August 2, 2012 

# Strategic **Directions for EP**  **A Research**  **Path Forward on Achieving**  **Sustainable Outcomes** 

Robert J. Kavlock, Ph.D. Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science EP A Of fice of Research and DevelopmentOf

fice of Research and Development 1 Provide the scientific foundation to support the EP A’ s mission by:  **Conducting research and development**  to identify, understand, and solve current and future environmental problems  **Providing responsive technical**  **support** to EP A’ s Programs and Regions  **Collaborating with our scientific partners**  in academia and other agencies, private - sector organizations, state and tribal governments, and other nations  **Exercising leadership**  in addressing emerging environmental issues and advancing the science and technology of risk assessment and risk management 

# Mission of EP

**A’ s**  **Office of Research and Development (ORD)** 

1**Office of**  **Research and**  **Development** 

# ORD’s Evolving Role

 

### Support scientific basis for the development of regulations  

### Identify risks to health and environment  

### Develop tools and approaches to help decision - makers  

### Advance sustainability science in EPA programs  

### Promote innovative and sustainable solutions to environmental problems

**2 3**  **Office of Research and Development**  

## My vision for the futur e of ORD includes a r ec ognition that the **go al**  **of sust ainability**  is our “true north,” that scientific and technological **innov ation**  is essential to the success of our mission, that we need to couple our e xc ellence in problem assessmen t with an equal **ex cellence**  **in solving problems,**  and that we must act with a sense of urge ncy. (ORD/ AA P aul Anast as, March 4, 2010) 

# The P ath Fo rw ar d: The R edesign of ORD’ s Re search Programs**4 Office**  **of Research and Development** 

# ORD’ **s Organization Immediate Office**  **of the Assistant**  **Administrator Lek Kadeli, Acting Assistant**  **Administrator Ramona Trovato, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Management**  **Robert Kavlock, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science** 

**Office of Science Policy**  **Fred Hauchman**  **National**

**Risk Management Research**  **Laboratory Cynthia**  **Sonich -**  **Mullin National**  **Center for**  **Environmental Research**  **James Johnson**  **National Center**  **for Computational**  **Toxicology David Dix**  **National Center**  **for Environmental**  **Assessment Kenneth**  **Olden National**  **Health and Environmental**  **Effects Research**  **Laboratory Hal Zenick**  **National Exposure**  **Research Laboratory**  **Jennifer Orme -** **Zavaletta Office of the**  **Science Advisor**  **Glenn Paulson** 

**Office of Scientific Information**  **and Management**  **Jerry Blancato**  **Office of Administrative and**  **Research Support Alice Sabatini**  **Office of Resources Management and**  **Administration Amy Battaglia**  **National Program Directors** 
• **Air, Climate & Energy –**  **Dan Costa** • **Safe and**  **Sustainable Water Resources**  **– Suzanne Van Drunick**  • **Sustainable and Healthy**  **Communities –**  **Michael Slimak** • **Chemical Safety for**  **Sustainability –**  **Tina Bahadori** • **Human Health**  **Risk Assessment –**  **Kenneth Olden** • **Homeland Security –**  **Jon Herrmann**  **National Homeland**  **Security Research**  **Center Jon**  **Herrmann Chief**  **Innovation Officer**  **Peter Preuss 5**  **Office of Research and Development**  

# ORD’ **s Realignment: Matrix**

= Matrix Interface Manager * T eams made up of NPD lead and staff, responsible for research planning, program delivery. OSA AAA (Matrix Guardian) DAA

OSIM OPARM OSP DAA

CSS Team* SSWR Team* SHC Team* ACE Team* AA

HS HHRA NRMRL NHEERL NERL NCER NCCT NHSRC NCEA OARS Innovation OfficerOf

fice of Research and Development **SA FE**  **& SUST**  **AI NABLE**  **WA TER**  **RESOURCES HOMELA** **ND SECURITY**  **HUM AN**  **HEA LT**  **H RISK**  **AS SESSMENT**  **AI R,**  **CLIMA TE, &**  **ENERGY**

**CHEMICA L**  **SA FETY**  **FOR SUST**  **AI NABILITY**  **SUST AI**  **NABLE &**  **HEA LT**  **HY COMMUNITIES**  

# Integrated ORD Research Programs

6 

### Strategic **Action Research Plans:**  **www .epa.gov/research/research**  **- programs.htm** Of

fice of Research and Development 7  Research results, analytical tools and models all

contribute to informing sustainable decisions  Emphasizes a systems approach to environmental issues  Research helps decision makers quantify and value all three dimensions of sustainability: environment; society and economy.  Awareness that EP

A decisions must comply with statutory criteria for decision - making, (e.g., whether or not to take costs into account) 

# Focus on Sustainability **Our six research programs support EP**  **A and others in**  **making environmentally sustainable**  **decisions**Of

fice of Research and Development **Recycle** 

# A Systems Approach to Sustainability

**Products, Services Society**  **(communities, governments) Industry**  **(products, energy)**

**Adapted from: J. Fiksel, A Framework for Sustainable**  **Materials Management, Journal**  **of Materials , August 2006.** 

**Minimize impact of waste and emissions on the environment and**  **protect our ability to produce ecological goods**  **Ecological goods and services**  **Ecological goods and services**  **Labor**

**Environment (air**

**, water , land, humans & ecosystems)** 

**Reuse**

8Of

fice of Research and Development



# ORD’s Research Programs

9**11 Office**  **of Research and Development** 

# Vision:

... to inform and empower decision makers in communities, as well as in federal, state and tribal community- driven programs, to effectively and equitably weigh and integrate human health, socio economic, environmental, and ecological factors into their decisions in a way that fosters community sustainability.

i.e ., a ctionable science for communities 

# SHC: Building **a Scientific Foundation for Sound** 

**Environmental Decisions** **12 Office**  **of Research and Development**

**To ols:**  • National Atlas for Sustainability (Atlas) • Regional Vulnerability Assessment Environmental Decision T oolkit (ReV A) • Community/Tribal Focused Exposure Risk Screening T ool (C - FERST/ T- FERST) • Community Cumulative Assessment T ool (CCA T) **Performance Measures:**  • Human Well - being Index (HWBI) • Environmental Quality Index (EQI) • Database of Sustainability Indicators **Approaches:** • Health Impact Assessments (HIA) • Social Media, Collaborative Research • Improving Current and Future T ools: Who Uses , Inventory and Evaluation, Gap Analysis, Access

Buildings and Infrastructure Land Use Transportation Waste and Materials Management 

# Examples **of what we have underway 13**  **Office of Research and Development**  

# National **Atlas for Sustainability**

Hi - resolution classification and analysis for 250 urban areas across the country • Links ecosystem services to human health and well - being • Allows queries on populations of concern • Identifies actions to mitigate pollution and reduce energy costs • Part of multi - organization effort, with USGS, USDA, and others • First public release scheduled for 2013 Provides communities with a suite of interactive maps showing indicators of ecosystem services production, demand, and drivers of change • clean water for drinking, recreation, aquatic habitat; adequate water supply; food; fuel and fiber; recreation; cultural and aesthetic amenities; contributions to climate stability; protection from hazardous weather; maintenance of biodiversity; and clean air**14 Office**  **of Research and Development** 

# Framework for Sustainability Indicators at EP **A**
• **Sustainability Indicators**

– Joint NCEA/NRMRL

study of sustainability indicators

– Report on the Environment (ROE) 2012 utilizes the Triple V alue framework, including intensity indicators

– Indicator database extension and integration with decision tools is proceeding under SHC

– Wo rldwide inventory of ~5,000 sustainability indicators with searchable classifications under SHC

– Recommendations on indicators are included in EP A response to Green Book (draft sustainability strategy)Of

fice of Research and Development 

# Key Issues for ACE
• 

## The multipollutant nature of air pollution

– Assessing exposures and effects of chemical mixtures

– Developing options for air quality management

– Interaction of air quality and climate change pollutants • 

## The impacts of climate change and the development and evaluation of sustainable adaptation and mitigation options • 

## The human health and environmental impacts of current and future energy alternatives • 

## The expanding and contracting scales of environmental problems that range from global to local • 

## The social, behavioral, and economic factors that influence the effectiveness of air quality and climate policies 16**17 Office**  **of Research and Development Theme**  **1: Assess**  **Impacts:** Assess human and ecosystem exposures and ef fects associated with air pollutants and climate change at individual, community, regional, and global scales Near Road

**Theme 3: Respond to Changes**  **in Climate & Air**  **Quality:** Provide human exposure and environmental modeling, monitoring, metrics and information needed by individuals, communities, and governmental agencies to adapt to the impacts of climate change and make informed public health decisions regarding air quality **Theme 2: Prevent and Reduce**  **Emissions:** Provide data & tools to develop and evaluate approaches to prevent and reduce emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere, particularly environmentally sustainable, cost ef

fective, and innovative multipollutant and sector- based approaches 

# ACE Research Themes**19 Office**  **of Research and Development** 

## Wa **te r Problem Areas**  **EP A/ORD R**  **esear ch** *

*Climate is a stressor considered across the research program **Wa te**  **rs hed**  **Pr ot**  **ection &**  **Re stor** **ation Sus** **tainable Solutions**  **fo r**  **Wa te**  **rborne Chemical**  **& Micr** **obial Contaminants**  **Gr een**  **Infr astructur** **e to Manag** **e Stormwater Runoff**  **Next Gener at**  **ion W ate**  **r Tr** **eatment T**

**echnologies Integr** **ated Systems Approach Nutrient**  **Re duction Str** **ategies Leg** **acy & Emer ging**  **Contaminants Sus** **tainable Wa**  **te r Infr** **astructur e**  **Syste ms Appr** **oach to Wa**  **te rs**  **hed**

**Pr ot**  **ection Climate Impacts** **20 Office**  **of Research and Development recreational**  **and cultural uses** 

### En **vir onmental**  **Re sour** **ce s**  • Surfac e water • Ground water • Coastal areas • Fish & shellf

ish • Re gional ec osystems • Atmosphere & climate

**Co mmunity** 

**Stak eholders**  • Consumers&re sidents • State& local agencies • Water & energy utilities • Re gional businesses • Septictank users • Pri vatewe ll users **industrial & commercial uses**  **products & ser vices** 
**runoff and wast** **ewat er**  **wat er supply**  

### Ec **onomic A** **cti**

**vities** • Agriculture • Commercial Fisheries • Energy & Transportation • Land Development • Re creation & To urism • Water T re atment 

# Modeling **the Nutrient Cycle 21**  **Office of Research and Development**  

### • Apply “systems thinking” to the problem of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in New England waters • Collaborate with stakeholders to address sustainability goals • Explore integrated strategies for nutrient mitigation

– Regulatory influence

– Vo luntary innovation • Provide a replicable approach for other EP A regions • Coordinate with other projects in Narragansett Bay watershed 21



# Narragansett, RI Pilot **Project 23**  **Office of Research and Development**  

# CSS **Research Program**
• Problem Statement **Although chemicals are essential**  **to modern life, we lack innovative, systematic,**  **effective, and efficient approaches and tools to inform decisions**  **that reduce negative**  **environmental and societal impacts of chemicals.** 

• Vi sion **EP A**  **science will lead the sustainable**  **development, use, and assessment**  **of chemicals by developing and applying**  **integrated chemical evaluation strategies and decision**  **support tools. 24**  **Office of Research and Development**  

### • Improve protection of human health and environment by evaluating chemicals for potential risks
•Assess potential risks of nanomaterials and endocrine disrupting chemicals
• Use advances in computational toxicology research to assess toxicity of chemicals
• Provide tools and guidance for “greener” chemical production to improve environmental sustainability 

## 8 Research Themes: • Chemical Inherency • Systems Models • Biomarkers • Cumulative Risk • Life Cycle Considerations • Extrapolation • Dashboards • Evaluation 

# CSS **Research Program 27**  **Office of Research and Development**  

## “Although risk- based methods have led to many successes...they are not adequate to address... complex problems...such as depletion of natural resources, climate change, and loss of biodiversity.... Sophisticated tools are...available to address cross cutting...challenging issues that go beyond risk management.” National Research Council

Sustainability and the U.S. EP A September 201 1 

# Need for a Systems **Approach 28**  **Office of Research and Development**  

## • Applying integrated systems thinking • Anticipating and responding to stressors • Adopting a trans - disciplinary approach to problem - solving • Promoting scientific innovation (e.g., green chemistry) • Seeking realistic solutions • Advancing the resilience of society (i.e., adaptive capacity) 

# Advancing **Sustainability Science 29**  **Office of Research and Development**  

# • EP A Internal Implementation Plan • NAS Report on Future Scientific Challenges • NAS Report on Resilience and ORD Workshop in January 2013 **Next Steps**