[Federal Register: October 8, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 195)]
[Notices]
[Page 62719]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08oc02-82]
[[Page 62719]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9392-4]
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Research Strategy
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a final document.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) is announcing the
availability of its Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
Research Strategy, EPA 620/R-02/002. The Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment Program Research Strategy serves to guide the planning of
EPA research efforts, led by the Office of Research and Development
(ORD), in developing indicators and unbiased statistical design
frameworks that allow the condition of aquatic ecosystems to be
assessed at local, tribal, state, regional, and national scales.
ADDRESSES: A limited number of copies of the Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment Program Research Strategy are available from the
National Service Center for Environmental Publications. Request a copy
by telephoning 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190 and providing the title
and the EPA number for the document, EPA 620/R-02/002. Internet users
may download a copy from the EPA's Office of Research and Development
home page. The URL is http://www.epa.gov/ORD/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael McDonald, the National
Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory's EMAP Program
Manager, (MD-B-243-01), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research
Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: 919-541-7973; facsimile: 919-541-
4621; e-mail: mcdonald.michael@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In assessing environmental risk and
determining restoration priorities, current environmental conditions
must be known and rates of change must be measurable. Because of EPA's
responsibilities under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental
Monitoring and Assessment Program, within the Office of Research and
Development, has focused on improving monitoring and assessment
methodologies for aquatic ecosystems and their associated landscapes.
EMAP has focused on developing indicators and unbiased statistical
design frameworks to assess the status and trends of aquatic ecosystems
at local, state, regional, and national scales. As is EMAP's primary
mission, the goal of this Strategy is the development of sound
scientific approaches to determine the health of the nation's aquatic
ecosystems and the stressors most closely associated with impairment.
EMAP efforts ensure that comprehensive and comparable methods are
being used at a national level, allowing meaningful assessments and the
first regional comparisons of aquatic ecosystem conditions across the
entire U.S. These results will significantly improve the quality of
performance-based reporting to Congress and will better inform EPA
national and regional decisions on priority issues and areas.
State managers and technical staff frequently struggle to balance
local information needs with federal reporting requirements. EMAP will
continue to work with State partners to develop cost-effective
monitoring methodology to aid in decision-making. Results to date from
EMAP approach applications in more than 30 States show cost-savings
while producing full-coverage condition estimates. Often these cost-
savings are used to address priority issues also identified through the
EMAP process.
Finally, EMAP's approach and associated indicators serve the Agency
and the public by contributing to scientifically based reports such as
EPA's upcoming state of the environment report and the Heinz Center's
``The State of the Nation's Ecosystems'' report. EMAP's efforts help to
fill important information needs at both national and at local levels.
EMAP information will improve our ability assess our progress in
environmental protection and provide valuable information for decision
makers and the public.
This Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program Research
Strategy was subjected to external peer review by independent
scientific experts. The final strategy reflects the comments of both
internal and external peer review.
Dated: October 2, 2002.
Paul Gilman,
Assistant Administrator for Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 02-25583 Filed 10-7-02; 8:45 am]
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