fish were caught, because data were insufficient to indicate whether the 

stream had poor quality or simply no fish. It is not included in the 2007 ROE Regional Pilot Project. 

Population Density in Coastal Areas 

Discussion of population density in coastal areas was moved to the introduction of the Water Chapter 

section responding to the question, “What are the trends in extent and condition of coastal waters and 

their effects on human health and the environment?” 

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Number of Beach Days that Beaches are Closed or under Advisory - D 

Percent of River Miles and Lake Acres under Fish Consumption Advisories - D 

These 2003 Draft ROE indicators were based on the frequency of beach closures or fish consumption 

advisories as reported to EPA voluntarily by states and local government organizations. The data are 

not nationally or temporally consistent because of different and changing criteria for closing beaches or 

issuing fish consumption advisories in the different states, many of which do not involve actual water 

quality measurements. They are therefore administrative indicators (based on administrative action 

rather than actual physical measurements) and fail to meet the definition for ROE indicators. 

Number of Watersheds Exceeding Health-Based National Water Quality Criteria for Mercury and 

PCBs in Fish Tissue - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on voluntary reporting of Hg contamination using data that 

has not undergone formal QA/QC review. It is not representative of the nation, or suitable for trend 

monitoring. 

Land Chapter 

The Farmland Landscape - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator represented croplands and the forests or woodlots, wetlands, grasslands 

and shrublands, that surround or are intermingled with them, and the degree to which croplands 

dominate the landscape http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems/farm/lndscps.shtml. The indicator relies on 

data generated using early 1990’s satellite data, and it is unclear whether the definition of “farmland 

landscape” is sufficiently precise to be replicated independently, especially with respect to any future 

satellite data availability. 

Sediment Runoff Potential from Croplands and Pasturelands - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator represented the estimated sediment runoff potential for croplands and 

pasturelands based on topography, weather patterns, soil characteristics, and land-use land cover and 

cropping patterns for the U.S. and the Universal Soil Loss equation www.brc.tamus.edu/swat. The 

indicator addressed “potential” and not actual/current condition, and relied on a model to predict 

ambient characteristics based on pressure/stressor measurements, which violates a fundamental ROE 

protocol on the use of models in indicators. Trends in this indicator would likely be associated only with 

trends in land cover, cropping practices, and weather (topography and soil type are unlikely to change). 

No reliable spatial trend data at the appropriate scale exist for either cropping practices or land cover, 

and consequently trends in this indicator would be difficult to calculate. 

Agricultural Pesticide Use - C 

Agricultural pesticide usage data, measured at the national aggregate level for all pesticides is very 

difficult to interpret. From one time period to another the mix of pesticides changes, pest pressures 

change, agricultural practices change, agricultural acreage changes, regulatory status of key uses 

changes, and many other important variables change. Moreover, the effects of pesticide usage are 

encountered at three levels of the product's life cycle: production, usage, and residues on foods. The 

geographic distribution of those effects renders difficult the interpretation of national usage levels for all 

pesticides, taken as a group. While it is of course possible to compare magnitudes of aggregates at 

different times, the real significance for the environment is in the differences in the content and 

geographic distribution of the aggregates, not in the magnitude of the aggregate. 

Potential Pesticide Runoff from Farm Fields – C 

Pesticide Leaching Potential - C 

These 2003 Draft ROE indicators represented the potential movement of agricultural pesticides from 

the site of application to ground and surface waters, based on estimates of pesticide leaching and 

runoff losses derived from soil properties, field characteristics, management practices, pesticide 

properties, and climate for 243 pesticides applied to 120 specific soils in growing 13 major agronomic 

crops. The indicators address “potential” and not actual/current condition, and rely on models to predict 

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ambient characteristics based on measurements of pressures/stressors, which violates a fundamental 

ROE protocol on the use of models in indicators. 

Risk of Nitrogen Export - C 

Risk of Phosphorus Export - C 

These 2003 Draft ROE indicators represented the potential movement of N and P from the site of 

application to surface waters, based on a large empirical dataset relating land use to N and P observed 

in receiving streams over several decades at a variety of locations. The indicators address “potential” 

and not actual/current conditions, and rely on statistical models to predict ambient characteristics 

based on measurements of pressures/stressors, which violates a fundamental ROE protocol on the use 

of models in indicators. 

Quantity of Radioactive Waste Generated and in Inventory – C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on production and inventory data collected by the 

Department of Energy. Although the data continue to be collected, they are no longer publicly available 

post-September 11, 2001; therefore ongoing data trends are not and will not be available for this 

indicator in the future. Moreover, the earlier data reflected two distinct periods in the history of waste 

generation in the nuclear weapons complex. The first reflected a period during which wastes and other 

materials were being generated as an integral part of the production of weapons grade nuclear 

materials and components. The period after 1989 reflected the cessation of large-scale production of 

such materials and the initiation of clean-up activities and wastes from those initiatives. Thus, even 

before the truncation of data in the post 9/11 period, there were significant issues with the comparability 

of the data over time. 

Number and Location of Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) Sites - D 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator represented an administrative decision to force a cleanup, rather than an 

amount of waste present or removed, and therefore does not meet the 2007 ROE indicator definition. 

Number and Location of RCRA Corrective Action Sites - D 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator represents an administrative decision to force a cleanup, rather than an 

amount of waste present or removed, and therefore does not meet the 2007 ROE indicator definition. 

Human Health Chapter 

Cancer Mortality - P 

Childhood Cancer Mortality -P 

Asthma Mortality - P 

Childhood Asthma Mortality - P 

The independent peer review panel recommended the removal of the cancer and asthma mortality 

indicators because trends in these indicators are less likely to be due to changes in environmental 

factors and are more likely a result of changes in social factors such as availability/access to 

healthcare. 

Urine Arsenic Level - R 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on data from EPA Region 5 only, and is not part of the 2007 

ROE Regional Pilot. 

Blood Volatile Organic Compound Levels - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on a convenience sample whose representativeness cannot 

be determined or necessarily used as a baseline for future sampling. The indicator is based on detects 

only, so there is no reference level. Also, VOCs are cleared from the bloodstream rapidly (~ 1hr), so 

there is a significant possibility of false negatives, considering that exposures tends to be associated 

with occupational and indoor settings. 

Ecological Condition Chapter 

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Extent of Ponds, Lakes, and Reservoirs - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on data from the USGS National Wetlands Inventory. While 

these data are based on a valid statistical sampling design, the total amount of surface water is less 

than half of the area of lakes, reservoirs and ponds greater than 6 acres in size in the USGS National 

Hydrography Data Set. Until this discrepancy is resolved, the indicator may not satisfy the ROE criteria. 

Extent of Estuaries and Coastline - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on remote sensing data, but is unlikely to show trends 

unrelated to sea level rise and changing tides, so it is not a very useful indicator for trends. 

At-risk Native Species - C 

At-risk Native Grassland and Shrubland Species - C 

At-risk Native Forest Species - C 

Populations of Representative Forest Species - C 

Non-native Fresh Water Species - C 

At-risk Native Fresh Water Species - C 

At-risk Fresh Water Plant Communities - C 

The Ecological Condition chapter was restructured from the 2003 Draft ROE organization per the 

recommendation of EPA’s Science Advisory Board and numerous stakeholders. As such, the chapter 

no longer requires that the above indicators be broken out by ecosystem. In addition, the ability to track 

trends of many of these indicators is questionable. 

Tree Condition - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on an ongoing statistical sample of forests across the 

contiguous US and comprises components that relate to crown (tree canopy condition), the ratio of 

dead to live wood, and the fire class. This indicator likely relates more to forest management practices 

than to environmental condition, and for this reason has low relevance value to EPA. 

Population Trends of Invasive and Native Non-Invasive Bird Species - R 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on an analysis of USGS Breeding Bird Survey data in 

grassland and shrubland ecosystems for 5 year periods ranging from the late 1960s to 2000. Because 

the ecological condition questions are no longer directed at specific ecosystems types, this appears to 

be a regional indicator. Also, it is not clear at this time that the data for this indicator will be collected in 

the future. 

Coastal Living Habitats - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on remote sensing data of coastal wetlands, mudflats, seagrass beds, etc., but the only system for which a national indicator has been developed is coastal 

vegetated wetlands, which already is covered in another indicator. 

Fish Diversity - R 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on a statistical sample of fish trawls in Mid-Atlantic estuaries 

during 1997-98. This indicator is not part of the 2007 ROE Regional Pilot project, and EMAP is no 

longer collecting fish samples to support this indicator. 

Bird Community Index - R 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was not national in scope or part of the ROE EPA Regional Pilot. 

Shoreline Types - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on NOAA’s Environmental Sensitivity Index. The index is 

based on a standardized mapping approach, but coverage is not complete for large parts of the 

coastline and the data in some of the atlases are more than 15 years old. Consequently, this indicator 

is not appropriate for measurement of representative, national trends. 

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Forest Disturbance: Fire, Insects, and Disease - P 

The independent peer review panel recommended that this indicator be withdrawn because it was 

“limited in many aspects of its coverage: temporally, spatially, and in types of disturbance. . . Ecological 

interpretation of disturbance patterns is difficult . . . For example, the lack of fire may actually represent 

an ecological disturbance, while fire suppression can lead to overcrowded forests that are more 

conducive to insect and disease outbreaks.” The reviewers also commented that the data were 

questionable and that the interdependence among the disturbance categories could result in significant 

double-counting. Finally, timber harvest was not included even though it disturbs more acres than fires, 

insects, or disease. 

Soil Compaction - C 

Soil Erosion – C 

Forests - This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on an analysis of recent Forest Inventory and 

Analysis data on climate events, fire frequency, and forest insect and disease outbreaks, which were 

then compared to anecdotal data for the period 1800-1850. Because the early data are anecdotal, and 

because the data mostly relate to forest management practices, etc., it is proposed that this indicator 

has low relevance to EPA and that trend data are of questionable utility as an ROE indicator. 

Farmland – This 2003 Draft ROE indicator presented an estimate of potential for erosion rather than 

actual erosion measurements, and relied on a model to predict ambient characteristics based on 

pressure/stressor measurements, which violates a fundamental ROE protocol on the use of models in 

indicators. 

Processes Beyond the Range of Historic Variation - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on an analysis of recent Forest Inventory and Analysis data 

on climate events, fire frequency, and forest insect and disease outbreaks, which were then compared 

to anecdotal data for the period 1800-1850. Because the early data are anecdotal, and because the 

data mostly relate to forest management practices, etc., it is proposed that this indicator has low 

relevance to EPA and that trend data are of questionable utility as an ROE indicator. 

Soil Quality Index - R 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on a survey of soils in the Mid Atlantic region during the 

1990s, and was neither repeated and is not part of the Regional Pilot Project for 2007 ROE. 

Terrestrial Plant Growth Index - P 

The independent peer review panel recommended that this indicator be withdrawn because “The 

results are too ambiguous and not explained, or perhaps, unexplainable. . . NDVI is a crude measure of 

growth. [Also] The relative deviation of the Plant Growth Index (20-40%) without explanation during the 

period of analysis suggests that the indicator might lack the precision needed to assess national trends 

in productivity.” 

Animal Deaths and Deformities - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on data reported by a number of different organizations to 

USGS on incidences of death or deformities in waterfowl, fish, amphibians, and mammals. Trends are 

available only for waterfowl, and because data reporting is voluntary rather than systematic, the data 

are not adequate to determine actual trends versus trends in reporting. 

Fish Abnormalities - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on a statistical sample of fish trawls in estuaries in the 

Atlantic and Gulf, but the data are no longer being collected by EMAP to support this indicator. 

Unusual Marine Mortalities - C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator was based on voluntary reporting of unusual mortality events to NOAA. 

Because there is no systematic requirement to report, these data are not suitable to support national 

trends in the indicator. 

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Chemical Contamination – C 

This 2003 Draft ROE indicator combined data from the USGS NAWQA program that are not consistent 

in terms of sampling frequency or analytical protocols. The part of this indicator presenting contaminant 

levels in coastal fish as measured by EPA’s EMAP program was moved to a separate indicator in the 

water chapter: “Coastal Fish Tissue Contaminants.” 

SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD REVIEW DRAFT: Please do not distribute, cite, or quote. C-15