Environmental Science Division (EVS)
Advancing informed environmental decision making

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EVS Program Areas

	Advanced Tool Development
	Atmospheric/Climate Research
	Environmental Policy/Planning
	Integrated Assessments
	National Security
	Risk-Based Assessment/Mgmt.
	Site Restoration/Stewardship

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Analysis of Environmental Policy and Regulation

Multidisciplinary staff in Argonnes Environmental Science Division (EVS) integrate science, engineering, and law to provide the basis for development and implementation of a wide range of federal and state environmental policies and regulations. Analyses take many forms, such as issue identification, option comparisons, technology feasibility studies, impact assessments, implementation guidance, and critical reviews, which are related to environmental aspects of energy exploration, development, and use, and of federal facility operations and management. This work often includes development of novel approaches and innovative analytical tools and techniques to address unique situations and challenges. These tasks have increasingly taken advantage of advances in information systems and communication that utilize the Internet, data visualization, and other computer-based technology. The results of this work have contributed to the form and content of new regulatory concepts, acceptance and use of new technology, development of cost effective regulatory requirements, and development of alternative ways to implement policies.

A wide range of topics has been investigated for federal agencies, state governments, and nongovernmental organizations to further their activities in policy and regulatory conceptualization, evaluation, and implementation. For example, EVS staff have developed and evaluated prototype risk- and performance-based approaches to environmental regulations, provided technology characterizations and evaluations for the development of new classes of regulations, identified institutional barriers for production of energy resources, and have assessed the scientific and technological bases for a series of regulatory proposals being promulgated under environmental statutes such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. EVS staff have also developed tools for improved decision making, such as those for assessing and managing environmental compliance and risk at military ranges; for facilitating emergency preparedness at oil and gas wells; for tracking and analyzing cleanup standards at spill and waste management sites; for the demilitarization, recovery, reuse, and disposal of conventional munitions; and for determining environmental and health exposure and risk.