Document ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0659-0010
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2023-08-21T04:00Z

Generic Clearance for Participatory Science and Crowdsourcing Projects 
                                       
1.	Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

Participatory science and crowdsourcing: Innovative research methods that engage the public

Participatory science and crowdsourcing are tools that engage, educate, and empower the public to apply their curiosity and contribute their talents to a wide range of scientific and societal issues. Participatory science is a form of open collaboration where the public can participate actively in the scientific process through methods that include asking research questions, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, or engaging in problem solving. Crowdsourcing is a process where individuals or organizations submit an open call for contributions of information from a large group of individuals ("the crowd"). Participatory science is EPA's all-embracing term that is inclusive of diverse community engagement models, academic disciplines, project scope, and/or methodology in which members of the public participate. Note that the term citizen science is used in statutes and regulations referred to throughout this document.

EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment

The mission of EPA is to protect human health and the environment. Participatory science and crowdsourcing can support EPA's mission and purpose, ensuring that national efforts to reduce environmental and public health risks are based on the best available scientific information and that all parts of society  -  communities, individuals, businesses, and state, local and Tribal governments  -  have access to accurate information sufficient to effectively participate in managing human health and environmental risks. To meet these goals, EPA fosters the use of science and technology, conducts leading-edge research, and funds community-driven projects. Likewise, the Agency conducts educational activities to increase the public's knowledge and understanding of environmental issues so that they can make appropriate decisions. 
 
Benefits of using participatory science and crowdsourcing approaches at EPA 

Participatory science and crowdsourcing can create engaging opportunities for the public to experience their environment, contribute environmental data at a more local level, and provide opportunities to analyze large environmental datasets. These methods give people the ability to easily share data they encounter in their communities and environments. Whether it is an individual photographing an endangered species they come across on their walk, someone at home adding descriptions to online aerial photographs taken at a disaster site, or owners of personal monitors documenting their daily activities, crowdsourcing and participatory science provide people a fun and accessible way to contribute to science or foster a greater appreciation of their natural environment and community. In addition, participatory science and crowdsourcing projects promote greater openness in the scientific process by actively encouraging participation in various aspects of research. Researchers using participatory science and crowdsourcing are committed to the dissemination of data and results back to the public.

Many federal and non-federal organizations are already using innovative participatory science and crowdsourcing tools to advance their missions. These tools are especially valuable where data are distributed across space and time or when projects rely on large datasets. Successful participatory science and crowdsourcing projects usually result from iterations of the design based on feedback from the participants. 

The growth and success of participatory science and crowdsourcing is tied closely with advances in technology. Enhanced tools and methods are constantly making participatory science and crowdsourcing more feasible and effective.

Federal support for participatory science and crowdsourcing

In the 2017 American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, Congress authorized agencies to harness the ingenuity of the public by using open innovation methods such as participatory science and crowdsourcing. Participatory science and crowdsourcing are in line with the Paperwork Reduction Act's intent to "ensure the greatest possible public benefit from and maximize the utility of information created, collected, maintained, used, shared, and disseminated by or for the Federal Government." 

Design principles for participatory science and crowdsourcing projects

Participatory science and crowdsourcing projects under this generic ICR will include the following design principles: 

 Participants have a meaningful role in the research project and can act as contributors or collaborators. 
 Projects have a genuine scientific question or goal. 
 Projects are low-burden for participants. 
 Projects include active management of data and data quality, including a data quality assurance plan and ongoing evaluation of data quality and data management.
 Projects are opt-in and participants have full control over the extent that they participate. 
 The data gathered and/or analyzed are shared with participants and generally made publicly available, unless there are security or privacy concerns that prevent this. 
 Participants receive feedback on how their contribution adds to the project. 
 Project leads evaluate scientific output, data quality, and the impact on participants.
 Projects are designed to contribute to research and science, not to inform Agency regulations or policies. 

EPA participatory science research will have clear linkages to community problems and concerns, and this participatory, "translational science approach" differentiates participatory science research from EPA's traditional research activities. The objective of a participatory science project under this ICR is to use a rigorous research approach  -  and then apply findings to real-world problems.
 
2.	Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

EPA relies on scientific information. Participatory science and crowdsourcing techniques allow the Agency to collect qualitative and quantitative data that might help inform scientific research, assessments, or environmental screening; validate environmental models or tools; or enhance the quantity and quality of data collected across the country's diverse communities and ecosystems to support the Agency's mission. Information gathered under this generic clearance will be used by the Agency to support the activities listed above and might provide unprecedented avenues for conducting breakthrough research.

Collections will be from participants who actively seek to participate on their own initiative through an open and transparent process (the Agency does not select participants or require participation); the collections will be low-burden for participants; collections will be low-cost for both the participants and the Federal Government; and data will be available to support the scientific research (including assessments, environmental screening, tools, models, etc.) of the Agency, states, Tribal or local entities where data collection occurs. EPA may, by virtue of collaborating with non-federal entities, sponsor the collection of this type of information in connection with participatory science projects. 

Collection of health symptoms, illnesses, and human biological samples (e.g., blood, urine, hair) is outside the scope of this generic clearance. 

All such collections will accord with Agency policies and regulations related to human subjects research as described in EPA Order 1000.17A (Policy and Procedures on Protection of Human Subjects in EPA Conducted or Supported Research). Each project under this generic ICR will be classified as either not human subjects research (NHSR) or human subjects research (HSR). All HSR must be reviewed and approved by the EPA Human Subjects Research Review Official (HSRRO). To obtain approval by the HSRRO, researchers must submit the Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research package including documentation of the approval or determination of exemption by the IRB or the institution's Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), evidence of a Federal wide Assurance (FWA) on file with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or other assurance in accordance with 40 CFR 26.103(a). Human Subjects Officers (HSOs) will review NHSR projects, and ensure the project is submitted to the EPA HSRRO for approval. Finally, personally identifiable information (PII) will only be collected when necessary and in accordance with applicable federal procedures and policies. If a new collection is not within the parameters of this generic ICR, the Agency will submit a separate information collection request to OMB for approval. 

The methods used for collecting information can vary greatly across projects, including the use of apps, questionnaires or monitoring devices. All participatory science and crowdsourcing activities under this ICR will be consistent with the citizen science definition in Section 3 of the Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing Act of 2017. All projects conducted by EPA will be reviewed and approved by the EPA participatory science coordinator to ensure compliance with the parameters in this ICR as well as compliance with all other legal and administrative requirements. In addition, all projects submitted under this ICR will manage PII according to the Federal regulations. As with any scientific endeavor at EPA, participatory science and crowdsourcing projects will have approved data quality and data management plans as part of their project design before implementation. EPA provides employees resources for developing data quality and data management plans.

The popularity and application of participatory science and crowdsourcing methods continues to grow with new and low-cost portable technologies. Therefore, the modes of data collection under this generic clearance may include: paper or digital questionnaires, data forms, surveys, focus groups or interviews; new and existing online collaboration tools; fields in a cell or smart phone applications (apps); online web-based forms or interactive computer interfaces that elicit information; social media platforms; text or SMS messages; readings from sensors (personal, mobile, stationary or portable) or other mobile, portable or stationary instruments -  readings either sent back to the Agency in real-time, through an online data collection site, or through another acceptable mode listed here; analog or digital audio or video recordings; digital or analog photographs; and information collected automatically through an app, computer, the metadata accompanying a digital photograph, or a mobile sensor. 
Information may be actively collected and actively submitted information (such as descriptions, measurements, photographs, etc.) as well as passively submitted information, such as the metadata accompanying actively submitted information (date, time, and location stamps automatically included with apps and digital photographs).
Participatory science and crowdsourcing collections submitted under this generic clearance can be stand-alone projects or the methods may be incorporated into an existing or new project, including, but not limited to, projects in the following typology: 
 Data gathering projects. These projects may include 1) observation, characterization and documentation of natural phenomena or general environmental observations, opinions, or preferences, or 2) surveying participants or screening environmental conditions, including using specialized equipment provided by project leaders to record and submit data, or submitting samples plus descriptors for testing. Data may be collected using technologies mentioned above, through structured data forms, surveys, focus groups or interviews, submitting photographs or other media, surveys or questionnaires, or providing written observations. 
 Classification/problem solving projects. Participants' tasks may include: 1) observation of recorded materials provided by project organizers (images, video, etc.) through structured data submission forms, surveys or questionnaires in an online or computer program, clicking boxes, highlighting parts of text or image, and providing comments and/or annotations; 2) classification of images or sounds using structured data submission forms or clicking boxes in an online or computer program; 3) transcribing information, by typing handwritten logs or notes; 4) performing a function meant to generate human behavior data; or 5) problem-solving or manipulation of data. Tasks 1-5 may be conducted via structured actions or instructions or through the use of a "human-based computational game" or a "game with a purpose", a human-based computational technique in which a computational process performs its function by presenting certain steps to humans in an entertaining way. 
Data gathering and classification/problem solving projects may include participants providing information, opinions or observations about a research subject's environmental surroundings. 
Participatory science and crowdsourcing collections under this generic clearance may include the following types of questions or requests of participants:
   
 Profile/Preference information. Projects may request a username and/or password as well as user preference information to facilitate or customize the user experience. Participants may be asked to submit an email address, name, and zip code, as well as acknowledge a privacy policy or terms agreement. Participants may also be presented with an opportunity to be placed on a mailing list for the project. This includes projects administered through a web form or mobile application.
 Personal and Contact Information. Participatory science and crowdsourcing projects may solicit contact information. This information may be necessary to organize and analyze data (i.e., it may be necessary to know which data points are from the same observer). Projects may request contact information to provide participants with project updates and share data. Participants would be made aware that the publicly available data on contact information will be anonymized and aggregated, for example, by census tract, zip code, or city.
 Experience and Expertise. For data quality purposes, participatory science and crowdsourcing projects may request information to evaluate the skill level of the participant by asking about their experience with the project topic. Questions may be about a person's age range, level or topic of education, participation in organizations, or professional experience. 
 Information about Observations. Projects may request accompanying information, such as the date and time of the activity, the location (e.g., GPS coordinates, address, zip code, etc.), the weather (e.g., temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, visibility, etc.), and a description or characterization of the location (e.g., vegetation type, type of water body, environmental condition, etc.) or personal senses (e.g. smell, visual cues, sound, etc.). 
 Project Evaluation. Participatory science and crowdsourcing projects may collect information on the participant's experience for project evaluation and development. This may include questions on how the participant found out about the project, the amount of time spent, distance traveled, how difficult the task was for the participant, whether the participant enjoyed the experience, and if they will participate again. Projects may also request information to evaluate participant outcomes, such as changes in the participant's understanding of the scientific process or project topic, through survey questions before and after participation. 
 Training. Participatory science and crowdsourcing projects may need to train participants for the purpose of soliciting quality data and increasing participant benefits including education and engagement. Participants may be asked to read materials, watch training videos, or attend training sessions in-person or virtually via a webinar. To ensure that participants understand the training, they may be assessed through testing instruments like a questionnaire or survey, which may be administered online or through a computer program, on paper, in cell a phone app, or in-person. 
3. 	Consideration Given to Information Technology

Participatory science and crowdsourcing efforts often utilize information technology that is already available to potential participants (cell phones, personal computers, tablets, etc.). Projects submitted under this generic clearance may collect information electronically through new and existing online collaboration tools, cell phone applications (apps) or SMS, web-based forms, online computer programs or forms, social media platforms, or sensors (personal, mobile, stationary or portable).
4.	 Duplication of Information
No similar data are gathered or maintained by the Agency or are available from other sources known to the Agency. Participatory science projects will collect new information that is not already available (e.g. local water and air quality). 
5.	Reducing the Burden on Small Entities 
Participants in the crowdsourcing and participatory science projects under this generic clearance will be individuals, not small businesses or other small entities. 
6.	Consequences of not Conducting Collection
If unable to collect information through participatory science or crowdsourcing methods under a generic ICR, the Agency would be unable to adapt and utilize these innovative tools in a timely manner to engage the public in EPA science. With these methods, EPA benefits from the public's knowledge, expertise, and willingness to contribute to scientific endeavors that rely on large and geographically comprehensive datasets. The public and other organizations are beginning to capture and organize data with smartphones and portable sensors; the Agency's involvement will allow for publicly-generated data to effectively support EPA research, including initiating data collection, developing innovative methods for data processing, and managing data quality. The ability of EPA researchers to have access to the newest technologies affords EPA the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to low-cost sensor testing and use. Moreover, members of the public enjoy participating in participatory science and crowdsourcing projects, which are fun, educational, engaging, and will allow for more open communication between EPA and the public. Participatory science projects at other agencies have gathered millions of data points contributed by hundreds of thousands of interested individuals. These projects are always voluntary, low-burden, and rely on the interest and self-motivation of the participants. Finally, projects under this generic clearance will allow Agency researchers to test ideas more quickly, respond to the project's needs as they evolve, and incorporate feedback from participants for flexible, innovative research methods that involves the public in a variety of aspects of scientific research.
7. 	Special Circumstances
There are no special circumstances. 
8.	Consultations with Persons outside the Agency
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a 60-day and 30-day notice for public comment will be published in the Federal Register. The Agency consulted with representatives from USGS, HHS and USDA on participatory science and crowdsourcing efforts. These federal representatives are associated with the Federal Community of Practice on Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science (FCPCCS). Representatives reviewed a draft of this generic clearance. This document reflects the feedback and comments from this community.
9.	Payment of Gift
The Agency will not provide payment or other forms of remuneration to participants. 
10. 	Confidentiality
If a confidentiality pledge is deemed useful and feasible, the Agency will only include a pledge of confidentiality that is supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, and that does not unnecessarily impede sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use. If the agency includes a pledge of confidentiality, it will include a citation for the statute or regulation supporting the pledge.

11. 	Sensitive Nature
No questions will be asked that are of a personal or sensitive nature as defined by OMB.
12.	Burden of Information Collection 
A variety of platforms and media will be used to collect information from respondents. We expect that there will be a range of burden hours depending on the details of the participatory science and crowdsourcing method employed. The total range of annual burden hours requested is 350,000 to 400,000 hours based on the number of collections we expect to conduct over the requested period for this clearance. 

The total dollar value of the annual burden hours is based on the National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States published by the Bureau of Labor Standards Occupation and Wages, May 2022 (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000). We use the value for All Occupations, average hourly wage of $29.76 multiplied by 1.4 to account for benefits, equal to $41.66. 

 Data gathering projects: We estimate approximately 1,425 participants per year per data gathering collection project under this generic clearance. Under this generic clearance, we estimate 7 data gathering projects per year (10,000 registrants). We estimate the number of participants completing training will be 80% of registrants (8,000 participants). Training modules will vary by data collection; we estimate an average of four hours. For this estimate we assume that each trained participant will collect the same number of observations in the same amount of time. The estimated annual burden for 7 data gathering projects is 75,833 hours. 

 Classification/problem-solving project: We estimate 3 clarification/problem-solving projects annually under this generic clearance. We estimate the number of participants completing training will be 80% of registrants. Training modules will vary by data collection; we estimate four hours. The estimated number of participants that will spend time on the website, app, or computer program engaged in the activities will vary, and it is difficult to predict. Participants will continue to engage with the site based on their interest and submit data until the task is complete. For this estimate, we assume data collection tasks (classification/problem solving) will be completed with 50% of the trained participants engaged by the sites for 8 hours per month or 96 hours per year. The estimated annual burden for 3 classification/problem solving projects is 313,250 hours. 

Burden of information collection request table 
                       Estimated Annual Reporting Burden
                              Type of Collection
                            Number of Participants 
         Estimated Time per Participant (hours unless otherwise noted)
                           Total Annual Burden Hours

                          A. Data gathering projects
Participant registration, initial login & reading guidelines
                                    10,000
                                  13 minutes
                                  2,167 hours
Participant training (estimate 80% of those who register will undergo training)
                                     8,000
                                    4 hours
                                 32,000 hours
Participants contributing observations (estimate all "trained")
                                     8,000
              5.2 hours (500,000 observations at 5 minutes each)
                                    41,667
Total burden hours for data gathering projects
                                       
                                       
                                 75,833 hours
Total annual labor costs for data gathering projects
                                       
                    hourly rate including benefits = $41.66
                                  $3,159,203
                  B. Classification/problem-solving projects
                              Type of Collection
                            Number of Participants 
                        Estimated Time per Participant 
                           Total Annual Burden Hours

Participant registration, initial login & reading guidelines
                                     7,500
                                  10 minutes
                                  1,250 hours
Participant training
                                     6,000
                                    4 hours
                                 24,000 hours
Participants completing data collection tasks
                                     3,000
                           96 hours (8 hours/month)
                                 288,000 hours
Total burden hours for classification/problem-solving projects
                                       
                                       
                                 313,250 hours
Total annual labor costs for classification/problem-solving projects
                                       
                    hourly rate including benefits, $41.66
                                  $13,049,995
Total COMBINED ANNUAL burden hours
 
 
                                 389,083 hours
Total COMBINED ANNUAL labor costs
 
 
                                  $16,209,198
Total COMBINED 3 YEAR burden hours 

                                   1,167,249
Total COMBINED 3 YEAR labor costs

                                  $48,627,593

13.	Costs to Respondents
There will not be fees associated with participation in the data collections under this generic clearance. Participants will not be required to purchase any equipment to collect data, but some low-cost sensors or other technical or low-tech supplies may be necessary to complete the data collection tasks. The costs to participants for materials will vary based on the data collection type (data gathering, classification/problem solving, or research subject participation) and medium (i.e., sensors, apps, or paper forms). The Agency does not expect participants to make purchases specifically for participatory science and crowdsourcing projects under this generic clearance. However, the table below reflects an annual 3-year estimate for Operations and Maintenance Costs (O&M) that participants might incur should they decide to purchase equipment to fully participate in a participatory science or crowdsourcing collection under this generic clearance. The estimate is based on the following assumptions: one eighth of the expected participants in the "data gathering projects" purchases low-tech equipment with a maximum cost of $25 per person (i.e., use of already owned internet or data plans; or purchase of low-technology equipment like water monitoring kits) and one eighth of the expected participants in the "data gathering projects" purchases high-tech equipment (i.e. personal monitors, portable/personal air sensors, or other higher-technology equipment) with a maximum cost of $500 per person.
Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Costs 
 
Estimated maximum cost per participant
Estimated number of participants expected to use
O&M costs
Low-tech equipment 
$25.00 
1000
$25,000 
Low-cost personal or portable technology
$500.00 
1000
$500,000 
Total annual non-hour burden cost
$525,000 
O&M costs over 3 years
$1,575,000

14. 	Costs to Federal Government
The anticipated cost to the Federal Government is approximately $151,678 annually. These costs are comprised of project administration and estimated contractor payments. EPA person-costs are estimated using an hourly rate for a GS-14 (step 1) including an additional 60% for benefits based in Washington, DC. Time spent on each step may vary, as well as the GS-level of the employees involved. The estimate for project administration is based on 10 projects per year at 5% time given 2,087-hour divisor for an employee's annual rate of pay. 

Task
Costs (and Person-hours) Per Project
Total Hours and Cost

EPA
($63.43/
Hour)
Estimated contractor costs
Total Cost/Year (estimated for 10 projects per year)
Project Administration
$132,378

$132,378
	
Contractor costs

$60,000
$60,000
Total

$192,378

15. 	Reason for Change
This three year renewal will allow EPA to continue its participatory science activities consistent with Congressional legislation (American Innovation and Competitiveness Act), a 2016 GAO report ("Practices to Engage Citizens and Effectively Implement Federal Initiatives"), a 2017 GAO Report ("Executive Branch Developed Resources to Support Implementation, but Guidance Could Better Reflect Leading Practices"), and a September 2018 EPA OIG report on improving management controls for EPA participatory science ("EPA Needs a Comprehensive Vision and Strategy for Citizen Science that Aligns with its Strategic Objectives on Public Participation"). The dollar figures have been updated to reflect current wages. 
16. 	Tabulation of Results, Schedule, Analysis Plans
The tabulation, timeline, analysis, and publication of information collected under this generic clearance will vary by submission. 

In accordance with the Presidential Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government, information collected under this generic clearance will disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use and in compliance with the data policies outlined on Data.Gov. 

Each project submitted under this generic clearance will specify the tabulation, timeline, and analysis of the information collection. The information collected is for Agency scientific purposes, thus a number of projects are likely to publish the results of analyzed data, in peer-reviewed scientific journals, white-papers, Agency reports, or Agency strategic research plans, which will be available for public consumption.  

17.	Display of OMB Approval Date
Not applicable for this request.
18. 	Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
These activities comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.

B.	STATISTICAL METHODS
Data collection methods and procedures will vary; however, the primary purpose of these collections will be for qualitative and quantitative data collections that might help inform scientific research, assessments, or environmental screening; validate environmental models or tools; or enhance the quantity and quality of data collected across the country's diverse communities and ecosystems to support the Agency's mission. 

 Universe and Respondent Selection
   
   Statistical methods will not be used in the selection of respondents. Participants in participatory science and crowdsourcing projects are self-selected. The method for soliciting participation will be described fully in each collection request, but participation may be advertised through targeted outreach and engagement methods like standard and social media outlets, collaborations with on-the-ground partners, public talks, and word-of-mouth. 
   
   The number of participants will vary by project submitted under this generic clearance. The variation in participation is likely due to multiple factors like personal interests, accessibility, perceived burden, outreach by the Agency, and success over time. 
   Results will not be used to directly inform Agency regulations or policies. Data also will not be generalized beyond the scope of the sample. 
   
 Procedures for Collecting Information
   
   Data collection methods and procedures will vary and the specifics of these will be provided with each collection request. Each request under this generic collection will include details on the statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection (if applicable to the collection  -  this is not applicable to the selection of participants), estimation procedure, degree of accuracy needed for the research purpose described in the justification, unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and any use of periodic data collection cycles (less frequent than annual) to reduce burden. 

 Methods to Maximize Response
   
   Participants will have complete control over their participation in participatory science or crowdsourcing projects. Participants will need to proactively seek out opportunities, respond to an email, or actively sign up for a project to participate. Outreach and advertising materials will provide information on how to participate but will not assume participation from anyone. Several existing participatory science and crowdsourcing projects employ engagement tactics to support continued participation, and reduce non-response including newsletters with appreciation, motivation and results delivered to participants, and optional bi-weekly reminders to observe. The collection requests under this generic clearance may utilize some of these techniques while acknowledging that participants have full control over whether to participate or not. 
   
   Each collection request under this generic clearance will specify methods to track and increase response rates. Some collection requests will provide opportunities for participants to submit negative data, for example, information on the time and effort to attempt to obtain an observation in the event of no observation. 

 Testing of Procedures
   
   Pretesting may be done with internal staff or a limited number of external colleagues (less than 10). If the number of pretest respondents exceeds nine members of the public, the Agency will submit the pretest instruments for review under this generic clearance.
   
 Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection
   
   Projects submitted under this generic clearance can consult with statisticians in the development, design, conduct, and analysis of the data collection. Statistical expertise is available from agency statisticians or contractors and the Agency will include the names and contact information of persons consulted in the specific information collection requests submitted under this generic clearance as needed. 

C.	APPENDIX

EPA Statutory Authorities

 American Innovation and Competitiveness Act § 402 42 USC § 1861 authorizes Federal science agencies to "conduct projects designed to advance the mission of" the agency. It also authorizes an agency to work with outside organizations in these projects. 
 Clean Air Act § 103, 42 U.S.C. § 7403, authorizes research into techniques for monitoring and controlling air pollution. 
 Clean Water Act § 104, 33 U.S.C. § 1254, authorizes EPA to encourage, cooperate with and render technical services to individuals, including the general public, to promote the coordination and acceleration of demonstrations, studies and training relating to the causes, effects, prevention and elimination of water pollution.
 Solid Waste Disposal Act § 8001, 42 U.S.C. § 6981, authorizes EPA to encourage, cooperate with and render technical services to individuals as well as public and private sector entities to promote the coordination and acceleration of demonstrations, studies, training and public education programs relating to, among other things: adverse and welfare effects of the release of solid waste into the environment; operation and financing of solid waste management programs; planning and operation of resource recovery and conservation systems and hazardous waste management systems; production and marketing of recovered resources; reductions in the amount of solid and hazardous waste and unsalvageable waste materials; and, the development and application of improved methods of collecting and disposing of solid wastes to recover and market materials and energy from these wastes.
 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act § 203, 33 U.S.C. § 1443, authorizes EPA to encourage, cooperate with, and render technical assistance to public and private sector entities, including individuals, to promote the coordination of demonstrations, studies and training to minimize dumping of materials into the ocean that may unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, welfare, or the marine environment and economic potential.
 Safe Drinking Water Act § 1442, 42 U.S.C. § 300j-1, authorizes the Administrator to conduct research, studies, and demonstrations relating to the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of risks to human health related to drinking water supply, and to share information and make recommendations based on this research and investigation.  
 The National Environmental Education Act, § 4, 20 U.S.C. § 5503authorizes EPA to develop and support programs to increase environmental literacy.
 107-118 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act § 311, 42 U.S.C. § 9660, authorizes EPA to conduct research, and provide training and technical assistance to individuals and organizations, to facilitate the inventory, assessment, preparation and remediation of brownfields sites, including associated community involvement.

Policy support
 EPA Vision and Principles for Participatory Science: https://www.epa.gov/participatory-science/epa-vision-participatory-science 
 GAO Report GAO-17-507. Open Innovation: Executive Branch Developed Resources to Support Implementation, but Guidance Could Better Reflect Leading Practices. June 2017. This report identified key actions agencies and executive offices could do to encourage and expand the use of open innovation in government.
 EPA Office of Inspector General Report No. 18-P-0240. EPA Needs a Comprehensive Vision and Strategy for Citizen Science that Aligns with Its Strategic Objectives on Public Participation. September 5, 2018. This report evaluated whether EPA has developed controls to manage the use of citizen science results to meet the agency's mission. 
 2013 Second Open Government National Action Plan - encourages Federal Agencies to harness the ingenuity of the public by accelerating and scaling the use of open innovation methods such as citizen science and crowdsourcing: https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/us_national_action_plan_6p.pdf
 OMB Memo M-11-07. Facilitating Scientific Research by Streamlining the Paperwork Reduction Act Process. December 9, 2010. Citizen science and crowdsourcing are in line with the Paperwork Reduction Act's intent to "ensure the greatest possible public benefit from and maximize the utility of information created, collected, maintained, used, shared, and disseminated by or for the Federal Government."
 OMB Memo M-10-06. Open Government Directive. December 8, 2009. Promotes open government and the use of new technologies. 
 OMB Memo M-15-16. Multi-Agency Science and Technology Priorities for the FY 2017 Budget. July 9[th], 2015. "Agencies are encouraged to use approaches to foster innovation such as Grand Challenges, incentive prizes, citizen science, and collaboration with members of the Maker Movement."
                                       
Lesson Learned from EPA's First and Second Generic ICR for citizen science (2016-present)           
Generic ICR #2080-0083 

EPA used the generic ICR for participatory science to conduct twenty-four new projects. Some "lessons learned" are that well designed participatory science projects can 1) fill data gaps and provide another means of identifying potential environmental problems, 2) improve public understanding of environmental issues and actions that address them, 3) create a stronger, more inclusive and collaborative network of individuals and organizations dedicated to environmental problem solving, and 4) yield cost savings and efficiency in environmental monitoring and protection programs. 
 
EPA benefitted from an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) self-initiated audit of EPA's participatory science conducted in 2017 and 2018. The final report was issued on September 5, 2018, titled "EPA Needs a Comprehensive Vision and Strategy for Citizen Science that Aligns with Its Strategic Objectives on Public Participation" (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-09/documents/_epaoig_20180905-18-p-0240.pdf). The report highlights as a noteworthy achievement the generic ICR to expedite the approval process for new citizen science projects. 
  Selected Projects Included Under the Generic ICR #2080-0083 (from 2016-present)
                                       
 Bloomwatch and CyanoScope 
 Date: 2016 to present
 Location: Primary geographic target was northeastern U.S. (EPA Regions 1 & 2), but there has been broad participation from across the country.
 Number of Participants: Over 300 organizations have participated so far.
 Project Summary:  Bloomwatch and CyanoScope are two tiers of a three-tiered program to identify, monitor, and manage harmful cyanobacteria blooms. BloomWatch is the first tier of the program that utilizes a phone app, allowing the public to photo document the occurrence of a suspected bloom. These images are immediately uploaded to a crowdsourced public facing data dashboard while notifications of the event are sent simultaneously to preselected email lists as established by the user. This allows for individuals/organizations in charge of managing blooms to be notified immediately and appropriate action to be taken. Cyanoscope is the second program tier and follows on Bloomwatch by enabling the participant to collect bloom samples after taking images and using consistent methods for microscopically confirming cyanobacteria populations within the waterbody and identifying potentially toxic genera within the sample. This step helps verify that the bloomWatch images are indeed cyanobacteria in origin and provides notice that potentially toxin producing cyanobacteria are present. 
 Types of Data Collected: Image based documentation of harmful algal blooms, microscopic images of individual organisms, and fluorometric data
 How Results Were Disseminated or Used: This program has trained hundreds of individuals over the past few years and has been the catalyst for many local startup monitoring and education programs. It continues to be well received and participation continues to expand. There is also a great need for aggregating data across state lines in order to gain regional perspectives. EPA is developing data visualization and exploration tools.
 Types of Future Information Collection: Types of information that may be collected in the future include water quality data, biological information on the types of cyanobacteria present in specific waterbodies, cyanobacteria toxin data, and toxin accumulation in biota. 

 Smoke Sense 
 Date: 2017 - present
 Location: Nationwide 
 Number of Participants: 90,000 (estimated)
 Project Summary: The overarching objective of the Smoke Sense project is to develop and maintain an interactive platform for building knowledge in communities about wildfire smoke, health impacts and protective actions to reduce exposure that can improve health outcomes. Central to the Smoke Sense project is the smart phone application through which participants can explore current and forecasted daily air quality, maps of fire locations, satellite images of smoke plumes, and learn about ways to protect our health from smoke and poor air quality.
 Types of Data Collected: Individual reports of smoke observations, health symptoms, and behavioral actions taken to reduce exposure.
 How Results Were Disseminated or Used: Results from this project will be used to promote public science literacy, provide education or training to the public, produce novel data, augment existing data, advance ongoing scientific research, provide data or tools to the public, inform agency planning, support community efforts and encourage community engagement. To date, the project has resulted in five manuscripts which provide an unprecedented advance in knowledge of individual level engagement with the issue of air quality as a health risk. Data is also available in the smart phone application and on the data visualization site on https://www.epa.gov/air-research/smoke-sense-study-citizen-science-project-using-mobile-app
 Types of Future Information Collection: Future collections will likely be the same as current.

 Smoke Ready Communities
 Date: 2021 - present
 Location: Combination of virtual and physical locations: Butte-Silver Bow, Montana & Garfield County, Colorado
 Number of Participants: approximately 60
 Project Summary:  This project is one way that EPA is working to protect public health during wildfire smoke events by improving smoke forecasting abilities, identifying and communicating when and where smoke events are occurring, building local capacity, and providing tools and resources for communities for health protection during smoke events. The purpose of this participatory research is to support local communities in developing a tailored strategy for how their community will respond to future wildfire smoke episodes and advance the state of the science on effective approaches to local collaborative planning processes that support community-defined outcomes related to local response and resilience to wildfire smoke episodes.
 Types of Data Collected: Experience and perspectives on the impacts of extreme wildland fire smoke events on communities and how communities respond; perceptions on health risks associated with smoke exposure; and input on ideas for community-level responses.
 How Results Were Disseminated or Used: Results will inform the broader conversation in the peer-reviewed literature on effective strategies for addressing complex social-environmental issues. Results will also inform EPA on how to approach community-led collaborative projects, and leverage insights for program and tool development and revision processes. Also, the county wildland fire smoke response plans will be used by local communities during future smoke events that require a public health response at the community level.
 Types of Future Information Collection: Future collection will likely be similar.
   
 EPA Sanitary Survey App for Marine and Fresh Waters
 Date: 2021 - present
 Location: Virtual
 Number of Participants: 105 
 Project Summary: The EPA Sanitary Survey App for Marine and Fresh Waters allows users to gather sanitary survey data to identify sources of fecal contamination and potential harmful algal bloom (HAB) events affecting water quality. The App consists of surveys for both marine and fresh waters. The Sanitary Survey App can be used on any device in the field without the need for WiFi or Internet access. It includes photo storage, real time geolocation, links to websites such as the National Weather Service to access data, and free data storage.
 Types of Data Collected: Sanitary survey data to identify sources of fecal contamination and potential HAB events affecting water quality.
 How Results Were Disseminated or Used: Data collected could be used by states, territories, and tribes to understand sources of fecal contamination that are impacting a beach or waterbody. Data collected can also be used to develop predictive models for making same-day decisions on swimming advisories.
 Types of Future Information Collection: Future collection will likely be similar.