Office of Research and Development

Office of Science Policy

Emerging Technologies and 

Vulnerable Populations 

Charge

NACEPT

Arlington, VA

May 25, 2010

Fred S. Hauchman, Ph.D.

Director, OSP/ORD
Office of Research and Development

Office of Science Policy 2

NACEPT – Proposed Charge

• Identification and use of technologies that are innovative and safe for the 

environment and public health, and can aid Federal, State and local government 

and community efforts to better protect vulnerable populations. Determine the 

specific actions to be taken to support the Agency in responding to the 

“Challenge”

– Community involvement

• Methods to empower vulnerable communities with innovative and safe and 

appropriate technologies through identification of needs and ensuring 

effective technology transfer

• Best techniques for effective engagement of communities in EPA research 

activities

– Opportunities to expedite the identification and use of existing technologies, 

and recent scientific developments to better protect vulnerable populations

– Identification of “game-changing” new technologies applicable to the protection 

of vulnerable populations
Office of Research and Development

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ORD Organization

Immediate Office

of the Assistant Administrator

Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator

Kevin Teichman, Deputy AA for Science

Lek Kadeli, Deputy AA for Management

Office of Resources

Management and 

Administration

Amy Battaglia

Office of Science 

Policy

Fred Hauchman

National

Risk Management

Research Laboratory

Sally Gutierrez

National Center for

Environmental

Research

Bill Sanders

National Homeland

Security Research

Center

Jonathan Herrmann

National Center for

Computational

Toxicology

Robert Kavlock

National Center for

Environmental

Assessment

Peter Preuss

National Health and

Environmental Effects

Research Laboratory

Hal Zenick

National Exposure

Research Laboratory

Larry Reiter

Office of the 

Science

Advisor

Pai-Yei Whung, 

Chief Scientist

SETO

National Program

Directors

Office of Science

Information

Management

Jack Puzak

Office of

Administration

and Resource

Management

Jerry Blancato (Acting)
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Cincinnati, OH

Research Triangle

Park, NC

Las Vegas, NV Athens, GA

Duluth, MN

Ada, OK Gulf Breeze, FL

Corvallis, OR

Edison, NJ

Newport, OR

Grosse Ile, MI

Narragansett, RI

Washington, DC

3 National Laboratories

4 National Centers

2 Offices

13 Locations
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ORD Research Areas

Cross-Program Research

 Computational Toxicology

 Ecosystem Services

 Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

 Global Change

 Human Health (incl. Communities, Tribal)

 Human Health Risk Assessment

 Nanotechnology

 Science and Technology for Sustainability

Program-Targeted Research

 Air 

 Drinking Water

 Homeland Security

 Land Preservation and Restoration

 Safe Pesticides and Products

 Water Quality
Office of Research and Development

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Vulnerable Populations and ORD

• Research on vulnerable 

populations supported by the 

Administrator’s Priorities

• Scope includes research to 

assess and manage risks in 

special populations (e.g., children, 

small communities, tribes)

• Symposium on environmental 

health disparities in March, 2010

• Taking action on climate change 

• Improving air quality 

• Assuring the safety of chemicals 

• Cleaning up our communities 

• Protecting America’s waters 

• Expanding the conversation 

on environmentalism and 

working for environmental 

justice 

• Building strong state and tribal 

partnerships 

Administrator Jackson's 

Priorities for EPA's Future 

January 2010
Office of Research and Development

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Vulnerable Population 

Research Activities

• Approaches for community-based assessments

• Data and methods for hazard ID and risk characterization (e.g., 

endocrine disruptors)

• Children’s Health Research Program

– Children’s Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers 

(EPA/NIEHS)

– Studies of susceptibility and exposure

– Assessment tools

• Technologies for small communities
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Special Populations

• Economic and social factors (influence on 

exposure assessment)

• Non-chemical stressors (cumulative risk 

assessments)

• Lifestyle and cultural practices and risk 

assessment (tribal communities)
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R&D Continuum
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• ORD in-house research program

• Collaboration and technology transfer

– Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs): 

Technologies can be co-developed or jointly improved

– Material Transfer Agreements: Loan or donation of research 

materials from one party to another

– Outside User Agreements: Non-Federal parties can use EPA 

facilities for independent research (EPA can charge fees)

– Licenses: Technologies developed in EPA labs can be transferred 

to the partner for further development and/or commercialization

• Grants/contracts (including SBIR)

• Environmental Technology Verification

• R&D supported by other agencies and organizations 

(e.g., NSF)

Technology Development, Transfer 

and Verification
Office of Research and Development

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Example Partnerships*

Example Partners and Licensees

American Chemistry Council  BP Amoco  Chevron  Dow Corning  DuPont

Eastman Chemical  Exxon  Fisher-Scientific  Ford Motor

Electric Power Research Institute  General Electric  General Motors 

Georgia Pacific  Proctor and Gamble  Hewlett-Packard International Paper 

Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles Duke University 

University of Maryland Georgia Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology  University of North Carolina

Examples of Research Areas for CRADAs and Licenses

Black Mold Arsenic Removal Hybrid Vehicles Water Security 

Children's Health Clean Diesel Combustion Phytoremediation

Cryptosporidium Aerosol Samplers Soil Treatment

72% industry partners; 24% non-industry partners; 4% other

*Federal Technology Transfer Act Program
Office of Research and Development

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ORD’s “Path Forward” Priorities

• Principles

– Sustainability – Using a “systems 

approach”

– Solution-oriented

– Timeliness

– Responsiveness

– Relevance

– Integrity

• Characteristics

– Integrated, transdisciplinary research

– Innovative

– Catalytic

– Visible
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ORD’s “Path Forward” Priorities

(continued)

Key Area of Emphasis

• Sustainable technological innovations

- Internal entrepreneurial research through a seed 

grant program

- External partnerships (CRADAs, etc.)

- Catalyzing the private sector
Office of Research and Development

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Discussion of Selected 

Technologies for Vulnerable 

Populations
Office of Research and Development

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Arsenic Treatment Technologies for Small Communities

Selected Technologies

Rimrock, AZ – Absorptive Media System Climax, MN – Coagulation Filtration System
Office of Research and Development

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Arsenic Treatment Technology Demonstration Program

• Extensive studies on treatment technologies for cost-effective arsenic removal to 

help small systems comply with arsenic standard

• Providing information to numerous small drinking water systems, States, and EPA 

regional offices on: 

– best treatment technology to select given local water quality parameters

– relative costs of various treatment technology alternatives (both capital and

long-term operation and maintenance)

– technology transfer, through an aggressive communication plan

• Provided a basis to develop design manuals (3) and cost and performance reports 

(53) for distribution to engineering firms, consultants, operators, and the general 

public

Selected Technologies
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Selected Technologies

Lead Test Kit

• Simple, one step analysis for water

• Two step system for paint, dust, and soil

• One button push for analysis

• Time and date stamped, secure, and 

GPS geo-located sampling available
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Selected Technologies

Screening begin with ranked census blocks, move to precise exposure estimates

Tool interactive, online, scenario testing (fleet mixes, traffic volumes, etc.)

for

Roadway

consider different types, conditions (slow or fast, traffic density, flow)

Emissions characterize from general types and volumes to precise

&

Exposure

identify indicators that contribute to exposure

to

Toxics mobile source air toxics, carcinogens, mixtures (diesel), particulate matter

STREET Tool – uses GIS framework to ID communities at higher risk of exposure to 

traffic-related pollution
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Example Oversize Graphic Template

REMOVE AFTER READING

Design Notes:

This slide is included as a guide to 

illustrate how to place oversize 

images/charts on a content page 

and retain the EPA/ORD 

communications standards. The 

background of the imported image 

must be set to white, and the frame 

stretched to cover the background 

EPA logo in the upper left corner.

The image element and the text box 

below are foreground elements that 

mask the default background image 

and text boxes from appearing.
Office of Research and Development

Office of Science Policy 20

Example Oversize Graphic Template

REMOVE AFTER READING

Design Notes:

This slide is included as a guide to 

illustrate how to place oversize 

images/charts on a content page 

and retain the EPA/ORD 

communications standards. The 

background of the imported image 

must be set to white, and the frame 

stretched to cover the background 

EPA logo in the upper left corner.

The image element and the text box 

below are foreground elements that 

mask the default background image 

and text boxes from appearing.
Office of Research and Development

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3

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2

8

1

10

4

16

Roadways in Detroit around which children are being recruited to participate in the health study. High 

traffic/high diesel (HD) roadways ( ); high traffic/low diesel (LD) roadways ( ); traffic-related air 

pollutants will be measured along a spatial transect adjacent to I-96 ( ).
Office of Research and Development

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Distance-Weighted Traffic Density

Near Roadway Study of Adverse Birth Outcomes in Downtown LA and East LA
Office of Research and Development

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C-FERST (Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening 

Tool)

• ORD’s “one-stop shop” GIS and resource access Web tool for 

conducting community assessments

www.epa.gov/heasd/c-ferst

• Currently under development; Beta test version on EPA internet 

in early 2011

Selected Technologies
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Innovative, high 

quality science

User-friendly 

interface and 

readouts

C-FERST

Cumulative Impacts of Multiple Stressors

Prioritize 

environmental 

issues

Identify 

communities at 

risk

Assess impact of 

actions 

(accountability)
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Other Examples

• Semi-continuous sampling technology for ambient air monitoring of toxic 

metals near schools (Advanced Monitoring Initiative, AMI)

• Colorimetric ozone indicator card

• Inexpensive drinking water treatment technologies for small communities 

in Puerto Rico (SBIR)

• Stormwater Management Technologies – BMPs, social/community 

benefits (WQ Research Program)

• SmartE - (Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization 

Tools: Electronic)

– Decision support tools for sustainable land management (CRADA)

• Use of modeling, GIS, mining waste remediation technologies and pointof-use water treatment devices in rural mine waste areas

Selected Technologies
Office of Research and Development

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NACEPT – Proposed Charge

• Identification and use of technologies that are innovative and safe for the 

environment and public health, and can aid Federal, State and local government 

and community efforts to better protect vulnerable populations. Determine the 

specific actions to be taken to support the Agency in responding to the 

“Challenge”

– Community involvement

• Methods to empower vulnerable communities with innovative and safe and 

appropriate technologies through identification of needs and ensuring 

effective technology transfer

• Best techniques for effective engagement of communities in EPA research 

activities

– Opportunities to expedite the identification and use of existing technologies, 

and recent scientific developments to better protect vulnerable populations

– Identification of “game-changing” new technologies applicable to the protection 

of vulnerable populations