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Basic Information
EPA functions as both a scientific and regulatory agency of the United States. Research conducted under the EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides the basis for formulating environmental policies and programs. ORD's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) plays a vital role in the scientific research mission at EPA. As the laboratory for risk management research within ORD, NRMRL focuses on environmental problem solving. Its research portfolio spans EPA's five strategic goals. The links (right) provide information on how NRMRL assists in achieving the goals through these three overarching research areas: In choosing these research areas, NRMRL considered issues facing our nation today. Some of the issues have been dramatic: terrorist attacks, hurricane disasters, and the rapid rise of energy prices. Some issues that were once highly visible have become more subtle. All of these issues are having a direct effect on the environment. There have been significant scientific and technological changes, such as robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and genetic engineering. Water scarcity and the health of the supply and treatment infrastructure are now more serious issues than lack of treatment. Reducing emissions from a broad range of small sources is now a key issue facing air quality. These issues represent opportunities as well as challenges for NRMRL. TechnologiesDuring the past four decades, significant environmental progress has been made, leading to cleaner air, cleaner water, and better waste prevention and management. Much of this progress is attributable to the development and use of innovative technologies to address priority environmental problems. Innovative environmental technologies hold the promise of being more effective and less costly than traditional methods, and being able to address the far more complex environmental problems that still remain. So NRMRL technology researchers begin with idea development; evaluate designs at bench, pilot, and field scales; demonstrate technologies; and conduct commercial performance verification. Visit: Environmental Technologies Opportunities Portal Aging Water InfrastructureEvery day, we depend on the health, environmental, social, and economic benefits that clean and safe water provides. To ensure that this continues, a sustainable water infrastructure is essential. NRMRL investigates ways to address our aging water infrastructure through research on: Advanced concepts – evaluating and demonstrating the application of innovative infrastructure designs, management procedures, and operational approaches. Advanced concepts go beyond simple asset management. The infusion of these advanced concepts into established wastewater collection systems is especially challenging. Condition assessment – evaluating the condition of a collection system. Data and information are gathered through observation, direct inspection, investigation, and indirect monitoring and reporting. An analysis of the data and information helps determine the structural, operational, and performance status of capital infrastructure assets. Condition assessment also includes failure analysis to determine the causes of infrastructure failures and to develop ways to prevent future breakdowns. Condition assessment enhances the ability of utilities to make technically sound judgments regarding asset management. System rehabilitation – applying infrastructure repair, renewal, and replacement technologies in order to reinstate functionality of a wastewater system or subsystem. The proper balance of the repair, renewal, and replacement depends on the condition assessment, the life-cycle costs of various rehabilitation options, and the related risk reductions. Research results help water and wastewater utilities to more effectively implement comprehensive asset management, provide reliable service to their customers, and meet their Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. Visit: Aging Water Infrastructure Energy and the EnvironmentProviding clean energy and fuel to support current and future economic development and to sustain our country's standard of living is a significant challenge. Energy production is the greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions, which affect climate change. So, of particular concern is how the rapid growth in domestic and international energy use will contribute to climate change. Increasing interest in greenhouse gas emissions is leading to some important NRMRL research. Greenhouse gases tend to be relatively long-lived in the atmosphere. To reduce these emissions, source emissions and source activity must also be reduced. Both require technical innovation and application. NRMRL investigates the performance, cost, and environmental implications of technologies in these areas:
See Also2006–2011 EPA Strategic Plan, Charting Our Course (PDF) (184 pp, 9.85 MB) (EPA/190/R-06/001) September 2006 |