EPA

May 9, 2003

Final Version

MERCURY RESEARCH 

MULTI-YEAR PLAN 

Office of Research and Development 

Version: May 9, 2003

Not Yet Externally Peer Reviewed
Mercury Research Multi-Year Plan 

FY 2005 Planning - Final Version, May 9, 2003 

The Office of Research and Development’s (ORD) multi-year plans (MYPs) present ORD’s 

proposed research (assuming constant funding) in a variety of areas over the next 5-8 years. The 

MYPs serve three principal purposes: to describe where our research programs are going, to 

present the significant outputs of the research, and to communicate our research plans within 

ORD and with others. Multi-year planning permits ORD to consider the strategic directions of 

the Agency and how research can evolve to best contribute to the Agency’s mission of protecting 

human health and the environment. 

MYPs are considered to be “living documents.” ORD intends to update the MYPs on a regular 

basis to reflect the current state of the science, resource availability, and Agency priorities. ORD 

will update or modify future performance information contained within this planning document 

as needed. These documents will also be submitted for external peer review. 

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PREFACE 

The Mercury Multi-Year Plan was developed by the following individuals representing 

the Office of Research and Development, EPA Program Offices, and EPA Regions: 

Herman Gibb, National Center for Environmental Assessment, ORD (Chairman)

William Stelz, National Center for Environmental Research, ORD (Ch. Planning Wkgr.)

Jeffrey Frithsen, National Center for Environmental Assessment, ORD

Alva Daniels/Ben Blaney, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, ORD

Doug McKinney, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, ORD

Stan Durkee, Office of Science Policy, ORD

Doug Steele, Office of Science Policy, ORD

Michael Loughran, (ORMA)

Arnold Kuzmack/Rita Schoeny, Office of Water (OW)

Ellie McCann/Kate Mahaffey, (OPPTS)

Alexander McBride, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER)

Tim Watkins, National Exposure Research Laboratory, ORD 

John Ackermann/ Richard L. Gillam (R4)

Alexis Cain (R5)

Alan Van Arsdale (R1)

Marilyn Engle (OIA)

Tamara Saltman/Dennis Pagano (OAR)

The suggested citation for this document is:

USEPA 2003. Mercury Research Multi-Year Plan. FY 2005 Planning - Final Version,

May 9, 2003. Office of Research and Development, Washington, DC.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PREFACE .................................................................. 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................... 4

1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 5

2.0 BACKGROUND .......................................................... 7

2.1 State of the Science ................................................... 7

2.2 Science Questions ................................................... 7

2.3 Agency Priorities and Regulatory Program ................................ 8

3.0 MERCURY LONG TERM GOALS .......................................... 14

4.0 RESPONSE TO REGULATORY ACTIVITIES ................................ 18

5.0 FUTURE DIRECTIONS WITH INCREASING FUNDS ......................... 19

5.1 Ecological Risk Assessment. ......................................... 19

5.2 Retirement of Mercury Stockpiles ...................................... 19

5.3 Global Mass Balance of Mercury ....................................... 20

6.0 RELATED NON-EPA RESEARCH ......................................... 21

6.1 Federal Activities ................................................... 21

6.3 Private Sector Activities ............................................. 24

7.0 REFERENCES .......................................................... 25

Appendix 1. ............................................................... 27

Appendix 2. ................................................................ 31

Table 1: Annual Performance Goals and Measures for Long-Term Goal 1 .......... 32

Table 2: Annual Performance Goals and Measures for Long-Term Goal 2 ......... 37

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1.0 INTRODUCTION 

Contamination caused by release of mercury into the environment is a growing concern. 

This release occurs due to a variety of anthropogenic activities and natural sources. After 

release, mercury undergoes complicated chemical transformations. The inorganic forms of 

mercury released into the environment can be converted, by naturally occurring biological 

processes, into species. This species is known to bioaccummulate in fish and marine mammals. 

Human and wildlife exposures to methyl mercury have been associated with serious 

neurological and developmental effects. 

Since mercury is a natural metallic element, it will always be present in the environment 

in one form or another. According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 

Mercury Study Report to Congress (December 1997), mercury fluxes and budgets in water, soil, 

and other media have increased by a factor of two to five over pre-industrial levels. As the 

quantity of available mercury in the environment has increased, so have the risks of neurological 

and reproductive problems for humans and wildlife, making it a pollutant of considerable human 

health and environmental concern. Mercury is the most frequent basis for fish advisories. 

Almost 79 percent of all advisories in the United States are at least partly due to mercury 

contamination in fish and shellfish. For example, as of December 2000, mercury was the 

chemical contaminant responsible, at least in part, for the issuance of 2,242 fish consumption 

advisories by 41 states in one or more water bodies, and thirteen states had issued statewide 

mercury advisories. As of December 2002, 2,140 fish consumption advisories in 45 states were 

issued in part due to mercury concentrations. That same year, 19 states had issued statewide 

mercury advisories for freshwater lakes and/or rivers, and 11 states had issued coastal 

advisories. The growing concern over the number and spatial extent of fish consumption 

advisories due to mercury led ORD to launch a Mercury Research Initiative in FY 2000. 

In the summer of 2000, ORD’s Executive Council directed that Multi-Year Plans 

(MYPs) be developed for 16 different major ORD research programs including the Mercury 

Research Program. The purpose of the MYPs is to aid ORD as a planning and communication 

tool. They will provide a link between the Agency and ORD’s strategic plans and our annual 

plans that serve as a basis for ORD’s budget request. They will also provide a logic and 

sequencing for the ORD’s research program. 

In the Fall of 2000, the first iteration of the Mercury Research Multi-Year Plan (MYP) 

was developed in accordance with the framework and recommendations provided in ORD’s 

Research Strategy for Mercury (2000). The first iteration of the MYP was presented to the 

Executive and Science Councils of ORD in December 2000 where it received critical review. 

Reflecting the evolving nature of the multi-year plans, a second iteration of the plan was 

provided to the Office of Science Policy in October 2001. 

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FY 2005 Planning - Final Version, May 9, 2003 

This is the third version of the Mercury Research Multi-Year Plan and reflects ORD’s 

most recent interpretation of Agency research needs concerning mercury sources, control and 

treatment, environmental fate and behavior, impacts on ecological resources, and potential 

effects on human health. The plan includes research activities implemented and planned for the 

period 2002 through 2010. Resources for the implementation of these research activities are 

currently approximately $5.5 M and 8.0 FTE per year. The FY 2004 Clear Skies Initiative 

potentially could add approximately $1.5M to the total available for the implementation of the 

Multi-Year Plan. 

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2.0 BACKGROUND 

2.1 State of the Science 

The Mercury Study Report to Congress (Report to Congress) (EPA, 1997) described the 

magnitude of mercury emissions in the United States, identified mercury emission sources, 

assessed the health and environmental implications of those emissions, and evaluated the 

availability and cost of technologies for emission control. It is the most comprehensive human 

health and environmental investigation of mercury and methyl mercury available. The Report to 

Congress serves as the foundation for EPA’s understanding of the risk assessment and risk 

management issues associated with mercury and methyl mercury. It contributes significantly to 

the strategic directions and the key scientific questions posed in the Mercury Research Strategy. 

In the Report to Congress, EPA concluded that a plausible link exists between human 

activities that release mercury from industrial and combustion sources in the United States and 

methylmercury concentrations in humans and wildlife. In preparing the report, EPA conducted 

a quantitative human health risk assessment of methyl mercury. The assessment estimated that 

between one and three percent of women of childbearing age (i.e., between the ages of 15 and 

44 years) in the United States eat sufficient amounts of fish for their fetuses to be clearly at risk 

from methyl mercury exposure and that 7 percent exceeded USEPA’s recommended reference 

dose and, therefore, could be at risk . Since then, that estimate has been confirmed by 

monitoring data, collected through CDC’S NHANES survey, which have shown that 

approximately 8 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States have concentrations 

exceeding the reference dose. 

The Mercury Study Report to Congress also concluded that mercury poses risks to 

various wildlife, including some birds and fur bearing mammals such as loons, mink, and otters. 

The Report to Congress comprehensively identified research needs to improve both mercury 

risk assessment and risk management. 

2.2 Science Questions 

While The Mercury Study Report to Congress supports a plausible link between mercury 

emissions and the presence of methyl mercury in humans, a number of major uncertainties 

related to both the risk assessment and risk management of mercury and methyl mercury remain. 

To address these uncertainties, EPA, in an intra-agency effort coordinated by the Office of 

Research & Development, developed the ORD Mercury Research Strategy, which poses these 

uncertainties as the following six key scientific questions that need to be addressed. 

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1. How much methyl mercury in fish consumed by the U.S. population is contributed by 

U.S. emissions relative to other sources of mercury (such as natural sources, emissions 

from sources in other countries, and re-emissions from the global pool); how much and 

over what time period, will levels of methyl mercury in fish in the U.S. decrease due to 

reductions in environmental releases from U.S. sources? 

2. How much can mercury emissions from coal-fired utility boilers and other combustion 

systems be reduced with innovative mercury control technologies; what is the relative 

performance and cost of these new approaches compared to currently available 

technologies? 

3. What is the magnitude of contributions of mercury releases from non-combustion 

sources; how can the most significant releases be minimized? 

4. What are the risks associated with methyl mercury exposure to wildlife species and 

other significant ecological receptors? 

5. What critical changes in human health are associated with exposure to environmental 

sources of methyl mercury in the most susceptible human sub-population? How much 

methyl mercury are humans exposed to, particularly women of child-bearing age and 

children among highly-exposed population groups; what is the magnitude of uncertainty 

and variability of mercury and methyl mercury toxicokinetics in children? 

6. What are the most effective means for informing susceptible populations of the health 

risks posed by mercury and methyl mercury contamination of fish and seafood? 

2.3 Agency Priorities and Regulatory Program 

Numerous Program Office commitments related to mercury must be addressed over the 

next five to ten years. These include: 

2.3.1 Regulatory Commitments: 

• Mercury Controls for Utilities - One of the most important commitments is the 

Office of Air and Radiation’s (OAR’s) implementation of the Clean Air Act, as 

amended (the Act). As required by section 112(n) of the Act, EPA made a 

determination (December 15, 2000) that regulation of Hazardous Air Pollutants 

(HAPs), including mercury from oil- and coal-fired utilities was necessary and 

appropriate. EPA is now required to propose regulations by December 15, 2003 

and to promulgate final regulations by December 15, 2004. Full compliance by 

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the utility industry would be expected to occur by December 15, 2007. As 

necessitated by the decision to regulate, development of technical information and 

data on the performance of options to reduce emissions from these utility boilers 

will be needed. Information in these areas will also be needed if proposed 

legislation known as the Clear Skies Act of 2003 is enacted by Congress. 

• MACT Rules for Chlorine Production, Municipal Solid Waste Landfills, and 

Industrial/Commercial/Institutional Boilers - Under section 112 of the Clean Air 

Act, EPA is required to develop national emission standards based on maximum 

achievable control technologies (MACT) for major sources of HAPs listed in 

section 112 (b) of the Act. Several of these source categories, such as chlorine 

production, municipal landfills, and industrial, commercial, and institutional 

boilers, are required to address mercury emissions. Each of these rules are 

discussed in more detail below. Generally, sources are required to be in full 

compliance with these rules three years after promulgation of the final rule. In 

addition, within eight years EPA must consider whether any additional standards 

are needed to protect public health if “residual risks” exist after MACT standards 

are fully implemented. 

• Chlorine Production - The EPA is developing a rule that will limit mercury 

emissions from plants that produce chlorine using the mercury cell method. The 

EPA plans to issue a final rule by August 2003 that will be based on best 

available control technologies and on stringent management practices. 

• Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Rule - The OAR has developed a rule that 

addresses emissions of HAPs from municipal solid waste landfills. This rule also 

addresses contiguous geographical space/facilities receiving household waste, 

and other types of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D 

waste, such as commercial solid waste, non-hazardous sludge, conditionally 

exempt small quantity generator waste and industrial solid waste. The rule was 

promulgated in January 2003. 

• Develop Initial Urban Area Source Standards (50%) - The Integrated Urban Air 

Toxics Strategy, which was published in the Federal Register on July 19, 1999 

(64 FR 38706) is an important part of EPA's national air toxics program. It is a 

framework for addressing air toxics emissions in urban areas. Under the national 

air toxics program, EPA has and will continue to develop a number of national 

standards for stationary and mobile sources to improve air quality in urban and 

rural areas. The Urban Air Toxics Strategy complements the existing national 

efforts by focusing on achieving further reductions in air toxics emissions in 

urban areas. 

• The Urban Air Toxics Strategy outlines actions to reduce emissions of air toxics, 

as well as assessment activities to improve EPA's understanding of the health and 

environmental risks posed by air toxics in urban areas. The strategy includes a 

list of 33 air toxics (including mercury) judged to pose the greatest potential 

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health threat in urban areas. Through three separate listings (including a list in 

the Urban Air Toxics Strategy), EPA has identified a total of 70 area source 

categories, which represent 90 percent of the emissions of the 30 listed air toxics. 

Of these 70 area source categories, 14 have been regulated and the remaining 

area source standards are under development or will be developed in the future. 

• Wildlife Water Quality Criterion for Mercury - The Office of Water (OW) 

published a revised human health water quality criterion in January 2001. There 

is still a need for a wildlife criterion, however, which would protect birds and 

terrestrial animals from the effects of mercury. 

• Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) - OW is conducting two pilot projects for 

water bodies impaired by airborne deposition of mercury. States may be able to 

use the modeling approaches developed under the pilots to support TMDLs for 

water bodies impaired by air deposited mercury. EPA is also developing nationwide mercury deposition data to assist States in developing TMDLs. 

• Revise Land Disposal Restrictions for Mercury-bearing Hazardous Wastes 

(Proposal)- The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is 

continuing to evaluate land disposal restrictions on mercury to consider 

alternatives to mercury recovery and incineration. In January, 2003, the EPA 

published a Notice of Data Availability which contained data on the performance 

of different treatment technologies on elemental mercury and on waste sludge 

contaminated with mercury. The Agency has asked the public for any additional 

information which would be useful for evaluating treatment alternatives for 

wastes containing mercury. 

• Phase 2 MACT Rule for Hazardous Waste Combustion (Proposal)- OSWER is 

planning to issue a proposal establishing MACT standards for emissions of 

HAPs, including mercury, from boilers and industrial furnaces which burn 

hazardous waste. This rule follows on the Phase 1 hazardous waste combustion 

MACT rule which set standards for incinerators, cement kilns, and lightweight 

aggregate kilns which burn hazardous waste. A proposed revised MACT rule for 

hazardous waste combustion is expected in December 2003, with a final rule by 

May 2005. 

2.3.2 Other commitments: 

In addition to the Agency’s regulatory commitments with respect to mercury, there are 

also several legislative proposals and special Agency initiatives and activities that will likely 

influence future mercury research priorities: 

• The Bush Administration has proposed legislation that includes mandatory caps 

to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO

from utility boilers over the next fifteen years. This multi-pollutant approach x ), and mercury 

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was introduced as the Clear Skies Act (CSA) of 2003 by both the US House of 

Representatives (HR 999) and the US Senate (S485) on February 27, 2003. The 

goal is to provide a flexible market-based approach that will simultaneously 

protect the environment from the impacts of emissions associated with power 

plants while at the same time providing regulatory certainty that can be used by 

the industry to make long-term investments in pollution control equipment. If the 

proposal is passed by Congress, regulation of mercury emissions from electric 

utility steam generating units under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act would be 

precluded because it would be rendered unnecessary by the market-based 

mercury emission reduction program. In addition, passage of the proposal 

would authorize an extensive research program to support implementation of the 

various provisions of the CSA. Major elements of the science section (482) are 

to: (1) expand current research and knowledge of the contribution of emissions 

from electricity generation to exposure and health effects associated with 

particulate matter and mercury; 2) enhance current research and development of 

promising multi-pollutant control strategies and CEMS for mercury; 3) produce 

peer reviewed scientific and technology information to inform the review of 

emissions levels under section 410 of the CSA; 4) improve environmental 

monitoring and assessment of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury, and 

their transformation products, to track changes in human health and the 

environment attributable to emissions reductions; and 5) periodically provide 

peer-reviewed reports on the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of emission 

reductions. 

• In early April 2003, proposed legislation known as the “Mercury Reduction Act 

of 2003" (S616) was introduced in the US Senate. A similar bill is still in 

committee in the US House of Representatives. The goal of this bill is to reduce 

the quantity of mercury in the environment by limiting the use of mercury fever 

thermometers and by improving the collection and proper management of 

elemental mercury. Included in this proposed legislation is a requirement for 

EPA to conduct research, development and demonstration of mercury 

stabilization technologies and long-term storage measures that will ensure 

minimal release of mercury to the environment. 

• EPA is developing a Mercury Action Plan (MAP) that will outline the Agency’s 

strategy for addressing multi-media mercury pollution and exposure over the next 

several years, within the framework of current statutory authorities. When 

completed, this document will present the Agency's mercury goals, 

commitments to priority actions to reduce mercury, and plans for measuring 

progress towards goals. The Plan will also include a baseline of mercury health 

and environmental data, and a description of how existing regulatory and 

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voluntary mercury programs at EPA and elsewhere are addressing aspects of 

mercury health and environmental concerns. EPA expects to publish a new draft 

Mercury Action Plan for public comment in the fall of 2003, and to issue a final 

Mercury Action Plan in the fall of 2004. In order to make progress toward goals 

in the MAP to reduce and prevent mercury releases into the environment, several 

Agency programs are pursuing voluntary as well as regulatory activities. Some 

examples are as follows: 

• The Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) and 

the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) are undertaking 

voluntary efforts to remove mercury from wastes, products, and 

processes, with a goal of a 50 % reduction by the mid-2000s. 

• The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is 

undertaking a voluntary effort to reduce the volume and content of 

persistent, bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) (including mercury) in 

hazardous wastes by 50% before the end of FY 2005. 

2.3.3 Bilateral and Multilateral Program Commitments: 

A number of bilateral and multilateral programs offer the United States an opportunity to 

promote and engage in cooperative efforts to better understand and ultimately reduce the risks of 

mercury and methyl mercury exposure. While some opportunities are voluntary and others 

entail legally binding commitments, EPA’s involvement in international efforts is conducted 

within the context of its existing statutory authority, especially with respect to the Clean Air 

Act. Rather than being driven by, or reacting to, international initiatives on mercury, the 

Agency is trying to influence them proactively. These include: 

• The 1998 Aarhus Protocol to the United Nations Economic Commission for 

Europe (UNECE) Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution 

(LRTAP) on Heavy Metals (UNECE, 1998) 

• The Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) - Arctic Council, 

particularly the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) and Arctic 

Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) programs (eight member 

countries) (Arctic Council, 2000) 

• The North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury 

• The Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy: Canada-United States Strategy for 

the Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes 

(Canada and the United States) 

• The Northeastern States and Eastern Canadian Provinces Mercury Study: A 

Framework for Action (NESCAUM, 1998) 

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• The United Nations Environment Program’s decision (February, 2003) to 

undertake a global mercury program, based on its 2002 global assessment of 

mercury. 

Other issues related to mercury that need to be given consideration include: 

• The Office Directors’ Multimedia and Pollution Prevention (M2P2) Forum’s 

decision to give cross-Agency efforts on the Mercury Action Plan a high priority 

in the coming years. An important issue to be addressed is the need for mercury 

disposal technology for both mercury-containing wastes and elemental mercury. 

This is an issue that will receive increasing attention from OSW and OPPTS as 

the United States moves from “mercury as a commodity” to “mercury as a 

waste”. Major sources of elemental mercury include: (1) the DOD mercury 

strategic stockpile, (2) the excess mercury resulting from the closure of mercury 

cell chlor-alkali plants, and (3) the increased emphases on mercury product take 

back programs by the States and other entities. There is a need to develop 

alternative ways to deal with mercury-containing products and mercurycontaining wastes in addition to the traditional retorting and recycling approach. 

• The Regions and States along with other jurisdictions question how best to 

address mercury Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for various water 

bodies. This appears to be an important issue for the States (e.g., ECOS) in light 

of the long-range and transboundary nature of mercury air emissions and 

deposition. 

While this plan does not address routine ambient monitoring or monitoring of mercury 

activities performed by the various Program Offices, it should be recognized that there are 

research needs associated with improved monitoring of mercury for various media. It can be 

anticipated that this plan will support and reflect those research plans for mercury being 

recommended under the Agency’s persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) Monitoring 

Strategy, whose goals are to provide information to allow discernment of long-term trends in 

various media and the extent of overall effectiveness of risk management programs. 

Finally, it can be anticipated that EPA will be called upon to support the White House 

Interagency Working Group on Methylmercury, which was established in 2002 under the 

Committee on Environmental and Natural Resources (CENR) of the National Science and 

Technology Council. The mission of this Working Group is to provide an interagency forum for 

the advancement of effective interagency coordination, strategic planning and research and 

development to better understand the impact of methylmercury on human health and to identify 

potential solutions. The initial focus of the Group is on mercury contamination and exposure in 

the Gulf of Mexico area. 

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3.0 MERCURY LONG TERM GOALS 

The Mercury MYP has two long term goals: 1) To reduce and prevent release of 

mercury into the environment, and 2) To understand the transport and fate of mercury from 

release to the receptor and its effects on the receptor. Each of the questions in ORD’s Mercury 

Research Strategy, which could conceivably be a long range goal in themselves, are addressed 

by the various Annual Performance Goals in the Multi-year Plan. These long range goals are 

intended to support multiple Program and Regional Offices. The major emphasis, particularly in 

the earlier years of the Plan, however, is the support of OAR’s Mercury Control of Utilities, 

since this is the most immediate regulation facing the Agency with regard to mercury and since 

the most significant releases of mercury in the United States occur as a result of emissions to the 

atmosphere from anthropogenic sources, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels containing 

trace amounts of mercury including industrial processes and the incineration of municipal and 

medical wastes [The Mercury Study Report to Congress (1997)]. Other customers of the plan, 

as indicated above, include the Office of Water, the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 

Response, the Office of International Activities, and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and 

Toxic Substances. 

Basically the APGs in the MYP reflect the research needs for: risk management research 

for managing emissions from coal-fired utilities, risk management research for non-combustion 

sources of mercury, fate and transport of mercury from environmental sources of mercury to 

fish, health and ecological risk assessment for mercury, and risk communication research. These 

areas were considered the most critical in terms of support of the Agency’s regulatory needs as 

described above and in response to the science questions posed by the Research Strategy for 

Mercury. EPA’s ability to provide the best results for the regulatory efforts and response to the 

scientific questions will be dependent on the research of other Federal agencies, such as the 

Department of Energy and the U.S. Geological Survey. 

The relationships between the APGs that comprise each of the two long-term goals are 

shown in the figures in Appendix 1. Under the first goal there are 5 APGs. Two (FY 2003 and 

FY 2008) relate to the risk management research to support the comprehensive evaluation and 

assessment of technologies for managing emissions from coal-fired utilities. Although a 

proposed rulemaking on coal-fired utilities is expected in December 2003 and a final 

rulemaking in December 2004, compliance is not expected until December 2007. Research 

developed for the FY 2005 APG (Provide a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of 

technologies for managing emissions from coal-fired utilities.) will be very helpful to the 

utilities in their efforts to achieve compliance. If the utilities regulation developed under the 

existing Section 112 of the Clean air act is finalized in 2004, risk management research on 

combustion sources of mercury is expected ro remain level through FY 2004 and then slowly 

decrease as the deadline for compliance nears. However, an APG for FY 2008 is included to 

reflect anticipated work needed to support the Clear Skies Act of 2003, or other multi-pollutant 

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legislation. If the Clear Skies Act is enacted, the emphasis of this combustion research beyond 

FY 2004 will need to be revisited and likely maintained at least at the FY 2004 level. 

The other two APGs supporting the first long term goal relate to non-combustion sources 

of mercury. One APG (FY 2005) emphasizes efforts to characterize air emissions from nonutility mercury sources and to conduct preliminary studies of options to treat and dispose of 

non-utility mercury wastes while the other APG (FY 2010) continues this effort with more 

emphasis on providing final testing of options to manage emissions from non-utility sources. 

Under the second long term goal (Understand the transport and fate of mercury from 

release to the receptor and its effects on the receptor), there are 7 APGs. Four of these APGs 

address the fate and transport of mercury (FY 2004, FY 2006, FY 2008, and FY 2010) from 

environmental sources to fish tissue. The first of these four APGs was developed to provide 

critical information for the rule-making on coal-fired utilities. The FY 2006 APG focuses on a 

watershed modeling goal and is intended to be local to regional in nature. The subsequent APG 

in FY 2008 will then focus on understanding fate from mercury sources to deposition. As a 

result, this APG focuses on atmospheric fate and is regional to global in nature. Research under 

this APG will focus on characterizing atmospheric processes and global background 

concentrations of atmospheric mercury. Two APG’s in FY 2009 will focus on assessing the 

health risks of mercury exposure to humans and other ecological receptors. Finally, in 2010, the 

source to deposition and the deposition to fish modeling approaches will be linked in a 

multimedia model and the resulting APG will lead to a better understanding of the transport and 

fate of mercury from source to fish concentrations. 

The assessment of potential mercury effects on ecological resources and human health is 

represented in two APGs. The APG focusing on the ecological effects of mercury (Assess the 

risks of mercury exposures to ecological receptors) contains five APMs. Efforts are focused on 

characterizing mercury effects on avian species, focusing on understanding the toxicokinetics 

and toxicodynamics of methylmercury from site-specific studies (FY 2006). An additional 

effort is planned to evaluate the performance of mercury bioaccumulation models in fresh water 

streams (FY 2006). The mercury ecological assessments build toward a regional ecological risk 

of methylmercury, to be completed in FY 2009. 

Human health studies are planned that will provide answers to some of the questions that 

were raised while setting and evaluating the current RfD for methylmercury (NRC 2000). 

These studies address the relationship between maternal and cord blood levels of mercury (FY 

2006), explore the potential adverse effects of methylmercury on cardiovascular function, and 

assess impacts and synergistic relationships relating to exposure to mercury and commonly cooccurring environmental pollutants, such as dioxin, PCBs, and DDT (FY 2008). Combined, 

these studies serve as background and prepare the Agency for a reevaluation of the RfD for 

methylmercury in FY 2009. 

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One APG (FY 2008) will provide risk communication methods and tools for mercury. 

The need for risk communication research on mercury (as well as other pollutants) has been 

repeatedly emphasized by the Program Offices and Regional representatives. It was also a 

strong recommendation of the peer review panel which reviewed the Agency’s Research 

Strategy for Mercury. Funding for the APMs is expected to come partially from PBT funding. 

Resources for risk communication are expected to remain level from 2002 through 2008. 

The relative emphasis over time of each of the research areas in this plan is described in 

Table 1. Changes are not needed in ORD capability and/or capacity to accomplish the LTGs 

although it is important to note that accomplishment of the MYP is dependent on external 

leveraging with other Agencies and organizations as well as internal leveraging with the STAR 

grants program to address the research issues (a necessity given the relatively small size of the 

base ORD mercury program). It has also become dependent on resources in other areas such as 

PBT and Superfund. 

Table 1. Mercury Research Area Emphases from 2002 through 2010 

(Assumes level funding and may change due to the pending Clear Skies Act of 2003.) 

Area Emphasis in MYP Planning Window 

Risk management research on combustion 

sources of mercury Level through 2004, then decreasing 

Risk management research on noncombustion sources of mercury Level through 2004, then increasing 

Fate and transport research Level through 2005, then decreasing 

Health assessment research Level 

Ecological risk assessment research Level 

Risk Communication Level, then decreasing 

Other research areas which could benefit from leveraging and which should be explored 

include: 

• Collaborative efforts with USGS as related to source identification, routine, and 

specialized monitoring, and ecological research. 

• Joint efforts with NOAA and CDC on areas of common interest related to 

mercury transport, transformation, and fate and human health monitoring 

(NHANES), respectively. NHANES has been funded through the PBT program. 

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• International engagements with organizations in other countries or in multiple 

countries addressing the global issues related to mercury. This can best be done 

through the new UNEP Mercury Program and development of a possible future 

treaty on methyl mercury. 

• Collaborations with the Environmental Commission of the States (ECOS). There 

are potential opportunities with ECOS in the area of mercury in wastes and 

elemental mercury, and perhaps in other areas. 

• Engagement with industrial and other private-sector stakeholders addressing noncombustion sources of mercury (e.g., mining, petroleum refining) to characterize 

and develop controls for these emissions. 

• Joint efforts with DOD regarding their Mercury Strategic Stockpile. This is best 

done in collaboration with OSWER, who will review the EIS being prepared by 

DOD on the stockpile. 

• Collaboration with the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection on an 

atmospheric chemistry study, “BRACE” at Tampa Bay, FL. 

Shortfalls in resources will prevent ORD in the near term from conducting risk 

management research on non-combustion sources of mercury, health risk assessment research, 

and monitoring and modeling research. Shortfalls in later years (beyond FY 2004) would likely 

diminish ORD’s research efforts to conduct risk management research in combustion resources 

of mercury, health and ecological risk assessment, and monitoring and modeling. 

If additional resources are available, they would be used for ecological risk assessment, 

risk management research on retirement of mercury, and the global mass balance of mercury. 

More detail on how the additional resources will be spent may be found in Section 5.0. 

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4.0 RESPONSE TO REGULATORY ACTIVITIES 

The primary logic behind the flow diagrams in Appendix 1 was to develop a plan that 

was responsive to the Programs in their regulatory activities, particularly the OAR’s plan to 

issue final regulations on mercury from coal-fired utilities in December 2004. Some APGs, 

because of their complexity, could not be completed by December 2004 but were needed to 

address the science questions. To assist the OAR with their 2004 promulgation, however, 

interim APGs or APMs were created where an APG went beyond the 2004 deadline. 

Where there were multiple APGs related to a particular area (risk management research 

on combustion sources of mercury, fate and transport) the APGs built on each other. There was 

less interdependence among the APGs for the different areas however (e.g., fate and transport, 

risk communication, risk management research on noncombustion sources of mercury, risk 

management research on combustion sources of mercury). 

As indicated above, Agency APMs are dependent on funding sources other than those in 

the mercury budget (e.g., PBT funds, Superfund, Ecosystem Protection, OIA funds). They are 

also dependent on the work of outside Agencies (e.g., DOE, USGS). 

The LTGs relate directly to the science questions framed in the Research Strategy on 

Mercury, each of the APGs relating directly to one of the questions. The MYP is intended to 

directly support multiple Program Offices including OAR, OW, OPPTS, OSWER, and OIA. It 

will also support the Agency’s Great Lakes National Program, the PBT Program, and various 

international efforts. Current efforts and expertise have already made a significant contribution 

to the United Nations Environment Program’s effort to conduct an international assessment on 

mercury. 

There is considerable interaction already in place between ORD and the Program Offices 

with respect to the mercury research results. The Program and Regional representatives have 

been active members of the MYP planning effort. It is expected that most of the results will be 

communicated in the form of reports and personal interaction between ORD scientists and 

Program and Regional representatives. It was recommended that the Regional Science Councils 

be used as a vehicle to distribute information to the Regions as well as the Regional Risk 

Assessors meeting and that where possible, research results be described by Region. Discussion 

with Program and Regional representatives with respect to workshops to review the results of 

research will be made when critical masses of research information become available. The 

possibility of an Agency-wide interactive web site for mercury allowing one to “drill into” the 

site and find links to the various Agency programs on mercury (e.g., the fish advisories from 

OW, ORD reports on mercury, etc.) was raised. Links to other web sites (USGS, DOE, etc.) 

could also be made. 

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5.0 FUTURE DIRECTIONS WITH INCREASING FUNDS 

If the research base were to be increased by 20%, proposed work would consist of the 

research activities outlined below. 

5.1 Ecological Risk Assessment. 

Background. According to the Mercury Report to Congress: “Concentrations of mercury in the 

tissues of wildlife species have been reported at levels associated with adverse effects in 

laboratory studies of the same species. However, field data are insufficient to conclude whether 

piscivorous wading birds or mammals have suffered adverse effects due to airborne mercury 

emissions. Modeling analyses suggest that it is probable that individuals of some highly 

exposed wildlife subpopulations are experiencing adverse effects due to airborne mercury. 

Proposed Research. Current research is examining the effects of mercury on avian species and 

then expanding that research into the field to assess population risk Additional resources in this 

area of research would be used to expand the assessment of population risk in the field for 

several avian species. The additional resources would also be used to evaluate the immunotoxic 

effects of mercury. Current data are suggestive on an immunotoxic effect of mercury which 

could have significant population effects on avian and mammalian species. 

5.2 Retirement of Mercury Stockpiles 

Retirement of Mercury Stockpiles 

Background. The ultimate disposal of mercury stockpiles is of considerable concern. Large 

stockpiles already await disposal. For example, the Department of Defense currently manages a 

mercury stockpile of approximately 4,400 metric tons. The total amount of stockpiled mercury 

in the United States will be increasing as mercury cell chloralkali plants close and the number of 

federal, state and local programs to reduce mercury use and to recycle mercury products 

increase. 

Proposed Research. ORD working closely with OPPTS, OSW and other Agency Offices, will 

identify further research that is needed. This work could include evaluation and development of 

techniques for determining unit effectiveness, such as leaching tests and structural integrity tests 

of containment units. This research would be leveraged with other agencies, particularly for 

(expensive) full-scale testing/demonstrations. 

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5.3 Global Mass Balance of Mercury 

Background. EPA needs to begin the development of a global scale model for mercury 

transport, transformation, and fate, including improved emission inventories. Preliminary 

calculations indicate that remote sources approach the magnitude of local and regional sources 

for mercury deposition at many sites in the US and that the US is a net exporter of atmospheric 

mercury to the global pool. Thus, although local risk reduction will require control of local and 

regional sources, the long-range transport, including the contributions of nonanthropogenic 

sources, and the atmospheric reactions that lead to the production and deposition of reactive 

mercury must be characterized for effective management of global pools of mercury, including 

management of international risks and for US risks in a global context. In February 2003, the 

United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) Governing Council agreed that further 

international action is warranted to reduce risks to human health and the environment from 

mercury and thus created a UNEP global mercury program in order assist developing countries 

in this effort. Its technical basis for action was a December 2002, UNEP Global Mercury 

Assessment report, which reflected significant funding and technical support by USEPA. 

Proposed Research. A better understanding of mercury flux from existing mercury pools and 

long-range anthropogenic sources needs to be established, based on measurements of 

atmospheric speciated mercury at remote sites and long-range modeling of mercury transport 

and atmospheric reactions. There is also a need to characterize natural emission processes, 

including re-emissions, from oceans, wetlands, aquatic sediments, Arctic tundra and ice sheets 

(and wherever else it is sequestered), and meteorological and atmospheric conditions (such as 

Arctic sunrise) that give rise to global transport and deposition patterns. 

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6.0 RELATED NON-EPA RESEARCH 

Based on the input received from the various members of the Mercury Research Strategy 

writing team, direct contacts with other organizations, and a review of the literature (both hard 

copy and on- line), a number of Federal organizations can make contributions to the long range 

goal. Some of these organizations and the work they perform are briefly described below. 

6.1 Federal Activities 

National Institutes of Health and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute for Environmental 

Health Sciences (NIEHS) have been investigating the adverse human health effects of methyl 

mercury for a number of years. Investigations address the mechanisms of action of methyl 

mercury on the nervous system and evaluate its effects on other systems (e.g., endocrine, 

immune). 

National Center for Health Statistics and the Food and Drug Administration 

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collects biomonitoring data on 

mercury concentrations in hair and blood of examinees for the National Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey (NHANES) IV. This survey provides information on the distribution of 

mercury exposures in the general United States population, but does not provide information on 

specific sub-populations that may have higher than typical exposures. The Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) monitors mercury levels in fish sold in interstate commerce. 

U.S. Geological Survey 

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) supports research programs to evaluate the 

mechanisms of methyl mercury bioaccumulation in fish and wildlife species. One program has 

correlated mercury concentrations in sediment, water, and fish at a number of sites nationally 

with water and sediment parameters (Krabbenhoft et.al, 1999). Determining the role of 

sediment microbial communities in the methylation of mercury is another important USGS 

program. Much of the research is associated with regional assessments, such as those in the 

Great Lakes or the Florida Everglades. In addition, USGS continues to collect data on mercury 

and has been conducting a program to address mercury releases from mining operations in the 

western United States. The USGS conducts research in the aquatic and terrestrial transport, 

transformation, and fate of mercury. ORD has worked closely with the USGS to establish a 

coordinated research program for the investigation of ecological processes in the field and the 

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collection of environmental data for model development and validation, particularly in studies 

related to the restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem. 

Department of Defense 

In the context of the mercury life cycle, ORD is interested in one of the most challenging 

issues facing the United States over the long-term, mercury retirement. Mercury retirement is 

currently being considered by the Department of Defense (DoD) for its strategic stockpile of 

elemental mercury. At a workshop in Baltimore in the Spring of 2000, DoD personnel 

presented their efforts in addressing the mercury strategic stockpile and invited workshop 

participants to join them in addressing this issue. They stressed that DoD was not proposing to 

conduct research on retirement alternatives, but was relying on a call for retirement technologies 

to be considered as part of an Environmental Impact Statement they are preparing. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Atmospheric 

Research Laboratory (ARL), in coordination with EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy 

(DOE), develops numerical simulation models for atmospheric mercury and other air toxics. 

Thus far, ARL has focused on Lagrangian-type numerical frameworks (i.e., HYSPLIT), rather 

than three-dimensional fixed grids with high-resolution nesting and complex chemistry like 

EPA’s Models-3/CMAQ. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL) Atmospheric 

Modeling Division is a division of NOAA’s ARL that has been assigned to work for ORD. The 

division reports to the Director of ARL, so there is close coordination between EPA and 

NOAA’s research activities. 

Department of Energy 

DOE has undertaken an extensive program in pilot and field evaluations of control 

technologies for mercury emissions from coal-fired utilities. EPA’s National Risk Management 

Research Laboratory (NRMRL) will participate in these evaluations with DOE and the Electric 

Power Research Institute (EPRI). The emphasis will be on technology performance and cost 

effectiveness. DOE, in coordination with ORD, is also studying non-thermal disposal 

alternatives to mercury-bearing mixed wastes (including soils), and alternatives to mercury use 

in fluorescent light bulbs. DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory is conducting studies on the 

Arctic sunrise phenomenon and collecting data on landfill emissions and emissions 

measurement techniques. DOE will also need to address the problem of disposing of wastes 

containing mercury from the nuclear weapons program. This includes radioactive mercury that 

was used for shielding reactors and such, and mercury mixed with other toxic materials. 

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6.2 State and Regional Activities 

Many states conduct regular monitoring of mercury levels in game fish that are used in 

setting fish consumption advisories. In addition, many states conduct fish surveys to assess 

methyl mercury fish tissue concentrations. Examples of state-specific and regional mercury 

research activities are presented below. Engagement with these regions and states provides a 

geographic component that informs the MRS and allows for the leveraging of information and 

data that have been collected over the years. 

EPA’s Region IV and the State of Florida 

The state of Florida’s South Florida Mercury Science Program is an effort by a multidisciplinary team (state and federal agencies, universities, industrial groups and associations) to 

understand and address mercury bioaccumulation in Florida. The major focus of the research is 

on the Florida Everglades. Research topics include the following: risks to humans and wildlife 

from mercury, methyl mercury concentrations in the food chain, pathways for transformation of 

mercury to methyl mercury, source identification and transport of mercury species in air and 

water, and actions to reduce mercury levels in fish and wildlife. ORD already has an excellent 

working relationship with the state officials leading this effort and has been involved in the 

research aspects of the Program for a number of years. 

Region IV has teamed with ORD and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection 

on the Everglades since 1992. The Region manages a team of researchers who provide 

quantitative, large-scale spatial and temporal biological, water, and soil data on mercury and 

methyl mercury in South Florida. This data provides more multimedia information on mercury 

and methyl mercury than any other geographical location in the United States. Results from this 

effort are being developed into an empirical model which addresses the interactions of 

numerous variables affecting mercury bioaccumulation in the Everglades. It will provide the 

basis for an ecological risk assessment, leading to management recommendations affecting the 

restoration of the Everglades ecosystem. Numerous new methods have been developed for 

sampling, analysis and interpretation as part of this undertaking (Stober, 2000). 

New England States 

The New England governors, in concert with the Eastern Canadian premiers, have 

developed a Mercury Action Plan to support research and analysis that improves regional 

understanding of mercury sources, impacts, and cycling in the environment (NEG/ECP, 1998). 

In this plan, two objectives were identified relating to research, analysis, and strategic 

monitoring. These objectives are: (1) research and analysis to improve understanding of 

mercury sources, impacts, and cycling in the environment, and (2) strategic monitoring of 

mercury emissions, deposition, and fish tissue levels and environmental indicators to measure 

and track progress. 

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6.3 Private Sector Activities 

Scientific activities are under way in some industrial sectors to assess mercury use and 

releases. ORD is already working with various industries and industrial research and trade 

organizations to address research and technical issues related to mercury emissions and 

improved characterization of both emissions and releases. These efforts will inform both 

industry and the Agency on mercury and methyl mercury risk assessment and risk management 

for the industrial sector. 

Electric Power Research Institute 

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has supported a comprehensive research 

program on mercury for many years. EPRI works with the electric utility industry to: collect 

data on fuels (e.g., coal, oil), measure mercury emissions and deposition of those emissions, 

develop and test models on mercury fate and transport, conduct integrated assessments of 

exposure and risk, and evaluate control measures to reduce mercury emissions. EPRI has 

sponsored research covering a broad spectrum of mercury issues related to coal combustion. It 

has been supporting the utility industry’s data collection effort in response to EPA’s Information 

Collection Request (ICR) on the mercury content of coal and mercury emissions from coal-fired 

utilities. Since the 1980s, EPRI has sponsored a series of international conferences on mercury 

as a global pollutant, one being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1999 and another in 

Minamata, Japan, in 2001. Additional information on EPRI’s mercury research program can be 

found at their web site (http://www.epri.com). 

The Chlorine Institute 

The Chlorine Institute is working with its members in the chlor-alkali industry to reduce 

mercury use by 50% as part of the Binational Toxics Strategy (EPA, 1997b). In the spring of 

2000, ORD in cooperation with The Chlorine Institute, EPA Regions IV and V, and OAR 

conducted a mercury emissions sampling program at a chlor-alkali plant in the southeastern 

United States. ORD plans to continue this cooperative relationship to gain an improved 

understanding of mercury emissions from calor-alkali plants and to resolve mercury mass 

balance issues associated with plant operations. 

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7.0 REFERENCES 

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program. (1997) Arctic Pollution Issues: A State of the 

Arctic Environment Report. (HTML version available at http://ww.amap.no/) 

Federal Register. (1999) National Air Toxics Program: The Integrated Urban Strategy. (Vol. 

64, No. 137:38705-38740, July 19, 1999). 

Federal Register. (1992). Initial List of Categories of Sources under Section 112(c)(1) of the 

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. (Vol. 57, No. 137:31576-31592, July 16, 1992) 

Krabbenhoft, David P., James G. Wiener, William G. Brumbaugh, Mark L. Olson, John F. 

DeWild, and Ty J. Sabin. (1999) “A National Pilot Study of Mercury Contamination of Aquatic 

Ecosystems along Multiple Gradients,” in D.W. Morganwalp and H.T. Buxton, eds. U.S. 

Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program - Proceedings of the Technical 

Meeting, Charleston, SC (March 8-12, 1999) Volume 2 of 3, Contamination of Hydrologic 

Systems and Related Ecosystems: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 

Report 99-408B, pp. 147-160. 

National Research Council (NRC). (2000) Toxicological Effects of Methyl mercury. 

(Washington, DC: National Academy Press) 

Northeast Studies for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM). (1998) Northeast States 

and Eastern Canadian Provinces Mercury Study: A Framework for Action. February 1998. 

(Boston, MA: NESCAUM). 

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). (1998) The 1998 Aarhus Protocol 

on Heavy Metals [Online]. June 24, 1998. Available: 

http://www.unece.org/env/lrtap/hm_h1.htm 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1997a) Mercury Study Report to Congress 

(Volumes I - VIII). Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards and Office of Research and 

Development. EPA-452/R-97-003 through EPA-452/R-97-010. December 1997. (Washington, 

D.C.: EPA). Available: http://www.epa.gov/oar/mercury.html 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environment Canada (EC). (1997b) The 

Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy: Canada - United States Strategy for the Virtual 

Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Great Lakes, [Online]. April 7, 1997. 

(Chicago, IL: GLNPO). Available: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/p2/bns.html. 

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U.S. House of Representatives. (1998) 105th Congress Report (51-174), House of 

Representatives Appropriations Report: Environmental Programs and Management 92d Session, 

105 769) October 5, 1998. (Washington, DC: House of Representatives) 

National Research Council. 2000. Toxicological effects of methylmercury. National Academy 

Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20418 

Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA. 2000. Mercury Research Strategy. EPA 

600/R -00/073 (http://www.epa.gov/ORD/WebPubs/final) 

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Appendix 1. 

Relationships Between Annual Performance Goals (APGs) 

For Each Long Term Goal and Associated 

Regulatory Time frame 

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Appendix 2. 

Long Term Goals and Annual Performance Goals 

and Measures for Mercury Research 

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Table 1: Annual Performance Goals and Measures for Long-Term Goal 1

Long-Term Goal 1: To reduce and prevent the release of mercury into the environment. 

Annual Performance Goals and Measures Year 

APG - Support development of regulations on mercury emissions from coal-fired utility boilers by producing data on measurement methods and control technology performance, cost, and residues that can be readily used by OAR, OSW, States, Regions and industry to make informed choices on reducing mercury risks in a cost-effective manner 

2003 

APM Report(s) on the parameters that impact both the species of mercury in coal-fired utility 

boiler flue gas and the performance of promising mercury control technologies 

2002 

Complet

APM Complete report on mercury speciation in coal combustion and gasification flue gases 

(Center for Air Toxic Metals) 

2002 

Complet

APM Report describing the parameters that impact the species of mercury in coal-fired utility 

boiler flue gas and the performance of promising mercury control technologies 2003 

APM Produce a status report on the performance of Continuous Emission Monitors (CEMs) 

used to measure total gas-phase mercury and mercury speciation based on both lab and 

field testing. 

2003 

APM Report on the performance/cost of reducing mercury emissions taking into account coal 

properties, combustion conditions, and flue gas cleaning. 

2003 

APM Report on the impact of selected mercury control technologies on the characteristics of 

their coal combustion residues and how selected utilization/disposal practices impact 

the fate of mercury residues. 

2003 

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APG - Provide information on managing mercury and other co-pollutants from utility boilers to support air quality officials and utilities in determining the most cost-effective approaches to reduce emissions 

2005 

APM 120 

Produce a technical assessment of the effect of air pollution control systems on the 

characteristics of mercury-contaminated residues, and increased costs or environmental risks from their management. 

2004 

APM 

Produce updated report on performance and cost of devices to continuously measure and control air emissions of mercury and co-pollutants to enable stakeholders identify optimal management approaches 

2005 

APG - Provide information and data to support regulations from non-combustion sources of mercury 2005 APM State of the art practices in macroencapsulation and microencapsulation of hazardous 

wastes 

2002 

Comple

APM Materials flow analysis report on the uses and releases of mercury in the U.S. 2002 CompleAPM Complete a report on the performance of selected treatment technologies on priority 

mercury-bearing wastes. 

2002 

Comple

APM Characterization and Eh/pH-based leaching tests of mercury-contained mining wastes from the Sulfur Banks Mercury Mine, Lake County, California (funded by Superfund) 2002 CompletAPM Analyze technical alternatives for the disposal or retirement of mercury (funded by PBT funds) 2002 CompletAPM Evaluation of chemically bonded phosphate ceramics for mercury stabilization 2003 

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APM Interim report on distribution of MeHg in aquatic systems for use in identifying MeHg 

treatment options 2003 

APM 121 

Report estimating the mercury content in the US petroleum supply addressing uncertainties in the national emissions estimate from this non-combustion source to support future risk management decisions 

2005 

APM Evaluate the physical and chemical processes that control the speciation and distribution of Hg in mine wastes and its release from mine sites. (funded by Superfund) 2004 

APM Report on the physical and chemical processes that control the speciation and distribution of Hg in mine wastes and its release from mine sites (#R827634) 2004 APM Report on Hg wastes treatment, containment, and disposal technologies: an update [Current scope of report: ORD Hg research. Setting up meeting to discuss broadening] 2005 

APM Report on bench-scale tests of methods for stabilizing mercury in contaminated sediments to minimize transport to water and aquatic receptors 2005 APG - Support development of regulations on multi-pollutant controls for coal-fired utility boilers by producing data on measurement methods and control technology performance, cost, and residues that can be readily used by OAR, OSW, States, Regions and industry to make informed choices on reducing risks in a cost-effective manner. 

2008 

APM Report on the control of Nox and Hg emissions in units equipped with selective 

catalytic reduction (SCR) systems 2004 

APM Report on the role of coal properties and combustion conditions in adsorption of Hg by 

fly ash and sorbents 2005 

APM Journal article on models for speciation and adsorption of Hg in coal-fired boilers 2006 

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APM State-of-Art report on CEMs for coal-fired boiler that are subject to multipollutant 

emission control requirements 2006 

APM State-of-Art report on multipollutant control technologies for subbituminous coals and 

lignite 2006 

APM State of Art report on fate of Hg and other metals from land application of coal 

combustion residues 2006 

APM Performance and cost report on new multipollutant control technologies 2007 APM Report on the potential formation of organo-mercury from anaerobic decomposition of 

coal combustion residues 2007 

APM State of Art report on dry- and wet-FGD systems for multipollutant control of pollutants 

from combustion of bituminous coals 2008 

APM Report on fate of toxic metals from land disposal and commercial use of coal 

combustion residues from plants equipped with multipollutant control technologies. 2008 

APG - Provide information and data to support guidance, regulations, and policies for the management of non-utility sources of mercury contamination, including Hg stockpiles, hazardous wastes and selected air and water sources. 

2010 

APM Report on the long term management of Hg stockpiles 2005 APM Publish an estimate of the amount of Hg contained in the US natural gas supply for use in determining the significance of this industry for potential Hg emissions 2006 APM Identification of critical points for Hg release from petroleum extraction and processing facilities to identify where improved controls are needed. 2007 

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APM Report on field trial of in situ treatment of mercury in sediments 2007 APM Identification of critical points for Hg release from natural gas extraction and processing facilities to identify where improved controls are needed. 2008 APM Report on characterization of air emissions from a priority Hg source (e.g., arc furnaces) 2008 APM 

Provide a summary report on characterization and control for priority non-utility 

sources of mercury releases to the environment to public and private decision makers 

and other stakeholders 

2008 

APM Synthesis document on the effective management of non-utility sources of mercury 2010 

* Indicates the reporting lab in the Integrated Resources Management System (IRMS). ** Indicates NCER portion of APM is completed, not in (IRMS). 

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Table 2: Annual Performance Goals and Measures for Long-Term Goal 2

Long-Term Goal 2: To Understand the Transport and Fate of Mercury from 

Release to the Receptor and its Effects on the Receptor. 

Annual Performance Goals and Measures Year 

APG - Provide an assessment of key fate and transport issues for tracking the fate of mercury from sources to concentrations in fish tissue. 2004 APM Provide predictive model for assessing spatial distribution of mercury exposures in 

South Florida 

2002 

APM Interim report on disruption of mercury methylation in aquatic sediment systems 2003 APM Hold workshop/SOS on mercury with emphasis on Fate and Transport in watershed(s) and ecosystem impacts 2004 CompleteAPM 

Reports on evaluating mercury cycling in complex ecosystems; including, air/water 

interface to accurately assess TMDLs for Hg and predict methylmercury concentrations 

in water and fish. Focus is on human exposure as the ecological endpoint. 

2004 

APM 

Provide a report on the impacts of atmospheric deposition and lake and watershed processes on mercury exposures of fish and piscivorous wildlife in New England lakes (REMAP project with Region 1). 

2004 

APG - Develop a model for tracking mercury from deposition to concentrations in fish tissues. 2006 

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APM 

Provide to the states and regions a model capable of supporting a TMDL assessment of 

methylmercury levels in fish resulting from atmospheric deposition, point sources, and 

internal watershed processes. 

2004 

APM Provide watershed and water body modules for a prototype integrated multimedia 

model for mercury to evaluate risk reduction at the local and regional scales. 2006 

APG - Provide risk communication methods and tools for mercury. 2008 APM Provide a report on target audiences regarding risk communication messages for 

mercury. 

2004 

APM Develop and demonstrate improved methods of risk communication on mercury to fish- eating populations of concern. 2005 APM 

Provide an evaluation of the effectiveness of tools currently being used for Hg risk communication use by EPA, the States and others in determining the appropriate tools to use, and to help in development of new tools. 

2006 

APM Develop new risk communication tools for States and others that address identified gaps and inconsistencies in risk communication messages for mercury. 2007 APM Develop a consensus report outlining Best Practices for mercury risk communication. 2008 APG - Develop information on sources of mercury emissions including the regional/global atmospheric fate and transport of such emissions 2008 APM Report on the relative importance of coal combustion on observed mercury wet deposition in Ohio. 2004 APM Report on oxidation of elemental gaseous mercury to reactive gaseous mercury in the 

marine free troposphere and the implications on long range mercury transport. 2004 

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APM Preliminary evaluation for the use of mercury in tree growth rings as an indicator for historic rates for mercury deposition. 2007 APM Report(s) on developing an understanding of the chemical and physical transformations of mercury in air and cloud water 2008 APG - Assess the risks of mercury exposures to ecological receptors 2009 APM Habitat suitability indices to support population models for projecting relative risks of 

multiple stressors including toxic chemicals and habitat alteration to common loons (from Water Quality MYP) 

2004 

APM Population models that project the relative risks of multiple stressors (toxics, habitat 

alterations) to piscivorous birds (from Water Quality MYP) 

2004 

APM Characterization of the effects (including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics) of 

methylmercury on avian receptors (external peer review draft) 2005 

APM Evaluation of the performance of mercury bioaccumulation models in lotic systems (submitted journal article) 2006 APM 

Report on the impact of numerous stressors on Common Loon productivity, including an assessment of mercury exposure and mercury bioaccumulation in avian species. (#R829085) 

2006 

APM Characterization of the effects (including toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics) of 

methylmercury on avian receptors (final report) 2007 

APM Regional ecological risk assessment of methylmercury on a representative avian species using state of the science techniques (submitted journal article) 2009 APG -Assess the health risks of mercury exposure to humans 2009 

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APM 

Assess the toxicokinetics of methylmercury in various human subpopulations including the maternal-fetal unit, and the kinetic variability within and between populations (external peer review draft) 

2006 

APM Perform benchmark dose analyses of adverse effects of methylmercury on cardiovascular effects on adult humans. (external peer review draft) 2006 APM Update and collate fish intake in various human subpopulations, including anglers and subsistence populations (external peer review draft) 2006 APM 

Assess the impacts from aggregate exposures and synergistic relationships of mercury 

and commonly co-occurring environmental pollutants (e.g., dioxin, PCBs, 

dibenzofurans, DDT) (external peer review draft) 

2008 

APM Reevaluation of human RFD for methylmercury (external peer review draft) 2009 APG - Produce an integrated multimedia modeling framework for understanding mercury fate from source to fish concentrations. 2010 APM Provide a demonstration of integrating multimedia information with a model of 

atmospheric processes 2006 

APM Development of an integrated multimedia modeling framework for the complete scientific understanding of mercury fate/transport and atmospheric chemistry/processes 2010 

*Indicates the reporting lab in the Integrated Resources Management System (IRMS). 

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